The Meaning of Tango: The Story of the Argentinian Dance

From the backstreets of Buenos Aires to Parisian high society, this is the extraordinary story of the dance that captivated the world - a tale of politics and passion, immigration and romance.

’As neat and comprehensive an account of both Tango history and technique as you could possibly want in one place. Fascinating, fun and very deftly done.’ - Donald Hutera, dance critic for The Times

The Meaning of Tango traces the roots of this captivating dance, from its birth in poverty-stricken Buenos Aires, the craze of the early twentieth century, right up until its revival today, thanks to shows such as Strictly Come Dancing. This book offers history, knowledge, teachings and insights which makes it valuable for beginners, yet its in-depth analysis makes it essential for experienced dancers. It is an elegant and cohesive critique of the fascinating tale of the Tango, which not only documents its culture and politics, but is also a fantastically useful guide to the techniques.

Christine Denniston is a playwright, author and dance teacher, and one of the UK’s leading experts on the tango. She has written multiple award-winning musical theatre productions throughout her career, including her one-act musical Before the Law, which was awarded second place in the Sidney Brown Memorial Awards and she co-wrote the companion piece, After Lydia, which was performed at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in London.