Dance Review: Take a Trip to Buenos Aires with Tanguera, The Tango Musical!

iDANZ Today — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:45:00 +0000

Tanguera, dubbed the only tango musical, arrives at New York City Center creating the atmosphere of Buenos Aires. With only one singer and a few narrative songs, I would hardly call the production a musical. Tanguera is very much a ballet, but with tango as the dance vocabulary that tells the story. The production opens with a solo accordionist, standing at the place where the stage meets the audience, as if inviting us to take a glimpse back in time at Buenos Aires during the turn of the 20th century. His unveiled passionate playing reminds us that tango begins with the music and the people. The live music certainly enhances the vibrancy of the show, sucking us into this classic South American love story.

The premise of Tanguera revolves around the character Giselle, a French immigrant arriving in Buenos Aires in search of a better life. At the port, Giselle encounters Lorenzo a dockworker, and the two are instantly in love. However, Giselle is unfortunately involved with the gang leader, Gaudencio, who has helped bring her there. In her innocent desire for a better life, Giselle finds herself manipulated by Gaudencio and his comrades with her only route of survival being to work for them dancing in a dirty nightclub. The rest of the story plays out predictably, through dramatized dancing.

The dancing is fabulous, impeccably clean. Perhaps it’s too clean for telling a story from the streets. The dancers play their parts, but that is what if felt like, playing roles. To be convincing, the dancing needed to be grimier. Somehow it seems that the show had been polished into a musical version that lost its organic quality along the way.

My favorite scene is within the nightclub. Fabric panels onstage gave the impression of windows, as if looking in on the couples in their moments of erotic intimacy. The ladies look dazzling in the nightclub attire, thong bustier leotards with sexy skirts of fringe.

With no intermission, the storyline is uninterrupted. I would encourage audience members to resist the temptation of leaving immediately, as some of the most exciting dancing, to me, happened in the curtain calls. Quick footwork, fast twists of the hips, strong partnering- all the elements are there to be witnessed and admired. With this dramatic love story, you will certainly fall in love with tango!

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Lea McGowan
Performance: Tanguera
Choreography: Mora Godoy
Venue: New York City Center
Performance Date: Thursday October 8, 2009
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Announcement: Tanguera, The Tango Musical at City Center

iDANZ Today — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 06:18:00 +0000

International hit arrives in the United States for the first time

TANGUERA
The Tango Musical

to play New York City Center
131 West 55^th Street
(between 6^th and 7^th Avenues)

October 7-18, 2009

Tanguera: The Tango Musical (www.tanguera-musical.com) will make its U.S. debut with a special engagement at New York City Center, 131 West 55^th Street (between 6^th and 7^th Avenues), running from October 7-18, 2009. Michael Brenner for BB Promotion GmbH and Paul Szilard Productions, Inc. present this engagement under the patronage of Daniel Barenboim.

Tanguera is unique in that it extends the lines between dance and theater, and is in the vein of Moving Out and Contact. With a cast of over 30 dancers and singers, Tanguera is a musical with original songs and a story told through dance.

Having played to sold-out audiences all over the word, Tanguera had its premiere in Buenos Aires in 2002. Le Figaro in France calls Tanguera “A thrilling show displaying a formation of dancers with adept technical experience and musical talent,” La Nacion in Argentina applauds “fabulous stage display and perfect visual resolution,” Berliner Zeitung in Germany cheers “A definite must see!” and Le Monde in Paris calls the show "Full of adrenaline!"

Tanguera explodes onto the stage in a tale of unrequited love in turn-of-the-20th-century Buenos Aires through a unique combination of song, music, and dance. In this erotic and sensual musical, a young French girl, deceived by a prostitution ring arrives in Argentina at the port of Buenos Aires, and meets the dockworker Lorenzo, an idealist and dreamer. Life transforms them: she becomes a cabaret star and he must decide to face destiny and conquer his love. Tanguera is performed with a live tango orchestra.

Tanguera is directed by Omar Pacheco and choreographed by Mora Godoy. It has a story by Diego Romay and Dolores Espeja with lyrics by Eladia Blazques. The musical direction and arrangements are by Gerardo Gardelin and the tango arrangements are by Lisandro Adrover. Set design is by Valeria Ambrosio, with costume design by Cecilia Monti and lighting design by Ariel Del Mastro. Tanguera is a Diego Romay Company Production.

Tanguera runs from October 7-18, 2009 and tickets are priced at $95, $75, and $45 with premium seating available. The schedule is as follows: Wednesday 10/7 at 2pm and 7:30pm, Thursday, 10/8 at 8pm (OPENING NIGHT), Friday, 10/9 at 8pm, Saturday 10/10 at 2pm and 8pm, Sunday 10/11 at 2pm and 7pm, Tuesday 10/13 at 7:30pm, Wednesday 10/14 at 8pm, Thursday, 10/15 at 8pm, Friday 10/16 at 8pm, Saturday 10/17 at 2pm and 8pm, and Sunday 10/18 at 2pm and 6pm. Tickets for the international sensation are available through City Tix (212) 581-1212 / 1-877-581-1212 (outside metropolitan area NY, NJ, CT) or order online at www.citycenter.org. For more information on Tanguera, please visit: www.tanguera-musical.com.