According to P.J.S. Richardson (History of English Ballroom Dancing, 1945), M. Camille de Rhynal and Miss Gabrielle Ray demonstrated the tango to the London impresario Mr George Edwardes in 1907, in the hope that he would use it in his theatre; but "whilst all agreed that there were immense possibilities in the idea it was realized that in its form at the moment it could not be presented to a London audience". After some refinement in Paris, the tango appeared on the London stage in 1912, danced by Mr George Grossmith and Miss Phyllis Dare. That year "tango teas" became fashionable with the upper-class public. There are 5 pages of highly detailed stuff in Richardson's history, and I can send a scan if anyone is interested.
As to the tango in Finland, M.A. Numminen says in "Tango is my Passion": "Tango came to Finland in 1913, when a certain Danish couple performed it in the Börsi restaurant in Helsinki. Tango had a sinful reputation. Dancing it was lewd. Just why the couple’s tango displays were so popular that they performed in the Börsi for several years, I can’t imagine." The name of the Danish couple is not given. John Ward Bristol, UK _______________________________________________ Tango-L mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
