Passion and flair

Alberto Fernandez, a professional tango singer, sang heartfelt selections from his second album as well as those from his touring concert repertoire. After beginning his career in the United States, he performs throughout Mexico and Argentina.

Eduardo Rodriguez and Claudio Otero also gave noteworthy performances.

Rodriguez started dancing at age 8 and began a dance career at 14. His power and grace was equally proficient in the tango and gaucho dances.

Otero's dexterity with the bolas (Spanish for ball) or boleadoras brought the audience to its feet. Each string has a ball on the end and the men twirl one in each hand in unison or in different directions as fast as they can.

It was the highlight for Luba Yaroszuk, of Burbank, who said she is a Russian from Argentina.

"The show was beautiful!" she said. "It was 100% worth it to me, especially the ropes with balls, but everything was beautiful."

Christopher Tashjian, of Los Angeles, thought the choreography, costumes and stage settings were all beautiful but he was most impressed with the performances, he said.

"The performers are excellent," he said. "These dances are very difficult to do and the art form has to be valued. It's intense. It's important to our culture to keep the dance alive in Los Angeles, which is a melting pot of cultures. It fuses people together."

Husband and wife Leah and Jeremi Munro, of Riverside, were so inspired by the show they plan to start taking tango and salsa lessons again.

"We used to take lessons before we got married and had kids, but we're inspired again," Leah Munro said.

"The show was phenomenal and provocative," Jeremi Munro said. "I told Leah I'm going to buy her the red tango dress the dancer was wearing in the show."