August is Tango: Championships afoot in BA

Starting a little over a week ago, the Tango music festival and dance world championships were well underway this week in Buenos Aires. Musicians and dancers from all over the world came to the capital to take part in the ninth edition of the annual event, which this year has attracted participants from 18 countries.

Organised by the City government's culture ministry, the principally free event got going on August 16, with shows and concerts taking place between a variety of locations, including: the newly-refurbished Exhibitions Centre in the Recoleta neighbourhood, Teatro de la Ribera in La Boca, the CCC Teatro 25 de Mayo in Villa Urquiza neighbourhood, and Luna Park for the grande finale next week.

Throughout the events, the Exhibition Centre (Figueroa Alcorta Ave/ Pueyrredón Ave) is the place to visit, with an abundance of activities are taking place. Aside from the dance championships themselves, numerous Tango music shows, dance shows, Tango classes, free cinema, conferences, exhibitions and a fair.

Today, the Tango Salon and scenic rounds took place in the dance championships and on Friday and Saturday seventy-one couples will compete in the semi-finals.

Aside from the dance, music is available in abundance, notably with 86-year-old Alberto Podestá performing today at the CCC Teatro 25 de Mayo in Villa Urquiza.