In Strangers Arms: the Magic of the Tango Summary

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In Strangers Arms: The Magic of the Tango A summary and Analysis The book “In Strangers Arms: The Magic of the Tango”, by Beatriz Dujovne, is the authors personal account of the story of tango, told as a narrative, a different yet effective style for learning about tango. The subjective perspective of the narrative is the best way to express the heart and culture of tango, as it comes straight from the people who live it. The narrative style is particularly fitting for a book covering the tango, as this dance is all about intimacy and closeness, an idea less easily expressed in an objective academic account of the subject. Combining a personal narrative with accounts from other tango connoisseurs, this book lends a unique perspective for one of the most iconic dances of the 20th century. The author introduces the subject of tango by detailing the popular notions of tango as a flashy, sexy, and mysterious dance, with its movements appearing to be very staged and choreographed. Then she introduces us to a second form of tango, a tango not known by the majority of audiences, a tango of gentleness and physical proximity that is neither sexual nor relationship forming. This tango lives in the present moment; its expression takes the form of what the dancers are feeling in the music and their partners. In this dance, one dances for oneself, shunning the external world, this circumspect dance comes from a different heart and culture than stage tango, this is the social tango. Dujovne then turns to explaining the popular history of the tango and the difference between its two forms. The roots of this dance were mistakenly attributed as originating from criminal areas, most notably from brothels. This myth is still believed to be fact by many people due to its support by the academic community to some extent. The tango actually began in a small town in

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