[Tango-L] IV Campeonato Metropolitano de Baile de Tango -- tango finals

[Janis Kenyon]

The pavilion at La Rural was full to capacity on Friday night.   On the
program was Yotivenco, an ensemble of three guitars, bass, conga drums with
singer.  They were wonderful and entertaining in their interpretations of
tango.  Later the Orquesta Escuela de Tango directed by the phenomenal
Emilio Balcarce delighted the audience with their performance.  Balcarce is
insuring the future of tango by training young musicians from all parts of
the world in the school's two-year program. The evening  included an
exhibition by Pedro and Graciela Vujovich, winners of the 2005 campeonato
metropolitano.

Judges were  Juan Manuel Fernandez, Olga Besio, Osvaldo Zotto, Maria Nieves,
Juan Belsito, Corina de la Rosa, and Sergio Cortazzo.

After four preliminary rounds and two elimination rounds, the ten finalists
were:
(A) 18-49 years; (B) 50-80 years.

Tenth place: Jimena Hoeffner y Hernan Leone (A) (El Pial)
Ninth place: Noemi Casoli y Antonio Yuffre (B) (A Puro Tango)
They had my vote.  What elegance!!!!!
Eighth place: Paola Klinger y Ernesto Suter (A) (El Esquinazo)
Seventh place: Maria Blanca y Maximiliano Copello (A) (Bien Pulenta)
They danced tango for exhibition and were the only couple in the entire
competition who ended each dance with a stage pose.
Sixth place: Melisa Parra y Bruno Mayo (A) (El Cachafaz)
Fifth place: Paula Rampini and Guillermo Cerneaz (A) (El Cachafaz)
Fourth place: Sofia Saborido y Andres Molina (A) (Club Espanol)
Third place: Yanina Bassi y Lucas Amerijeiras (A) (Sentimental y Coqueta)
Second place: Norma Chaves Fernandez y Ricardo Sotelo (B) (Milonga del
Centennario)
First place: Laura Molina y Hernan Rodriguez (A) (Mi Milonga)

Notice that the majority of couples are in the younger age range.  My guess
is that all of them are under 35.

The brochure for the competition states, "besides the category of
traditional tango salon, milonga will be added."  After the competition, I
chatted with one of the competitors who danced in the milonga finals.  She
told me that they were told that this year's tango competition was changed
to permit more styles than in previous years, which included anything that
could be danced on a milonga floor.  Last year it was called the III
Campeonato Metropolitano de Tango Salon, but this year it was the IV
Campeonato Metropolitano de Baile de Tango.  It was no longer just a tango
salon competition (although the printed brochure states traditional salon
tango).  I found what she said interesting for several reasons.  The winners
go on to compete in the Tango Salon category at the Campeonato Mundial.  The
rules for this year's campeonato metropolitano weren't revised from last
year.  The rules still require circulating the floor in a counter-clockwise
direction. The rules require a couple to stay in an embrace once they begin
dancing.  The rules don't permit choreography for stage.  If that doesn't
define tango salon, I don't know what it is.  And yet the champions and
others did anything but tango salon.  I expect next year's Campeonato
Metropolitano de Baile de Tango will include nuevo tango, for afterall, it's
danced on a milonga floor, too, isn't it?

I found it interesting to see the judges disappear off-stage with score
sheets in hand rather than being collected for tabulation.  Who knows if
there was deliberation among them about who should place?  Do the scores
really mean anything in this competition?  All we know is that the decision
of the judges is final, as stated in the rules.

I have hope.  Among the many objectives of the new Argentine Association of
Teachers and Dancers of Salon Tango is to organize a competition.  This will
be a good arena for the regular milonga dancers to enjoy a friendly
competition with others their age and who are interested in preserving a
pure tango of elegance for generations to come.