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Andalusan (Tango) Dance History Origins Page


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    Immigration brought many Germans, Africans, French, Spanish and Italians to Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires went on to become a major city and would grow in popularity. Andalusia is Spain's largest and most populous region, it covers most of Southern Spain, comprising the provinces of Almería, Gadir (Cádiz), Córdoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaén, Málaga, and Seville (Sevilla).

   Visigoths (West Goths-German) ended Roman rule in the Fifth Century. AD, and in 410 the Visigoths overtook Rome. Then onto Spain in 412, whose conversion to Catholicism facilitated the fusion of the Visigothic and the Hispano-Roman populations of Spain (under Leovigild and under Recared.) The Muslim leader "Tarik ibn Ziyad," (whose victory in 711) in a battle near Medina Sidonia ended the Visigothic kingdom and inaugurated the Moorish period in Spain. In 711 the Moors (Africans), crossing the Strait of Gibraltar, established there the center of their western emirate (Cordoba). In the Eleventh Century BC, the Phoenicians settled there and founded several coastal colonies, most notably Cádiz and the inland town of Tartessus, which became the capital of a successful kingdom.

    Andalusia remained under Moorish rule until most of it was conquered in the Thirteenth Century by the kings of Castile; the Moorish kingdom of Granada survived and it too fell to the Catholic kings around 1492. The Moorish period was really the golden age of Andalusia. Buenos Aires (Argentina) was founded by a Spanish expedition in 1536, then again in 1580. From the Sixteenth Century Andalusia generally weakened as Spain declined, although the Sea ports of Seville and Cádiz flourished as trade centers of the New World. Gibraltar was succeeded to Britain in 1713, In 1808 Napoleon invaded Spain and seized control of the government. Finally in 1833 Andalusia was divided into the present day eight provinces.

    In 1816 the Waltz was introduced to Argentina, then came the Polka, Mazurka and Schottische. Spanish and Cuban rhythms mixed and the Habanera was born. The Habanera came from Havana, Cuba and made its way through Spain to Argentina in the early Nineteenth Century. A Spanish variation of the Habanera was called the "Tango Andaluz." The Lyric Theater (Zarzuela) may have had something to do with introducing the Andalusian (Betica) Tango to the Argentines.

    The Andalusian Tango became very popular and was mainly danced by Women with Women, with an occasional Gaucho (cowboy) thrown in here and there. The Andalusian was the forerunner of the Argentine Tango. The Andalusian Tango mainly retired as more of a music than a dance form as time progressed.

    The Cachucha is a Spanish solo dance, better done by a Lady than a male which is danced to the Andalusian national song. Fanny Elssler made this dance popular at the time. The word Cachucha means a term of endearment or certain kind of Cap. Castanets are also used in this dance.

   The Malagueña (Flamenco) shares with the Fandango the rank of the principal dance of Andalusia. Moorish influence is still strong in the character, language, and customs and architecture of the people. One of Europe's most strikingly colorful regions, Andalusia, with its tradition of bull fights, Gypsy flamenco music and dance.


Birth Place

Creation Date


Dance Type

Spain c.1850s n/a Spanish

Posters, Lobby Cards etc.

Sheet Music Covers

Music Titles

n/a Andalucía Andalucía (1928)
Soy Tremendo! Danse Andalouse (Ascher)
La Guapa (a March)
Tangos For Pianos

Night Clubs



n/a Colon Theatre (B. Aires) Cádiz
Lyric Theater (Zarzuela) La Boca
Pabello 'n de las rosas




1942 - Aires de Andalucía n/a 1917- Andalusiana (Ballet)
1965 - Andalucía alegre y confiada Carmen (George Bizets)


1900s - Caras y Caretas
1913 - Critica newspaper

Associated Dances of the time ...

American Tango Castle Tango Flamenco International Tango
Apache Dance Cachucha Habanera L' Andalusa Tango Americano
Buena Vista Tango Czardas Jaleo Milonga Tango Maurice
Bolero Fandango Innovation Moorish Dance  

Dancers, Choreographers etc.

1850 - Antonia Hilarot (L' Andalusa) 1920s - Valentino 1900s - Maurice & Walton
1850 - St. de Vegas (L' Andalusa) 1910s - The Castles Boris Romanoff

Books, Magazine Articles on the dance...



Date Published


Italy and Her Invaders Hodgkin, T. 1967 n/a
The Goths in Spain Thompson, E. 1969 n/a

Musicians / Song Writers



Juan de Dios Filiberto (1885-1964) Boris Romanoff (1917) n/a
Francisco Canaro (1888-1964) Julio Aregentina Roca (1843-1914).  
Sebastián Yradier (1809-1865)
Ernesto Lecuona (1896-1963)
Issac Albeniz (1860-1909)
Ascher, Joseph (1829-1869)


Andalucía Barrios Contradanza Portenos
Andalouse Candome Gauchos (Cowboys) Sainetes
Araucanian Indians Caudillos Guitar Teatro (Theatre)
arrabales Clandestinos Pampa
Bailar Compadre Payadores (Folk Singers)

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