National Dance: Tango Undoubtedly, tango holds a privileged
the representation of the Argentine abroad. While, basically, it
is known as a dance and a music which can be sung, tango also contains
a particular language (lunfardo), certain usages and customs, and
even a characteristic philosophy identifying tango people. At an
international level, in order to distinguish it from so many other
forms that appear in dance halls, it is known as Argentine tango.
It was this which gave rise to all the other forms.
The birth of tango took place towards mid-19th century, with the
formation of dwelling conglomerates around the young city of Buenos
Aires. Those who lived there, peasants from inland, European immigrants
and some disadvantaged porteños (born in Buenos Aires) made
up a new social class. Perhaps as a way of identifying themselves
as a group and of feeling they belonged in their new home, they
began to create cultural expressions derived from this mixture.
This was the start of tango, characterized by its extremely closed
codes, which were only accessible to the working classes.