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Tango and Contemporary collide in a kaleidoscope of sensuality
Milonga is the hit tango show raising the roof at the Arts Centre
this week. The art of tango has
captivated the world with its sexuality, power and beauty for centuries, and
Milonga is a fascinating exploration of this traditional dance from a
contemporary perspective.
It is important to begin by explaining that Milonga celebrates Argentine tango (the
originator of the form), not ballroom tango which was developed later as the
dance was introduced to Europe and America.
Argentine tango is danced in an embrace that can vary from very open, in
which leader and follower connect at arms length, to very closed, in which the
connection is chest-to-chest, or anywhere in between. Argentine tango dancing relies heavily on
improvisation rather than precise, rehearsed structures.
The word milonga has three meanings. The first is that of one of the type of
music. Milonga is a musical genre that
originated in the Río de la Plata areas of Argentina and Uruguay. It was very
popular in the 1870s. It was derived from an earlier style of singing known as
the payada de contrapunto. The song was set to a lively 2/4 tempo, as are most
milongas. Milongas have been compared to an excited habanera.
Secondly, there is the dance.
Milonga dance incorporates the same basic elements as Tango but permits
a greater relaxation of legs and body. Movement is normally faster, and pauses
are less common. It is usually a kind of rhythmic walking without complicated
figures, with a more humorous and rustic style in contrast with the serious and
dramatic Tango.
Finally, milonga is a term for a place or an event where
tango is danced. The music played is
mainly tango, vals and milonga (as the musical genre). Most milongas are held
on a regular basis (usually weekly), and they often begin with dancing classes
and sometimes demonstration dances.
The show Milonga
embraces all three aspects of the word.
In that very passionate South American way, the story is a basic love
story. It takes place in a milonga,
where milonga is danced and played. The
twist, is that – also very much in the milonga tradition – the choreography is
a blend of tango and contemporary.
Tango is an art form that is very much danced with the lower
part of the body – sharp kicks and intertwined legs happening everywhere. Choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui was
interested in exploring a dynamic with the upper body as well. Working side by side with tango consultant
Nelida Rodriguez de Aure, they have created the most beautiful ensemble work
which retains all of the technical and emotional aspects of tango, yet explores
brave, new, beautiful worlds of movement and storytelling.
Cherkaoui - a Belgian choreographer known for his ability to
translate emotion into dance - has used
this wonderful dance form, which already speaks closely to relationships, to
redefine and expand on the layers of interactions between couples and
groups. Between friends and rivals. Between individuals and society.
Milonga consists of a cast of fifteen dancers and live musicians as
well.
Milonga respects the traditions of the tango whilst also drawing it
onto the twenty first century of movement.
As it says in the media release, ‘Lust made tangible. Movement breaking boundaries.’
Saturday 4 April 2015
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Friday 3 April 2015
Thursday 2 April 2015
Wednesday 1 April 2015
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