Presented in 2012 by Pampa Cortés. View the pdf here or watch the video.
Argentine Tango: Backward Ocho
Presented in 2012 by Pampa Cortés. View the pdf here or watch the video.
Argentine Tango: Basic With Rock Step Salida
Presented in 2012 by Pampa Cortés. View the pdf here or watch the video.
Argentine Tango: Basic with Side Salida
Presented in 2012 by Pampa Cortés. View the pdf here or watch the video.
Argentine Tango: Forward Ocho
Presented in 2012 by Pampa Cortés. View the pdf here or watch the video.
Argentine Tango: Sandwiche – Half Molinete Combination
Presented in 2012 by Pampa Cortés. View the pdf here or watch the video.
El Chamamé
Chamamé is a baile popular, a social dance, and is not considered to be one of the folkloric dances of Argentina. It is a couple dance with a closed embrace. There is no set choreography. The man improvises according to his taste, both with dance steps and Zapateo (see end of this section of instructions on Zapateos). Chamamé is a fusion of many roots including the indigenous Guaraní, the baroque music of the Jesuit monks who arrived to the area in the 1600s, African rhythms of freed slaves from Brazil and then, in the 1800s, the European immigrants such as the Ukrainians, Italians, Germans, Russians, and Basques who brought their polkas and schottische, and the accordion – the instrument most associated with the genre. Chamamé has its deepest roots in the northeastern part of Argentina called the Litoral, the land close to the rivers (in between Uruguay and Paraná rivers). The town of Yapeyú is considered the birthplace of chamamé music. There the monks and the Guaraní built the largest instrument factory in all of Latin America. The music and dance were disdained by the middle and upper classes as music for country folk. It wasn’t until the 1980s that the music became a vehicle for social commentary and embraced by more of the population.
Presented by Pampa Cortés in 2013. View pdf here.
El Cuando
This beautiful courtly dance was danced in the first half of the 1800s throughout Argentina with the exception of Buenos Aires and el Litoral region. It is a derivation of the Gavotas that the Spanish brought to Argentina in the 18th century. These were French dances composed of two melodies – the Minuet and the other is what became El Gato. The Argentine military hero San Martin possibly first saw it in Mendoza and then took it to Chile on a military campaign along with other dances in 1817. It is a historical dance that is typically only performed in programs celebrating national days. The women wear long ball gowns with mantillas and combs and the men are dressed in tails.
Presented by Pampa Cortés in 2013. View pdf here.
El Gato
This lively creole dance is found throughout Argentina. It is possible that it arrived by the 1820s from Peru via Bolivia or Chile or perhaps both. It was also danced in Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile and Peru, though it is in Argentina that it had the strongest development and diffusion. Originally it was known by different names in various provinces and there are still some places where it is called “Bailecito,” which is now the name of a completely different dance. Suffice it to say that El Gato is what this dance is called in the majority of Argentina. There are several variations, including El Gato Cuyano, Gato Con Relaciones (couplets), Gato Polqueado (polka), Gato Encadenado (enlaced), and Gato Patriótico (danced with two couples and with handkerchiefs). El Gato uses a rhythm that is “ternario” – a measure of three parts (triplets) in 6/8 time, with the bass or drum percussion in 3/4 time.
Presented by Pampa Cortés in 2013. View pdf here.
El Remedio
El Remedio is a happy, lively dance of gallantry where the man and woman dance apart until the very end. It is generally danced with handkerchiefs waving overhead and dipping in salute. In the choreo-graphy, the man celebrates the woman and makes her the object of his attention, chasing her through the four corners and turns, showing off for her his best efforts in the Zapateo, hoping to win her admiration. The handkerchief plays a part in this dance and is important in the courtship as the dancers can express through its movements how they feel.
Presented by Pampa Cortés in 2013. View pdf here.
La Chacarera
This dance is found in all parts of Argentina. It is lively and happy, expressing gallantry and romance. The man and woman dance apart. It is similar to other dances such El Gato, El Escondido and El Remedio, among others. Historically, first mention of it was made in the 1850s.
Chacareras use a rhythm that is “ternario” – a measure of three parts (triplets) in 6/8 time, with the bass or drum percussion in 3/4 time.
Presented by Pampa Cortés in 2013. View pdf here.
Zapateo
A Zapateo is a pattern of stamps or taps men in Argentine folk dance use to show off their dancing skills, especially for women.
Presented by Pampa Cortés in 2013. View pdf here.
