Tango on the Costa Caribe
Raymond Lauzzana
The Caribbean coast stretches from the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, around Central America and across the Northern coast of Venezuela. It contains a diverse population and some very dedicated tango communities. There are festivals, regular milongas and port-of-call for tango cruises.
The Tango Maya Festival is held every year in Cancún, Mexico. It is organized by Alejandra Orozco and Luciano Brigante. Tango Maya is an all inclusive packaged concept that includes hotel accommodations for four days of refreshing milongas, shows and master tango classes with international artists. Cancun, a global central location, is the ideal place for the alliance between the different tango communities.
Also in Cancun, Alfonso Olimar and his wife, Liz Mary López, hold regular tango performances at the Hotel Marriott Casa Magna, They hold regular milongas with free classes on Fridays at the Terrazas Parrilla restaurant. ON Wednesday and Sunday, they hold classes and milongas in Playa del Carmen at the Parrilla MuchoGusto Argentine steakhouse.
The Puro Tango dance troupe toured Belize in 2016. They gave performances at the National Institute for Culture and History and the Bliss Center for Performing Arts. While they were there, the company offered classes to learn tango. Hopefully, they reached the hearts of Belizeans and that a tango culture will grow in the country.
Inland from Belize, Victor Melchor’ s Guatemalatango holds regular Wednesday and Thursday milongas at the El Centro buiding in Guatemala City. Victor’ s partner, Rocío Trkman studied folkloric Argentine dance with Luis Guillon and modern dance with Mario Morales,. Claudio Crecciente also holds occasional milongas at the ArteCentro Paíz in Guatemala City.
In Honduras, Isadora Paz organizes La Milonga Tango en at the Museo para la Identidad Nacional de Honduras in Tegucigalpa which include classes.
Furher down the coast in English speaking Belize, cruise ships stop at at the port city of Belize. However, there is no Belize tango community. On rare occasions, milongas are held at the San Ignacio Hotel.
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