Abstract
This thesis contributes to the body of scholarly literature concerning the globalization of tango, specifically its resurgence in the late twentieth century, by providing a case study of a tango community in the United States. In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, dancers of Argentine social tango seek to understand the “essence” of tango, through literature, performance, and communication with other dancers. These efforts reveal much about themselves and the role that tango plays in their lives. This thesis examines the competing discourses of authenticity in Pittsburgh concerning the Argentine tango with regards to a divide in the tango community in 2002. Through ethnographic research, this thesis explores how dancers conceive of authenticity in their actions, according to venue, style, music and gender. Often, these perceptions are associated with Argentina as dancers imagine it, either in the past or in the present.
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