ABSTRACT
Federico was born in Buenos Aires and never danced as a child. He first danced the tango, which was perceived as old-fashioned by younger Argentinians, when he escorted his aunt to her tango lessons. Later, he danced and occasionally taught tango in Buenos Aires while studying to become a physical education teacher. Deciding to travel in Europe and discovering that it was impossible to teach sports in France, he began to teach tango to meet local demand, gradually developing a niche as a tango professor. Meeting choreographer Catherine Berbessou, who became his partner, propelled him onto the stage. Did he become a professional dancer in the process? From provincial dancehalls organized by tango clubs to prestigious stages such as the Théâtre de la Ville and the Festival d’Avignon, Federico’s experience, in emphasizing the joy of improvisation, suggests that the criteria customarily used to define a dancer should be reconsidered.
