Tango!: The Dance, the Song, the Story (Paperback)

~ Artemis Cooper (Author), Maria Susana Azzi (Author), Richard Martin (Author), Simon Collier (Author, Editor), Ken Haas (Editor, Photographer)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The tango smacks of elegance and sophistication, but that was not always the case. The tango was born in the lesser quarters of Buenos Aires in the late nineteenth century, first danced by prostitutes and pimps, and took years to win the "battle for social acceptability." This unbridled dance is chronicled in a book that is equally unrestrained, abounding in exciting illustrations and grounded in a lively text by four authorities. In the 1880s, as we learn here, an economic boom sent Argentina zooming to the top ranks of wealthy nations, and its capital was transformed into a beautiful metropolis, but the city also played host to thousands of European immigrants whose lives were not lived in beauty. In this less-than-respectable ambience sprouted a new and very sexy dance; the "connection between the tango and the brothel is inescapable." It took the tango's transfer across the Atlantic to Paris in the years immediately prior to World War I to render it not only respectable but chic. Back to Buenos Aires it came, and in the 1930s, not only the dance but the musical form associated with it enjoyed a golden age; the authors profile the famous singers and dancers who emerged during that flamboyant era. The tango lives on, for according to the authors, "There will never be a last tango." Brad Hooper --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

The evolution of tango as a dance and music is covered, from its birth in the slums of Buenos Aires to its growing familiarity in world dance and music circles. Plenty of black and white and color photos liberally display the dance's movements, spicing chapters which cover key figures in the dance's development and promotion. -- Midwest Book Review --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson; New edition edition (September 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0500279799
• ISBN-13: 978-0500279793
• Product Dimensions: 11.9 x 8.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #206,254 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #8 in	Books > Arts & Photography > Performing Arts > Dance > Ballroom
  #8 in	Books > Arts & Photography > Performing Arts > Dance > Tango
  #25 in	Books > History > Americas > South America > Argentina

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tango is more than music and dance., December 29, 2000

By	Mark Hammond (Chambersburg, PA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Until I read "¡Tango!", most of what I knew from tango was what was told by instructors, including Daniel Trenner, Brooke Burdett, half a dozen Argentine nationals, an equal number of Canadians, and a Belgian. It was exciting to get all the information I needed in one place. Tango is more than just music and dance. It is a cultural phenomenon that began in the barrios and bordellos of Buenos Aires and Montevideo, and spread throughout the world. At the base of this cultural phenomenon is the relationship between a man and a woman. Tango is not just an American or South American phenomenon. It has spread throughout the world, and is popular in such diverse countries as Finland and Turkey, as well as those areas where it evolved.

The text of the book is outstanding and well documented. I was pleased with the choice of artwork, old and contemporary photographs, and page layout. It gave me a great understanding of the tango as a cultural phenomenon. There is an excellent bibliography and the text is referenced with footnotes for those who wish to go to some original sources. I am one of those people who are always looking for recommendations for music, and I was pleased to see a two-page listing of tangos, which are available on compact disc. For those who travel, there is a listing of international tango centers. It is an incomplete list, but it would be helpful for those who travel a lot for business or pleasure.

If you like tango, this would be a good book to start your collection. Then you can proceed with "Le Grand Tango: The Life and Music of Astor Piazzola."

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must for Every "Tango Household", November 26, 1999

By	Y. Wilson (US) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

For a person just discovering the Argentine tango (or who wants to), this is an interesting, beautiful, coffee table book. It's filled with gorgeous illustrations and photographs, as well as poetry, lyrics and fun, historical tidbits about the music & history. It rambles, but that just makes it more fun to open it up and start reading from anywhere. It's been the kind of book that has made even my non-tango friends interested in the dance and cultures behind it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good!, July 20, 2003

By	ioannis (Earth, our only home) - See all my reviews

Good but not great. The book follows all the story of tango but there is something missing....many of the pictures are unfortunately 2-paged and cannot be appreciated (plus I couldnt find any passion in any but 2 of them) although the book seems to getting better as you go towards the end. The edition is of course luxury but i can't say i was amazed. Anyhow a good choice for an absolute beginner to tango but I would suggest Horacio's Salas "the tango" in every case.