The very mention of tango brings the name Astor Piazzolla mind. Â After all, he's the one who took what is arguably Argentina's national dance and moved it from the streets of Buenos Aires into the concert hall. Â Tango had become quite popular in Europe in the early 1900s. Â It became a huge craze in Paris, followed soon by London, Berlin, and other European capitals. Â It soon showed up in Finland.
By the 1950s, tango had become hugely popular all across Finland. Â The Tango Music Advancement Association, established in Finland in early 1984, held the first Tangomarkkinat. Â 18,000 people showed up, with a million-and-a-half more watching on television.
Now, nearly 30 years later, over 100,000 showed up for the 5-day festival. Â This is no small thing. Â The Finnish are a notoriously private people, not prone to outward signs of affection, much less eye contact. Read Finland's Unlikely Love Affair with the Tango (BBC News)