User Reviews

There is almost no tango dancing to be seen. An interesting couple starts to dance, and the image immediately shift to watching the band play. There is a little watching bands play. Mostly the band sets up equipment, walks through a building, or talks about tango and their life. There is almost nothing about the annual Buenos Aires Tango Festival. The viewer might guess that the very few events seen occurred at the festival. Dancers apparently in a contest appear. One does not see them dance. They go away, some apparently having won. One can guess that there are a couple of types of dancing competition. The types are not explained, but the dancing almost isn't shown at all. A big disappointment to anyone interested or potentially interested in tango dancing or traditional tango music.

A loving cinematic portrait of the folkloric music and dance of Argentina as shared by fans worldwide who journey to Buenos Aires for a 9-day tango competition. The musicians are renowned, among the country's best. We see them solo and in concert - putting their heart and soul into well known and little known pieces, for a single bandoneon (small accordion) or for an orchestra. I'm not a judge of the dance but there was plenty of flash, passion, precision turns, and bodies wrapped tight to catch the breath of a novice. We follow the dancers flying in from the Argentine diaspora, from Japan, Europe, going over their routines while enjoying the camaraderie of tangeros of all ages. For those who can't follow Spanish, Argentine-style, the English subtitles are adequate and non-intrusive. Especially recommended for those in the dance and music world or the world traveler who has not yet reached the southern cone. A worthy follow-up to the movie Tanguedia - Exilio de Carlos Gardel of 1984.