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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
In a huge, quiet dance space in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the tables are put away. In an area for musicians, a piano sits unused. Electronic sound equipment nearby is unconnected to power.
The empty dancing place is called the Viruta Tango Club. It shows the effects of the COVID-19 crisis on performers of a dance form based on close, physical contact.
Like many other public spaces, the Viruta Tango Club has been closed since March 8, 2020. Argentine officials severely1 restricted public activity in hopes of limiting the spread of COVID-19. The club used to admit hundreds of tango dancers between Wednesday and Sunday.
"For those of us who make a living from tango, our self-esteem is on the floor," said Horacio Godoy, a dancer, historian and club organizer.
"We are more emotionally than financially bankrupt," he added.
COVID-19 also forced Argentina to close its borders. This has hurt the tango business. Foreign visitors provide a lot of support for the industry.
International performances by Argentine tango dancers also have been cancelled as their country continues to face high numbers of coronavirus infections. Argentina has had more than 80,000 confirmed COVID-19 deaths.
Godoy earns some money by teaching tango online to foreigners. He said the city's assistance program for dancers and musicians does not provide enough money to pay for Viruta's costs. Of 18 employees, only three have kept their jobs.
"The city of Buenos Aires can't offer history like Rome and Paris. It doesn't have a beach to offer like in the Caribbean. It doesn't have gastronomy2 on offer like Italy. It doesn't have waterfalls or glaciers3. The city of Buenos Aires has tango," he said.
The Federal Assembly of Tango Workers said the industry used to employ around 7,000 people in Argentina. But since the start of the COVID-19 health crisis, one fifth of Buenos Aires's 200 tango clubs have closed permanently4.
Before the pandemic, there were about 40 tango footwear and clothing companies. Now, about 12 remain.
Although tango is the most famous part of Argentine culture, the industry does not get any special government support.
"Tango workers suffered from permanent job insecurity long before the pandemic," said Diego Benbassat, a musician with the Misteriosa Buenos Aires orchestra and a spokesman for the tango workers union. He said, "There were never public policies designed for tango, so that is why we are so vulnerable."
Dancer Mora Godoy once taught tango steps to America's former President Barack Obama. She has received standing5 ovations7 for her international performances. But, COVID-19 forced her to close her dance school.
"I did 419 shows with my tango company in 2019. We had done more than 100 in 2020 by the time everything was closed and this madness, this sadness, this world tragedy began," she said.
She shows some pictures from her dancing life before the pandemic. One of her favorites is from 2016. It shows then-President Obama resting his hand on Godoy's back as they dance the tango. The president was on an official visit to Argentina at the time.
"It is very painful not to be able to dance,″ said Godoy. She said some tango professionals have become taxi drivers or found work at food stores to make a living. She said businesses that once made a lot of money from running tango clubs have done little during COVID-19 to help the dancers who had been so important to club profits.
"Everything froze," said musician and dancer Nicolás Ponce, who started a business selling plants during the health crisis.
The nature of tango, he said, is what makes it so difficult to perform in the current health emergency. "That feeling of embrace is what makes tango stand out from other dances," he said.
Longing8 for that embrace makes many tango dancers, or tangueros, ignore restrictions9 to dance in outdoor spaces.
On a recent Saturday, 12 couples got together to dance at the Obelisco, a monument in the center of Buenos Aires.
"Tango in the open air is health. What is dangerous is stillness," read a sign placed near the monument by dance teacher Luciana Fuentes. She is not against restrictions and takes measures to prevent spread.
"But," she said, "I will not stop dancing tango in public spaces."
Words in This Story
self-esteem –n. a feeling of having respect for yourself and your abilities
bankrupt –adj. unable to pay debts; completely lacking some good or desired quality
beach –n. an area beside the ocean or body of water that is covered with small rocks and sand
gastronomy –n. the art or activity of cooking and eating food
vulnerable –adj. open to attack, harm, damage or loss
ovation6 –n. when a group of people watching a performance show their approval and appreciation10 by clapping their hands together repeatedly
embrace –n. to put one's arms around someone is a show of love or friendship
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severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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gastronomy
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| n.美食法；美食学 | |
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glaciers
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| 冰河，冰川( glacier的名词复数 ) | |
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permanently
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| adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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ovation
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| n.欢呼，热烈欢迎，热烈鼓掌 | |
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ovations
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| n.热烈欢迎( ovation的名词复数 ) | |
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longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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restrictions
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| 约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则） | |
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appreciation
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| n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨 | |
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