LAURA JOHNSON
A&E Assistant
The tango is a lot like fire. Forever living and breathing, changing and moving, it has often times been described as the dance of love or lust. Either way, there is no denying that this is a smoldering art form. Brimming with intrigue, it can ravage a desire so forceful that there is nothing to do but give in.
Tango Fire features the dance company Estampas Portenas, a professional traveling group from Buenos Aires, Argentina, that is centered on the tango revolution. Performing on Friday in Smothers Theatre, the troupe aims to bring an element of dance Pepperdine has never seen before.
The troupe was founded in 1996 by Carolina Soler, who was originally trained in ballet. Soler saw her dream turn into reality when she spearheaded a dance show that was professional yet different. Wanting to start a show that portrayed the heart and soul of her country, Soler sought out 10 other dancers willing to go along with her vision. Similar to shows such as Riverdance, Tango Fire shows the world how one part of the country likes to tap its toes.
The show goes from pushing the limits of tango to highlighting the purest form of the dance style in its beginning stages. In the first half of the performance, the dancers go back to the roots of how and what tango originated from, using a very traditional style. After the intermission, the company takes what the audience has already learned about the art form and builds upon it, spinning a more modern flare on the traditional movements. A live singer and a four-piece band are also used to intensify the program’s overall experience.
Most tango dancers are not classically trained, with instructors and strict exercises like ballet. A form of dance that was born in brothels, tango was once thought to be immoral. However, it has since been revolutionized into the Western form of Ballroom dance. With a very rich and evolved history, most tango dancers today are trained either in dance halls called milongas or on the streets from family and friends.
Toni Rudov, manager and associate producer for the company, has been with the group since its beginning.
“This show is full of energy,” Rudov said, explaining the elements of the production. “It’s showing that tango, although still part of the culture of Buenos Aires, is taking on a different form. Now it is a dance of optimism and hope instead of the lament of immigrants.”
In the past, the Center for the Arts has invited Flamenco troupes and Filipino dance companies, so a tango dance company was a perfect addition to this year’s list of Smother’s bookings. As managing director of the center, Marnie Mitze said she liked the idea of the company coming to Pepperdine.
“We have never had a tango show before,” Mitze said. “It has already been a huge center piece for the ballroom world and now, because of television programs, there is starting to be a great general interest.”
Already having toured in Europe, Asia and Latin America, this is the company’s first trip to the United States. Selling out to packed houses around the globe, including the Sydney Opera House, the group’s decision to perform on a college campus may not seem like the logical choice.
“The University audiences have been so receptive,” Rudov said. He added that the company has played to packed houses at colleges around the country and that colleges serve as great small venues to really entertain the audience.
Described as “dazzling earthly passion” by The Dominion Post, Tango Fire is now proving that dance is becoming a pop culture phenomenon that refuses to die any time soon.
Tango Fire will take over Smothers Theatre Friday, Oct. 6 at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $45, but students can get in for $10. Call the Center for the Arts box office at ext. 4522 for more information.
10-05-2006
