m¡longa
Genius choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui (Babel) injects the traditions of Argentinean tango with his own ground-breaking contemporary twists in m¡longa, making its New Zealand debut at Auckland Arts Festival 2016.
The milonga, or informal tango dance party, originates in Buenos Aires and is traditionally held in intimate late night bars, where social dancers meet to express their melancholy, passion, yearning and grief via-fancy footwork and a live tango band.
Belgium-born Cherkaoui captures these rituals and catapults them into the 21st century, with a heady and seductive mix of Latin aesthetics and state of the art video design, landing audiences smack bang in the sass and hubbub of the streets and night life of Argentina’s capital city.
Structured as a simple series of vignettes, m¡longa focuses on the basic tenets of tango - the speaking without speaking - and the intuitive physicality between tango partners.
Under the guidance of collaborator, tango superstar Nelida Rodriguez de Aure, the 12 world class dancers create virtuoso tango, re-forged by Cherkaoui’s signature liquid-limbed choreographic style into a fiery, decadent, dazzling dance.
A five-piece on stage orchestra with bandoneon play a bespoke score merging vintage tunes by Astor Piazzolla with newer compositions to propel the dancers on.
With its ferocious energy and alluring intimacy, m¡longa is far more than a dance for stars, it’s music and dance from the streets of Argentina for all of us.
Widely acknowledged as one of Europe’s most exciting choreographers, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui is internationally renowned for his ground-breaking and critically revered productions with artists including Akram Khan and Maria Pagès, and for his award-winning works such as Sutra and Babel.
‘Cloaked in intimacy, dappled with melancholy, m¡longa makes you feel as if you’ve stumbled into a fantasy dance hall, and you’re the luckiest wallflower in town’ – Metro UK
'remarkable...not to mention knee-weakeningly sexy...a firecracker of a show ' - The Telegraph
‘Simply astonishing’ - The Daily Telegraph
‘Fabulous’ – Sydney Morning Herald
SEASON DETAILS:
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Show |
m¡longa |
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Where |
ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre |
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When |
Friday 18 March, 8.00pm; Saturday 19 March, 2.00pm & 8.00pm; Sunday 20 March, 7.00pm |
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Duration |
1hr 35mins no interval |
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Price |
Premium $79; Premium Friend/Conc/Group $72; A Res $69; A Res Friend/Conc/Group $63; B Res $59; B Res Friend/Conc/Group $54; C Res $45; C Res Friend/Conc/Group $45; D Res $35 |
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Bookings |
Book at Ticketmaster outlets: www.ticketmaster.co.nz/ P: 09 970 9700 or 0800 111 999 |
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Information |
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Social Media |
Twitter: @Aklfestival Facebook: facebook.com/Aklfestival |
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Video |
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Media enquiries |
Meredith McGrath, PR & Media Manager P:+64 (0)9 3740317 M:+64 (0)27 4473247 E: Meredith.mcgrath@aaf.co.nz |
Sponsored by Auckland Airport
Auckland Arts Festival is core funded by Auckland Council
Original production idea Ricardo Szwarcer
Co-produced withThéâtre Vidy-Lausanne; Migros Culture Percentage Dance Festival Steps;Théâtre du Jorat, Mėzières; deSingel International Arts Campus, Antwerp; Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg; Les Nuits de Fourvière/Département du Rhône; Movimentos Festwochen der Autostadt in Wolfsburg; Festspielhaus St Pölten; Fondazione Musica per Roma; Eastman.