Our friend Brian is here and Ren.
He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and their two young boys. Ren lives in West Hollywood, LA.
This petit coin of SW France is a haven for these urbanites and they are a bit wide eyed about it.
Brian is driving a camper van across Europe on their way to a family holiday in Austria.
Ambitious project!
Last night we finished caponata on the terrace and headed off to Castres–a little reluctantly in my case (I like a post meal linger)–where an evening of Argentinian dance was in full swing as we approached the large open-air space.
Part of the summer’s International Dance Festival that happens each year–it’s free and hugely popular.
There is not a seat to be had.
We walk up the side aisle and stand at the side of the stage--in the wings as it were.
The scene on stage is a village wedding–nicely recreated with only a little overacting!
Gradually a celebration dance develops which entrances the audience–who applaud as the bride is carried off stage by the groom.
The dancers leave and the band plays a lilting South American air that at 10 o’clock on a balmy night if you were sitting comfortably could send you off nicely to dreamland.
We–are still standing and are wide awake when the stage starts to fill with men and women dressed in lounge suits and forties style dresses ready for an afternoon dance.
The band leaves and a recorded orchestra starts to play over the speaker system a languid tango theme.
The ten couples start to tell their stories through the sensuous dance and it is riveting.
Tango as domestic drama is a new one on me.
I once danced a tango in a Spanish film called Three Women of Today (Tres Mujereas De Hoy)-
–not a high point in my career and mercifully not available on DVD, but an enjoyable diversion that helped me buy a flat–with a sculptured Spanish beauty called Norma Duval (top left) and there was nothing domestic about it.
The dancers are engaging us in their lives–it is theatre and not just a simple display of desire.
A second session of tango plays out after the interval with a definite evening setting–black suits for the men and red dresses with provocative side slits for the women.
The same dancers are now dressed to kill.
It is beautifully done but feels more conventional more what you’d expect from a tango display.
I was glad I went.
On the way home Ren says quietly: “Well, I thought that was so much better than the closing ceremony”!
Robin Ellis 
What I wouldn’t give to see you dance a tango . . .
Uhmm…!
Perhaps a turn on Dancing With The Stars?
Uhmm (part 2)!
Who would cook dinner here?
Anyone who can read your cookbook! DWTS would be a bully pulpit for you, and you move beautifully and gracefully. But I know it would be tough to give up la dolce vida in France for la vida loca and bright lights in Hollywood . . .
There’s a lot to be said for the crazy life-just not sure my knees would last the pace…
I second that!!!
😉
Hate to see you laid up with a tango injury! 😉
What a lovely story, and well-told. I used to belong to the Tango Society Of Boston and each year for one night in August, we would tango the night away, across the Weeks Bridge over the Charles River: A romantic night for dancers and observers alike.
I’d love to have seen that!
It has always been icy cold whenever I’ve been in Boston.
Good luck to Brian for his onward journey 🙂 A couple of years ago, we drove our camper/motorhome down through France and into Italy to stay with some friends in Perugia. It was amazing – we got to see so much, and appreciate the local cuisine and ambience more – the most overwhelming memory for me, was watching the French landscape gradually change from the grey, cool atmosphere of Brittany to the sultry sun-warmed, terracotta-roof-speckled Provence! gorgeous 🙂 xx
A la “Pickwick Papers,” the phrase that always comes to my mind when something so serendipitous happens is “What larks!” I LOVE dance and am delighted by the thought of a lovely dinner and then a chance to see this performance.
I also have to say that while I wouldn’t want you to leave your beautiful corner of the world (I would miss the serenity of your blogs), it would indeed be wonderful to see you performing again! But the knee thing is a real drawback, isn’t it? So, you and Meredith will have to tango in your garden, under the moonlight, and never mind letting the world see you. 🙂
As a coincidence, I happened to catch my very favourite episode of ‘Frasier’ repeated for the nth time this morning…called ‘Moondance’…where Niles & Daphne dance the tango (& she wears a red dress too!) I would love to learn it…but I have two left feet. Ah well. Interesting/terrifying news on the rise & rise of Type 2 here in the UK on the radio yesterday…newly diagnosed up by (I think) 60% since 2006. Horrific. Maybe they should all be given a copy of your cookbook on diagnosis, as part of the essential medication & advice?? Hope you are both enjoying those balmy nights…thunderstorms here this afternoon!
There is something so very romantic about the Tango I remember dancing it on a moon lite beach with the Aegean lapping at our feet.Ah well like you the knee’s would never stand up to it now.I would love to see you dance that Tango with Meredith I bet you are a great dancer.
1. When I saw the subject line “Tango” I thought you and Meredith had adopted another stray cat.
2. Ren hit it right on the nose about the closing ceremonies.