Carlos Copello

Carlos Copello is a tango dancer whose recorded birth date is 1 November 1950 ^[1]. By his own account, he came to tango around 1973–74. At the time he was a rock-and-roll dancer, and he was drawn to tango by Roberto Goyeneche's singing on the radio ^[2].

His professional record began with a win in a national tango dance contest in 1986, followed by his professional debut in 1988 ^[3]. He danced with Alicia Monti in the touring cast of Tango Argentino, with performances that included London in 1991 and Buenos Aires in 1992 ^[3]. He returned to the production for its 1999–2000 Broadway revival ^[3]. In 2011 he appeared in a later revival staged on Avenida 9 de Julio ^[3].

Copello also appeared on film. In a claim dated to 1997, he danced in Sally Potter's The Tango Lesson, with Alicia Monti, and in Wong Kar-wai's Happy Together ^[3]. In 2007 he directed the film Tango The Seduction ^[3]. On stage, he danced in and co-choreographed, with Monti, 'Sólo tango. The show' at the Lola Membrives in 2002 ^[4]. In 2007 he starred in El Rey del Tango on Broadway with his son Maxi ^[3].

Copello taught as well as performed. An interview with him was titled with the descriptions professional dancer, teacher and milonguero ("Bailarin profesional. Profesor. Milonguero.") ^[2]. A 2011 interview placed the founding of his school, the Tango Escuela Carlos Copello, about eight years earlier, which suggests a date of around 2003 ^[5]. A video listing names a large number of dance partners, among them Alicia Monti, Angie Gonzalez and Karina Piazza Forever .

Early life and discovery of tango

Carlos Copello was born on 1 November 1950, according to a single source ^[1]. No source in the dossier gives his birthplace or family background ^[1].

In a two-part interview with Farol Tanguero, Copello described how he discovered tango around 1973–74 ^[2]. He was then dancing rock and roll, and Roberto Goyeneche's singing on the radio drew him to tango ^[2]. The source gives this as his own account, and the date is approximate ^[2].

Competition and professional debut

Copello won a national tango dance contest in 1986 ^[3]. The source does not name the contest ^[3].

He made his professional debut in 1988, two years after the contest win ^[3].

Tango Argentino

Copello danced with Alicia Monti in the touring cast of the show Tango Argentino ^[3]. The tour included London in 1991 and Buenos Aires in 1992, and his run with the touring cast ended in 1992 ^[3]. The source does not say when he joined the production ^[3].

He returned to Tango Argentino for its Broadway revival of 1999–2000 ^[3].

In 2011 he danced in a revival of Tango Argentino held on Avenida 9 de Julio, at the Obelisco ^[3]. His partner on that occasion was Angie González, and his son Maxi was also in the cast ^[3].

Film

In a claim dated to 1997, Copello danced in Sally Potter's The Tango Lesson, partnering Alicia Monti, and in Wong Kar-wai's Happy Together ^[3].

In 2007 he directed the film Tango The Seduction ^[3].

Stage shows and choreography

In 2002 Copello danced in 'Sólo tango. The show' at the Lola Membrives and co-choreographed it with Alicia Monti ^[4].

In 2007 he starred in El Rey del Tango on Broadway with his son Maxi ^[3].

Teaching

Copello founded the Tango Escuela Carlos Copello together with his family ^[5]. The founding date comes from a 2011 interview in El Tangauta, which said the school had been founded about eight years earlier ^[5]. This places it around 2003, although the date is approximate ^[5].

An interview with him was titled with the descriptions professional dancer, teacher and milonguero ^[2].

Later performances

On 30 November 2017 Copello performed with Victoria Gallotto at Tango La Nacional in Manhattan ^[7]. A partner listing gives her name as Victoria Galoto, so the sources differ on the spelling ^[7].

For the 2024–2025 season, Copello was billed as a special guest in the Rojo Tango New Year's Eve show at the Faena Hotel in Puerto Madero, dancing with Karina Piazza ^[8]. The partner listing gives her name as Karina Piazza Forever, so the sources differ on the name form ^[8].

Interviews

In 2014 Pepa Palazón interviewed Copello for 'Tengo una pregunta para vos' at DNI Tango ^[6].

In 2020 he gave a two-part interview to Farol Tanguero, which was dedicated to the new generation ^[2]. In it he gave his own account of how he came to tango ^[2].

Dance partners

Other sources document specific partnerships. He danced with Alicia Monti in Tango Argentino, in The Tango Lesson and in 'Sólo tango. The show' ^[3][4]. He danced with Angie González in the 2011 Tango Argentino revival ^[3]. He performed with Victoria Gallotto in Manhattan in 2017 ^[7] and with Karina Piazza at the Faena Hotel in the 2024–2025 season ^[8].