February 13, 2009, Four of the world’s best tango dancers, By José Luis Ceñal, Junta Flamenca, Passion in red and black, By Lourdes Garcia

Four of the world’s best tango dancers
By José Luis Ceñal February 13, 2009 San Miguel de Allende

Tango Show
Los Hermanos Macana (Tango Macho)
Luciano y Karina
Mon, Feb 16, 9pm
El Viejo Topo Café-Teatro
Stirling Dickinson 28
Cover 300 pesos

In the forties and fifties, the world was a very different. Argentina and tango were no different; their society was different and its views on what was and was not proper were different. Young women and girls did not go out and practice tango with strange men.

However, men could congregate and share their ideas on steps, figures and movements, and help each other with their dance

Often these practicas were held in community centers or small neighborhood clubs. Since the women did not practice, a system of very strong and clear leading needed to be developed. As the men danced with each other, one would lead and the other would follow. Then they switched roles. This way, the “follower” was able to feel the proper lead and then mimic it when he tried the leader’s role, the natural way in which the códigos de la marca or secrets of the lead were passed from dancer to dancer. The system also allowed men to have an expert understanding of the follower’s role. When they lead, they knew exactly what to lead to the woman. Understanding both roles benefited them tremendously—when the men went to the milongas at night, they would lead the women with clarity.

What developed in these practicas was not just a basic level of dance, but a highly creative, powerful, athletic dance between men. There was no male and female; no leader and follower, but simply a paring of two equally powerful forces. Each dancer tried to outdo the other with his adornments, firuletes and footwork.

The friendly but challenging competition played out in dance form between men. Through these practices, many new elements were invented and added to the tango vocabulary, such as patadas, ganchos, bicicletas, chilenas and vai vens.

A curious and interesting set of steps developed called pasos en espejo. These “mirrored steps” had many variations, but generally consisted of the leader and follower doing the same step at the same time, an important type of figure in the early forms of tango, especially tango orillero.

Exclusively male tango fantasia dance competitions took the men’s practica to the next level in the fifties and sixties. Only male couples could enter and these events often became extremely wild and out of control. The male-female tango dance competitions tended to be simpler, controlled affairs.

The men’s practica went out style in the late sixties and early seventies. Society changed, women took a different role in the world and viewpoints changed. The practicas now were no longer held in community centers and neighborhood clubs, but rather in dance academies.

Couples practiced wildly complex sequences and figures full of arrastres, boleos, patadas, but most importantly of all, figures with tremendous participation from the woman. As men had developed the dance together, neither partner was shy and each was eager to participate in both roles.

When the men went home from the practicas to teach a girlfriend, sister, or other female in the household what they had learned, the women adopted the men’s way of moving. Extremely strong female dancers were common in Buenos Aires from the sixties to the early nineties. The women aggressively participated in the dance.

Thanks to the generosity of these unforgettable milonguero maestros, tango was able to survive. We will be able to admire the male camaraderie, athletic competition and artistic creativity in the kicks and steps of visiting luminaries Los Hermanos Macana, the stage name of brothers Enrique y Guillermo de Fazio. They have participated in the most important tango festivals around the world since 1999. Explore their impressive dancing at these two links:

http://www.pasiontango.net/es/video-de-tango.aspx?
bailarines=Enrique-Guillermo-de-Fazio and http://www.losmacanatango.com.ar/fotos_esp.htm.

Dress to the nines to welcome our two dancing pairs of international stature, who are in Mexico for Encuentro Internacional de Tango Argentino.

Karina Guillén y Luciano Brigante are the other pair, whose credits are as impressive as those of their countrymen. Famous for the rapport they establish on stage, Luciano Brigante is a tango teacher who tries to pass on the purest essence of Argentinian tango: technique, cadence and tradition. Mexican dancer Karina Guillén came to tango from classical dance and tries to fuse both.

With 10 years of experience, Karina y Luciano are choreographers for the EmoTango company, main guests of Beijing’s 2008 Cultural Olympiad.

Recently. Mel Gibson selected them to participate in a music video by Russian pianist and singer Oksana. The jewel in their crown of international awards is second place in the 2004 Second World Championship of Tango Dancing.

Don’t miss the chance to see four of the world’s best tango dancers right here.

Junta Flamenca

Anís and Yerbabuena
Fri, Feb 20, 5pm
Teatro Santa Ana
Biblioteca Pública
Reloj 50A
200 pesos

Angela “La Yerbabuena” and Maridel García “Triana” have pursued the golden age of flamenco since they were little girls. This golden age developed at the end of the nineteenth century in the Café Cantantes, where flamenco grew to its accomplished form.

Dance, cante and guitar constitute the magic triangle where flamenco art fascinates us with its brio and enchantment. This time, Anís and Yerbabuena bring their Soleá and Alegrías, their Cante por Fandangos and a traditional song, “Romance pascual de los pelegrinitos.”

Dancer Alfredo Enríquez brings his personal Soleá por bulerías and the Cuban-flamenco guitar of Josué Tacoronte helps Anís and Yerbabuena to reach the golden age of flamenco with his nostalgic Moorish notes for Recuerdos de la Alhambra. The music and dance program is full of the red and black passion of flamenco.