A couple give a demonstration of the Tango at the 6 Tango Festival of Buenos Aires
© AFP/File Maxi Failla BUENOS AIRES (AFP) - The ultimate round of the dance style follows a week of competition that has been played out in front of 60,000 spectators, a third of whom were foreigners.
Tango originated in the poor neighborhoods of the Argentine capital before becoming a worldwide phenomenon synonymous with romance and drama in the early 20th century.
Its enduring international popularity was attested to by the broad field that entered this year's championship.
Of the 400 couples who trod and swirled over the boards in the Luna Park stadium in Buenos Aires, 90 came from 22 other countries, including Australia, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, France, Italy, the Philippines, Turkey and the United States.
One of the Japanese couples vying for the title were Tomoko Nakai, a former cook originally from Tokyo, and Eiichiro Oya, who used to be an employee in an Osaka hotel.
"I feel well prepared to dance. I'm not afraid of the Argentinian dancers. We know the 'milongas'," Nakai told AFP, referring to Buenos Aires dance halls where the precise flourishes and tango steps are practised.
A jury made up of highly regarded Argentine dancers, such as Juan Carlos Copes and Miguel Angel Zotto, was judging the competition.
©AFP