--- product_id: 1423238 title: "The Meaning of Tango: The Story of the Argentinian Dance" price: "FREE" currency: TND in_stock: false reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.tn/products/1423238-the-meaning-of-tango-the-story-of-the-argentinian-dance store_origin: TN region: Tunisia --- # The Meaning of Tango: The Story of the Argentinian Dance **Price:** FREE **Availability:** ❌ Out of Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Meaning of Tango: The Story of the Argentinian Dance - **How much does it cost?** FREE with free shipping - **Is it available?** Currently out of stock - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.tn](https://www.desertcart.tn/products/1423238-the-meaning-of-tango-the-story-of-the-argentinian-dance) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description 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. The Tango was the cornerstone of Argentine culture, and has lasted for more than a hundred years, popular today in America, Japan and Europe. 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. Review: The Ultimate Book about Tango Technique - Being a Tango aficionado, I consider this book to be priceless. It's not a one-time read though; it's a Reference Book which I thoroughly studied and have underlines almost every other sentence throughout. It covers the History of Tango, the various styles of dancing and of music, and the technical details of the most useful "steps". However, it's definitely NOT about steps because Tango is all about Technique, not about steps; the basic steps are only used as a vehicle for conveying the many technical issues that comprise this magical dance. The author has done a fabulous research work that I haven't seen anywhere else. She explains the sources and reasons for the development of the dance and substantiates the technical skills and nuances that are very difficult to describe in words. Thus, she uses photos, diagrams and tables to dissect every position, movement, and pose. If I had to summarize the contents of the book in a single sentence/instruction, it would be: "Keep your hearts connected throughout the dance". I do have one reservation, though. In the Music section of the book, the author has "skipped" the most-important---at least, to me---music and innovation of Astor Piazzolla; maybe she is contemplating writing a separate book about Piazzolla and his music, and I do think that this missing material would require a whole book all by itself. I AM fully aware of it that Piazzolla did not intend for his music to be danceable. Still, I consider about 10% of his ~3,000 compositions to be danceable---mostly by advanced Tangueros. I highly recommend studying this book to anyone---at any level---who aspires to become a Tango dancer. Moreover, the more advanced you already are, the more you would learn and benefit from studying this book. Thank you, Christine, for your fabulous book! Review: Excellent book on the meaning behind the dance - It is rare for me to find a book on any dance that really excites and interests me. This was one of those rare books. Denniston explores the history of the tango without resorting to a list of dates and figures. Instead she focuses on the grand themes of the dance's unique history and how that shaped the way the dance developed and is viewed by its devotees. She also covers the fundamental techniques of the dance without becoming dry and boring. Instead she shows how the meaning and purpose of the dance influence the technique. Overall, this is a very enjoyable book on the tango. Not an academic book, but more a devotional book with very accessible writing on the history, culture, meaning, and technique of Argentine tango. If I have any criticism of the book, it is that the author could have offered some direct quotes or experiences from the dancers she consulted for the book. She places much emphasis on the Golden Age of the tango, how the dance developed, and the meaning those dancers derived from the dance. I enjoyed the focus she placed on these Golden Age dancers throughout the book; however, I felt she could have explored it even further and made it come alive even more if she had offered some direct quotes and experiences from the dancers she talked to. Despite this, the book is an excellent overview of the history, culture, meaning, and technique of the dance, and I greatly enjoyed it! ## Features - New - Mint Condition - Dispatch same day for order received before 12 noon - Guaranteed packaging - No quibbles returns ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #1,030,043 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #5 in Folk & Regional Dance #9 in Popular Dance (Books) #16 in Argentinian History | | Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 151 Reviews | ## Images ![The Meaning of Tango: The Story of the Argentinian Dance - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61pGRQkWc5L.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Ultimate Book about Tango Technique *by M***I on May 7, 2014* Being a Tango aficionado, I consider this book to be priceless. It's not a one-time read though; it's a Reference Book which I thoroughly studied and have underlines almost every other sentence throughout. It covers the History of Tango, the various styles of dancing and of music, and the technical details of the most useful "steps". However, it's definitely NOT about steps because Tango is all about Technique, not about steps; the basic steps are only used as a vehicle for conveying the many technical issues that comprise this magical dance. The author has done a fabulous research work that I haven't seen anywhere else. She explains the sources and reasons for the development of the dance and substantiates the technical skills and nuances that are very difficult to describe in words. Thus, she uses photos, diagrams and tables to dissect every position, movement, and pose. If I had to summarize the contents of the book in a single sentence/instruction, it would be: "Keep your hearts connected throughout the dance". I do have one reservation, though. In the Music section of the book, the author has "skipped" the most-important---at least, to me---music and innovation of Astor Piazzolla; maybe she is contemplating writing a separate book about Piazzolla and his music, and I do think that this missing material would require a whole book all by itself. I AM fully aware of it that Piazzolla did not intend for his music to be danceable. Still, I consider about 10% of his ~3,000 compositions to be danceable---mostly by advanced Tangueros. I highly recommend studying this book to anyone---at any level---who aspires to become a Tango dancer. Moreover, the more advanced you already are, the more you would learn and benefit from studying this book. Thank you, Christine, for your fabulous book! ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent book on the meaning behind the dance *by K***D on May 29, 2008* It is rare for me to find a book on any dance that really excites and interests me. This was one of those rare books. Denniston explores the history of the tango without resorting to a list of dates and figures. Instead she focuses on the grand themes of the dance's unique history and how that shaped the way the dance developed and is viewed by its devotees. She also covers the fundamental techniques of the dance without becoming dry and boring. Instead she shows how the meaning and purpose of the dance influence the technique. Overall, this is a very enjoyable book on the tango. Not an academic book, but more a devotional book with very accessible writing on the history, culture, meaning, and technique of Argentine tango. If I have any criticism of the book, it is that the author could have offered some direct quotes or experiences from the dancers she consulted for the book. She places much emphasis on the Golden Age of the tango, how the dance developed, and the meaning those dancers derived from the dance. I enjoyed the focus she placed on these Golden Age dancers throughout the book; however, I felt she could have explored it even further and made it come alive even more if she had offered some direct quotes and experiences from the dancers she talked to. Despite this, the book is an excellent overview of the history, culture, meaning, and technique of the dance, and I greatly enjoyed it! ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ The heart of the culture and history of argentine tango *by J***M on May 10, 2010* The best part of this book is Part 1 in which the author covers the history of argentine tango, its step child ballroom tango and the early preparation of dancers in the Golden Age. Inexperienced leaders danced in practicas for years before an experienced leader as a kind of sponsor would invite them to a milonga. The leader's responsibility was to be so well prepared that the follower did no wrong on the dance floor. She describes the culture of courtesy to the follower in the tanda and at the milonga and the codes. This is really the heart of the book. I also liked her review of the orchestras and their musical styles which comes in the latter part of the book. In between those two sections, the book is devoted to dance technique. As a tango dancer since 1997, I do not believe tango technique can be learned from a book-the subtleties and the connection are far and away too important. If you dance argentine tango, I recommend it for your bookshelf. Wonderfully, tango is now a UNESCO World Heritage dance. If you have read this review and do not dance tango...introduce yourself to the reality of a dance like no other. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.tn/products/1423238-the-meaning-of-tango-the-story-of-the-argentinian-dance](https://www.desertcart.tn/products/1423238-the-meaning-of-tango-the-story-of-the-argentinian-dance) --- *Product available on Desertcart Tunisia* *Store origin: TN* *Last updated: 2026-11-02*