Gato
Argentina
El Gato
El Gato is Spanish for "The Cat". The Gato is a very popular folk dance and is one of the oldest dances in Argentina. The lyrics of Gatos are humorous and the dancers often stop the music to improvise any occurrence of a double meaning. The dance came about in the early 19th Century and is danced in Argentina in different variations depending on what part of the country you are in. In the Gato dance style couples face each other in a line going across the middle of an imaginary square. It can be danced in a single or double couple formation.
The Gato is a discreet game of love. The man pretends to court the lady and tries to win her.
The man tries to impress the women with his tap dancing steps and jumps, which is a common theme in this type of folk dance.
The mans' pursuit of the women is compared to a cat going after its' prey.
Argentinian folk dance: Gato