Did you know that December 11 is celebrated as International Day of Tango – the most romantic and passionate dance globally?
Tango is not just the heat of feelings and passions in dance that fill human life but also an excellent remedy for depression, headaches, and other ailments.
In honor of the international day of tango, I invite you to see my selection of the most memorable tango scenes in cinema.
Tango scenes in movies.
My list opens with a song, «Por Una Cabeza,» which sounds in many films. It seems to me that it is the most popular tango. “Por Una Cabeza” could remain one of the many beautiful compositions of Carlos Gardel and nothing more. But with the release of the film “The Scent of a Woman,” this tango gained incredible popularity and worldwide fame. In the next three films, you will see tango accompanied by this song.
1 Scent of a Woman ( 1992)
The hero of the magnificent Al Pacino, the blind Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade, dances to the legendary Por Una Cabeza melody with Gabrielle Anwar. They rehearsed the scene for three months, which lasted only 2 minutes in the film!
2 True Lies ( 1994)
The film True Lies, which appeared after Scent of a Woman, continued the triumphant return of tango. The dancing Arnold Schwarzenegger captivated the audience from the first minutes of the film, and the composition brought even more popularity.
The tango here is classic-poppy, with a rose and a dress with a slit.
3 “Easy Virtue» (2008)
The hero of Colin Firth rescues the heroine of Jessica Biel, an American who finds herself in a prim English family. And so he is the only one who agrees to dance with her, whose heroine is an eccentric unwanted daughter-in-law. Of course, after such a dance, you can run away together, which our heroes do in the end.
Pay attention to how confidently Firth moves, a minimum of unnecessary movements.
4 Shall We Dance (2004)
Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez make a fantastic duet. So Shall We Dance is a lovely film about love and dance. The whole harmony of the deepest and most tender feelings in this film is expressed precisely through the dance.
And if you suddenly feel sad, something does not stick, it is enough to dance, and a charge of cheerfulness and good mood for the whole day is provided.
Song Santa Maria by Gotan Project.
5 Frida (2002)
The tango of the two women turned out to be so exciting. Additionally, It is especially interesting to observe how the feminine Salma Hayek performs the male part.
As you revisit this scene, pay attention to the elderly lady standing in the crowd and watching the heroines dance. It is Chavela Vargas, a Mexican singer who was one of Frida’s lovers.
Song Alcoba Azul by Lila Downs.
6 Sara (1997 )
It is a little-known polish movie and one of my favorite tango scenes. The plot is engaging but predictable about the love between the young woman and her guard just watching the dance. And I really like Polish “Bruce Willis” Boguslav Linda in this episode.
Sztywny Pal Azji tango
7 Take the lead (2006)
Antonio Banderas plays a professional dancer who teaches dance to school bullies. An exemplary tango will show teenagers that hip-hop is not the only thing that can be trendy.
Beautiful dance of the Spanish handsome Antonio Banderas and the Latin American Kati Virshilas.
Asi Se Baila El Tango by Veronica Verdier.
8 Moulin Rouge (2001)
Tango in this musical is danced by an unknown Argentinian, who tells how to do it correctly. Later, the rest of the card ballet members join him and, singing about unhappy love for the prima Nicole Kidman. Unfortunately, neither tango, nor songs, nor even love prevented the tragic ending of the Oscar-winning movie.
El tango de roxanne (extended film version).
9 Another Cinderella Story (2008)
New Cinderella Selena Gomez preferred a passionate tango to the classical waltz. And she was right: her partner loves tango too!
Valentine’s Dance Tango song by Jeff Steinberg.
P.S.
Do you have any favorite dance movie scenes?
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Such a seductive dance, I particularly love the scene in Frida
I had no idea the tango was so popular. It is a rather seductive dance so it makes sense. Also, seems to be popular in major movies as well. The actors must have worked hard, because they pull it off flawlessly.
My parents love dancing the Tango. Wish there were still here with us though. Anyway, I want to watch Shall We Dance again. That was a beautiful dance scene…And I am a big fan of Richard Gere. 🙂
Yes, I love Richard Gere too!
I have never tried to dance the tango, but all I can say is tango is one of the seductive dances that is being used in a movie like Shall We Dance.
The tango scene in Moulin Rouge is my absolute favourite!
Tango is such a beautiful dance! I remember some scenes you mentioned from this movie list. The Moulin Rouge scene stands out to me!
Such a fun roundup! I love watching dancing scenes – tango and beyond – in movies. So fun!!
Hihi….I vividly remember that scene in “True Lies”! I so love that movie!
All my favourite scenes. wow such an amazing memory down the lane
I have seen a few and I do agree, it was hard to be in character but still be able to deliver the sensual moves and dances. Love the list!
Tango is also popular in the Philippines. I’ve watched different shows with it. These movies sound fantastic too!
Love this! Loved the movie Frida 🙂
Such great movies! I love movies that incorporate music and dancing. I even took a dance class. I didn’t look like these dance numbers but I tried 🙂
Oh, isn’t that just a delightful coincidence? I stumble upon your blog, and what do I find? You’re talking about the tango! How cool is that? And to add to the fun, I’ve just finished watching one of my all-time favorite TV shows, and guess what? The characters in the picture were learning how to tango too! Talk about perfect timing. Thanks for sharing such a fun and unexpected connection!
Scent of a Woman is such a great film, I always enjoy watching Pacino!
This is interesting, first time to know about but it seems cool scenes. Haven’t seen any of these movies.
Scent of a Woman is where I fell in love with the tango! Such a great movie, and amazing scene. I had no idea there was a day to celebrate this amazing dance! I need to check out the other movies on your list now.
Had no idea whatsoever about Tango dance form. So it was rather entertaining to know what it is and watching the clips made it more interesting.