Art lovers in the city will be treated to a blend of tango, photography and wine at ‘Tangopolis’, an event organised by the Consulate General of Argentina at Lower Parel’s Palladium Atrium on July 26.
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A key attraction of the event will be a tango performance, ‘Libertango’, directed by Argentine tango dancer and teacher Gladys Fernandez. Ms. Fernandez will be accompanied by Santosh Avatramani, an Indian tango dancer. During the performance, the audience will get to savour a selection of Argentine wines from the winery of Trapiche in Medoza, Argentina. Ms. Fernandez, whose contribution to the development of tango throughout Asia and West Asia is well known, said performing the tango in India has a charm of its own. “I have been a tango dancer for 32 years and even at the age of 54, when I dance, I feel as young as I did when I started. For me, the beauty of tango is that you can dance with an absolute stranger and still portray romance in the most convincing manner,” she said.
Ms. Fernandez termed tango as a story of life. “It celebrates the togetherness of man and a woman. I regard tango as a ‘karmic connection’, as for instance, the culture of India and Argentina are worlds apart, but people of these two countries can still dance as if they are closely connected,” she said.
Mr. Avatramani, who was introduced to tango about three years ago, said he was intrigued by the dance form. “It is not very popular in India, probably because it involves dancing very closely with the partner. Once you become a tango dancer, your life starts revolving around it. It is beautiful to engage in something that demands absolute focus on the music and the person you are dancing with,” he said.
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Visitors will also get to witness an artistic documentation of Buenos Aires through a series of black-and-white photographs captured by Argentine fine-art photographer Gerardo Korn. His photographs are an expression of the beauty of the city. “My mother’s last trip with me before she passed away was to India. That trip left an indelible mark in my memory. Therefore, exhibiting these photos in India has an importance that goes far beyond art,” he said.
Acting Consul General of Argentina Alejandro Zothner Meyer said Ms. Fernandez is doing a great job by teaching the tango to the people of India, facilitating a cultural exchange. “I believe there is no better way than this to create a bond between two nations that may differ in culture but are united by one love, which is to dance,” he said.