I am a huge dance aficionado. I love to go dancing, more Ballroom than club, and attend dance performances at the theater. My husband on the other hand does not like dance, watching or otherwise; according to him he just doesn’t get it. Because of his antipathy towards dance, I haven’t been able to attend many performances for the past seven years; that is how long we have been together. So when the opportunity presented itself to attend Forever Tango, I was very keen to attend, even though I knew I would be going alone.
The show started off slowly, with what I would term traditional Argentine Tango routines. The routines were interspersed with pieces played by the Orchestra or sung by Gilberto Santa Rosa, who is appearing for the first three weeks of the run. Some of the routines were more exciting than others, but there was an ebb and flow of excitement due to the fact that each routine was typically followed by an orchestra piece. The highlight of the first half was when Karina Smirnoff and Maxim Chmerkovskiy made an appearance. They are truly magnificent dancers. Their routine was technically challenging and showed why they are considered to be world class. The end of the first half was an upbeat Candomble routine which was a change from all the Argentine Tango music played up to this point.
The second half of the show came out with a bang. This half was more modernized Argentine Tango with a lot of lifts and tricks incorporated. The dancers really showed their skill-set and versatility in this half of the show. One could not help but admire the well placed flicks and kicks of the ladies and the trust of their male partners. Also, in the second half of the show there were groupings of routines keeping up the energy level of the show. My favorite piece of the night was the final couples’ routine called Romance del Bandoneón y la Noche performed by Victoria Galoto and Juan Paul Horvath. To call their routine amazing is probably too simplistic, but it definitely was.
All in all, it was a good night out with some pretty amazing dancing. I would recommend it for those 18 and over as well as for a good couples’ night out.
Forever Tango is playing at the Walter Kerr Theatre for ten weeks through Sunday, September 15, 2013. The show includes sixteen world-class tango dancers, one vocalist and an eleven-piece orchestra. Featured guest stars, dancers Karina Smirnoff and Maksim Chmerkovskiy, will appear in the show through August 11. Singer Gilberto Santa Rosa is appearing in the show for the first three weeks of its run and singer Luis Enrique will also appear for three weeks beginning July 30.
To order tickets, call (212) 239-6200/(800) 432-7250, visit Telecharge.com or buy tickets in person at the Walter Kerr Theatre box office (219 West 48th Street). To receive a discount on tickets, please use code FTGNA603.
Whether you are flying solo like I was, or attending with friends or a significant other, Forever Tango is a good night out. You will see some pretty amazing dancing, and maybe come away with a few new moves of your own.
About the writer: Mikaela Walker is an avid traveler. You can read about her travels on her blog www.ivyleaguetraveler.com . She has two kids, a toddler and a teen, and loves experiencing New York City and beyond with them.
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