Gricel – A Tango Story

GRICEL – A TANGO STORY is a unique musical theatre production in which Tango Argentino meets Modern Dance, performed by a cast of world-class dancers and musicians from Argentina, Europe, and New York.

Created by award-winning dancer Astria Apel, the work tells the true and moving story of the passionate and tragic love between Gricel and the renowned Argentine tango poet José María Contursi. Through an innovative fusion of Tango Argentino, Modern Dance, live music, and singing, the production immerses the audience into the bittersweet world of longing, which is at the heart of Tango Argentino.

In 2026, the year of the 100th anniversary of the Martha Graham Dance Company of New York, Gricel – A Tango Story draws on the expressive power of the Martha Graham technique, the foundation of modern dance. For the first time in history, this significant movement language is put into dialogue with Tango Argentino. This one of a kind production highlights striking artistic and technical parallels between the two dance forms. While remaining distinct, both styles share emotional depth, dynamic contrast, and movement initiated from the body’s core.

New musical compositions and arrangements, based on original texts by José María Contursi, have been created specifically for this project by the internationally renowned Argentine musicians Melody Quinteros and Nicolas Maceratesi “SONDER TANGO“. The choreography was developed collaboratively by Astria Apel and renowned Tango Argentino artist Mariano Galeano.

Inspired by Contursi’s poetic legacy, the work explores universal and timeless human themes such as love and longing, betrayal and jealousy, deep friendship, responsibility, the impact of childhood trauma, and the role of the subconscious. By integrating modern dance, Tango Argentino is further developed as a contemporary theatrical art form, reaching audiences beyond the tango community and across diverse cultural backgrounds.

Review- GRICEL – A TANGO STORY at Espace Lumen Download