Tango Illusion is a dance play, portraying the onstage and offstage lives of a troupe of Tango/ Salsa dancers who nightly perform their show Fuego in New York City. A magician, Benjamin, is part of the troupe and acts as the show’s MC. Tango Illusion takes place over three days and three nights encompassing the entire “show within a show” Fuego. Dance rehearsals, evenings at home, and spontaneous jam sessions are all part of the dancer’s offstage life. In addition to the three main performing couples and a star singer, there are musicians who provide some dialogue and texture to the play.

The Story

Tango Illusion’s dramatic tension centers around Tango dancer/ choreographer Elena who faces obstacles to keep the show going including her own addiction to Tango. Her dance partner/lover Claudio drinks, gambles, is volatile AND a producer wants new innovative numbers – yesterday. Claudio’s problems jeopardize both Elena’s and the company’s safety. Other company members experience this dynamic and take steps to support Elena. Will Elena make the right decisions, both personally and artistically to keep Fuego alive?

Tango Illusion also offers an interactive element for the audience. After watching the dancers perform choreographed routines, the audience is invited to create a dance piece for the dancers in the second act of Fuego. They choose the music, the costumes, and the final pose to develop a unique piece that the dancers then perform spontaneously. In the third act of Fuego, something happens to Elena, onstage, which forces a turn of events. How to resolve this? Through the use of magic, dance and determination, Elena and her troupe navigate these turn of events and bring Tango Illusion to its dramatic conclusion.