Tourist Tango Shows in Buenos Aires

My introduction to Argentine tango dance (I was already familiar with some of the music) was, as with so many people outside of Argentina, via a touring tango show. Around 1988 I saw Tango Argentino with my late husband at the Pantages Theater in Hollywood.

Several years later I signed up for a series of eight Argentine tango lessons in West Hollywood taught by Linda Valentino. Immediately after completing the course, I went on a group tour to Buenos Aires, one of the very first of its kind, organized by Daniel Trenner. From then on I saw every tango show that came to town, my favorite being Forever Tango because of Gavito and the Sexteto Major. On that tour to BsAs in 1997, we went to a tango show in Michelangelo in San Telmo, and I was thrilled because the same stars of Tango Argentino I had seen in Los Angeles, Gloria y Eduardo Arquinbau (my neighbors here in Boedo in a marvelous alignment of the planets), headlined the show. During the tour we also had a group class with them in La Ideal.

But with the years and lots of experience, I came to realize that one tango show is more or less like another, especially to those who had no experience with what is the real tango. Nor does show dancing have anything to do with the social tango of Buenos Aires.

Folks are always asking me which tango show in Buenos Aires is the most "authentic!" And I reply honestly that none of them are. But some are better than others, depending on what you like. For me, the orchestra is the most important element, and the more bandoneones the better! Especially for tourists who never get the opportunity to hear this amazing instrument live.

When my kids came to town a couple of weeks ago, I faced the dilemma of choosing a show to take them to--it's all part of the tourist experience, right? Ruben and I were invited by students a few years ago to Esquina Carlos Gardel, and while there were several good things about it, the general impression was that the people are herded in and out like on an E Ticket ride at Disneyland: pose with the tango dancers, eat your dinner, buy the photos and videos, get out and board the bus before the next show.

I had heard that my fellow-blogger SallyCat took her parents to La Ventana and they loved it, so I contacted my friend Cesar at TangoTix and made the reservations. (It's a great website to compare and contrast the various tango shows, read reviews and purchase tickets.)



Our first course of ensalada Caprese

The dinner was good, although when Connie asked for some butter the waiter said there wasn't any.







What I liked best about La Ventana was the superb "D'Arienzo" orchestra with four bandoneones that played in the second half. There also was an excellent folklore quartet to finish off the first part, unusual for a tango show. The gaucho with the dynamite voleadoras had what the ten tango dancers did not: charisma and personality. He didn't dance the genuine "malambo" of the gauchos, but he gave a real performance and woke up the audience. (His name was also Ruben! Here he is with us after the show.)







The problem with the show's tango dancing was that each number had the same energy, same steps, the same frantic, robotic level. For me, despite the nailed spectacular final poses, they could all have phoned it in. Boring. There wasn't even the obligatory brothel scene in lingerie or humorous milonga number for variety, or even a vals! It was just fast tango after fast gancho/voleo/lift/spin in sexy gowns with no emotion or reason for being. The wardrobe, however, was gorgeous.

Some folks were critical of the Evita "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" number--well it is a bit weird to include a London show tune--but I didn't mind all the flag waving. The male singer was excellent, the woman singer mas o menos.

But everyone looks for something different. I read on TripAdvisor that some folks loved the dancing and hated the folklore.

At night the front of La Ventana looks like a Criollo wedding cake, but despite the glamor of the lighting and flags, next door is an incredible old brick building that attracts more attention. I remembered this site at Balcarce 433 as the place of the Michelangelo Tango Show I attended in 1997. Now it's a Peruvian-Japanese restaurant named "M."! (Connie and I went in for a look-see and it's a gorgeous, sexy bar-restaurant, but almost nobody was there at midnight. A shame.)

La Ventana's impressive main show room was not too big and each table had a good view of the stage. All in all it was an enjoyable evening that was not too expensive, as these things go. The show was saved for Ruben and me by the folklore and the orchestra, but Jason and Connie liked the whole thing.

What do you think of tango shows? Do you attend them where you live? Do you go when in Buenos Aires? Which one was your favorite?

La Peña de la Familia

Celebrate! Music! Tango! Folklore!


Ruben and I will be dancing an exhibition in homage to Juan D'Arienzo this Saturday, December 19, in Boedo.

There also will be 2 live orchestras for dancing tango and folklore.

Please come if you are in Buenos Aires for an experience muy Porteño.


NOCHE DE MILONGA Y FOLKLORE

en CASA BALEAR

Sabado 19 de diciembre, 21:30 hrs.

Baile y Show con Orquesta y Cantantes en Vivo

Valor Entrada: $15

Reservas al 4612-2528
155-887-4392
156-447-9661


Venga a Disfrutar en Familia!!!

CASA BALEAR
Colombres 841 (y cortada San Ignacio)
en Boedo
C.A.B.A.

Tramatango

A new tango show opened on Corrientes this past weekend, and your tangocherie was there to scope it out for you.

Tramatango is the new vehicle of Milena Plebs, formally of Tango x2 and Miguel Angel Zotto; this time out she is the director, choreographer, general chief and star.

Here's what the program says:

The show: Three landscapes, three points of view, three styles of dancing. "Sintonías"(Dance tunings), a look into contemporary urban life, "Pugliese Yumba", a tribute to the great Master of the piano Osvaldo Pugliese and his orchestra, "Tango Congo," tackles the afro origin of tango.


Fourteen talented dancers knocked themselves out, the young people very well-trained in contemporary dance and ballet--more So You Think You Can Dance theatrical than Dancing With the Stars ballroom.

However the first applause of the evening erupted after Alfredo y Silvia Alonso danced a smooth and elegant traditional tango to Ninguna. Their milonguero style was such a relief after all those lifts, leaps and arabesques.

If you wish to see the Milena Plebs of antes, though, you will be disappointed. She and her partner Roberto Reis just went through the motions--at least until the milonga, when they seemed finally to relax and enjoy themselves somewhat.

Judicious cuts could have been made to the 75 minute program--the first half of the "Congo" section, for example, as the piece didn't get going until the "red shoes" pas de deux, which was lovely. (And by the way, all the women's shoes were supplied by Comme Il Faut.)

Otherwise, my only complaint is as a tango dancer who values the music above all else. The artists of the recorded music used in the show were not identified; just the composers and lyricists. (Be forewarned: much of the music is modern and non-tango.)

The minimal sets and lighting were perfect.

Not a "tourist tango show" exactly, but a theatrical evening of dance. I congratulate the company and Ms Plebs for attempting to create an original and artistic work. And the price is right--$40 pesos.

Tramatango is playing at the Teatro Alvear until December 13.

Noche Flamenca en Buenos Aires!

A head's up to those folks in Buenos Aires who love flamenco, dance, or just a night of passionate and firey music-- the world-famous Soledad Barrio and her Noche Flamenca are returning to Teatro Avenida next week for 5 performances only of her fantastic show, La Dama del Mar, recently premiered in the United States to rave reviews.




I'll be there next Friday in the 11th row on the aisle. See you then!

El Chaqueño Palavecino Live in BsAs!

I'm a big folklore fan, and a Chaqueño Palavecino groupie. Ruben and I always watch Argentinisima on TV and plan to one day attend the big festival in Cosquin.

Meanwhile, we were lucky enough to go to his concert at the Teatro Broadway last week. He was incredible! He sang all his popular repertoire, real crowd pleasers, joked and conversed with the audience, kissing babies and besotted grandmothers in good humor, and welcomed young dancers to the stage for Las Chacareras and Zambas. He had all ten of his musical group who I recognized from TV.

Ruben videoed almost the whole thing on our little FlipVideo, but folks were openly using big camcorders and nobody seemed to mind. The audience waved panuelos (handkerchiefs) at every opportunity, and I was glad I had bought one with El Chaqueno's picture on it with the Argentine flag. I can't wait to take it to the Feria de Mataderos the next time.

The crowd went crazy at the end, climbing on stage and all over Chaqueño, who posed, still singing, good naturedly with them for photos.

Here's the view from our seats:




I had never attended the Teatro Broadway, and expected it to be more like the others along Corrientes, but it was a converted movie house and small and dingy, unlike the Opera or Nacional. But the seats were comfortable and just right for three hours of enjoying a wonderful show.

That guy has the voice of an angel!

While Chaqueño finished his participation last weekend, Argentinisima continues until October 25 with other great stars of Argentine folklore, such as Soledad and Los Nocheros.

"Tanguera" Dances into the Big Apple

Tanguera, the "tango Broadway show," finally opens tonight in New York--one week only!


















I'm not a big fan of tango shows, even though, like most of us drawn to tango, my introduction to Argentine tango was the appearance of Tango Argentino in Los Angeles in the '80s. Since moving to Buenos Aires in 2004, I've only bothered to go to a few "tango shows" and didn't especially like any of them.

But Tanguera is not your usual tango show, and is not danced by "tango dancers" (except for the fabulous Maria Nieves) but by people trained in ballet, jazz, contemporary, and for the stage. It has a plot, characterizations, pathos, great live music and great performances. I went to see it twice, which for me is saying a lot.

Read more about it here.

This is a show you can take your non-tango loving friends and spouses, because they too will love it!

So go if you can. You won't be sorry.

Garage Night at the Konex

The Teatro Konex (a recycled old warehouse on Sarmiento in Abasto) is a great venue! Maybe not exactly for tango but we enjoyed seeing it and a few friends who also attended this Garage Tango event of the Tango Festival. Summer nights they show movies here in the courtyard!

I've got to hand it to the government this year for creating a very interesting Festival, with something to appeal to everyone. If it were me, and I were here on vacation with plenty of time, I would have liked to attend the lectures, music workshops (I play the piano) and the tango films--good or bad, I'd like to have seen them all.

But as it was, we went to events when we could--the final one is the Finals of Tango Escenario in the Mundial de Baile this Monday at Luna Park.

While in a sense the Campeonato Metropolitano kind of fell through the cracks this year, and is now called the Campeonato de Baile instead of tango (there's no tourist money to be made from locals competing against locals), the powers that be coughed up quite a lot of plata for the elaborate bilingual program books on quality paper, and the renting of venues all around town for the events which were all free! Congratulations to all of the organizers who did a great job!

It must be said that the events were designed to bring in foreigners. The milongueros who dance here every week just continued dancing at their favorite milongas and didn't pay any attention to the Festival. They just want to dance--as they always have.

But the government saw the Festival as an opportunity for good PR, and on that score, I think succeeded very well.







What fun to run into Catrin Strong and share a bottle of champagne!






Here's Ruben dancing with the beautiful Hsueh-tze Lee.






This Festival event's calling card was a performance by Milena Plebs y Ezequiel Farfaro, which was real mas o menos, whether because of the floor (concrete) and many columns or lack of ganas, who knows. But they could have phoned it in.


























The rest of Thursday night's program, which started with a short beginning tango class, was a performance by a trio, Guardia Hereje, two singers ("ringside tanguero"), and the Orquesta Tipica Misteriosa. Then there was a milonga. But we were gone by then.

Oh No, Maxi!

Maximiliano Guerra is the heir of Julio Bocca and his Ballet Argentino. Maxi is the ballet rock star of Argentina since Bocca retired, and I've been thrilled to watch him on stage doing his classical thing many times. This past year I've also had the pleasure of watching him as one of the judges on TV's Talento Argentino.

But by chance I caught him on Mirtha Legrand's talk show yesterday, where he appeared with Mora Godoy, to promote, guess what? His new tango dinner show, Puerto Buenos Aires, in Madero Tango. I guess just because someone is a great and respected talent, it doesn't preclude him jumping on the bandwagon to earn lots of tourist dollars; Buenos Aires can't seem to have enough of those darned tango shows that tour buses flock to every night. Even Clarin called the show tango for export.

But I somehow expected more of Maxi, the gorgeous ballet warrior god.

Just goes to show that not even the greatest and most highly trained Argentine dancer can dance tango well. And proves that some things just don't translate.

Check out Maxi's tango here:

Tango Deja Vu? at the Borges Center

The Compania Tango Deja Vu? gave a 2 part program last night at the Borges Cultural Center in the Galeria Pacifica (Viamonte y San Martin).

The Borges Center almost always has a dance program going on in one of its several theaters, and much of the time it's tango. It's a nice option for stage dancing from the expensive tango tourist shows. although a whole lot less glitzy (maybe that's a good thing.) And just entering the over-the-top Galeria is a shock of tasteful glitz, which ought to please anyone.

The first part of the program, Brazos y Abrazos, was pretty standard stage tango for 5 dancers, one of whom, Carina Pazzaglini, did the choreography and direction of the whole show. It was very deja-vu--full of clichés, and the same old Piazzola music that is in all tango shows. There was way too much made at one point of the one tanguera's waist length hair, and it became a little creepy.

The second half, Quien les Quita lo Bailando...a esos Cisnes y Malevos!, was much more interesting and creative. The two women of Part I were exchanged for three young ballerinas with one foot on pointe and the other on tango heel, quite a feat in itself. But these lovely girls did an impressive job dancing a kind of tango ballet in tutus and their uneven footwear, with nods to The Dying Swan and Dance of the Little Swans. The three men were the same guys, but a new classical ballarine was brought in for contrast and to compete with the malevos.

Some folks left after Part I, but I'm glad we stuck it out because the Cisnes y Malevos made it all worthwhile.

Want to Dance Stage Tango?

My faithful readers know how I feel about
students learning stage tango moves and
then coming to Buenos Aires
expecting to dance them in the milongas.

But of course there are dancers who want
to learn to dance stage tango from the
getgo; the same as ballet dancers
learning how to dance in ballets.
They have no interest at all in
tango social dancing
--another dance form altogether.

I recently received an announcement for
a stage tango course (which started
last week in New York).

STAGE TANGO
FOR TRAINED, EXPERIENCED 

OR PROFESSIONAL DANCERS ONLY
ANY KIND OF DANCE BACKGROUND

IS WELCOME
NO TANGO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY
A partner is required.

And the course was full before it even started.

I am so curious as to who the participants are,
seeing as in New York there aren't
many tango stage shows to audition for.
Maybe a lot of the students are
Dancing With
the Stars wannabes?
Or perhaps they are ballet dancers who hope
to dance in a Julio Bocca tango ballet?




Don't get me wrong: I believe in any and all forms
of dance studies. The more we have control over our
bodies, the more we can express with them.
I just think nothing can beat ballet training
for professional stage dancers. With ballet
technique nailed, the steps of
stage tango are a piece of cake.


















Maybe this Tango-Pointe shoe 

should be required
footwear?







More information at

http://www.sergioseguraproductions.com/statnyc/stagetango.html
917-373-7446

Guillermina's Historias Breves

Years and years ago, I happened to ask Gavito who he thought was the best female tango dancer in the world at that time, and he replied, Guillermina!

I first met her at Norah's Tango Week when she was teaching with her then husband, Roberto Reis. I've followed her career since, and she is an amazing dancer, a gorgeous woman, who can do many things, and does.

Her latest endeavor is Tango: Historias Breves which opened recently in New York. The New York Times gave Guillermina a good review, but didn't like the show, calling it Tango for Lady and Macho Tramp.

The clip below looks right out of a Ballet Theater piece by Twyla Tharp, or something by Julio Bocca. It's not tango, but adagio, and to the same old Piazzola that all "balletic" tango is danced to on stage. Don't get me wrong, but sometimes I wonder, without Piazzola, would there even be tango escenario?

However, the reviewer went ballistic because the first part of the show was set to music by Rachmaninov.

As I always say, if the music isn't tango, is the dance?

But who cares in the case of a stage show? What's important is the artistry, technique, vision, and entertainment value. And I'm guessing this show has all of that.

It's on tour, UCLA soon. Catch it if you ... want to!