The 2014 World Tango Championships have opened in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires. Thousands are expected to flock to the event to watch contestants from around the world perform the Tango's rhythmic-yet-rigid dance moves.

Argentinians say Tango World Championship is 'tame'

The Tango was born in Argentina and neighboring Uruguay but there is controversy over the contest, with many Argentinians saying it has lost its original soul.

The La Boca neighborhood in Buenos Aires, a popular tourist stop, is known as the birthplace of tango. Its Los Laureles tango bar opened in 1983 and has since become a tango hotspot . The bar is a focal point for neighbors to come together and enjoy tango music and dance. It is a world away from the Tango World Championships taking place in the same city.

"It's a different thing. The World Championship is very good. I think it's something the tourists appreciate more than the real tango lovers we have here. The real tango aficionados, from the neighborhoods, or from the different tango halls, go to see the world championships to see what's new. They go to see the particular dancers. But it's not something that really touches the soul," said Los Laureles owner Doris Brennan.

Tango's global popularity has grown greatly in global popularity over the last few years,and the 12th annual Tango World Championships are attracting contestants from across the world.

The event provides a massive boom for the tourism industry, with hundreds of thousands of people set to visit Buenos Aires during the 13 days of competition.

But the locals say that the heart and soul of Tango lies off the beaten track in places such as Los Laureles.

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