Tango and Flamenco are both enjoyed all over the World. These dances originate from different traditions and use different music and slightly modified movements. Tango is a game of seduction between two people, and Flamenco is known for its emotional intensity and expressive use of arms and stamping of feet. In this article, you will find out what are the main differences between Tango and Flamenco dance.
What is the difference between Tango and Flamenco dance? Tango and Flamenco are entirely different dance styles, but the main difference is that partners do not touch each other in Flamenco dance. On the other hand, Tango dance is a very intimate and sensual dance where dancers can dance in an open or closed position.
A leader leads by showing gestures and suggestions instead of leading by physical contact.
The main characteristic of Flamenco dance is that it can be performed solo or with a partner, but dance partners don’t dance near each other as they would in Tango dance.
Tango is a partner dance and cannot be danced solo. Tango is choreographed and coordinated between two people. There must be chemistry between dancers, where two souls meet and express themselves on the dance floor. It is lovely seeing two people merge into one on the dance floor.
Although Flamenco has a rich history, Tango is by far the more popular dance style across the World. A very few dances stimulate our senses as much as the Tango, and it is a dance form that captures all the drama and zest of life. Tango is passionate, sensual, elegant, and playful. It is no surprise that it is one of the most popular dances in the World.
What Is Flamenco Dance
Flamenco consists of three parts
- Song or “cante”
- dance or “baile”
- guitar playing or “guitarra”
Flamenco originates from Southern Spain but is greatly influenced by other cultures such as Cuban, Latin American, and Jewish.
Flamenco dance is known for the expressive use of arms, intensity, and rhythmic stamping of the feet. Many different Flamenco dance styles have developed over time.
The most authentic Flamenco dance style was developed in the 20th century and is danced during Gitano celebrations in Spain. The music and steps are the same as with classical Flamengo, but the arms are noticeably different, curving around the head and body rather than extending, often with a bent elbow.
Another form of Flamenco is called Flamenco “puro,” which is performance style Flamenco. In Flamenco “puro,” dancers dance solo and are based on structural improvisation signals rather than choreographed calls.
Spanish dance companies most often perform classical Flamengo, and women’s back is often held in a marked backbend. Unlike the more gitano-influenced styles, the hips have little movement, the body is tightly held, and the arms are long, like ballet dancers.
Modern Flamenco is a very technical dance style and may take years to learn properly. Dancers need to dance using prompts such as canes, shawls, fans, and castanets. The highlight of this dance style is in the hast footwork with remarkable precision.
Finally, Flamenco “nuevo” is a modernized Flamenco style mainly danced by foreigners.
Learning Flamenco requires motor skills entailing technique and separated movements (head, arms, hands, torso, waist, hips, legs, and feet), which work simultaneously with a mime language that requires artistic expression and rhythm. To better profit from Flamenco and understand it, it is essential to clarify Flamenco’s main gestures and movements.
Flamenco is also characterized by the dancer’s unique posture, flirtatious movements, sensitivity and profoundness of the actions, and rich body expressions.
Here is an excellent example of Flamenco dance.
What Is Tango Dance
Tango dance is one the most popular partner dances that emphasize the vibrant and playful style of movement, rich expressions, improvisation and requires close connection and passion between dancers.
Tango is strictly a partner dance originating from Rio de la Plata, the border between Argentina and Uruguay.
Argentine Tango is the most popular Tango style. Argentine Tango is a music and dance style that originated in the 19th century in Montevideo and Buenos Aires.
Argentine Tango music has a 2/2 or 4/4 rhythmic time signature. Traditionally, Argentine Tango has been danced strictly to Tango music. However, many dancers started dancing the Tango to alternative genres such as electro-tango, blues, experimental rock”, and others in recent years.
Argentine Tango can be danced in an open position where the leader and follower connect at arm’s length. Also, it can be danced in a closed position where the leader and follower connect chest to chest.
Essentially, Tango dancers drag their feet on the floor while mirroring each other. Tango dance is a very technical dance style, and you must follow specific steps and patterns to dance correctly and adequately in Tango dance.
A difference between Argentine and ballroom Tango is in the feel and shape of the embrace. For example, there are open and closed embraces in Argentine and ballroom Tango.
In Argentine Tango, dancers’ chests are closer to each other than their hips. In the closed position, dancers’ chests are in contact, and their heads almost touch each other. There can be lots of space between dance partners in an open position, but there should be lots of contact with arms to communicate the next steps clearly.
There needs to be clear communication between dance partners because Argentine Tango is entirely improvised.
Argentine Tango is danced counterclockwise around the outside of the dance floor, and dancing in the middle of the dance floor generally is not acceptable. Occasionally, you can see beginners dancing in the middle of the dance floor because they lack navigation skills (aka me, haha).
If you want to find out more about different types of Tango dance, please check out this article.
Final Words
Tango and Flamenco are lovely and unique dances on their own, and they differ significantly in pace, beats, intimacy, the closeness between partners, and step positions. However, these differences shouldn’t stop you from learning both dances. Once you figure out one dance, there is no reason why you shouldn’t master the second one.
Happy Dancing!
