Press Reviews
- Victoria Fringe Festival, August 25, 2018. Review by Melanie-Tromp Hoover
FRINGE review: “Para Dos” (Venue 3: Metro Studio)
* * * * * (five stars out of five)
It’s a rare joy to see this calibre of contemporary dance for a mere $11.
Carnal, stylish and a bit cheeky, Para Dos from PointeTango transports you to a starry-eyed Buenos Aires with its hypnotic blend of classical ballet, Argentine tango and contemporary movement.
Dancers Erin Scott-Kafadar and Alexander Richardson bring each new piece of music and poetry to exquisite life with their precise footwork and palpable chemistry. A mix of partnered and solo work, Richardson’s choreography is a joy to behold, pulling classic steps into surprising combinations (plus a few dazzling lifts that fully warranted the cheers and whistles from Friday night’s audience).
Para Dos’ intensity ebbs and flows along its musical heartbeat, swirling up with Sexeto Mayór’s Tanguera in the first few bars and again for a flirty scene between two strangers backed by Astor Piazzolla’s Escualo.
At one point Richardson pays homage to Glenn Gould on piano while Scott-Kafadar glides across the stage in a wave of red satin—and this is just one of about 100 highlights in a quick 45-minute show. Gorgeous costume design, pitch-perfect lighting and the fact that Scott-Kafadar dances most of the show ON POINTE bring visual depth to an already spectacular show.
If you’re a fan of dance you can’t miss this one—and if you’re not yet a fan of dance, you will be after the first number. —MTH
- Saskatoon Fringe Festival, August 8, 2018. Review by Ian C. Nelson
PointeTango: Para Dos
The PointeTango Company from Montreal (dancer Erin Scott-Kafadar and director/choreographer/dancer Alexander Richardson) have brought an exquisite, truly unique presentation to Saskatoon and their tour of the Fringe circuit. Theirs is the only company to join the discipline of genuine Argentine tango with that of classical ballet. The result is breathtakingly beautiful. Perfectly matched movement and body lines, crisp lightning-quick tango steps and impressive acrobatic lifts are all given marvellous visual relief with spot-on dramatic lighting emphasizing the way fabric can follow the body and carve spirals in space. The series of pieces is a heady lesson in creative inventiveness: Piazzolla music of course; the cadences and breath of poet Horacio Ferrer reciting an homage to the tango master; the simple tick-tock of time; a tango performed at a ballet barre; several classic tango scenarios or encounters that delight with their wit and smouldering seduction; even a tribute to Glenn Gould with Richardson playing Aria from Bach’s Goldberg Variations live at the keyboard as his partner dances solo.
I cannot imagine that I will come down from what I saw this evening for a very long time. I do not want to contemplate forgetting even a moment of it. This is an astounding program. I cannot recommend it highly enough. If you are already an aficionado of dance or tango music or Spanish poetry, you will be in heaven. See the show, then check the excellent program notes and the letras and English words to the poem “Mi Viejo Piazzolla” on their website:
https://pointetango.wordpress.com/para-dos-program-notes/
Then see Para Dos again! That’s what I plan on doing.
Ian C. Nelson
- The Saskatoon Star Phoenix, August 7, 2018. Article by Alexa Lawlor
5 Stars/5
PointeTango dance company is unique in combining the passion of Argentine tango with the grace of classical ballet ― and they do it incredibly well.
Created in Argentina, Para Dos takes you through a variety of shorter dance pieces, from tango to classical ballet solos to dancing barefoot. The duets feature breathtaking lifts and the sensuality demanded in a dance like the tango.
Erin Scott-Kafadar makes dancing tango in pointe shoes look effortless, and the chemistry between Scott-Kafadar and her partner, Alexander Richardson, is obvious.
Overall, Para Dos is a beautiful whirlwind that both dance lovers and non-dance lovers can enjoy.
— Alexa Lawlor
- The Hamilton View, July 26, 2018, article by Rossen Lee
https://raisethehammer.org/fringe/3054/para_dos
https://www.thespec.com/whatson-story/8726065-hamilton-fringe-festival-is-bursting-at-the-seams/
“Para Dos
This dance show from Argentina is performed by Montreal’s PointeTango Dance Company. Think of the music of the barrios of Buenos Aires. Think of fluttering skirts and the sleek sexy look of rapier thin males stamping their heels in time to the passionate rhythms of the dance of love. Hamilton Players Guild, 80 Queen St. S.”
- Global News Regina, July 12, 2018. Reporting by Cami Kepke
PointeTango Dance Company 