What do you gain from meeting other associations?
These meetings are a wonderful opportunity for us to share the joy of tango and to exchange ideas with other associations that have a slightly different approach. Some prefer a tango full of virtuosity and intricate figures, while others prefer a close, intimate tango with few movements. This is more in line with our philosophy at Tangueando Ibos. The Spanish also have this approach. These meetings allow us to discuss these ideas and enrich ourselves with all these different tango practices.
What will this wonderful Tangueando festival look like?
This is the 9th Trans-Pyrenean meeting, a Franco-Spanish gathering that fosters friendships between northwestern Spain, from Bilbao to Zaragoza, and southwestern France, from Tarbes to the Basque Coast. There are already over 150 registered participants, some coming from as far away as the Netherlands! We're trying to put on a prestigious event to welcome other tango associations. There will be tango happy hours, milongas, and concerts like the one by Ciudad Baigon, a group of young and dynamic Argentinian musicians we haven't had many opportunities to see in France or even in Europe. We're kicking things off Friday evening at the Rex with a milonga that's also open to the public, so as many people as possible can experience tango.
Is being open to the public important to you?
Yes, because it's a great pleasure we want to share. The public is welcome at our evening events and milongas. We'll also be at Place de Verdun on Saturday for a big tango happy hour. We need to bring in some new blood to the association, with more young people. It's also a way to combat certain preconceived notions about tango, a lot of misconceptions, and even fantasies. We want to show that tango is above all a dance full of beautiful harmony. It's simple: it's about walking embraced. You don't need to be at the level of the maestros to enjoy it!