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Travel guide: Argentina
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El tango argentino en Buenos Aires, Argentina
El tango es un género musical y un baile de pareja típico de la región del Río de la Plata y con origen en los barrios más desfavorecidos de Buenos Aires (Argentina) y Montevideo (Uruguay) a finales del siglo XIX. En sus inicios, el tango argentino fue prohibido por la religión y las clases altas, lo cual condicionó su desarrollo en los “arrabales” (barrios pobres con crecimiento desordenado y sin planeamiento), los puertos, los bodegones y clubes nocturnos.
Con los años, el tango revolucionó el baile tradicional con su intensidad dramática y expresiva, su sensualidad y su emoción. A principios del siglo XX se convirtió en símbolo de la identidad cultural argentina. La nota distintiva del tango argentino es el abrazo de la pareja, que baila haciendo contacto pecho con pecho, o a muy estrecha distancia, y sin arquear la espalda. La regla: la improvisación. En lugar de pasos, la pareja interpreta la pasión, el drama y el amor/desamor al son de la música.
El tango argentino es una de las manifestaciones artísticas y culturales más genuinas de Argentina. En la riqueza de sus rasgos porteños se mezcla la tradición, la renovación y la diversidad.
Las composiciones anónimas "El Tero" y "Andate a la Recoleta" han sido identificadas como las primeras del género. Su primer músico y compositor conocido es Juan Pérez con la canción "Dame la Lata" (1880s).
En Buenos Aires se celebran todos los años festivales de tango. El campeonato de tango de la ciudad de Buenos Aires abre normalmente a finales de abril y sus ganadores son los encargados de representar a los porteños en Tango Buenos Aires y Mundial. Este evento único y de repercusión mundial se celebra en el mes de agosto acogiendo a miles de bailarines de todo el mundo que se dan cita en estas fechas en la capital argentina.
El crecimiento y proyección del tango en el mundo ha logrado tal magnitud que en diciembre de 2009 la UNESCO lo declaró Patrimonio Cultural Inmaterial de la Humanidad.
Si vas a Argentina, ¡no te olvides de improvisar un tango!
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Argentinian Tango in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Tango is a music genre and a couple’s dance typically from the region of Rio de la Plata. Its origin can be traced to the most deprived neighborhoods in Buenos Aires (Argentina) and Montevideo (Uruguay) at the end of the nineteenth century. In its early days, the Argentinian tango was forbidden by religion and upper class society; this restrictive atmosphere inevitably forced its development to places like the “arrabales”, ports, bodegones and nightclubs.
Over the years, tango revolutionized traditional dance with its dramatic and expressive intensity, its sensuality and emotion. At the beginning of the twentieth century it became a symbol of the Argentinian cultural identity. What makes Argentinian tango distinctive is the couple’s embrace; they dance chest to chest, or at least very closely, without arching the back. The rule: improvisation. Instead of steps, the couple performs the passion, the drama and the love to the sound of music.
The Argentinian tango is one of the most genuine artistic and cultural representations of Argentina. In the richness of its porteño traits (from Buenos Aires), one finds intertwined tradition, renewal and diversity.
The first tango songs have been identified as the anonymous compositions "El Tero" and "Andate a la Recoleta". Tango’s first known musician and composer was Juan Pérez (Dame la Lata, 1880s).
In Buenos Aires, tango festivals take place every year. The Buenos Aires city dance championships usually happen at the end of April, and the winners go on to represent Buenos Aires in the international festival "Tango Buenos Aires y Mundia"l. This unique event of global impact takes place in August and brings together thousands of dancers from around the world in the Argentinian capital.
The growth and expansion of tango throughout the world has reached such dimension that in December 2009 UNESCO declared it an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
If you go to Argentina, do not forget to improvise a tango!
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Do you ever wonder why the Spanish spoken by native Argentinians is at times so hard to understand?
This short 1-minute video made especially for advanced Spanish students can help you get more familiar with the Spanish used informally on the streets of Argentina (Argentinian slang).
Have you ever wondered what the Argentian accent sounds like?
The Argentian accent has some characteristics that make it completely unique from the rest of the Latin American countries. Its characteristic habit of saying the Y and the LL in the same way, along with its differences in accentuation by region can make you feel like you are in a completely different country, depending on the province you are visiting.
Just as American English and British English have their differences, Spanish has some characteristics specific to each country where it is practiced.
In this video, we are going to show you 60 powerful seconds of Argentinian Spanish that will help you discover the differences between Argentinian and Latin American Spanish, so you can learn how an Argentinians speaks and become more familiar with their Spanish.
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