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Robert Abrams
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Argentine Tango
New York City Center
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Tango x 2 - A Critique

by Robert Abrams
January 25, 2007
New York City Center
130 West 56th Street
(Audience Entrance is on West 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues)
(Entrance for Studios and Offices is on West 56th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues)
New York, NY 10019
212.247.0430
Jenny Wesnousky's Review
Robert Abrams' Critique
Susan Weinrebe's Review
If you are an Argentine Tango fanatic, you will love Tango x 2's Su Historia. The show is filled with non-stop superior Tango. Both the dancing and the music were wonderful.

As good as the show is, I think they can do better. The problem with the show is that many of the many numbers are similar. It was one pure Tango number after another. All very well done, mind you, both in terms of proficiency of the dancing and the quality of the within-number choreography, but there wasn't much macro-structure. To use an analogy, if you love Salmon and you are presented with a buffet with an unlimited amount of ten kinds of Salmon, all expertly prepared, you are going to be in heaven, but if you like fish only in moderation, you are not going to be in this restaurant's target market. A dance company needs a diversified product line so they can appeal to many more than just the hard core fish eaters.

Tango x 2 hasthe potential to create a show that will appeal to dance fans beyond the Argentine Tango community. The seed of this new show is contained within the current show. In the scene at the start of Act II, some women arrive in Argentina on a boat. Almost immediately a woman, presumably a madam of a brothel, strips them to their underwear and forces them to dance with various men. The scene ends with one women dancing in her underwear with two men (the men were wearing suits), but dancing in a way that showed she had strength and could push back.

The scene had a message that was clearly readable, combined with interesting choreography and strong dancing.

Tango x 2 could build on this scene to create a show that comments on the plight of women, both historically and now. In doing so they could also adapt the amusing scene in the current show that takes place inside of a department store, where mannequins come to life and dance with a passerby. In the current show the mannequin scene is mostly about high fashion, but it could take on a variety of sub-texts, if so desired. For instance, if mannequins exist primarily to sell things, and someone dances with them, does that mean that women, who are represented by mannequins, on some level, are for sale?

Build a few more of these potentially provocative scenes, add expanded character development and a stronger plot line, while keeping the strong Tango dancing and excellent live music, and I think they might have a hit. They could make it another all-Tango show, or combine with dance companies who practice other styles to create a multi-dance show. That would be a show I would see twice.
The company of Tango x 2 performs 'Su Historia'

The company of Tango x 2 performs "Su Historia"

Photo © & courtesy of Tango X 2


Miguel Angel Zotto and Romina Godoy of Tango x 2 perform 'Su Historia'

Miguel Angel Zotto and Romina Godoy of Tango x 2 perform "Su Historia"

Photo © & courtesy of Tango X 2


Miguel Angel Zotto and Romina Levin of Tango x 2 perform 'Su Historia'

Miguel Angel Zotto and Romina Levin of Tango x 2 perform "Su Historia"

Photo © & courtesy of Tango X 2


The cast of Tango x 2 in 'Su Historia'

The cast of Tango x 2 in "Su Historia"

Photo © & courtesy of Tango X 2


Miguel Angel Zotto and Romina Levin in Tango x 2's 'Su Historia'

Miguel Angel Zotto and Romina Levin in Tango x 2's "Su Historia"

Photo © & courtesy of Tango X 2

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