Editorial: Swango's Final Performance

October 26, 2002

Swango, the innovative show combining West Coast Swing and Argentine Tango, came to the end of its run at Swing 46 on October 25. The show, which was supposed to run for two months, eventually ran for four months. The entire cast gave their final performance with a little extra energy. They clearly knew that Swango represented a job well done. The packed, standing room only house clearly knew it too.

Theatre is a collaborative art and often needs to advance in stages. My feeling is that Robert, Mariela and compadres have taken Swango as far as they could in its current form. Verona, after all, wasn't built in a day. They now have the foundation of experience to reflect on what the show could become in a longer format. As compelling as the dancing and storytelling was in its current half hour format, I am convinced, having seen the show live at least six times over the course of its run and countless times on tape, that they will be able to find ways to make the story and characters richer, the dancing more polished and spectacular, and the melding of dance traditions more compelling. Saving Romeo from heartache along the way… even Shakespeare couldn't accomplish that.

Sincerely,

Robert Abrams
Editor, ExploreDance.com

For more on Swango, read our original review. From there you can find other Swango articles and photo essays.