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  www.bardetango.com.br                Abstract of the Book 

Tango Uma Paixão Porteña no Brasil

Tango one "Porteño" Passion in Brazil

“A vida nunca é o tango, mas o tango é sempre parte de uma vida”

Life might never be a tango, but tango is always a part of everybody's life   

  Sinopsis             Sinopse        Ney Homero da Silva Rocha

Live the Tango! Nostalgic or sensual, insurgent or rebellious, tango crossed the Argentine borders and is danced today in the most important cities of Europe, the United States and also here in Brazil. 

Precisely here in Brazil, where Ney Homero da Silva Rocha’s book, “Tango Uma Paixão Porteña no Brasil”, was successfully launched on December 7, 2000 at the Casa de Cultura da Universidade Estácio de Sá, in Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro. The book brings to the reader, in an attractive and agile style, the inception of tango, through the common roots of the porteño music and the Brazilian chorinho, referring to the main personalities and tango heroes in both countries. 

The story begins with a brief autobiography, and the author shortly after refers to his early contact with tango music when he was six years of age, in Além Paraíba, Minas Gerais, and his homeland. He then refers to the emotive story in Caminito, his first tango lesson in Bariloche in September 1987, the first initiatives, and the development of the tango process here in Brazil, particularly in Rio de Janeiro. The second part of the book details the tango process and its development in Brazil, with a detailed chronicle of facts and its main players.  

Chapter four addresses the development of the tango movement in Rio de Janeiro, which is an open declaration in favor of the integration between Brazilians and Argentines, something like “a cultural corridor of tango and Brazilian musical styles”. The first outcome of this declaration has been the visit to Brazil of excellent tango teachers, and the journeys of numerous groups of Brazilians to Buenos Aires, to attend and dance at the milongas porteñas, and also the visits of Brazilian teachers to lecture on and teach how to do samba, chorinho and lambada in Buenos Aires. 

But the history of tango needs the porteño magic, in this eclectic trip. The book is pleasant and interesting, and the author follows the historical narration of two great tango personalities: Rodolfo Dinzel, a famous tango dancer, who addresses the diverse stages of Argentine tango, and Horacio Ferrer, in his detailed account of the origins of tango, show-tango and finally salon tango, the favorite theme of the author, and his description of the dance.  

“Life might never be a tango, but tango is always a part of everybody's life”. 

With this idea the author closes the epilogue of his book, embarking again in the autobiographic style, comparing tango and life, life and tango, and addressing the circumstances leading to the creation of a tango-milonga, the “Milonga da Estrela Tuca”. The lyrics and the score of this milonga are also reproduced in the book.  

The book comprises 13 chapters and an appendix in 184 pages. The originality of the book is that it is the first one to describe the recent but intense penetration in Brazil of this captivating and refined musical style. As a matter of fact, tango lessons are given in 80 dance courses throughout Brazil, in nine States in addition to the Federal District. The book has also a Directory with the names and contact information on where to learn to dance tango and is a contribution towards the existing cultural interchange between Brazil and Argentina as regards their musical and dancing expressions such as chorinho, samba, lambada, and of course, tango.  

It is, therefore, a very interesting book, and a necessary one for all those who are involved with tango, or simply love it. It is pleasant reading for music lovers, ballroom dancers and for all those who are fond of dance shows. In other words, for those who appreciate the growing and reciprocal cultural interaction between Brazil and Argentina. 

Reg.: Minc / Nacional Library N.º 011826 – V02.   

English translation: Cristina Otálora

To buy the book, click on the link: 

www.bardetango.com.br/1.3propagandalivrotangoumapaixaoportnobrasil.htm

Contacts: tels.: (+ 55 21) 2439-7536 (tel.:/fax) - Mobile: 8151-8406.

E-mail: bardetango@bardetango.com.br and, neyhomero@bardetango.com.br.

See the home page of the Thematic Tango Bar, at the Brazilian Tango Website: Bardetango