Moody, pouting, murderous Tango?

June 8, 2014 3:41 PM

My partner and I are intermediate-level ballroom dancers; we're looking to put together our first formal routine, and would appreciate some helping finding the right music.

It's going be a Tango - American ballroom style, with elements of Argentine. Duration will be less than 2 minutes, but we can edit down a suitable track for length, so don't worry about that.

The general picture we have is:

• mid-to-slow tempo;
• moody;
• staccato;
• traditional, modern, pop, electronica, avant garde - doesn't matter, so long as it's tangoable.

Most of all, we'd like it to be... dramatic?. Definitely serious. Sexy, perhaps, but not sentimental. Romantic with a capital "R" - lots of stern expressions and pouting and general haughty fierceness, rather than flowers and sobbing.

Novelty tunes need not apply. ("Masochism Tango," I'm looking at you.)

Other than that... go nuts. Thanks in advance!

posted by buxtonbluecat to Media & Arts (8 answers total)

Is "El Tango de Roxanne" from Moulin Rouge too obvious?
posted by a fair but frozen maid at 3:53 PM on June 8, 2014

El Tango De Roxanne from Moulin Rouge (Or the instrumental version if the vocals push it into the novelty category)
posted by SisterHavana at 3:54 PM on June 8, 2014 [1 favorite]

In case this isn't already obvious: Gotan Project

Samples.
posted by mikeand1 at 3:56 PM on June 8, 2014

Response by poster: Nothing is too obvious or too obscure. "El Tango de Roxanne" is definitely on the right track.

We're familiar with Gotan Project; they have some great pieces that hit the right mood.
posted by buxtonbluecat at 4:52 PM on June 8, 2014

I'm a fan of Astor Piazzolla, but his stuff might be a bit on the subtle side for some dance steps.

Grace Jones does a swell interpretation of one of his songs that's really worth looking at. It's great!
posted by ovvl at 6:59 PM on June 8, 2014

When I hear tango, I immediately think of Tarrega's guitar piece.
posted by gakiko at 2:47 AM on June 9, 2014

The winners of Strictly Come Dancing (UK) did their Tango to Florence and the Machine's "Spectrum (Say My Name)" and I thought it was pretty dramatic and sexy. YMMV
posted by billiebee at 4:17 AM on June 9, 2014

Two guitar pieces:
Roland Dyens, Tango en Skai
Nikita Koshkin, Usher Waltz
posted by SugarFreeGum at 11:55 AM on June 9, 2014