In celebration of Black History Month, Chicago tango organizers are shining a spotlight on the African influence on Latin dances, especially their beloved South American dances of tango, candombe and canyengue. Two free public events will be offered in February to introduce Chicagoans to the African history in Argentina and Uruguay and to illustrate the African influence on the foundations of Argentinean and Uruguayan music and dance.
The first event will be the Tango Negro Reception on February 8th, from 6:30-8:30pm with dance performances, films and a brief presentation by Ernest Williams, of Tango Life Inc., illustrating the African origins of tango and candombe. During the reception the tango community will also honor Afro-Argentine tango masters Facundo and Kely Posadas for their contributions to tango. Ther reception will be followed by a traditional tango social dance, entitled Tango Negro Milonga to allow visitors and dancers to experience the Afro-centric music tangos, canyengues, milongas and candombes. The Milonga is from 8:30-1:00am and is open to the public. The exploration will continue on February 22nd, with a more formal educational presentation dealing in the rich and diverse Afro-Uruguayan and Afro-Argentine cultural context in which tango and candombe was born. The tango music and dance sprang from the multiple cultures settling in the crowded port cities. The musical and dance traditions of the newly arrived poor immigrants from Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria and other European countries mixed with the pre-existing candombe and tangó traditions of the resident blacks creating milonga then canyengue and finally the tango we know today. Many people will be surprised to learn that tango has African roots, as does the less familiar dance, candombe which is one of tango´s predecessors. Tango, as we know it today, began developing in Montevideo, Uruguay and Buenos Aires, Argentina simultaneously in the mid to late 1800´s, said Ernest Williams, president of Tango Life Inc. and promoter of Candombe in the US. Many traditions that came with and were developed by the slaves that came from the Bantu area of Angola and Congo, as well as Mosambique and West Africa were key base elements that laid the foundation upon which tango and candombe were built. In the 19th century the candombe gatherings, called tangós, were banned as indecent, stripping the blacks of an element of cultural identity. After slavery was abolished in 1845, the Afro Uruguayans took to the streets, celebrating with the drums and rhythm of candombe. Their rich musical heritage has become part of their national culture and continues to be celebrated in the streets and at annual carnival celebrations. A group of Chicago tango organizers are working together to celebrate Black History Month by creating awareness of and interest in the African roots of tango and the often overlooked rhythmic traditions of candombe. Organizers include Tango Life Inc., American Tango Institute, Windy City Tango, Tango Chicago and Chicago Milonguero, Ltd, Tanguera Morena, Tanguera Negra, Tango Elixir, Tango Reaction, Tango Una Emocion and Café Duvall. These events will kick-off a learning and dancing experience that will continue beyond the short month of February. In the future look to Chicago to find the experience, recognition and celebration of the past, present and future African iinfluence on tango. --- m i l e s <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi, > > After watching this clip > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRw62Ouq-0A (and > related clips) > > And this clip. > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1CMOvOTCZ8 (and > related clips) > > In my neophyte tango mind, there can be no doubt > that the two dances > are connected by a very clear thread. > > Tango's roots are buried forever in the stream of > time, trade routes, > and royal decrees. > > What we have today is what we have. And we're > working with that. > > However, to me, the roots of both Canyengue and > Kizomba in Tango are > clear as day. And that's what I'm goin with. > > Miles. > _______________________________________________ > Tango-L mailing list > [email protected] > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l > _______________________________________________ Tango-L mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
