The Canberra Tango Quintet has performed at the Sydney Opera House and recently toured the music of revolutionary composer Astor Piazzolla. Photo: Peter Hislop.
For many of us, our knowledge of tango comes from pop culture. It conjures images of red roses clenched between teeth, complex choreography, stiff backs and strict gender roles.
The reality is far richer, according to tango leader Rodolfo Pablo Caivano who steps me through the origins of this iconic artform, effortlessly sweeping my misconceptions off their feet.
“Some people say, ‘oh, tango is very sad’ – but it’s not sad, it’s dramatic,” he says.
“Life has drama – when you love or you stop loving, when someone you love passes away, when things don’t go the way you expect, drama is there. You need to understand how to live with drama, how to live through grief, how to go through that and take something positive. Tango is a little bit of that.”
Forged in the immigrant melting pot of the Río de la Plata over a century ago, tango became a unifying force for a community who spoke many different languages.
“People arrived in Argentina from all over the world – Polish, Spanish, Africans, Russian, English – and all of these people brought their own dreams, life experiences, their own styles of music and from this kitchen, we cook tango music.”
As for the iconic dancing, Rodolfo says opinions differ on its origins.
“Some say it was two males fighting for the love of a woman. Some say it was performed for women working as escorts. If the men had no money to pay for the company of a woman, they would engage in dance to show their skills.”
Regardless of its roots, there’s no question that tango brings people together.
“It’s the only dance where you need full contact all the time,” he said.
“Nowadays tango is a great tool for connection. People are selective in the activities they do and they usually don’t involve engaging with someone … With tango, you actually engage with people, make connections, find great relationships and keep yourself motivated and passionate around something.”
Born in Mendoza and raised in Buenos Aires, Rodolfo himself migrated to Australia in his 30s and found tango waiting for him.
“There is a huge tango community all around Australia,” he said.
“Most of the people I see in tango clubs are Australian or from other countries – very few are Argentinian or Uruguayan.
“They all have their own relationship with tango and I think that’s gorgeous, because I don’t own the tango. The tango is for whoever loves it.”
An accomplished bandoneonist, Rodolfo has performed with orchestras in both Argentina and Australia, studied under renowned maestros and founded multiple well-renowned tango ensembles, including the Canberra Tango Quintet.
He first visited Canberra in 2019 with his Melbourne-based ensemble Just Us Tango to perform in a milonga – a gathering for dancing Argentine tango.
What kind of crowd might you find at a Canberran milonga?
“You’ll find young people and people in their 60s, 70s and 80s,” said Rodolfo.
“It’s a great cardiovascular activity and at the same time it’s good for relationships.
“There are always a lot of couples who want to try a new hobby together and they become addicted.”
Rodolfo believes Canberra’s diverse community makes a fitting home for tango and an ideal environment for its continued growth.
“I love my community, I love my neighbours. I’m happy playing music and incredible things are happening in Canberra,” he said.
“The multicultural aspect of the city can be the most rewarding part. I love that Canberra’s name even means ‘the place where we meet’.”
Rodolfo believes it’s tango’s open embrace of new cultures, styles and sounds that both created the artform and keeps it progressive today.
Looking to expand his repertoire of contemporary tango, Rodolfo reached out to Argentine saxophone virtuoso Jorge Retamoza – widely regarded as a pioneer in establishing the saxophone as a voice in contemporary tango.
“He called me back and he said ‘look Rodolfo, I have travelled all over the world but I’ve never been to Australia. What if we organise a tour and I perform this music with you?’.
“I was delighted,” he said. “Jorge performs in the Philharmonic of Buenos Aires. He’s a teacher in the conservatorium. He’s a big star over there performing this music and he offered to come to Australia.”
As a result, SUMMIT: 50 Years of Piazzolla & Mulligan will tour Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne, commemorating two revolutionaries of contemporary tango – Astor Piazzolla and Gerry Mulligan.
Retamoza will perform on 26 September at The Street Theatre, as well as lead a five-day intensive tango workshop at the Ainslie Arts Centre.
“My hope is that more people will be interested in playing this music, which will help the dancers and the culture to grow,” Rodolfo said.
“You only grow when you have more cultures coming along.”
For Rodolfo, that’s part of what makes tango so exciting. More than a century after it emerged from the immigrant communities of Río de la Plata, it belongs to no-one and everyone.
“Tango is made by people and it is real – it’s not about making a profit,” he said.
“Tango is not asking you to come. It is opening its arms to receive you. It’s up to you to be brave enough to take your own initiative and get involved with tango.”
SUMMIT: 50 Years of Piazzolla & Mulligan is on 26 September at the Street Theatre, Canberra. For tickets, visit the website.
