On the 78th birthday of Pope Francis, thousands of tango lovers gathered on Vatican Square and danced on their feet. This was done in the honor of the Argentinian-born Pope who has a tremendous fondness for a tango dance. In one of his speeches, he said “I love milonga and I have danced a lot as a young man.”
A lot of people love Pope Francis for his open mind and his love for Argentine Tango. This is because he wants the Catholic Church to be the church for the poor. His love for tango is a symptom of sympathy for the poor and their pleasures. To know how it is related, let’s get into a little history.
Tango was invented in Buenos Aires in the 1800s. This dance was considered the dance of the poor. The girls or prostitutes danced in bars at night on live music. The elite never considered this dance as a part of their group. Later this dance was appreciated in theatres. Slowly, it became an art that was enjoyed in ballroom halls by elite ladies. Now it is the dance of elegance and style.
No matter how much it takes fame, it all started with poor people. Pope Francis is from Argentina, the birthplace of tango. Therefore, he loves dancing tango since he loves the poor. Learning the tango is a passion for everyone.
Ultimate Tango is providing online classes worldwide to those who want to learn the tango. Their school of dance is in Medford, MA. The creator and owner Anita Flejter and Hernan Brizuela provide a unique dance program. Their method allows dancers to progress in a short time.
Tango as a religion
For many people tango is like a religion, an object to worship. This is because it helps them learn to rely on someone and to outgrow their grief, sorrows, homesickness, sadness. The dance is based on trust and commitment and not just movements. To achieve a good dance movement we need to give ourselves to dance, music, and the partner.
For example, when you have to do something, but are reluctant, you pray to God and move forward. You’re giving yourself to God and trusting Him for whatever happens next. Similarly, in Tango before dancing you rely on your partner. You move forward and give yourself to your partner, relying on him or her.
An Association in South Turkey demanded to ban tango dancing. They called it adultery on foot. Since it is a sensuous dance where two people hug each other, but only the upper part of the body and then move along with the music. They considered it a sin to dance like that. However, the Catholic Church changed its mind when the whole Vatican Square was filled with tango dancers on Pope Francis’s birthday.
Even President Obama was seen dancing the tango with an Argentinian lady. They both were dancing elegantly and decently. Since Pope Francis has also claimed that he loves tango and also loves dancing, therefore I feel that dancing cannot be considered a sin.