Tango, a three-minute romance

Luciano Padovani, the director of Naturalis Labor Dance Company, which will take the stage in Istanbul this week, says tango is not just a dance but a romance brought to life through music and movement.

Naturalis Labor Dance Company, founded in 1988 by Luciano Padovani and Francesca Mosele, will be performing for the first time in Türkiye with their Tango Gala show.

Performed with eight distinguished tango dancers, who are very famous figures of the tango world, and accompanied by live music by the Tango Spleen quartet, the show will be at Istanbul's Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall (CRR) on Oct. 10.

Ahead of the show, Luciano Padovani, the director of the company and the creator of the concept and choreography, gave an exclusive interview. Padovani describes tango in a very romantic light. "Tango is romance," he says.

Q: How did your company get started on its tango journey?

Earlier this year, we started our tango project with some innovations, and I became passionate about the project. From the very first moment, I also started a deep research journey on tango and contemporary dance performances. In previous years, I have also prepared traditional tango performances, but I was always trying to add a different perspective with my directing side.

Q: How has your 12-year experience at Teatro alla Scala influenced your tango choreography?

The experience at Teatro alla Scala was very inspiring. I learned to understand the workings of the 'theater' and, above all, to lead many artists along this path. Working constantly with live music was especially valuable, particularly in shows like the Tango Gala, where the music is really the protagonist.