Combining dance, music, and film, Argentina’s Social Tango Project brought their captivating tango show to the National Arts Centre this past Saturday. With the stated mission of spreading the social value of dancing, this project seeks to encourage as many people as possible to discover the beauty and joy of tango. Based in Buenos Aires, the Social Tango Project offers a unique mix of music, dance, and film to let audiences experience what is arguably Argentina’s most famous artistic export.
“Tango can transform [people’s] lives,” said Agustina Videla, artistic director and choreographer of the project, in a phone interview. She added that this is particularly true for older people, who view tango as a means to make friends, improve their social skills, and just be happier. As an example, Videla told Apt613 how she was touched by the response of a 78-year-old woman to the company’s show in Kingston, the day before the Ottawa performance.
“The woman expressed her gratitude,” said Videla. “In Argentina, we have young people who dance tango. I am more worried about older people who may be pushed out of society.”
For me, what was particularly enjoyable about the Ottawa performance was how the production cleverly merged storytelling with beautiful music and choreography. As a case in point, after the curtain rose at the start of the show and tango music filled the air, a large movie screen showed images of Buenos Aires. On stage, dancers ambled about as they interacted with the moving pictures to give the impression of cautious pedestrians strolling in Argentina’s capital city.
Social Tango Project. Photo: Carlos Furman and Élisabeth Comtois.
The focus then turned to a shy woman in the crowd who learns about a milonga. [Note: This Spanish word can refer to a form of tango dancing or to a tango dance party, such as the post-show event that took place in the NAC lobby for audience members who wanted to dance.]
As the performance commenced, we saw the woman make her way to the mysterious milonga. After arriving, she initially refused to dance, but after gaining courage, she learned to tango and participated in the finale. I especially loved the dancing “lessons” that the lead woman took at the dance hall, accompanied by amateur dancers from the audience who acted in the roles of fellow “students”.
The post-show milonga. Photo: Jen Derbach Photography.
“We bring amateur dancers to the stage,” said Videla. “You can see real [non-professionals] in the show.”
The desire to incorporate all ages into the show is also a really interesting part of this production. While parts of the show contained young dancers and musicians performing on stage, other parts showed film images of regular Argentinians, with three elderly people explaining how tango changed their lives. The film component of the show allows the audience to see that tango is suitable for all ages.
“What you see on stage is beautiful bodies,” said Videla, a mother of two who published a book on parenting and neurodiversity in 2020 and was also the artistic director of a 2021 TV series dedicated to dance and philosophy broadcast for public television in Argentina. “Young people can go on tour, but older people cannot.”
The post-show milonga. Photo: Jen Derbach Photography.
The Ottawa show was the last stop on the company’s Canadian tour that took them to seven cities in New Brunswick, Quebec, and Ontario in April.
“We felt very lucky with the reception that we got,” said Videla about their Canadian trip. “All of the team, the dancers, musicians, and technical team, felt very grateful with this experience.”
The company concludes their North American tour with several shows in Charlotte, North Carolina at the end of April.
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