Saturday, January 31, 2015

La Vida es una Milonga. CAI GUO-QIANG en Buenos Aires



The Grand Finale, of which La Cumparsita is the most impressive, of the 80 minutes of fireworks in La Boca.
Note the white fireworks, which mimic the move of a bandoneon...
The last half of the video shows 'tango nuevo', the latest re-incarnation of tango by a younger generation, who likes to dance 'apart' instead in a 'close embrace', using many figurative steps, and unconventional tango music. Personally, I prefer traditional tango salon - but, tastes differ of course.
This last segment of the show, represented the history of tango, starting with newly arrived immigrant men dancing with men (about 100 years ago or a little more) via classic tango of the Gardel years, to jazz inspired tango by Piazolla to Tango Nuevo often accompanied by electronic music.
Anyway - this is what over 250,000 spectators came to see - or not to see - depending on their location among the tightly packed crowd. Only privileged 'invitados' and television crews enjoyed a close-up of the fireworks and dance as in this video, and only 'the front ranks' could see the floating fire fountains on the river.
Spectacular indeed!