Intangible heritage in global space: tradition and the quest for the authentic dance experience in the international world of tango

Kovács, Nóra (2020) Intangible heritage in global space: tradition and the quest for the authentic dance experience in the international world of tango. Tánc és Nevelés, 1 (1). pp. 130-145. ISSN 2732-1002

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Abstract

The ‘Tango of Argentina and Uruguay’ was inscribed on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO in 2009 to be safeguarded as one of humanity’s outstanding cultural achievements. Controversies and shortcomings related to the inscription have been pointed out by several scholars working on tango as a social phenomenon. Criticism concerning the nomination document and the decision about the inscription targeted two principal focus areas and were expressed from two different standpoints. Both miss the inclusion of living grassroots tango communities and what they stand for from the heritage definition of tango. This paper intends to connect academic and community reactions given to its patrimonialization with personal observations of recent trends in the international and especially in the European world of tango; particularly with the increasing presence of two-three-day international tango dance occasions commonly referred to as tango marathons or encuentro milongueros1. In the complex, multi-layered and multi-vocal global tango world these events have been associated with essential, authentic milonga2 experiences, a sense of prolonged intimacy and community through shared dances and shared dance space.

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