Sultry dance to spice up city
Deborah Lynn and Santiago Yanez will perform the Argentine tango during Tango Festival 2009, Aug. 7 to 9.
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A dancer starts by catching the eye of a partner across a crowded room. The band begins to play -- the strumming of spanish guitar and the whine of an accordion invite them to the floor.
It’s the tango and it’s coming to Victoria Aug. 7 to 9.
Tango Fest is only in its second year, but the dance it celebrates has a long history dating back to the 1880s.
“The history of this dance and music is totally intertwined. You can’t separate one from the other,” said June Waters with the Passion for Tango Society.
The dance started in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Immigrants from Cuba and Europe, slaves from Africa and the lower class combined cultural flavours to create the Argentine tango.
In the early 1900s, the upper class banned the tango because they didn’t accept the sultry dance. It made its way back to Argentina after moving through Europe where it was popularized. The upper classes then found the music and dance respectable enough to welcome back in their country, Waters said.
This year’s festival includes dance lessons, workshops and performances, giving people an opportunity to see history and culture come to life.
“It’s one of the ways to keep this wonderful vast body of music in tango alive,” she said. “And for it not to go just through a resurgence, but actually be able to access these beautiful beats of music.”
The festival kicks off with free performances in Centennial square, Friday, Aug. 7, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. onwards. It continues at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 680 Courtenay St., Saturday and the First Metropolitan church, 932 Balmoral St., Sunday. Tickets are required for both.
Dancers Deborah Lynn and Santiago Yanez from Vancouver will perform throughout the festival.
“We have an opportunity to bring a rich culture and rich music to people in Victoria, but through Canadians,” Waters said. “We have really tremendous musicians here who have gone (there) and mixed with the culture and spent many years working at their tango.”
For more information, visit www.passion4tango.com.
lweighton@vicnews.com
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