Tango your way across the Med…………

Europe’s biggest cruise line, Costa Cruises, will stage the world’s first tango festival at sea this November, with Australians keen to learn the ‘dance of passion’ invited aboard to strut their stuff.

The ‘Festival of Tango’ will sway across the Mediterranean aboard Costa’s new megaliner, the luxurious 3780-passenger Costa Concordia, during a seven-night round cruise from Rome sailing on November 25, 2007.

During the voyage, which will visit six ports in Italy, Spain, Majorca, Tunisia, Malta and Sicily, Argentinean Tango classes will be held for both novices and experienced dancers. The cruise will culminate in a glamorous dance spectacular in the ship’s stylish Atene Theatre where nightly dance shows will be held throughout the voyage.

Dance classes will be accompanied by the six-piece orchestra Ensemble Hyperion and coordinated by award-winning tango instructors Sebastian Arce, Mariana Montes, Esteban Moreno, Claudia Codega, Marcela Guevara and Stefano Giudice.

One of the world’s most sensual dance forms, the tango was born in the slums of Buenos Aires in the 1860s and stemmed from dance styles brought to Argentina by African slaves. Tango later swept across the ballrooms of Europe in the early 1900s and became popular worldwide as the ultimate dance for lovers. Features of tango include intense eye contact, close body holds, exaggerated postures and a fast-paced mix of sharp steps and turns.

Costa’s A$716 million Concordia was launched by supermodel Eva Herzigova in 2006 and named to symbolise peace and harmony between European nations, features the biggest spa sanctuary at sea – the huge two-storey Samsara Spa – where tango fans can soothe muscles after classes. The huge 112,000-ton ship also boasts a full-scale Formula One driving simulator with real G forces and vibrations – also certain to be a hit with dance fanatics.

Built to resemble a grand hotel, Costa Concordia offers a three-storey theatre, 13 bars, two huge poolside video screens, a jogging track and three pools, including the largest enclosable pool on any liner in the world.

Costa passengers of all ages can enjoy lively entertainment, extensive children’s facilities, Italian cooking classes, a spa sanctuary, Italian crew passionate about first class service and of course, Costa’s trademark ‘magnifico’ cuisine.

The seven-night ‘Festival of Tango cruise aboard Costa Concordia sailing from Rome on November 25, 2007, is available from A$1534* per person.

For bookings, visit www.cruiseagents.travel, call  1300 558 864 or visit www.costacruises.com.au  

* Fares are cruise only, complete twin share and include main meals and entertainment, mandatory government taxes and gratuities. Subject to availability and conditions apply.

Report by The Mole

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