monday red: dancing in the street - buenos aires, argentina

The origins of Tango are murky. Some say it found it's start in the brothels of Buenos Aires, others maintain that it was merely in the brothels that members of the middle and upper classes first came into contact with it. In any case, there is little written record of how this now world famous dance came into being.

Tango didn't really take off on the world stage until it found it's way to Europe at the beginnings of the 20th century. It is believed to have arrived by way of Marseille, where Argentine sailors would dance with the locals.

In 1912, Tango reached Paris and there was no looking back. Still unacceptable in Argentina's polite society, Tango fascinated Europeans. The popularity was so great that people all over the world wanted to learn this couple's dance. And in 1917 a young man by the name of Carlos Gardel got his start and would go on to be an iconic singer for the genre. But more about him another time...

Tango is everywhere in Buenos Aires. You just need to walk down a crowded street and there is sure to be a couple dancing this seductive dance. It is absolutely delightful.

* I post a picture most days inspired by the color of the day. Sundays are Black and White, Mondays Red, Tuesday Orange, Wednesday Yellow, Green on Thursday, Blue on Friday and you guessed it, Purple for Saturday.