Spring in the southern hemisphere brings the Tango Festival in Buenos Aires which over years has variously been called the World Tango Championship and the Tango World Cup and is currently the International Tango Festival and World Cup.
In 2021 the Festival ran from 16 to 26 September, with reduced participants and crowds – and some events held online – but the magic was there. This year’s festival paid tribute to Argentina’s legendary football hero, Diego Maradona, who was a passionate tango fan.
The 2020 Festival was cancelled because of Covid. It is a two week extravaganza with free concerts, classes, milongas and a trade fair, as well as the performances by the competitors.
There are two categories in the Mundial (Tango World Cup) the traditional known as tango salon, which is improvised, and the stage tango, known as escenario, which is choreographed.
Couples were able to enter online and it was possible to vote online. Over the years when travel was more freely available couples from many parts of the world have entered. Even though it was held with virtual events combined with the in-person performances, this year’s championship still managed to draw 800 dancers from 25 countries.
The winners in 2021 were both Argentinian couples
Augustin Agnez and Barbara Ferreyra won the tango salon. The stage tango was won by Emmanuel Casal and Yanina Muzyka.
The Festival coincided with the reopening of milongas in Buenos Aires – they had been closed for 18 months.
You can find out more about this year’s Festival – and the 2022 Festival by clicking here.
