The reawakening of the argentine tango at the turn of the new century is that of a great spirit rising after a deep slumber. In its recent revival since the late eighties, the tango has inspired legions of new dancers all over the globe with its powerful partner connection and intricate, elegant movements.

Right now we are witness to a fascinating process of integration: tangos from previous generations are being embraced and reinvented by the current one. As social dancing finds its place in the modern world, stylistic changes begin to stand out: casual dress, the exchanging of leading and following roles, and notable technical choices such as relaxing the hips and lightening the dance embrace can be seen as a sign of the modern interpretations of tango. One of the most exciting changes is a new genre of experimental tango music. Young dancers especially are dancing tango to non-Argentine music, and at the same time, contemporary tango musicians are collaborating with electronic musicians to create a hybrid sound. I call this new genre "neo tango," and include in its scope the modern creations of artists such as the Gotan Project, BajoFondo TangoClub, and Carlos Libedinsky as well as all songs not classically Argentine tango that dancers choose to play at their milongas.

Although it seems now to be the only possible hold for couple dancing, Tango is only the third dance in history done with the man and woman facing each other, with the man holding the woman's right hand in his left, and with his right arm around her. The first dance done in this hold was the Viennese Waltz, which was a craze across Europe in the 1830s. Couple dancing before the Viennese Waltz was formal, with couples performing choreographed steps, and generally with no more physical contact than holding hands - if that (although some Renaissance dances like la volta could involve surprising levels of intimacy).

The second couple dance to use this hold was the Polka, which became the fashion in the 1840s.

Tango can be danced in a variety of styles and accompanied by different types of music. These styles vary in tempo and fundamental movements. Most modern dancers do not allow themselves to be pigeonholed into a particular style and incorporate various styles and ideas into their movements. Some are even unhappy when their are told what particular style of tango they dance. But at the end, it is as easy(or complicated) to see a particular style as it is to tell the difference between an impressionist painting and a modernist one.

The main categories that any tango style always falls under are: open embrace and close embrace. In a close embrace, the couple is dancing very close to each-other and often actually touching shoulders and heads. The open embrace has the couple standing further apart and allows the dancers a wider range of movement.