Last Tango in Edinburgh

A lithe young man pushes a broom moodily across the floor. His mind is clearly not on his task – for although his rhythmic sweeping never ceases – his eyes are following a startlingly beautiful waitress as she threads her way through the tables. When their paths cross he makes a feint towards her. With an imperious glance she twists away. He makes another feint this time, half-catching her around the waist and again she evades him. For a third time he tries, and this time she surrenders he throws the broom aside and the pair dance a passionate tango…

This is not a night club in Buenos Aires. It’s a church hall in Edinburgh. The sensual passion of Tango and the rational values of Edinburgh are unlikely bedfellows, yet the combination proves pleasant. There’s something oddly satisfying in watching a dance about erotic desire while consuming the church staples of tea and cake provided by a two local volunteers and a small band of helpers. The pair of professional dancers are clearly at the top of their game as is Chilean singer-song-writer Valentina Montoya Martinez whose voice impresses with its lived-in beauty.

Essentially, however, Last Tango in Edinburgh is not the event for someone looking for a professional Tango show. At its heart is a locally based Tango quartet who give sterling performances. And when a pair the wrong-side of fifty rose from the audience and took to the dance floor – they proved that the Tango is not just a dance for the lithe and the beautiful.