Think global, act Argentine! tango émigrés and the search for artistic authenticity

ABSTRACT

The renewed popularity of the Argentine tango has been spearheaded by Argentines’ reterritorialization efforts through which they claim their symbolic ownership of the genre. Two related phenomena are addressed here. First, the article examines the blossoming of the tango industry in Buenos Aires (Argentina’s capital), which is supported by both a foreign and local tango audience. Second, it explores the migratory careers of Argentine tango dancers and musicians who, particularly in New York City, have joined efforts to rebrand the tango as their authentic national product. In order to be successful in the worldwide tango field, Argentine artists must also accrue tango capital, defined as the combined effect of technical skills, social contacts and public recognition. Finally, this article reflects on the ongoing endeavours of Argentine émigrés to keep abreast of tango developments in Buenos Aires, as a key dimension for guaranteeing their success overseas.

KEYWORDS:

• Tango
• immigrants
• Argentina
• music
• dance
• reterritorialization

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank the editors of this special issue, Marco Martiniello and Phil Kasinitz, for their vision in forging novel transnational connections between music and migration. Their enthusiastic support of my work was what inspired me to write this piece. I would also like to express my gratitude to the Journal’s editors, Martin Bulmer, John Solomos, and Amanda Eastell-Bleakley, as well as Celia Boggust (from the editorial office) for their helpful insights and for promptly moving forward with the revisions of this article. Three anonymous reviewers provided useful and timely criticism to my article. My friends Ana Wortman, Gabriela Chistik and Flavio Martín Adam helped me shape key ideas regarding the current tango scene in Buenos Aires and beyond. I also want to thank my wonderful editor, Slava Faybysh, who helped me streamline this essay, and Stephen Pekar, who could not have been a better emotional and intellectual ally.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. For more than a decade, I conducted ethnographic research on tango (alone and with colleagues) in Argentina and the U.S. A detailed description of the methods utilized in this project have been thoroughly outlined in several of my peer-reviewed publications, including a book (see Viladrich 2013; 2005a, 2005b).