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| The Program for Saturday, unfortunately the names of the well known tango performers are missing... |
Carnaval time in Buenos Aires. No Samba competitions and parades as Rio de Janeiro puts on during these days of 'disfrace' (disguise) and general merry making. Different neighbourhoods of Buenos Aires (and neighbouring Montevideo Uruguay) prepare their unique 'Murga' dances, songs and processions in the many 'barrios'. Instead of sporting almost naked female bodies showing off various levels of artificially induced bodily enhancements, and shimmying on phantasmagorical parade floats, the emphasis of Murga groups is more on African inspired drumming, dancing for the whole family usually dressed in costumes that seem to originate from the days of black slavery, and singing that tells poetically about social issues of the neighbourhood. The story telling/singing is not as drab as it sounds, but can be quite humorous and happy.
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| Inside Studio I of TV Publica. |
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| At the Corner of TV Publica building, Carlos Gardel looks out over the corner of Alcortes and Tagle... |
Tango of course is part of the whole scene of Carnaval as well. Argentina may have all kinds of political, social and economic problems, but the local Government does support Cultural events. Thus, TV Publica Argentina puts on a live show, mixing Murga and Tango with live music, dance performances of Tango, Murga appearances and public participation in the Milonga.
Well, the line up to get into the TV studio building - gratis - was already pretty long when I arrived at the scene, dressed to dance, half an hour before start time. The number of audience guests was limited, as Studio 1 is not a large show stage, but rather intimate.
I was lucky, got in, and looked around: a small number of decorated tables and chairs reserved for milongueros on the show floor, and tiers for the audience. Well, once on those tiers, there would be no dancing for yours truly. I cast my beady eye around for a seat at a table (after all I was one of the few people obviously dressed to dance) and before having to make the 'grand decision' whether to head for the stand or the table, it was made for me. The only 'old dancing acquaintance' I had ever danced with before, and only once, and who was 'sans partner' kidnapped me at the door and took me with him to the stage, where 'dancing couples' would sit at these show tables for the duration Well, why not....
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| Alberto Podesta, at ninety years still performing - albeit seated. |
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| Carlos y Alison, Campeones Metropolitan Senior - Tango |
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| Alison's intriguing shoulders..... |
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| Orchestra San Sousi |
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| Orchestra San Sousi playing tango, milonga and valse....great to dance to live music. |
Quite a line up of well known names...previous Campeones Mundial and Metropolitan de tango also sat at the 'dancers' tables' awaiting their solo turn in the show, iconic 90+ year old Alberto Podesta was conducted to a comfortable seat (from which he later sang two songs), the Sans Sousi orchestra took its seats, and TV crews were all over the map dragging cables, driving overhead cameras, monitoring timing, discussing scripts etc etc.
Countdown, on the control screen the Commercials stopped and we 'were on'.
Great program and wonderful performers. Of course, the extras (that is us sitting at these photogenic tables close to the floor) were called to do their thing. After all, something has to happen, while the orchestra plays great tango music. The producers called out ' todos a bailar' and lo and behold, we all hit the stage and milonguered away. My impromptu dance partner was a few inches shorter than my 5.2, he knew everybody on and off stage personally, and was delighted that he did not have to sit out all that inspiring dance music. I was quite happy that I garnered a privileged seat and had a partner, enabling me to join the dancing....
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| Entrance of Murga Group De Boca...kids and all... |
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| Decorated umbrellas are featured in murgas. |
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| After the show...the fringed hats of the murga dancers come off... |
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| Pope Francis assisting in the general merry making, which by now has moved to the hall ways of the TV studio. The Murgas did not stop drumming, dancing and singing until they reached their transport school buses waiting for then on the highway... |
The Murga of La Boca brought in the whole troupe with incredible noise, drumming whistling and dancing. Instead of elegant dancing, the stage was filled with colourful costumes, huge decorated umbrellas (the murga meaning escapes me), drums...and everyone with a penny whistle in their mouth marking the beat of the music and singing.
Missed the show on TV of course, would have liked to see how we 'extras' looked on screen....
