New Tango King for Finland

[Eldritch]

Marko Maunuksela is Finland's New Tango King

http://yle.fi/ecepic/archive/00328/tangomarkkinat_mark_328753b.jpg

Marko Maunuksela has been selected as Finland’s new tango king. He received a total of 57 points from judges at the Seinäjoki Tango Market event on Sunday.

The Seinäjoki Tango Market has been arranged annually since 1985. It brings together lovers of the Finnish tango, a dance with a long history in Finnish popular culture.

Although reminiscent of the Argentine tango, the Finnish version is characterized by the use of more minor keys. Lyrics of Finnish tango songs tend to center on love, sorrow and a longing for a better life.

Following a change to the rules last year, only a single tango king or queen is selected at the event held in the Ostrabothnian town of Seinäjoki.

Last year the event attracted over 100,000 visitors.

Link. (http://yle.fi/uutiset/news/2010/07/marko_maunuksela_is_finlands_new_tango_king_182434 5.html)

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Some info on Finnish tango. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finnish_tango)

[Марко Краљевић]

Tango is about dancing with hot chick in high heels and tight dress who is putting her long legs around you in a "sensual" way. Did nobody in Finland watched "Some like it hot"? Now, that is a tango to "die" for.;)

[esaima]

It has been always interesting for me why tango is so popular among Finns?
Estonian older generation for example likes waltzes and tango is not so usual.

[Eldritch]

Finns like waltz too, as well as polka, or "humppa", as its called here. I believe the fourth most popular dance among the dance crowd is foxtrot. I suppose outside of Argentina and Uruguay, the tango is the most popular in Finland, but Germans have their own style of tango too.

[esaima]

Can you post a typical Finnish humppa?:)

[Eldritch]

How about this?

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[esaima]

I knew Ievan polkka, This is very good one.
But i did not know that hummpa is the exact term for music like this.

But now how could you Eldritch classify music like this?: Do you have an analogue in Finland?

The band´s name is "Suveniir" ("The souvenire"):this band was hyperpopular among country people.So imagine:... you are Estonian, are older than 45(or better: older than 50), live in a village, work in a collective farm, the year is 1983- then this is the music for you!:thumb001::D

The old man who is singing (famous old school Estonian singer Artur Rinne)was not a permanent member of the band but was like a guest singer.

The man who is playing the accordeon was the leader of the band (Heldur Jõgioja) and the composer of hundreds songs like this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=li9gnQAX1T0
The song is telling about that: when you are sitting and looking the fire you will see your past again, you will see the your youth, youth love, sometimes it seems that her tender hands are holding you again, and you will forget the time distance etc.

[esaima]

Songs like this are called umptsasa´s in Estonia: pay attention to the typical tythm of it: ump-tsah-tsah, ump-tsah-tsah;)