3700 III Campeonato Mundial de Tango -- first semifinal round Tango de Salon
Date: Wed, 17 Aug 2005 02:33:49 -0300
From: Janis Kenyon <jantango@FEEDBACK.NET.AR>
Subject: III Campeonato Mundial de Tango -- first semifinal round Tango de Salon
They began handing out tickets at La Rural at 10am for the evening program.
Those who arrived early were able to obtain number seats for tables around
the dance floor. I arrived at 5pm so my seat was on the bleachers with
thousands of others. The doors opened at 6:30, which meant that the program
wasn't going to begin at 7pm as scheduled. Nothing begins on time in Buenos
Aires, but the audience showed their impatience at 7:25 by clapping. Ten
minutes later, the program began with Orchestra Erica Di Salvo.
Two-hundred fifty couples danced in the qualifying rounds on two days before
different judging panels. That number was cut to 100 for the semi-final
rounds. There were ten rounds of ten couples on Tuesday night, and everyone
will dance again for another panel of judges on Wednesday night.
The judges were Gabriel Misse (young stage performer), Ines Borquez (stage
performer), Claudio Gonzalez (performer and teacher), Carlos Perez
(teacher), and Ana Maria Schapira (teacher of milonguero style).
Countries represented in the semi-final round are Colombia, Japan, Spain,
Chile, Brazil, Mexico, Portugal, Russia, Germany, Hungary, USA, Italia,
Uruguay, Australia, and Argentina.
Fabian Peralta and Natacha Poberaj are professional stage dancers. He
danced with Solo Tango, and she with Tango X2. They look so out of place in
this competition doing their stagey stuff, but there's no doubt that they
made it to the semi-finals due to their close association with judges.
Someone in the bleachers shouted -- no puede ser -- it can't be -- when they
were introduced for the round. Everyone knows they dance on stage. They
hardly need the prize money since they work in Europe all the time.
A friend called me as I was leaving for La Rural. She has been a judge
during previous competitions, but doesn't want to do it anymore. She told
me that for her, judging isn't about who you like, it's about who are the
best dancers. She may not like or know someone, but if they are the best
dancers of tango de salon, they get her vote. Unfortunately, most of the
judges pick their friends, not the best dancers.
Osvaldo Centeno and Elba Biscay danced in Round #8. I didn't know until I
heard their names that they had made it to the semi-finals. He has been
dancing longer than most of the judges have been alive. Pedro Sanchez is
the other milonguero who made it to the semi-finals. It was a pleasure
watching both of these milongueros do what they do better than most.
I don't know who was responsible for the selection of music, but he should
be required to attend a milonga where Daniel Borelli programs the music to
learn what is danceable music. With all the great tangos available, he
selected unfamiliar and undanceable music by El Arranque, Color Tango,
Orchestra Escuela del Tango, and Cuarteto San Telmo. I felt sorry for the
couples in the 7th round who had to dance to unfamiliar and undanceable
music. It's nice to be inspired by music you know and love.
The program ended at 11:45pm after the last round of dancers. Most of the
audience was gone by 10pm. After the Wednesday night semifinal rounds, 40
couples will be chosen for the final round on Saturday night.
Janis Kenyon
Buenos Aires
