El Cuerpo del Baile: The Kinetic and Social Fundaments of Tango

Argentinian tango currently enjoys global popularity from South America to Europe, and from the United States to Japan. While some aficionados probably lament foreign interpretations of tango and a possible loss of authenticity for the dance, new dancers across the globe celebrate the tango’s intimacy and creativity. What features of tango are responsible for its popularity? Through an ethnographic investigation of tango movement and gesture, I argue that its popularity is a product of the unique kinetic connection the dance fosters between partners. Three distinct types of connection will be examined here: the kinetic and somatic relationship between leader and follower; musicality, or how the couple moves with the music; and the link dancers have with the history and culture of the tango. The first of these facets, the kinetic connection, is most important because it distinguishes the dance as intimate and dynamic, and superbly exemplifies the trademark interpersonal bond of social dancing. The popularity of tango across the globe is largely a function of its authenticity. The desire for authenticity in recreation and travel is common today, and this demand increases a product’s marketability and subsequent likelihood of degradation (Bendix, 1997; Shaffer, 2004). This paradox must be tempered by the Durkheimian understanding that, to survive, culture must be reproduced, and through