Cuddle, Listen and Walk

Paekakariki FM 88.2 DJ Andrey Sabitov at the Perching Parrot Cafe

It’s a long way to Paekakariki from Kyrgyzstan but music travels with you where ever you go. When Andrey Sabitov first heard the Tango in his home country in the eighties, he loved it. He rediscovered it in New Zealand in 2009 at social dancing events in Wellington. And now he runs a regular show featuring this popular style of music. “Cuddle, listen and walk”, the name of his show, describes what happens when you dance the Tango socially, Andrey explains. “Many people think Tango is just something that is happening on a stage between two professional dancers, for the crowd, so they just watch. But it is actually very social, it’s for people who want to enjoy themselves, dancing with each other, possibly on a crowded floor, with heaps of other couples. There might not be anyone watching at all. The dancing is variations of a slow walk, trying not to collide with other couples…” Tango originates from Argentina but over the years it spread all over the world. What can you expect when you tune into Andrey’s show? “Popular music for social dancing over decades, mostly Tango, Vals, and Milongas. My show is just about the music, I’m not a good talker.” “Cuddle, listen and walk” airs on Sundays at 1pm, with repeats on Fridays at 9am.