Tango Competition 2005: Summary of Competition Rules

This is only a summary of the rules and procedures. A more complete booklet is available to Associate Members of WCARTE.

These rules have been prepared to assist, and contribute to the growth of the Argentine Tango, in the international arena. The purpose of this competition is to encourage the growth and development of the Argentine Tango worldwide.

Participants will not be required to follow any particular ‘style or way of dancing’. WCARTE encourages above anything, that Argentine Tango is a dance that connects two people and is totally communicated through the body using a limited amount of space within an embrace. It is two people moving on a common axis without losing autonomy.

Music is a very important element in a competition. Dancers are expected to establish a direct connection with the music and the steps of the dance.

Argentine Tango is a unique dance form with a historical foundation. Along side its “pure” form, there is much room for other dance disciplines to influence its evolution. This is why competitions are divided into different categories, in order to serve and encourage the whole spectrum of Argentine Tango Artists.

Today, Argentine Tango is known not only as a social dance, which is its origin, but also as a medium for artistic expression on stage or as social entertainment: for couples dancing and for spectators. WCARTE has created competition categories to honor the performing artist, the social dancer and the instructor.

The Argentine Tango is a social dance done by a couple. During each dancer’s apprentice development, the dancer must go through different stages, learning to connect with his/her own body and emotions in order to relate to his/her partner. The final stage of development comes with the awareness that the dance also depends on the social atmosphere that moves around the dancer (the line of dance). These three stages are crucial for each dancer of tango.

In this competition, participants will be expected to have clear executions of the basic elements of Argentine Tango. They will also have the freedom to select and combine basic steps. This allows for a variety of styles among all dancers.

In order to preserve the intrinsic improvisational nature of the Argentine Tango, competitors will be expected to create on the spot. Prepared choreographies or sequences will not be allowed. Creativity and originality will be highly evaluated.

FIRST CATEGORY

This category is open to 'amateur' dancers, people who do not profit financially from the Argentine Tango. This is a category for the social Argentine Tango dancer, who wants to be challenged, in order to continue improving in the quality of the dance.

• This category has three division levels:
  1. Beginners: Dancers who have mastered the basic skill requirements.
  2. Intermediate: Dancers who have been dancing a minimum of two years.
  3. Advanced: Dancers with a high level of technique and artistic achievement in the Argentine Tango. Dancers must have secure knowledge of the basic steps, and knowledge of differest styles of Argentine Tango and corresponding orchestral style.

SECOND CATEGORY

In this category, the dancer may participate in his/her level (beginner, intermediate, or advanced) with his/her Argentine Tango instructorThe student, in his/her division, will be the individual competing, not the instructor.

The student will be evaluate on whether or not the student dancer is meeting his/her role within the social dance. The participation of the instructor in this category, at whichever level (beginner, intermediate, or advanced) must be neutral. The connection between the couple is a fundamental element.

• This category has three division levels:
  1. Beginners: Dancers who have mastered the basic skill requirements.
  2. Intermediate: Dancers who have been dancing a minimum of two years.
  3. Advanced: Dancers with a high level of technique and artistic achievement in the Argentine Tango. Dancers must have secure knowledge of the basic steps, and knowledge of differest styles of Argentine Tango and corresponding orchestral style.

THIRD CATEGORY

This category is open to all Argentine Tango dancers who profit financially from the dance, whether they interpret the dance on stage or teach others and are paid for these services. In order to participate in this category, the participants must have over two years experience in both teaching and professionally performing the Argentine Tango.

• This category has three division classes:
  1. Rising Star: This class is open to emerging professionals who are evolving artistically as performers and instructors.
  2. Cabaret: This class is open to those professional dancers who have mastered the broad spectrum of the dance 'vocabulary' in the Argentine Tango (Advanced Level), but also have experience and training in other dance forms, such as: Jazz, Ballet, Modern, Traditional/Ethnic. The fusion between Argentine Tango and any other dance form must be 70% tango and 30% of the other dance form selected.
  3. Showcase: This class is open to those professional dancers who have mastered the broad spectrum of the dance 'vocabulary' in the Argentine Tango (Advanced Level), and also have dance experience and dance performing experience in the Argentine Tango.

TEAM CATEGORY

This category will require more than four (4) dancers. In the two first divisions, Amateur and Intermediate levels, Advanced and Pro-Amateur levels, couples can be comprised of one man and one woman. In the Cabaret and Showcase divisions, the teams may consist of all men or all women, or men and women, or any combination of both (limit is 20 dancers).

Each team (group, school or community) may choose their own music from Tango, Vals or Milonga. The duration of the dance may not exceed three minutes.

• This category has three division levels:
  1. Beginners: Dancers who have mastered the basic skill requirements.
  2. Intermediate: Dancers who have been dancing a minimum of two years.
  3. Advanced: Dancers with a high level of technique and artistic achievement in the Argentine Tango. Dancers must have secure knowledge of the basic steps, and knowledge of differest styles of Argentine Tango and corresponding orchestral style.

TEAM CATEGORY

This category is open to all Argentine Tango dancers who profit financially from the dance, whether they interpret the dance on stage or teach others, and are paid for these services. To participate in this category, the dancers must have been teaching and performing Argentine Tango professionally for over two years. This category allows each professional Argentine Tango dancer the opportunity of artistic expression in his/her division.

• This category has two division classes:
  1. Cabaret: This class is open to those professional dancers who have mastered the broad spectrum of the dance 'vocabulary' in the Argentine Tango (Advanced Level), but also have experience and training in other dance forms, such as: Jazz, Ballet, Modern, Traditional/Ethnic. The fusion between Argentine Tango and any other dance form must be 70% tango and 30% of the other dance form selected.
  2. Showcase: This class is open to those professional dancers who have mastered the broad spectrum of the dance 'vocabulary' in the Argentine Tango (Advanced Level), and also have dance experience and dance performing experience in the Argentine Tango.

This is only a summary of the rules and procedures. A more complete booklet is available to Associate Members of WCARTE.