Every night in Buenos Aires, cozy clubs and cavernous halls fill with dancers from around the world who cling to one another in the embrace of Argentine tango, gliding in sync to plaintive tunes of nostalgia, loss and love.
Tango's spotlight moved to the stage this week, as several hundred competitors vied for the world's top titles at the annual Buenos Aires Tango Festival and Competition, which was attended by 10,000 spectators on Tuesday's closing night.
With a record 750 couples from 53 countries, the competition showcased the universal appeal of a dance style that originated among sailors and immigrants in the ports of Argentina and Uruguay around the early 1900s, with roots also in African rhythms.
"Tango unifies everything," said one of the event presenters. "In times of global division, what is better than embracing one another?"
Argentina is revered as the world's hub for tango music and dancing, both in social clubs and in glitzy stage shows.
The participants hailed from places as far flung as Brazil, Colombia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, South Korea, the United States and Ukraine.
But the top honors went to Argentineans.
Ayelen Morando broke into tears and her partner Sebastian Martinez fell to his knees as their names were called as winners of the show tango category.
"This is years of effort, of work, of dreaming, and not giving up," Morando later told reporters, still in the black velvet dress and bejeweled collar she had performed in.
Fatima Caracoch and Brenno Marques fiercely hugged as they won for salon tango.
"It's a mix of feelings, of happiness, of ecstasy, and of achieving an incredible dream," Marques said.
