The end of Winter sales, S. Valentine’s day and Tango: what do they have in common? All of these events were joined and grouped in Sunday 14th of February 2016 in the evening in the mall Dima Shopping Bufalotta in Rome. It’s not the first time that tango occurs to a Roman mall: about five years ago the Tango di Pietra-duo made trips inside Porta di Roma, a kind of little flash mob just to take temporary possession of the urban space tipically dedicated to shopping and far light-years from the proper places of tango. But that one of S. Valentine’s has been the first time at all in which it has been planned a genuine tango event – for free, moreover – in such a structure. The initiative was developed into two parts.
At 5 p.m. one hour-lesson to approach tango in the central forecourt, by the teachers Antimo Puca e Claudia Fortuna, among passersby, informed tangueros, people who were curious but had no courage enough to try some steps and other ones who instead throw themselves, dogs, children and red heart-shaped balloons that ran around. For those ones who don’t know the mall, we talk about a wide little square at ground level paved with marble that couldn’t be more appropriate to dance, surrounded by shops and stained-glass windows and topped by the upper level that turns around it and that look out like a continuous balcony, giving a panoramic and inspiring perspective.
From 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. milonga played by M.me Chiffon in front of the Bar Marilyn, with the participation of: Rytmic Tango, Caricias de Tango, Volver a los codigos and Laboratorio delle Ciliegie schools of tango, whose respective teachers started the dance with a “ronda de los maestros”. The several Tangueros’ movements surprised bystanders, both buyers and shopkeepers, in the doorway to attend that unusual show, that produced such satisfaction and enthusiasm that Andrea Leante, the manager of the Mall, together with Madame Chiffon, promised a repeat of the event next year, maybe with a whole week dedicated to tango, with lessons, special guests and milongas. For the moment, a pleasant and successful first test.
Claudia Galati
