(Photos of the championship will be posted as needed starting February 25. Please wait.）
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Asian Championships, and we were truly blessed with a large number of participants this year, making it a wonderful event. Even before the event was held, some of the participants sent us happy words, “I would love to celebrate the 20th anniversary with your staff and friends in Japan! I would love to celebrate the 20th anniversary with your staff and friends in Japan! In the beginning of this championship, of course, many of the contestants and winners were Japanese, but now the efforts of dancers from Korea, Indonesia, and other countries besides Japan are becoming more prominent. By the way, looking at the countries of the contestants this time, Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, USA, Canada, Germany, France, Chile, Argentina, Columbia… Of course, as per the rules, they are all dancers who have lived in Asia for more than a year.
Moreover, even though they now have their own championships all over Asia, I would like to express my sincere respect to the many couples who have participated in the Asian Championships held in Tokyo like this and have shown us their outstanding dance.
This year, we planned to have all the champions of the past 20 years dance together, in fact, it was an imitation of last year’s World Championships, but we were also able to reunite with many people we have missed. I felt that tango dance is spreading throughout Asia, and I also felt that the tango scene in Japan needs to work more harder. All in all, I think we were able to make this year’s 20th anniversary a meaningful one.
Most of the people working behind the scenes at this championship are volunteers. Thanks in large part to their full efforts, we were able to run this year’s championship with great success. We have also had a little help from the stage professionals, but these professionals have been helping us without saying a word, just enjoying themselves and smiling, which is what the Asian Games is all about. I am grateful to all these professionals.
The judges also did their best to give correct scores, which is really hard work. That is the part that the Asian Championships have put the most effort into, and in that sense, I dare to add that many people have evaluated the results this year as satisfactory to everyone.
Now in August, the World Championships will be held for the 21st time this year, and I hear that a lot of people involved are preparing intensely in Buenos Aires right now. As of today, from August 14 to 27, Buenos Aires will again be all about tango. Only the location has not been decided, but I hear that they are negotiating for a great theater. Please support the winners of the Asian Championships so that they will be very successful at the World Championships as well. I will also be reporting on the World Championships and the success of the Asian representatives in this column.
The supervisor who came from Argentina said, “This year’s Mundial is going to be a great success for the Asian representatives! The supervisor from Argentina left with these happy words: “This year’s Mundial is going to be a great success for the Asian delegates!
Thank you very much, everyone!
From the Tango Dance Asian Championships Executive Committee
