‘TANGO’ STEAMS WITH SENSUALITY

“Tango Argentino,” the current darling of the dance and theatrical world, moved into Civic Theatre on Tuesday night for a two-week stop on its national tour. This smoldering dance revue took Broadway and Los Angeles by storm recently with an earthy exuberance and gritty sensuality seldom seen on the legitimate stage.

The show spans the 100-year history of Argentina’s national dance, from its shady origins in the bordellos and barrios of Buenos Aires to its flashy contemporary nightclub form. But don’t expect the usual made-for-Broadway imitation of this erotic art form. “Tango Argentino” is the genuine article--a yeasty blend of elegance and vulgarity, the smart and the sleazy, the cool and the tawdry--all delivered with animal vitality and high-powered virtuosity by some of the leading tango artists in the world. In fact, in an unprecedented move, all 15 dancers in the company were nominated as an ensemble for coveted Tony Awards.

“Tango” abounds with seductive couplings, gutsy lifts and tantalizing displays of dexterity. And judging by the rafter-raising standing ovation it received opening night, the producers will soon be adding San Diego to their “Tango Argentino” hit list.

The show was conceived, directed and designed by Claudio Segovia and Hector Orezzoli, two longtime veterans of the Argentine theatrical scene, and choreographed by Segovia with the assistance of Juan Carlos Copes, who also does a seething dance of seduction and some showy partnering in the show.

The company of 30 consists of singers and musicians as well as the crackerjack dancers. In highly emotional renderings, they lament love gone sour and bitter fate, and remind us that “the tango was born weeping.”

Passion and attitude--not conformity--are the bywords of this production. By show-biz standards, the dancers are a mismatched assortment of sizes and shapes, from short and portly to lithe and stately. Many of the dancers are obviously pushing 50, but they dispel any notions that the tango is only for the young.

All the dancers are as fast as automatons in their tricky interlocking footwork, and their saucy, flamenco-inspired movements are flawlessly executed. The tango was born in the back alleys of Buenos Aires and originally danced by gauchos and pimps. This show makes no attempt to gloss over that fact or to project them as beautiful Hollywood clones.

It takes two to tango, but the couples in this show are not necessarily made up of both sexes. Often, two men team up in “Tango Argentino” for flashy pyrotechnics against the seductive stop-and-go rhythms of the tango. Occasionally, pairs of women share the limelight in tango confrontations.

In the opening dance, two men decked out in snappy white spats, scarfs and gangster-style hats worn with a rakish tilt--tangle in a macho tango as a pair of street thugs.

Later, couples whisk across the stage in a familiar variation of the lizard lounge-style tango, or plunge from the shadowy haze in a series of tricky kicks and lightning-quick shifts of direction. Miguel Angel Zotto and Milena Plebs even pair up in flapper feathers and formal wear for a slinky sexpot tango a la Rudolph Valentino.

Most of the dances focus on an intricate dialogue between pairs of intertwined legs and crisscrossing ankles, as stiletto heel clicks reverberate through the house. Some of the couples looked like pairs of windup dolls on fast-forward with their flailing legs darting up and down in perfect synchronization.

Three husky-voiced singers (Raul Lavie, Jovita Luna and Alba Solis) belt out the melancholy songs of love, death and betrayal, while the mournful musical utterings echo every phrase. Even if you don’t understand the Spanish, you can grasp the meanings through the powerful display of emotions.

The orchestra sets a furious pace for the exhilarating dances and takes the spotlight for musical interludes between dances. There are 11 musicians--seated on stage--but the real stars are the bandoneones. There are four of these accordian-like instruments in the orchestra, and they seem to capture the soul of the tango.

There is plenty of glitz and glamour in the profusion of black and white spangled costumes that parade through the production, and earthy realism in the mobster’s duds.

The tango has fallen on hard times in its own homeland. But “Tango Argentino” (which has never been performed in Argentina) has triggered a revival of interest in the tango in this country, and many local studios have set up special classes to teach this thrilling dance style. After experiencing “Tango Argentino,” you’ll know why.

“TANGO ARGENTINO”

Conceived, directed and designed by Claudio Segovia and Hector Orezzoli. Choreographed by Segovia with Juan Carlos Copes. Musical directors, Jose Libertella, Luis Stazo and Osvaldo Berlingieri. Scenic and costume design by Orezzoli and Segovia. Lighting by Segovia. Will run through Sept. 28 at San Diego Civic Theatre, 202 C St., sponsored by San Diego Playgoers.