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"Abrazo" - Tango creation - Paris 18th
Deep in the heart of the 18th district, this piece masterfully blurs the lines between intense tango and modern dance. It is a stunning visual meditation on how we connect, collide, and hold onto one another in a city that never stops moving.
Auberge de jeunesse (Paris 18th)
About
On October 17, 2026, the Auberge de jeunesse in Paris's 18th arrondissement hosts Abrazo, a contemporary dance and theater performance by choreographer Charlotte Hess. Suitable for audiences aged 12 and up, this piece examines the dynamics of human connection through the lens of the tango embrace. The performance runs from 20:00 to 23:00, with ticket prices ranging from 8 to 15 euros depending on eligibility. Born from a collaborative project involving local dancers, this work by the company Le Moindre Geste offers a poignant look at how we meet, connect, and drift apart.
"How do we meet?" Charlotte Hess explores this question through the abrazo, the iconic embrace of tango. Mixing contemporary dance, tango, and theater, Abrazo explores the moments when bodies meet, weave together, and unravel. A nod to Ettore Scola, Abrazo plays with his invitations and unexpected encounters, while immersing us in more intimate moments. But when bonds fray, how do we find ourselves and find the other? Each scene echoes this quest, oscillating between desire and vulnerability. The abrazo becomes a poetic and suspended refuge, a space where the encounter is reinvented despite the violence of situations. The show closes on an accumulation of hugs that form and dissolve, dreamlike female figures or burlesque explosions, reminding us that nothing is ever written in advance and anything can still happen.
It all started in 2024 with Charlotte Hess's project 10_10_18, a series of 10 performances in 10 unusual locations in the 18th arrondissement, with about twenty amateur dancers from the 18th. With her company Le Moindre Geste, Charlotte Hess chose to continue the adventure with what has become a true troupe from the 18th, by staging the show "Abrazo," the culmination of this long-term project. This project was supported by Mordida de Tango, the 18th Arrondissement Town Hall, the City of Paris, BNP Paribas following a two-year national call for projects on Living Together, and two of the performances were selected and performed as part of the Olympic Games festivities with an elementary school class and a partnership with Novosport.
Our take on this event
Abrazo serves as the culmination of a multi-year creative journey launched in 2024 by Charlotte Hess and her company, Le Moindre Geste. Featuring a troupe of local dancers from the 18th arrondissement, the performance blends contemporary dance, tango, and theater to explore the complexities of human interaction. Drawing inspiration from the cinema of Ettore Scola, the work moves between intimate moments and bursts of burlesque, questioning how we find one another when traditional bonds are tested.
The event takes place on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at the Auberge de jeunesse (20 esplanade Nathalie Sarraute, 75018 Paris). Doors are open from 20:00 to 23:00 for attendees aged 12 and above. Admission is 15 euros for a standard ticket, with reduced rates available at 12 and 8 euros. The project has received support from the 18th arrondissement town hall, the City of Paris, Mordida de Tango, and BNP Paribas.
Throughout the performance, the stage becomes a space for poetic reinvention where the act of embracing is constantly transformed. From dreamlike sequences to unexpected encounters, the work reminds the viewer that connections are fluid and always subject to change. It is an exploration of vulnerability and the persistent hope of renewal.
