Argentine Tango dance master Juan Carlos Copes dies of Covid-19 at 89

[sandensea]

Argentine Tango dancer Juan Carlos Copes, who was the first to create choreographed Tango stage shows and contributed to the worldwide revival of Tango as a dance form, died today of Covid-19 symptoms; he was 89.

Born in 1931 in Buenos Aires, Copes began frequenting Tango salons known as milongas in his teens. There, he shaped his style and met fellow dancer María Nieves Rego - with whom he won a contest at Luna Park, a vintage downtown Buenos Aires arena, ahead of 300 other couples in 1951.

He formed a dance company in 1955, and accompanied renowned 'New Tango' composer Ástor Piazzolla on his first tour of the United States in the late 1950s.

Copes later persuaded institutions such as the Julliard School, Stanford University, the University of Chicago, and the Sorbonne to incorporate the Tango in their dance programs.

He likewise taught stars such as Liza Minelli, Robert Duvall and Mikhail Barishnikov, as well as teachers at the Fred Astaire Dance Studios. He retired in 2015.

Copes' ex-wife María Nieves Rego, 86, and their daughter Johana Copes, 41, both became acclaimed Tango dancers and teachers in their own right.

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Argentine Tango dance master Juan Carlos Copes performing with Lorena Yácono in Buenos Aires' Ideal Café, in Carlos Saura's Tango (1998).

[lunatica]

1. His dance company came to perform in UC Berkeley around 1998

UC has a large theatrical music, performance and dance venue program called Cal Performance in Zellerback Hall where world class performers tour. I was lucky to see his company perform there. Of course I loved it!

Tango is such a beautiful dance with it’s expression of passionate love performed with the most amazing athletic footwork and moves. The dancers seem to become one in their full body interactions with each other. They seem to wrap into each other with intimate expressive precision. The world around them becomes minimal and unimportant.

[sandensea]

2. What a memory. Thanks for sharing!

He did more than anyone to revive interest in tango as a dance (and to a lesser extent as music), long after its heyday in the 1920s.

He also helped change the image most people had of it as a kind of stiff-armed waltz - though of course, most Argentines just dance it in a soulful, languid sashay.

[lunatica]

3. It's a unapologetic sensual dance

An intimate sexy dance that expresses passion and intimacy and the complexity of relationships between lovers. Sensual dancing as fine art is not that common, so I hope tango never dies.

[sandensea]

4. Well said.

I never could manage it myself.

Of course though, I couldn't manage a jig if I were Irish.

[lunatica]

5. Me either!

But observing and appreciating is something we can all do!