By Heidi Trautmann
It was in 2005. My husband and I stayed overnight in Famagusta in one of the small breasted little hotels within the walls of the Old City. ‘Tango Evening’ a poster on the door said, Famagusta Tango Club invites its members to come and dance. In my bed I danced with them through half the night. My first encounter with Cyprus Tango. I learnt then that Cypriots are tango-mad and I learnt that Tango was introduced to Turkey shortly after the foundation of the Turkish Republic in the 1920. There is definitely Turkish Tango and very much alive.
The Tango was born in Argentine in the mid-eighties as a result of the multi-cultural immigration and their cultures, their longing, a mix of African, East European and the popular habanera dances; young men from the corrals got together in low-life establishments, dressed up and danced away and it finally became fashionable in high society in the beginning of the 20th century and when the rich sons started to travel to Europe and chic places, they took the dance with them to Paris, London and New York, …and to Atatürk, who forced his people to turn their heads westward, and who opened the doors to tango. Here we are.
Tango Cyprus is Pembe Gaziler and Mustafa Elmas, an association active since 1999 unofficially and officially since 2002 with 150 dancers around the island. Their leitmotiv is: Let’s get together, people of the world, let’s dance, let’s tango, let’s get close and hug each other, which is one of the meanings of the word tango: tanguere = to touch, from Portuguese and Latin. A ‘nation-binding’ activity. They are the first tango teachers in Cyprus and are invited to teach in other countries such as Lebanon, Jordan, Spain, Norway, Sweden and so forth. “Our aim is to promote tango and create an international meeting point here.
Now, for the fifth time they have organized Cyprus (Spring) Tango Festival to be in Kyrenia. Nine countries have registered as participants. They have two such events each year. The programme sounds great. All details can be found on www.tangocyprus.org
Let’s get tango-mad!
Programme : 5th Cyprus Tango (Spring) Festival (10th-13th May 2011 Kyrenia- Cyprus)
Festival will start with a Stage Tango Show & Concert on 10th May
Date : 10th May 2012 Thursday
Time : 20:30
Place: Bellapais Abbey Kyrenia
Orchestra : Alejandro Ziegler Quartet from Buenos Aires (More info Below).
Dancers : Jorgelina Guzzi & Lucas Di Giorgio (Buenos Aires-Argentina)
Cintia Tinelli & Lucas Panero (Buenos Aires-Argentina)
Pembe Gaziler & Mustafa Elmas (Cyprus)
11th May 2012 Friday
Milonga Night with Live Concert by Alejandro Ziegler Quartet (All festival participants will enjoy a special DJ from Sweden and Live orchestra combination while dancing)
Time : 22:00-02:00
Place : Dome Hotel - Kyrenia
DJ : Jerzy George Dzieciaszek - Sweden
Orchestra: Alejandro Ziegler Quartet
12th May 2012 Saturday
Tango Classes by Argentianian Maestros
11:30-17:30 Tango Classes by Jorgelina Guzzi & Lucas Di Giorgio (Buenos Aires-Argentina)
Cintia Tinelli & Lucas Panero (Buenos Aires-Argentina)
Place : Dome Hotel
Milonga Night with Live Concert by Orquesta 'El Mediterraneo (Cyprus) and Tango Shows by Maestros. (All festival participants will enjoy a special DJ from Sweden and Live orchestra combination while dancing)
Time : 22:00-02:00
Place : Dome Hotel - Kyrenia
DJ : Aydogan Arkis - Istanbul
Orchestra : 'El Mediterraneo' (Cyprus)
13th May 2012 Sunday
Tango Classes by Argentianian Maestros
11:30-17:30 Tango Classes by Jorgelina Guzzi & Lucas Di Giorgio (Buenos Aires-Argentina)
Cintia Tinelli & Lucas Panero (Buenos Aires-Argentina)
Place : Dome Hotel
Festival Closing Party @ Sunset
Time : 19:00
Place : Dome Hotel Pool Bar
For detailed information on the guest performers and orchestra please refer to the website www.tangocyprus.org