Soaring to new heights, the review of the Adrienne Arsht Center’s 8cho Miami

by REBEKKAH MAR

Thursday night, June 20th 2013, the streets of downtown Miami were filled with enthusiastic frenzied Heat fans crowding sport bars and cheering in the stadium. However, a few blocks away from the packed American Airlines Arena, one could see a group of people rushing to the Adrienne Arsht Center’s Ziff Ballet Opera House for the premiere of the anticipated 8cho. Instead of sporting white Heat shirts, Adrienne Arsht ticket holders clutched their programs and showed as much excitement as the loyal Miami Heat fans as they rushed toward the Opera House to watch the “must see” aerial tango spectacle. That night the Miami Heat fans were not the only winners.

The performances were filled with culture, passion, music, and of course, the tango. But it was not just an ordinary tango. These daredevil tangos were performed in the air as the dancers were attached to sturdy cables. Watching, one would simply gasp every time the dancer would fall from the ceiling or grab their partner as if gravity was nonexistent. They would drop acrobatically from the ceiling, flip through the air and glide across the stage with ease. It was definitely not your typical ballet, but a gravity defying performance that left the audience speechless.

The seven dancers and the choreographers, part of The Brenda Angel Aerial Dance Company from Buenos Aires, Argentina, took an ordinary tango and made it unique, original, and entertaining. The tangos went back to their Argentinian roots as the entire night was in Spanish. However, this did not inhibit the experience for non-Spanish speakers as translations were listed in the program. Language did not seem to be a barrier.  It was as if the dancers were imparting their cultural backgrounds through the music to the audience.

Rather than focusing on passion, the theme of each tango changed from happiness and comedy to tragedy and betrayal. The transitions were quite obvious with the help of the phenomenal orchestra and vocalist, Alejandro Guyot, who narrated most of the performances with his soothing baritone voice. Each note, rhythm, and pitch matched the dancers’ actions. The orchestra provided the fiery emotion, an essential attribute for mastering the art of the tango. It was as if the music and the dancers were one.

8cho was truly spectacular. I can go on and on about how the dance company made their unique mark in Miami. However, it was not only that they danced the tango two stories high above the stage, but they conveyed a message through their artistry. One tango definitely stood out from the rest, as both the male and female dancers were shirtless. Some may perceive this deliberate action as daring, bold, or even unnecessary, but it made the tango elegantly beautiful.  This symbolic presentation displayed a message of equality especially equality in regards to love. The beauty of 8cho was not that these dancers were incredibly gifted whether on terra firma or in the air.  Rather, their every move, every glance, and every gesture, conveyed a lasting message.