The FIRST tango in Buenos Aires: World championships draw to a red-hot close after same-sex couples make their debut in line-up
The World Championship of Tango have drawn to a breathtaking close and, as expected, it was the Argentine couples who stole the show.Jesica Arfenoni and Maximiliano Cristiani dazzled the judges at the event held in the Luna Park Arena in Buenos Aires, winning the Salon Tango event with fellow Argentines Guido Palacios and Florencia Castilla, winning the Stage Tango.
More than 500 couples from 37 countries have been competing in the two-week tango festival. The winners each received £4,500 and plane tickets to Paris, where they're expected to perform.
The Tango originated in Argentina in the late 19th century and the passionate and playful dance is now an important part of the country's cultural heritage.
Scroll down for video highlights
![Argentina's Jos Luis Salvo and Yuki Misaki dance tango during the Stage Tango competition of the Tango World Championship in Buenos Aires](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/08/29/article-0-1B7EB5D6000005DC-556_964x636.jpg)
Hot stuff: Argentina's Jose Luis Salvo and Yuki Misaki strike a
passionate pose during the Stage Tango competition of the Tango World
Championship in Buenos Aires
![It takes two: Facundo Ruiz Diaz and Agostina Tarchini from Argentina compete in the Stage style event helt at the Luna Park arena in Buenos Aires](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/08/29/article-0-1B7E6011000005DC-74_964x1047.jpg)
It takes two: Facundo Ruiz Diaz and Agostina
Tarchini from Argentina compete in the Stage style event helt at the
Luna Park arena in Buenos Aires
![Dancers Dmitry Vasin, left, and Esmer Omerova, right, from Russia hold their own against tough competition for the Argentinian dancers](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/08/29/article-0-1B7E6F62000005DC-754_964x1282.jpg)
Eastern promise: Dancers Dmitry Vasin, left, and
Esmer Omerova, right, from Russia hold their own against tough
competition for the Argentinian dancers
![Same sex couple Daniel Alejandro Arroyo Miranda of Venezuela and Juan Pablo Ramirez of Argentina show it only takes two, whatever the gender, to enjoy a good tango](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/08/29/article-2405172-1B5F7B6D000005DC-475_964x724.jpg)
Same sex couple Daniel Alejandro Arroyo Miranda
of Venezuela and Juan Pablo Ramirez of Argentina show it only takes two,
whatever the gender, to enjoy a good tango
This
year's championship brought an unusual twist as for the first time
judges allowed same-sex couples, with three male pairs and one female
pair, taking to the floor. A
massive cheer rang out when Juan Pablo Ramirez, 34 and his partner
Daniel Arroyo, 18, took to the dance floor to a 1940s classic.'It takes two to tango,' Ramirez said after the performance. 'But they don't necessarily have to be different sexes.'
While the sight of two men locked in a passionate would have raised a few eyebrows among the more conservative members of the audience it actually harks back to the dance's beginnings in the 1890s.
Tango was born in brothels and it was originally only performed by pairs of men. Women were initially prohibited from participating in a dance considered prostitute-like.
The development seen as another sign of Argentina's increasingly open attitude to gay couple. The country that has been a pioneer in Latin America in legalizing gay marriage and whose capital is well-known as gay-friendly.
![Argentinian dancers John Paul Bulich and Rocio Garcia Liendo swirl their way into take third place of the Stage Tango competition](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/08/29/article-2405172-1B7EAC40000005DC-797_964x938.jpg)
Setting the floor alight: Argentinian dancers
John Paul Bulich and Rocio Garcia Liendo swirl their way into take third
place of the Stage Tango competition
![In the heat of the night: The Tango originated in Argentina in the late 19th century and the passionate and playful dance is an important part of the country's cultural heritage](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/08/29/article-2405172-1B7E9AB5000005DC-508_964x1041.jpg)
In the heat of the night: The Tango originated
in Argentina in the late 19th century and the passionate and playful
dance is an important part of the country's cultural heritage
![Argentina's Nicolas Matias Schell and Macarena Schinca Rosas took second place during the Stage Tango competition of the Tango World Championship in Buenos Aires](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/08/29/article-2405172-1B7EBB10000005DC-752_964x1179.jpg)
Playful: Argentina's Nicolas Matias Schell and
Macarena Schinca Rosas took second place during the Stage Tango
competition of the Tango World Championship in Buenos Aires
![The winners of the competition each received £4,500 and plane tickets to Paris, where they're expected to perform](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/08/29/article-2405172-1B7E4D7A000005DC-123_470x721.jpg)
![The winners of the competition each received £4,500 and plane tickets to Paris, where they're expected to perform](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/08/29/article-2405172-1B7E6159000005DC-793_474x721.jpg)
The winners of the competition each received £4,500 and plane tickets to Paris, where they're expected to perform
![Masterclass: Dancers Guido Palacios, right, and Florencia Castilla, from Argentina, perform to win the 2013 Tango Dance World Cup stage finals](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/08/29/article-2405172-1B7E3104000005DC-846_964x639.jpg)
Masterclass: Dancers Guido Palacios, right, and
Florencia Castilla, from Argentina, perform to win the 2013 Tango Dance
World Cup stage finals
![Dancers Ariel Leguizamon and Yesica Esquivel compete in the stage finals. More than 500 couples from 37 countries have been competing in the world's top two-week tango festival](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/08/29/article-2405172-1B7E7C43000005DC-943_964x638.jpg)
Dancers Ariel Leguizamon and Yesica Esquivel
compete in the stage finals. More than 500 couples from 37 countries
have been competing in the world's top two-week tango festival
![Hold tight: Juan David Bedoya Marin and Karla Rotavinsky Cadavid from Colombia compete in the Stage style event](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/08/29/article-2405172-1B7E30ED000005DC-409_964x636.jpg)
Hold tight: Juan David Bedoya Marin and Karla Rotavinsky Cadavid from Colombia compete in the Stage style event
![Stage cup winners Guido Palacios, and Florencia Castilla, locked in another passionate embrace](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/08/29/article-2405172-1B7E315C000005DC-96_470x701.jpg)
![Argentina's Jos Luis Salvo and Yuki Misaki strut their stuff](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/08/29/article-2405172-1B7EB113000005DC-264_472x701.jpg)
The Tango originated in Argentina in the late
19th century and the passionate and playful dance is now an important
part of the country's cultural heritage
![Angeles Armando Villasanti and Seudy Marlen Benitez from Paraguay take to the floor](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/08/29/article-2405172-1B7E3B69000005DC-253_964x1149.jpg)
Angeles Armando Villasanti and Seudy Marlen Benitez from Paraguay take to the floor
![Paraguay's Angel Armando Benitez Villasanti and Seudy Marlen Benitez Villasanti](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/08/29/article-2405172-1B7EBA58000005DC-485_470x669.jpg)
![Dancers Juan Bulich and Rocio Liendo, from Argentina](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/08/29/article-2405172-1B7E6DDE000005DC-797_472x671.jpg)
Paraguay's Angel Armando Benitez Villasanti and
Seudy Marlen Benitez Villasanti (left) and Juan Bulich and Rocio Liendo,
from Argentina (right)
![Couples perform together to the delight of the audience before the announcement of the winners of the 2013 Tango Dance World Cup stage finals in Buenos Aires](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/08/29/article-2405172-1B7E3E1B000005DC-400_964x626.jpg)
Couples perform together to the delight of the
audience before the announcement of the winners of the 2013 Tango Dance
World Cup stage finals in Buenos Aires
![Dancers Guido Palacios and Florencia Castilla from Argentina, wave their country's flag as they celebrate winning the 2013 the stage finals](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/08/29/article-2405172-1B7E371D000005DC-723_964x629.jpg)
Dancers Guido Palacios and Florencia Castilla
from Argentina, wave their country's flag as they celebrate winning the
2013 the stage finals
![Maximiliano Olaguibel lifts his dance partner Paloma Rodriguez, both from Chile, during the stage finals event](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/08/29/article-2405172-1B7E68A1000005DC-229_964x629.jpg)
Hold on: Maximiliano Olaguibel lifts his dance partner Paloma Rodriguez, both from Chile, during the stage finals event
![Kicking out: Julio Cesar Montoya Ardila and Ana Isabel Lopera Vasquez from Colombia compete in the Stage style event](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/08/29/article-2405172-1B7E40BC000005DC-156_964x687.jpg)
Kicking out: Julio Cesar Montoya Ardila and Ana Isabel Lopera Vasquez from Colombia compete in the Stage style event
![Russia's Dmitry Vasin and Esmer Omerova were voted best foreing couple during the Stage Tango competition](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/08/29/article-2405172-1B7E4E0E000005DC-845_964x943.jpg)
Russia's Dmitry Vasin and Esmer Omerova were voted best foreign couple during the Stage Tango competition
![Johanna Aranda and Nicolas Minoliti, right, from Argentina](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/08/29/article-2405172-1B7E61D4000005DC-567_964x634.jpg)
Johanna Aranda and Nicolas Minoliti, right, from Argentina wow the crowd
![Winners Guido Palacios and Florencia Castilla, show why they came out tops as they strike yet another passionate pose](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/08/29/article-2405172-1B7E3839000005DC-28_964x1369.jpg)
Winners Guido Palacios and Florencia Castilla, show why they came out tops as they strike yet another passionate pose
![Dancers Ariel Leguizamon and Yesica Esquivel, from Argentina, compete at the 2013 Tango Dance World Cup stage finals in Buenos Aires](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/08/29/article-2405172-1B7E7697000005DC-240_964x626.jpg)
Dancers Ariel Leguizamon and Yesica Esquivel,
from Argentina, compete at the 2013 Tango Dance World Cup stage finals
in Buenos Aires
![Watch your step: Dancers Dmitry Vasin and Esmer Omerova were recognized as the best foreign team to compete in the stage category](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/08/29/article-2405172-1B7E821A000005DC-933_964x1322.jpg)
Watch your step: Dancers Dmitry Vasin and Esmer
Omerova were recognized as the best foreign team to compete in the stage
category
No comments:
Post a Comment