- In Archive
- 2014-11-10 20:37:28
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Dancing enthusiasts and students from Adjunct Associate Professor Anna-Maria Ravnopolska-Dean's classes gathered in the Main Building auditorium on Nov. 5 to appreciate the beauty of Tango. Professional dancers Alejandro Chavez and Maria Uzunova delivered a lecture on the history and development of the dance, followed by a demonstrational performance.
[caption id="attachment_23022" align="alignright" width="403" caption="Photo by: Anna Bashuk"]
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Chavez and Uzunova are currently working in an Argentinian Tango dance studio in Sofia, called Tango & Pepper Studio . Both of them have a solid background in dancing. Chavez started his career as an Argentinian folklore dancer back in Buenos Aires, where he was born and raised. Later on, he developed a passion for Tango and became one of the most respected Tango and milonguero dancers in his home country. In 2005, he started his professional career as a dancer and choreographer for Tango companies, productions and spectacles in more than 20 countries.
Uzunova started dancing when she was eight-years-old. Her first steps in dancing were in the Bulgarian national dance ensemble Vedriza, where she later became a solo performer. Her interest for other dance styles increased and in 2002 she started dancing professionally for different Bulgarian and international companies, such as Electra Dance Studio- Bulgaria, New Time Entertainment -Greece, Weber Entertainment - Germany and Show Agency Galaxy-Estonia. She is also the founder of Pro Dance company, which organizes show programs and demonstrations, mainly oriented toward ballroom and Latin-American dances. Uzunova fell in love with Tango in 2010 and continued her dancing education in that style with some of the most famous Tango instructors in Buenos Aires.
[caption id="attachment_23025" align="alignleft" width="226" caption="Photo by: Anna Bashuk"]
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Chavez explained that Tango originated in Argentina in the 19th century as a result of the mix of different cultures in that area. The dance developed from the musical styles of Cuban habanera, the Argentine milonga and candombe, and is was also influenced by the African community in Buenos Aires. The Tango became a reason for European immigrants in the New World to gather and have fun; however, in the beginning it had a bad reputation and was perceived as “something dirty, something from the night, something that wasn’t really nice to see during the day,” as Chavez put it. One reason for that is that in the beginning the dance was performed mainly with working women in secret night clubs. By 1912, the Tango reached Europe, where it was perceived in a totally different way. It became extremely popular in Paris, London and Berlin, and it reached other capitals and cities pretty soon as well, until its Golden Age in the 40s.
Chavez and Uzunova finished their lecture by dancing for the audience, demonstrating the passion and beauty that Tango carried through the ages.
[/caption]
Chavez and Uzunova are currently working in an Argentinian Tango dance studio in Sofia, called Tango & Pepper Studio . Both of them have a solid background in dancing. Chavez started his career as an Argentinian folklore dancer back in Buenos Aires, where he was born and raised. Later on, he developed a passion for Tango and became one of the most respected Tango and milonguero dancers in his home country. In 2005, he started his professional career as a dancer and choreographer for Tango companies, productions and spectacles in more than 20 countries.
Uzunova started dancing when she was eight-years-old. Her first steps in dancing were in the Bulgarian national dance ensemble Vedriza, where she later became a solo performer. Her interest for other dance styles increased and in 2002 she started dancing professionally for different Bulgarian and international companies, such as Electra Dance Studio- Bulgaria, New Time Entertainment -Greece, Weber Entertainment - Germany and Show Agency Galaxy-Estonia. She is also the founder of Pro Dance company, which organizes show programs and demonstrations, mainly oriented toward ballroom and Latin-American dances. Uzunova fell in love with Tango in 2010 and continued her dancing education in that style with some of the most famous Tango instructors in Buenos Aires.
[caption id="attachment_23025" align="alignleft" width="226" caption="Photo by: Anna Bashuk"][/caption]
Chavez explained that Tango originated in Argentina in the 19th century as a result of the mix of different cultures in that area. The dance developed from the musical styles of Cuban habanera, the Argentine milonga and candombe, and is was also influenced by the African community in Buenos Aires. The Tango became a reason for European immigrants in the New World to gather and have fun; however, in the beginning it had a bad reputation and was perceived as “something dirty, something from the night, something that wasn’t really nice to see during the day,” as Chavez put it. One reason for that is that in the beginning the dance was performed mainly with working women in secret night clubs. By 1912, the Tango reached Europe, where it was perceived in a totally different way. It became extremely popular in Paris, London and Berlin, and it reached other capitals and cities pretty soon as well, until its Golden Age in the 40s.
Chavez and Uzunova finished their lecture by dancing for the audience, demonstrating the passion and beauty that Tango carried through the ages.