In Philadelphia, the rhythm and movement of Argentine culture
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Stephen Macbeth and Meredith Klein tango on the stage at Love Park, demonstrating the Argentine style as part of a celebration of Argentine culture organized by the Embassy of Argentinia. (Emma Lee/fvor NewsWorks)
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Larissa Tenberg and Attila Reinhardt tango Argentine style during a demonstration in Love Park. Argentine Week continues through Nov. 3. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)
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Local devotees of Argentine tango take to the stage in Love Park as Argentine Week continues in Philadelphia. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)
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The Argentine flag flaps in a chilly breeze as dancers demonstrate Argentine tango as part of a cultural outreach organized by the Embassy of Argentina. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)
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Fancy footwork is on display in Love Park, where about a dozen dancers of Argentine tango demonstrated their skills. (Emma Lee/for NewWorks)
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Meredith Klein, director of the Philadelphia Argentine Tango School, dances with Pablo Burstein. About a dozen dancers gathered in Love Park as part of Argentine Week in Philadelphia. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)
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Local devotees of Argentine tango take to the stage in Love Park as Argentine Week continues in Philadelphia. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)
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Claire Flaxman eats her lunch in Love Park so she can watch the tango dancers. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)
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Kate Pukhovich smiles as she photographs the tango dancers in Love Park. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)
Open-air tango demonstrations figured heavily in the planning of Argentine Week in Philadelphia, a cultural celebration organized by the Embassy of Argentina, but the weather has not cooperated. Tango demonstrations scheduled for Monday and Tuesday were cancelled, but on Thursday about a dozen devotees of the Argentine style gathered in Love Park to show off their skills.
The sky-blue flag of Argentina whipped around in the chilly wind as the dancers arrived in overcoats and gloves, but the jackets came off as the dancers warmed up. They were brought together by Meredith Klein, director of the Philadelphia Argentine Tango School.
Among the spectators was First Secretary Francisco Lopez Achaval of the cultural section of the Argentine embassy. Argentina has a strong business relationship with Philadelphia, he said. The goal of Argentine Week was to bring a cultural dimension to that relationship.
Achaval declined to join the open demonstration, explaining that he was out of practice, but he watched with approval.
“These are all local residents,” said Achaval, gesturing toward the dancers on the stage at Love Park. “There is a place for tango, there is a place for Argentine culture.”
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