It takes many to tango

Argentine tango experts put on a show that Chinese dancers can learn from.[Photo provided to China Daily]

"Like most other Chinese I am very shy about showing my feelings in everyday life. Tango gives me an emotional outlet for something that can't be expressed in words. It relaxes me. For these reasons I'm addicted to tango."

As the popularity of tango grows throughout China, and the country's dancers become ever more competitive, they are beginning to become prominent internationally. In the Buenos Aires World Tango Dance Tournament in 2014, Xu Xuanyi, of Beijing, and her Argentine partner won third place in the category of Stage.

A year earlier, tango in China reached a new level of professionalism, when, thanks to the efforts of Xu Xuanyi and other Chinese tango promoters, the organizing committee of the Buenos Aires World Tango Dance Tournament gave China permission to hold preliminary events whose winners could qualify for the semi-finals of the Buenos Aires tournament. Those events have been staged four times since 2013, giving Chinese tango dancers the chance to show themselves on the international stage.

The winners in the preliminary events in China this year, held in Nanjing, were from Shanghai. In the event held from June 8 to 11, He Yusheng and Mi Lichen became Tango Salon champions and gained direct access to the semi-finals of the Buenos Aires World Tango Dance Tournament in August.

Given the differences in physique, strength, and culture between Latin American tango dancers and their Chinese counterparts, Xu reckons that for Chinese to excel all they need to do is be themselves.

"I've seen a lot of dancers trying to imitate others, but tango's roots are life itself," said Xu at a news conference before this year's China trials for the Buenos Aires World Tango Dance Tournament.

"I suggest they dance tango with the emotions from the inside out, based on their own understanding of their life experiences. That way I believe they will achieve good results in the event."

Late arrival

At the moment, tango and its professionalization in China are handicapped by the fact that compared with other foreign dance forms it is a very late arrival, and the skills that a beginner needs to learn are complex. It thus remains a niche activity, and insiders say that the small numbers and the costs involved also hold it back.

In Beijing the price for a large-scale dance event (of 200 dancers) is about $30 per person (including drinks). Organizers say any profit they make is barely enough to pay for a pair of professional Argentine tango teachers to perform at the ball.

"Being a tango professional in China is quite simple," Diego says. "You can make a living out of it by opening clubs and giving tango lessons. But Beijing rents are among the world's highest, and that's where the main financial pressure comes from. We pay for a lot of activities out of our own pockets. Even if we get a great response from them we get hit financially."

So, the solution is to attract more Chinese to the dance, something about which Liu Zheng says he is optimistic.

"I think tango has a brilliant future in China. There is a huge gap in the market, so the potential is there. I have seen a lot of tango lovers who have practiced it for many years, which means it can capture people's imaginations and is worth practicing for a lifetime."