It takes two to tango

Menton Pies juntos Abraso intenso As Gladys Fernandez gives out the classic instructions for Argentine tango in Spanish to keep the chin up feet together and embrace intensely its easy to forget that we are in a dance studio in Girgaums Khotachiwadi and get transported to a milonga underway in some quaint town in the South American country The Argentine artiste who lives in Sardinia in Italy and has a home in Buenos Aires travels for a good part of the year showcasing tango to the Middle East Southeast Asia and since 2015 IndiaKruti Gandhi and Ajinkya Deshpande showcase the social dancing style of Argentine tangoIt was at an international tango festival in Auroville Tamil Nadu last year that she met Santosh Avatramani a senior tango dancer and businessman who divides his time between Mumbai and the US With synergy in style it wasnt a difficult decision for them to partner up And as Fernandez 55 travelled across India to interact with tango teachers and teach those interested in the dance form she came across Mumbaibased artiste and teacher Kruti Gandhi and Ajinkya Deshpande from Pune This evening the first four performing professionals of Argentine tango in India as she proudly calls the quartet will give a taste of the dance form to Mumbaikars The performance Libertango has been directed by Fernandez and will be presented as part of the event Tangopolis organised by The Consulate General of ArgentinaTango in India may still be a niche dance form but as Deshpande and Gandhi glide across the studio floor their seamless movements explain Fernandezs pride in them Tango is music feet and heart Its got to do with the soul not so much the country or the body type says Fernandez to which her dance partner and mentees agree The music is mystical and absorbs you as it is orchestral music from the 40s to the 60s The reason tango is among the most addictive dance forms is probably because unlike any other western dance it is entirely improvised It can be meditative calming and energising at the same time shares 57yearold AvatramaniSantosh Avtaramani and Gladys FernandezGandhi 34 who has trained in kathak and gave up her job of a software engineer to travel to Europe to learn tango elaborates on the improvisation aspect of the dance What you see as part of ballroom tango is stepdriven But Argentine tango is based on unspoken communication between the dance partners Deshpande 31 is an options trader who took to tango to get out of his comfort zone It is all about listening to each other Theres no place to hide or lie he saysIts been 32 years since Fernandez started out having learnt from masters in Argentina as well as the popular dancers known as milongueros But I am still learning It is this love for tango that I wish to take to young Indians and not just the rich We want to perform for charities and through tango introduce the culture of Argentina to the people of India she says Acting Consul General of Argentina Alejandro Zothner Meyer quotes Carlos Gardel a famous tango singer when he says umlIts not enough to have just the most melodious voice to intone a tango You have to live its spirits And as if explaining this unlikely collaboration Fernandez adds And India is the most spiritual place in the worldFREEOn Today 730 pm At Palladium Atrium High Street Phoenix Lower Parel Call 22871381Buenos Aires in black and whiteA part of Tangopolis is a photography exhibition titled Behind the Scenes ndash Buenos Aires An artistic documentation of the city through black and white frames captured by Argentine fineart photographer Gerardo Korn it presents the capital city in a new light My photographs are the result of my urge to portray my hometown off guard and for me to be its only witness For me it is no less than a revelation almost as if it were a spiritual journey he saysNeighbourhood of La Boca Transporter BridgeThe photographer who visited India as a teenager in 1977 recalls being enchanted by the beauty of the Taj Mahal and seeing the City of Joy Kolkata What made it special is that this trip was the last one with my mother Therefore exhibiting these photos in India has an importance that goes far beyond artTillAugust 31 11 am to 7 pmAtCosmic Heart Gallery G 2a Court Chambers 35 New Marine LinesCall22085926Catch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates