Internationally acclaimed choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui reinvents the passion and virtuosity of tango in m¡longa, a Sadler’s Wells London production, featuring 12 superb dancers and 5 onstage musicians. Larbi captures the drama of a milonga (a Latin social dance), with stark staging and a subdued, seductive mood, emphasizing the dancers’ humanity amidst their swiveling legwork; a celebration of tango’s eternal embrace as well as an exuberant display of innovation. m¡longa will be performed in Southam Hall of the National Arts Centre on February 13-14 at 8 p.m.

m¡longa is traditional Argentine tango with a contemporary twist. As he has done with other dance forms (flamenco, kathak, Shaolin rites), Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui plunges into tango with avid curiosity, respect, and sensitive perception. m¡longa is richly innovative, maintaining the essence of tango while avoiding clichés and updating its vocabulary. Cherkaoui’s duets, trios, and ensembles highlight different qualities of the dance: trusting embrace, subtle caress, flirtatious game, and frisky playfulness. Images and film footage evoke the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

“Tango was definitely a dance I was meant to encounter: it was love at first sight,” Larbi says. He was moved by the energy of the dance’s close embrace and the fact that in making this improvised dance “two people can talk to one another without having to speak or see each other, just through touch. Through that connection a lot is possible; there are many directions you can take because you’re not alone. All I want is that people care more. I care about things: I care about kung fu, flamenco and tango. So I work around these things and try to make other people care about them too.”

m¡longa is brilliantly performed by a dozen magnificent dancers – five tango couples from Argentina and two contemporary dancers. Five onstage musicians perform old tango classics as well as new compositions by Argentinean composer Fernando Marzan and Cherkaoui’s long-time collaborator Szymon Brzóska. Featuring new music, video and set design by Eugenio Szwarcer, and costumes by renowned fashion designer Tim Van Steenbergen, m¡longa combines traditional Argentine aesthetics with state-of-the-art technology.

ABOUT SIDI LARBI CHERKAOUI
Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui is known for a silky, densely layered mix of hybrid movement and emotionally intense theatre. Born in Antwerp, Belgium, to a Flemish mother and a Moroccan father, he first danced in variety shows and TV programs. He made his debut as a choreographer with Anonymous Society in 1999. Since then he has made more than 20 full-fledged choreographic pieces (including Puz/zle, Boléro, D’avant, Sutra, Babel(words), Anna Karenina (film), Foi, Myth, Rien de Rien, Zero Degrees, and Loin) and has garnered numerous prestigious awards. He was a member of the Belgian collective Les Ballets C. de la B., was artist in residence at Toneelhuis in Antwerp, and has worked with many collaborators and guest artists (such as María Pagés, the Shaolin monks, and Akram Khan), theatres, opera houses, film directors, and ballet companies. Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui became an Associate Artist of Sadler’s Wells in 2008; he was declared ‘Choreographer of the Year’ by dance magazine Tanz in 2008 and 2011.

ABOUT M¡LONGA
m¡longa (2013)

A SADLER’S WELLS LONDON PRODUCTION
DIRECTED BY Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui
CHOREOGRAPHY Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui in collaboration with the dancers
MUSIC COMPOSITION Fernando Marzan, Szymon Brzóska, Olga Wojciechowska
COSTUME DESIGN Tim Van Steenbergen
SET DESIGN and VIDEO DESIGN Eugenio Szwarcer
LIGHTING DESIGN Adam Carrée
SOUND DESIGN Gaston Briski

DURATION 95 minutes

Come Tango with Us!

Join us after the February 14 show for a post-performance milonga in the Southam Hall lobby.
Led by Brigitte and Francis Caron of Ottawa’s Siempre Tango.

SPONSORS
m¡longa is presented in partnership with Winterlude and NAC Dance wishes to thank Julie Teskey Re/Max Metro City Realty, the Performance Sponsor of the Saturday, February 14th performance. 
 

TICKETS AND PERFORMANCES
m¡longa will be performed in Southam Hall of the National Arts Centre on Friday February 13 and Saturday February 14 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $41, 53, $70, and $85 for adults and $22.50, $28.50, $37, and $44.50 for students (upon presentation of a valid student ID card).

Groups of 10 or more save 15% to 20% off regular ticket prices; to reserve your seats, call 613 947-7000 x634 or e-mail grp@nac-cna.ca.

Tickets are available for purchase:
• In person at the NAC Box Office;
• At all Ticketmaster outlets;
• By telephone from Ticketmaster, 1-888-991-2787 (ARTS);
• Online through the Ticketmaster link on the NAC’s website (http://www.nac-cna.ca);
• A service charge applies on all purchases made through Ticketmaster.