Title: Tango Tango
Premiere: June 5, 1993, Kyoto International Community House, Kyoto Japan
Duration: 10 minutes?
Sound score: Bob Barraza, Melissa Holding and others; excerpts from a Japanese language instruction tape
Choreographed and danced by: Heidi S. Durning and Jessica Fogel
Costumes: John Schak (costumes originally created for Connoisseurs of Chaos)
Description: Among several other meanings, in Japanese, “tango” can mean “word” or list of words.” In English, tango refers to the social dance of Argentine and Uruguay origin. This work was created collaboratively with Heidi Durning, during my month-long sabbatical project in Kyoto in May-June 1993, during which time I was generously hosted by Heidi and family. Heidi was a beloved MFA student at University of Michgian when I first arrived in 1985. The sabbatical project culminated in a dance concert presented by Heidi and me at the Kyoto International Community House. I also taught a series of dance technique classes in Kyoto and Tokyo. This was the first of two sabbatical trips to Japan, both hosted by Heidi. The second trip was in 2007. Prior to traveling to Japan in 1993, as part of my research and preparation, I purchased Japanese language cassettes. One of the cassettes focussed on words that are the same in English and in Japanese, including “buttah/butter” and “helicoptah/helicopter.” These words were intoned by a female voice on the cassette. We used this cassette as the basis for the sound score. The program lists music by “Bob Barraza, Melissa Holding and others.” I have no memory of this aspect of the sound score, but we must have used music as an aural backdrop for the cassette layer of words. Holding’s music features traditional Japanese instruments such as the koto. Barraza was dance accompanist and music teacher at Maki International School of Dance in Kyoto and composed regularly for faculty and student dance concerts. The Maki International School is one of the places Heidi taught dance in Kyoto, and where I taught several classes during my month there. We ended the dance performing a take on a tango. The dance was humorous and goofy in tone, and the two photos I have of the dance underscore this.
My month in Japan was an extraordinary one, full of adventures exploring Japanese culture, including attending Kabuki and Noh performances, taking lessons in ikebana and butoh, observing classes in classical Japanese dance, teaching dancers in Kyoto, Osaka, and Tokyo, visiting the sento, exploring Japanese gardens and temples, and soaking in the bi-cultural life of my hosts, Japanese/Swiss Heidi Durning and her American husband, Quentin, and their two then-young children, Chandra and Ryan.
Jessica Fogel notes on the June 5, 1993 performance
Candid performance photo Tango Tango June 5, 1993. Dancer/choreographers Jessica Fogel (L) and Heidi Durning (R).
Candid performance photo June 5, 1993, Tango Tango, Kyoto, Japan. Dancer/choreographers Jessica Fogel (L) and Heidi Durning (R).
Performance venue, Kyoto International Community Center
Jessica Fogel (in pink pants) with students in Japan 1993
Jessica Fogel (in pink) with students in Japan 1993. Heidi Durning is seated left of Jessica in blue pants and black leotard.
Tea after dance class, Japan 1993