While tango is usually pictured as a dance between a white man in an elegant black suit and a white woman in high heels, and a tight red dress, the reality of tango goes much deeper. Born in the brothels and dance halls of Buenos Aires’ lower caste, this music and dance is actually rooted in Argentina’s African and queer subcultures.

Before it became the defining music of Argentina, tango was actually condemned by elites and the Catholic church, which saw it as obscene and transgressive. The dance’s reign was also threatened by the worldwide phenomenon of rock n’ roll and then all but buried by Argentina's Dirty War.

When tango began its revival in the 1980s and 90s, a new era of tango artists began challenging rigid norms established in the early half of the 20th century. Breaking from traditional gender roles and shining a light on the Black history of tango, these artists aimed to invoke tango’s past to make way for a more inclusive future.

In this episode, we travel to Argentina and meet three women who will help us to understand the controversial roots of tango and how they are helping to give new life to a dance very much rooted in tradition.

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