3552  III Campeonata Metropolitano de Tango Salon en Buenos Aires -- Part I

Date: Tue, 28 Jun 2005 15:36:37 -0300
From: Janis Kenyon <jantango@FEEDBACK.NET.AR>
Subject: III Campeonata Metropolitano de Tango Salon en Buenos Aires -- Part I

There were people in line at El Dorrego as early at 3:00pm on Sunday for the
Third Metropolitan Tango Championship run by the city government of Buenos
Aires. I arrived at 5:45pm when there were fewer than 80 people in line
ahead of me, so I figured that I'd have a good chance at getting a table
near the dance floor to share with friends. The doors were supposed to open
at 7:00 and the competition was to start at 8:00. I've lived here long
enough to know that events never begin on time.

The best way to pass the time in line is in conversation with those in line.
I stuck up a conversation with two women ahead of me. They weren't familiar
with the setup of El Dorrego, so I described the seating arrangement, stage,
and dance floor locations. One lady told me that her 16 year-old son has
been studying tango for 6 years. She didn't think the competition should
have amateurs and professionals nor young people competiting against older
adults. I agreed, but that's the way the Association of Teachers, Dancers
and Choreographers has organized it for three years with the agreement of
the secretary of culture.

We were eventually told that the gates would not open until 7:50pm since all
the necessary technical arrangements were not ready. When the gates finally
opened, only 20 people were allowed to enter at one time. The entrance is
at least 40 feet wide and 60 feet high to this large structure which
occupies one entire square block. The line of people went around the entire
building. When I entered, I could see people in line on the next street. I
estimate that many more than 80 entered before me, since it's common for
friends to join others at the head of the line. My friends did the same
when they saw me near the entrance. We were able to get two tables and six
chairs about ten feet from the edge of the dance floor. There were hundreds
of people seated on two sets of aluminum bleachers behind tables on both
ends of the floor, but hundreds more had to stand for four hours to watch
the competition which all could view on two large screens on either side of
the stage.

The evening program included performances by Los Reyes de Tango and the
orchestra of Beba Pugliese, who played between the competition rounds.
There were exhibitions by Lito (77) & Lydia Filipini, winners of the 2004
Metropolitan Championship, and Osvaldo (66) & Coca Catrery, 2nd place
winners in 2004 who went on to be named winners of the II World Tango
Championship in August 2004. The winners of the II World Tango Championship
in Stage Tango, Ivan Leonardo Romero (21) and Marcela Alejandra Vespasiano
(22) from La Matanza, Provincia de Buenos Aires performed three tango
choreographies. When the orchestras played, the dance floor was full of
dancers, especially to the music of Juan D'Arienzo by Los Reyes; the
Pugliese orchestra didn't play danceable music.

Hundreds of couples participated in the 32 qualifying rounds from May 5 to
June 5. Last year, when there were more milongas, there had been 62
qualifying rounds. Four semi-final rounds were held June 13-22 with 120
couples. Thirty-one couples were chosen by a panel of five judges to
compete in the finals. The top prize for this competition in 2004 was
$1,000 pesos; this year it was raised to $3,000 pesos.

The judging criteria are the almost the same as in past years. Once a
couple is joined together, they cannot separate as long as the music is
playing. They cannot break the embrace which is considered the position of
tango dance. For the position to be considered correct, the body opposite
one member of the couple should be held in an embrace, most of the time,
though in certain figurs this could be elastic, this should not be otherwise
throughout the whole dance. All the movements should be performed within
the framework given by the embrace of the couple. The jury will take into
account the elegance and the style of walking as fundamental points
regarding score. Within these parameters to be observed, couples will be
allowed to perform all those figures of popular use including barridas,
sacadas on the floor and enrosques. Figures excluded are ganchos, saltos,
trepadas, trucos and any kind of choreographic possibilities appropriate in
stage tango (note: these were permitted in the rules of the World
Championships of 2003 in the Tango de Salon category which was limited to
amateurs). Couples should move constantly in a counter-clockwise direction,
not stopping in the same spot, in order not to interfere with the other
dancers. Clothing will not be evaluated in the judging. The decision of
the jury is final.

Part II - the judges, the finalists, and the results.

Date: Tue, 28 Jun 2005 16:56:38 -0300
From: Janis Kenyon <jantango@FEEDBACK.NET.AR>
Subject: III Campeonata Metropolitano de Tango Salon en Buenos Aires -- Part II

I decided to make a judging sheet of my own to take notes during the finals
held on Sunday, June 26 at El Dorrego. Knowing that there would be four
rounds of 8 couples each, I designed a chart with five columns and four
sections of eight row with the number of each couple, with space for their
names and marking them on musicality (absent from the judging criteria),
elegance, and walk/embrace. My judging sheet is something only I can
decipher.

There was a jury of seven judges appointed by the Association of Teachers,
Dancers and Choreographers of Argentine Tango. Geraldine Rojas (24) who
grew up watching dancers in the neighborhood clubs in Villa Urquiza; Juan
Belsito (77) milonguero who dances only with his wife/partner Nina; Elina
Roldan (42) a teacher of tango milonguero who partnered Dany Garcia and
Ricardo Maceiras; Gabriel Misse (25) who danced with TangoX2; Aurora Lubiz
(41) teacher and stage performer; Miguel Angel Zotto (47) stage performer
since 1980; and Carlos Perez, who I never heard of in my 14 years in tango.
Since most of these judges are teachers, it would be appropriate for them to
withdraw from judging any finalists who were their students so there was no
conflict of interest.

The first round of 8 couples has the best music all night: tangos by Carlos
Di Sarli, Tanturi with Campos, and Troilo's Quejas de Bandoneon. I gave my
best marks to #3 Simone and Norma who danced with great musicality, elegance
with a continuous embrace, walking to the beat of the music. All the
couples in this round were over 50 years of age except Couple #6, who had no
musicality whatsoever and danced separated. I know couple #5; he was the
only man who didn't wear a jacket and tie, and heard about it from all his
friends.

The second round of 8 couples danced to Lucio Demare, Anibal Troilo, and
Osvaldo Pugliese. Two of the 8 couples wre young. One of these young women
wore such a long dress that it was difficult to see her feet. I know Juan
Carlos who is a regular at Celia's and gave him my highest marks for this
round. His partner was the only woman with her head straight, looking over
his shoulder. I've also danced with Raul who is a regular in the afternoon
milongas; he placed 8th. These were the only two men in this round who
danced with musicality.

The third round of 8 had music of Carlos Di Sarli, Juan D'Arienzo and
Osvaldo Pugliese. Couple #19 in this round danced last week in Confiteria
Ideal. I had never seen them before in the milongas, but I will never
forget them. While dancing, this man rammed his left elbow so hard into my
back that I shouted in my partner's ear. We stopped momentarily to see who
they were, and he never realized what happened nor apologized for it. Her
head and arm positions are so awkward, it was painful to watch them in the
milonga. And then I saw them two days later in the semifinals. How they made
it to the finals is a mystery to me. Enrique Usales, winner of the 2003
Tango de Salon competition, was in this round with a new partner but they
didn't make the top ten. Friends pointed out couple #18 to me and I agreed
that they were the best in this round--they placed fifth.

The fourth round of 7 couples had the worst tanda of music: tango by Color
Tango, Milongueando en los 40 by Anibal Troilo, and an undanceable tango by
Osvaldo Pugliese. Gerardo Quiroz, who placed in the 2003 competition,
partnered Maria Eugenia Cuyas, who has taught for a year. Four of the seven
couples were under 35 years in this round. This round drew the most
response from the audience during the competition. Couple #28 received
their applause and cheers. Two of the young couples had no musicality
whatsoever, so I gave low marks to #27 and #31. When you are the son of a
well-known stage dancer, politics move into play. He was presented as Maxi
Copello, since his father uses the same surname professionally. He's the son
of Carlos Copello and placed 10th. I wish he would learn to step on the
beat of the music like couple #28, but then they have many more years of
experience. Pedro and Graciela qualified dancing in Glorias Argentinas, a
club de barrio in Mataderos. What a pleasure to what them dancing with
musicality, elegance, movement of the body, staying continuously in the
embrace. She was the only woman who dance with her eyes open.

After these four rounds, there were two more elimination rounds of 8 couples
who danced to music of Alfredo Fresedo, Juan D'Arienzo and Osvaldo Pugliese.
All but one of the five couples I gave high marks made the cut to the final
rounds. I couldn't believe how couples who can't step to the beat of the
music were selected for the last round, much less how they made the
semifinals. Social tango is becoming so blended with peformance tango that
one can hardly tell the difference anymore. All the women dance with their
nose against the right side of their partner's face. Dancers don't listen
to the music and take long steps as if they have the floor to themselves.
Is it all about looking the part rather than dancing well?

Date: Tue, 28 Jun 2005 23:47:38 -0500
From: Joe Grohens <grohens@UIUC.EDU>
Subject: Re: III Campeonata Metropolitano de Tango Salon en Buenos Aires -- Part II

Janis,

Your account of the Salon Championships in BS AS is an outstanding
piece of reporting [and editorializing :-) ]. Thank you for sharing
it.

....

I see that a photographer has just added four pictures taken that
night to the Flickr Argentine photo pool.
https://www.flickr.com/groups/64762125@N00/pool

(I would like to encourage other list members to join this photo
pool, and submit shots. It is really cool to see daily tango moments
from around the world captured by camera. And, talking about style
[interesting discussion today Tom, Sergio, Susan, et al.], photos
give some tangible sense of the stylistic diversity and uniformity of
the tango universe.)

joe