AN Argentine group of tango dancers and guitarists will be touring Guyana from today until Monday with a packed agenda that features outreach programmes and workshops, and a grand performance at the National Cultural Centre on Sunday from 8:00 hrs, free of cost.Tango dancers Alicia Orlando and Claudio Barneix began their journey together in 1981 and are members of the Argentine National Tango Academy. They are soloist dancers of the Astor Piazzolla International Foundation and Orlando is the main choreographer of the foundation.
They have performed in many prestigious international arts festivals and theatres in Europe, including France, Portugal, Finland, Greece and Spain, and countries of Asia.
They have also performed in several music halls in Buenos Aires, such as the famous “Teatro Colon Opera House”, “Teatro Presidente Alvear”, “Torcuato Tasso” Cultural Center and at the 9th and 11th editions of the World Guitars Festivals held at the General San Martin Cultural Center in Buenos Aires, among other presentations.
The tango duo also performed in films such as “Evita”, directed by Alan Parker, “A Tango Story” and an Argentina-Spain co-production.

This event was announced by Ambassador of the Argentine Republic in Guyana, Luis Martino when the Argentine Embassy celebrated their 205th Anniversary of the 1810 Revolution last Friday
Then yesterday a press briefing was held at the Department of Culture, Youth and Sport to welcome the Argentine performers.
Gracing the briefing was Junior Minister of Education, Ms. Nicolette Henry along with Ambassador Martino and the troop of guitarists and tango dancers.
The Minister in high spirits underscored that this event is of one of a cultural partnership between the Government of Guyana and the Argentine Embassy that will ideally provide an opportunity for exposure of Argentine culture. And once an opportunity surfaces, she added, Guyana will then open its doors to showcase its diverse culture to the Argentine people.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Martino expressed high “intangible” expectations of this initiative, stating that he aims for a spiritual and emotional outcome from the initiative as both Guyana and Argentina will then become familiar with each other’s culture.
The performers just recently hosted shows in Haiti, Barbados and Suriname and are now here upon a request by the Argentine Embassy in Guyana.
THE PERFROMERS
The Guitar Trio was formed a decade ago and integrated by guitarists Rodolfo Gorosito, Jose Cataldi and Armando de la Vege. This trio is called the “Gorosito—Cataldi-De la Vega” Trio that recreates the most profound and essential form of tango through its compositions in different periods, since its beginnings in the 1920’s as a musical genre of a global nature. Expression is its fundamental tool.
On the international scene, they have performed in many European cities, such as London, Paris and Zurich. They have been tagging along the tango dancers where they’ve became known in the Middle East—Saudi Arabia, Bahrein, United Arab Emirates, Thailand and Pakistan. They are also well known in Colombia, having held concerts in Bogota, Medellin and Barranquilla.
In the meantime, Argentina is on the verge of initiating a new phase of bilateral co-operation with Guyana and is eagerly seeking to become involved with all government agencies as well as the country’s private sector.

Shivanie Sugrim