We'll really shake them up at tango world cup

SCOTTISH hopes have been dashed in Argentina once before, when the national football squad made an early exit from the 1978 World Cup.

But an Edinburgh duo are hoping for better luck in South America when they take on the Argentineans at their own game - tango dancing.

Tim Hospedales and Julieta Pineda are the first Scottish couple ever to qualify for the World Tango Championships and are preparing to compete against around 400 of the best performers from around the globe.

After five years of hard work and studying tango all over the world, they got through the qualifying round in Buenos Aires earlier this year. They are now seeking around £2000 sponsorship to allow them to travel back for the competition in August.

They believe they have a good chance at taking the cup from the Argentineans, where the seductive dance was developed in the brothels of Buenos Aires.

But they admit they may have to leave out some of the less traditional parts of their routine, and Tim will be leaving his kilt at home.

Tim, 26, a PhD student at Edinburgh University, agreed to accompany a friend to a tango class five years ago as he thought it was a "good way to meet girls". He soon became hooked and has studied with some of the world's top teachers.

His dance partner Julieta, an IT administrator at the university, is originally from Argentina but only began dancing when she moved to Scotland. She now lives in Morningside and the pair practise two hours a day, seven days a week.

Tim, who lives in East Parkside, said: "One of my mates thought we should go to the tango class and look for girls. Much to my amazement we really enjoyed it.

"I'd never done any dancing before, but it was easy to get started by just walking slowly in a line.

"There is such passion and sadness in the music and the dancing. It expresses emotions.

"We've been dancing for three years. It's very social. We started dancing together regularly, then we both decided to take it more seriously. There aren't many Scottish competitions, so we've travelled the world.

"This is the biggest competition in the world. It's probably about 50 per cent Argentineans and 50 per cent from the rest of the world. As far as I know, there's never been anyone from Scotland before, but I think we have a good chance."

Although he often wears his kilt for performances, he thought it would not conform with the competition's dress code.

"The skirt of the kilt gets in the way of some of the steps," he said.

Julieta, who is now a Scottish citizen, said: "Tango is something I was always interested in because I come from Argentina, but it was only when I got here that I started doing it. I had more free time when I finished university and I joined the Edinburgh Tango Society.

"It would be great to win the championship and take the prize home. Imagine how that would go down in Buenos Aires."

The pair will be demonstrating their moves outside the National Gallery next Tuesday at 6.30pm.