Rarely is there a description of Argentine tango that doesn’t include the word, passion. There have been a few commercial films which have tried to portray tango, but generally unsuccessfully. The feeling, the rush, the romance (the passion) is elusive and inexplicable. That’s why people keep trying to explain "it"—on the internet, in films, in books and articles.
I had only just begun to dance tango when I saw Sally Potter’s The Tango Lesson. Now several years later, despite all its faults, I think this film truly portrays the why of tango—the selfishness, the allure, the sexual undertones, the challenge. Tango Bar with Rual Julia, also told the true tango story, and the documentary, Tango: the Obsession explains the addiction. Otherwise we tango freaks are ever on the watch for fleeting moments in commercials, and movies like Scent of a Woman, Moulin Rouge, Chicago, and Evita. Robert Duval’s Assassination Tango just didn’t cut it, although to its credit, it could have been so much worse.
Newspaper critics understanding little about the dance, often use phrases such as, like having sex with your clothes on, or vertical sex when writing about a tango show. They haven’t a clue that it’s not about sex, but sensuality—and yes, passion.
The beautiful painting above is by Jan Rae of Australia. Click on the "Link" below to see more.)
No comments:
Post a Comment