- Title: ARGENTINA: Tourists flock to Buenos Aires for the fourth World Tango Festival
- Date: 22nd October 2005
- Summary: CLASSES OF VARIOUS LEVELS (17 SHOTS)
- Embargoed: 6th November 2005 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Argentina
- Country: Argentina
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVA95LZC2YUZF30WB7AGL0ILQFH3
- Story Text: It's sexy and sensual, and it's quintessentially Argentine. Now, tango is becoming one of the country's biggest tourist attractions, and visitors are coming from all over the world to learn about tango in its birthplace. For the fourth World Tango Festival, which ran from October 9 to 16, people came to Buenos Aires from over 40 different countries to participate in the week-long tango immersion programme, offered by fifteen top tango masters and six of the city's best orchestras.
For German tourist Annie Hoehler, the experience has been invaluable. "It's great, I love it. It's my first time, it's intense, it's great. You have different teachers, different courses, so... I will find the right thing. And the best thing is the night, where you can try what you learned during the day. It's great!" she enthused.
Englishman Michael Parker was similarly impressed. "The people are very friendly, the atmosphere is great and we've had a great time this week," he said. The programme for the week included tango classes Aires for tango fans are called, at night.
As Daniel Rofman, the Festival's Director General explained, it's not just about dancing. "They don't only come to dance, to perfect their dancing, but also to learn about the music, composers... This year, the event is aimed at remembering the maestro Osvaldo Pugliese 100 years after his birth and so people who come from some disparate places as Australia, Denmark, Egypt, Canada are found in the Capital of Tango and feel a kind of common identity... they are 'tangueros', they are citizens of Tango," he said.
These tourists are a big source of revenue, paying some 600 dollars to partake in the festival. Many of them paid an even higher price for 'package' deals, which included lodging and some extra shows. Rosa Molina Lopez came all the way from Spain to dance at the Buenos Aires milongas with her husband. She feels dancing tango in Buenos Aires is different to dancing tango anywhere else in the world.
"It's like dancing Flamenco in Spain and dancing Flamenco in Argentina. In Argentina many people have been born dancing Tango, so it's more important to come here," she explained.
Over 150 classes were held in tango, milonga, waltz and folk dances, with live orchestras and some of the city's top dancers and tango experts imparting their knowledge and insider tips for their eager audience. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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