The Malambo is a traditional dance handed down from older South American Cowboys to their younger counterparts, and one might imagine these dances taking place around campfires, after long days on horseback. Customarily a solo form, Malambo has long been among the original competitive dances. Argentinian Gauchos perfected their moves to wow, entertain and yes, beat out their fellow dancers. 

In watching Malambo, what’s evident is the beauty, fluidity, strength, and sheer bravado of the dancers. Chests are puffed and poised like those of horses said to have inspires this dance, and feet paw at the ground. Like manes, long black hair trails behind as the men who comprise Malambo face off, preparing for a battle of complex rhythm and footwork. As the performance progresses, one may observe influences from seemingly disparate dance traditions and distant countries. A quick look at Argentina’s history and trade practices reveals that indeed the dance vocabularies that appear in the Malambo are no coincidence. 

There are two types of Malambo: el norteño “the northern” and el sureño “the southern”. These evolved due to differences between social and demographic differences between the northern and southern regions of Argentina. The Norteño tradition emerged from the Sureño, which is performed barefoot, following the introduction of boots brought to the nation by the Spaniards.

The two types are defined by the character of the music: the malambo norteño possesses a faster tempo and more forceful stomping which is opposite to the slow tempo and more gentle footwork of the malambo sureño.