The Beijing papers

VIII- In appreciation of Pablo Veron


Attention all tangueros and tangueras,
If you want to see a male dancer that posseses elegance, grounds
beautifully, has a relaxed torso (and arms) and lead from his center,
go see Pablo Veron who will be visiting Beijing this week.

Pablo Veron has always been a great source of inspiration for me

I know Pablo Veron for seven years now.
I discovered Pablo in Sally Potter's film The Tango Lesson in 1999.
In 2001, I was a student in his tango workshops in Montreal, Canada .
Summer of 2002 I started going to his private studio in Montreal and
started training with Noel Strazza* his newly found partner from
Buenos Aires.
I have never stopped training with Noel ever since.

For those who do not know him please visit his webpage: www.pabloveron.net
The picture on the welcoming page is Pablo and Noel.

You will read there some of the praise that was lavished upon him and
prestigious awards he received from everywhere.

Some say he is the best, some criticizes him, but nobody can deny that
he is a formidable dancer. One has to see him on stage to realise to
what extent this is true.

In Tanghost, Pablo assume three roles: actor, dancer and choreographer.

I do not know if the dancing in the Ibsen's play will be impressive
or subdued since it is a theater play . He does dance with one of the
character, an actress I think, and I am not too sure to what extent
he can expresses himself in the dancing.

In any cases it is worth seeing to watch him move, he is a cat!

I still remember to this day a tango choreography that he danced last
fall in Montreal.
A dance number that he prepared for "le gala des Étoiles" (gala of the
stars) in which he danced a tango with two women. The music was
Bajofondo, alternative music.
A few days after the show he decided to give an impromptu performance
of the piece during the late hours of a milonga (dance evening). A
gift from Pablo to the Montreal tango community.
Nobody saw that coming. The floor cleared, the light dimmed, the
music started, the two followers, Noel his partner and Carole, another
tango teacher in Montreal, started dancing their part. Pablo was
behind a pillar. After a while he just came out, jumped over a table
and did about three spins on himself before stopping squarely on a
very strong accent in the music.
We were all stunned and new that this was a moment. (As I am writing
this my spine is tingling). He literally exploded there. Then, with
incredible aplomb and virtuosity he danced the two women inside out.
When it stopped , we were so flabbergasted that nobody couldn't utter
a sound. Time seemed suspended. Then applause fused from every corner
of the room.
It was so incredibly powerful, beautiful, on the fringe of tango and
modern dance so out of the ordinary, it was art! Great art!

So, the million dollar question now:
Do I think Pablo Veron is the best tango dancer in the world?
Or like they say on the flyer of Tanghost: "the best tango dancer from
Argentina"

No, I cannot say that, there are other great tango dancers.

Contrary to them though, Pablo can dance everything: modern dance,
tap, body percussion and a mean salsa.
Plus he is the embodiment of both the tango tradition and modernity.
Pablo has both the elegance and the audacity.

I will simply say that Pablo is the best full fledged dancer that
dances argentine tango in the world!

Don't miss him…

Richard


* to better know Noel Strazza and know more about Pablo, please do
read The Beijing Paper no.6, (already posted on the Tango Ren).