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Tango Tangoconnection

Marianka Swain talks tango movement and music with master Germán Cornejo. Photographs by Federico Paleo

Galeassi. “We have the same values and the breath becoming increasingly about work, family and life, we intensive through the song.” know what we want, and we work Enhancing that purity is the use of hard to achieve our dreams.” music from the great , The pair now run their own company. “portraying the contemporary, “I normally work more closely with melancholy and bohemian Buenos the creativity and of our Aires after dark, with a live band of the pieces, while Gisela pays attention to best musicians and two of the finest cleaning the sequences or steps. She’s singers from ”. Cornejo first an extraordinary dancer, highly skilled heard Piazzolla’s album Libertango aged and very disciplined, with the charisma 12. “I remember crying almost all the of a true artist. I love that, and dancing way through, because it touched me with her makes me feel complete. I so deeply. His compositions represent think the fact that both of us admire the of today – that and respect each other as artists is the inspired me more than anything.” secret to our successful partnership.” Composer, arranger and bandoneon Crucially, their company’s shows Piazzolla revolutionised tango in the incorporate a live band and singers. middle of the 20th century, creating Tango Fire “showed tango’s evolution a sound by blending through the decades with the band’s traditional music with recognisable amazing music”, while Break the western forms such as jazz. But what Tango mixed contemporary tango does his music inspire in dancers? with . New show Tango Cornejo loves the way he encompasses he tango is a pure of after Dark – which comes to ’s so many different moods. “Sometimes “ communication,” explains Peacock Theatre in late February and he takes you to a state of complete T Germán Cornejo, Argentine features Cornejo and Galeassi, plus four craziness, sometimes it’s loneliness tango superstar. “It’s very intimate fellow world tango champion couples or sadness.” It’s also challenging – when you’re dancing, you feel – hones in on the pure form. Cornejo formally. “You have to listen very well like you’re inside a bubble, with is working closely with his dancers to and be an experienced dancer to feel no one around you. The of of their dancing, with their legs but “probably not many of my age, and Above: Germán Cornejo and his dance partner portray that tango bubble, “keeping free while dancing to his music.” the movement is given not just by moving really fast around each other for sure fewer had the conviction to Gisela Galeassi. Above right: Tango After Dark. them dancing in complete authenticity” Cornejo works closely with a musical the beat or melody of the music, doing the ganchos.” Cornejo was make tango a lifestyle. Today, there are and avoiding fake overacting. director to ensure the sound matches but through the breathing. The immediately attracted to tango’s “mix a lot of dance schools teaching tango “The tango has an inherent the intricacies of his . connection is so strong that you of realness, sensuality, sophistication, to young students.” Cornejo describes sensuality: the leg movements that “It’s a long process, with a lot of really lose yourself in the dance.” communication and mystery”, and his mentor, Nélida Rodriguez, as “a of artists I admired, and she treated are crossing all the time between changes along the way.” Music is Buenos Aires-born Cornejo’s found that – though he studied other fairy godmother, teaching me more me with pure love and patience.” both dancers, the arm of the man vital, he notes; when it comes to love of tango came early. “I saw dance styles – only tango gave him than the steps – she showed me how An incredibly successful international embracing the waist of the partner creating shows, and developing a couple dancing when I was ten. the freedom to express himself fully. to be truly professional and bring out career followed, and about a decade and her arm softly touching his neck, a feel for tango, it’s responsible They had amazing chemistry – it Cornejo recalls other young people my personality. She gave me the keys ago Cornejo met his perfect partner: both chests giving a soft pressure, the for “more than I can imagine”. was intoxicating! Also the quality wanting to dance tango in the 1990s, to become unique, rather than a copy fellow world tango champion Gisela hips following each other dangerously, Cornejo’s favourite songs from ➣

76 • DANCING TIMES WWW.DANCING-TIMES.CO.UK • FEBRUARY 2018 • 77 Tango connection

a lot of care of their personalities and differences, because I love to have a mix of styles in my shows – that’s extremely valuable. At the same time, in the group pieces you need unity, so I work out where I need more emphasis on everyone following the same idea.” That central idea stems from Buenos Tango after Dark include “Las Above and below: Germán Cornejo and Aires, where Cornejo frequently Ciudades” and “Balada Para Mi Gisela Galeassi in Tango After Dark. returns to recharge creatively. “It’s Muerte”, because of their “poetry and a magnificent mix of melancholy, realness”. When it comes to dance grow up in the way that represents history and poetry. The old coffee numbers, he loves “Tangata”, which you. That’s an amazing thing. shops and bars, the nocturnal life of appears in the show’s second act. “In my show Immortal Tango, I the city and its streets are always the “We treat it in a contemporary way, created a crossover between music starting point of inspiration for me.” with each couple representing one from Hollywood blockbusters such as That spirit is honoured in Tango after instrument through their dancing.” Skyfall and The Bodyguard – all played Dark, fuelled by “one of the greatest Another favourite is “Lo Que Vendra”, in tango tempo – and traditional tango tango composers of all time. If people for its “perfect combination of compositions, allowing me to bring a want to experience the real intimacy, darkness, sensuality and drama”. completely new flavour to the stage. raw sensuality, purity and magic of Alongside Piazzolla, Cornejo Then in Break the Tango, we mixed the tango, performed by some of very best recommends tango fans explore best electric tango compositions (from in the world, it’s a show for them.” ■ the output of masters like Osvaldo , Otros Aires and Gotan Pugliese, Aníbal Troilo, Horacio Project) with artists like Beyoncé, Tango after Dark is at the Salgán, Leopoldo Federico and Shakira and Radiohead, to create Peacock Theatre from Mariano Mores, “so you can appreciate a combination of rock concert and February 28 to March 17. how their styles were evolving – not dance show.” That musical fusion Visit sadlerswells.com for details. just in the way they played, and their suited the blend of dance different formations and orchestras, styles, with elements but in their composition too.” incorporated “from jazz, As for the use of contemporary or modern, , ballroom, non-, Cornejo thinks it contemporary, malambo, depends on how it’s used. It’s fine if hip hop, breakdance “it’s expressing an idea or showing the and circus skills”. audience a specific concept; I was one Cornejo also encourages of the first in the classic tango scene individual expression within to include non-traditional music. I his company, allowing the definitely think you need to create your other couples to contribute own vision of the tango. Once you’ve choreographically so learned the roots well in order to start they can “be themselves from a solid tango base, your tree can during their duets. I take

WWW.DANCING-TIMES.CO.UK • FEBRUARY 2018 • 79