3541  Semi-finals of the Campeonata

Date: Thu, 23 Jun 2005 17:58:30 -0300
From: Janis Kenyon <jantango@FEEDBACK.NET.AR>
Subject: Semi-finals of the Campeonata

Some 120 couples made it to the semi-final rounds of the city-wide tango
salon competition in Buenos Aires. I've been viewing highlights of the
semi-final rounds on Solo Tango tv and saw a few familiar faces from the
milongas among those who will compete this Sunday night at the finals.

Last night, I went to the last semi-final round. On my way to Nuevo Salon
La Argentina, I met a professional tango dancer on the street and we stopped
to chat. I had seen her recently at a milonga and asked if she was dancing
with a new partner. She told me that she competed in the city-wide
competition with this dancer from the US. It's quite unusual for someone
with her stage experience to compete in the city-wide competition where most
are social dancers. She told me she knows what she has done and had no
problem dancing with a foreigner in the compeititon. She, unlike many
professionals, is comfortable dancing in the milonga and on stage. They
didn't make the finals, but they enjoyed the experience.

Tables and chairs were arranged to accommodate the large crowd and make the
dance floor smaller. There were three rounds of semifinalists competiting
in groups of nine couples each. The names of each couple were announced as
they entered the floor and the name of the milonga where they had danced the
qualifying round. The music of the three tangos they would dance was
announced. The selection of orchestras for the semi-finals was awful. The
last round of couples had to dance to Color Tango and Contratiempo. One
could assume that the music committee is more interested in challenging the
dancers to perform to music they've never heard before rather than dance
well to the music they know and feel. It's a shame that a competition in
Buenos Aires can't find someone to select appropriate music for this annual
event in the city of tango.

Gabriel Misse and Alejandra Martinian provided entertainment with their
exhibition of a milonga and two tangos. I'll describe it as "flying feet"
and from my perspective, all I could see was Gabriel jumping up and down as
he executed tricks. I wouldn't mind owning Alejandra's gorgeous dress.

The female tango sextet with singer, Las del Abasto, performed between
rounds. I can't say that most of the audience was there to listen, but
there were a few couples dancing. Most of their tango interpretations were
not appropriate for dancing anyway.

The judges were Eduardo Arquimbau (dancer in the original cast of Tango
Argentino and Forever Tango), Inez Borquez (also with Tango Argentino),
Ernesto "Pupy" Castello (teacher), Ernesto Balmaceda (teacher), and an
unknown woman. Once again, the panel didn't include any social dancers.

Nine couples were selected from the group of 30 who competed last night. We
were disappointed and amazed that Carlos and Marta, who are regulars in the
milongas and one of the best couples all night, didn't make it to the
finals. This competition is run by a closed group of individuals. The
judging will never be adequate or fair. There will be a panel of seven
judges at the finals on Sunday night judging 32 couples in the finals. The
top three couples will be entitled to dance in the finals of the world
competition on August 20. Enrique Usales, who won the first world tango de
salon competition, will be dancing in the final round with a different
partner. He still doesn't dance well, but he knows the right people. If he
places in the top three, there's no question that the competition is
arranged. I'll be posting my report on Monday.

Janis Kenyon
Buenos Aires