Tango has been called the dance of unhappy love and of urban love, with its stealthy stride and sudden shifts catching the romantic slang of city life.

This explains tango’s endless appeal in London where even only average shows pull in crowds. Such is the case with Tango Fire. Billed as “direct from Argentina”, a gem of an old-fashioned phrase, the 10-strong troupe are young and energetic, with a whiplash slickness and conspicuous glamour that will appeal to those who think Strictly Come Dancing lacks pizzazz.

Subtle it is not. Compared with the grown-up allure of troupes such as Tango Por Dos, the Tango Fire dancers are uppity teens who pout and strut and look cross. They are also terrible actors, with an artistic tone more EastEnders than old Buenos Aires. The singer, Pablo Lago, is implausibly bad. He also looks like an accountant.

However, all are nifty movers, with compact, powerful bodies stroke-sliding their way through tightly choreographed routines overseen by lead couple Yanina Fajar and Nelson Celis. The exception is a plumptous Ines Cuesta and a substantial Mauricio Celis, with their pleasing heft.

All five couples have considerable appeal, even if they’re a shade too gymnastic. In once scene German Cornejo holds Carolina Giannini aloft and twirls her around while she stretches her legs in an eye-popping split. More measured, by Tango Fire’s standards, are Juan Malizia and Florencia Roldan, whose moves show unexpected restraint.

The two-hour show is a trot through tango’s history, with its origins in the late 19th-century bordellos of Buenos Aieres and its journey into Europe’s respectable salons and onto the world’s ballroom stage. The set suggests the bars and dance halls that were its backdrop, with the multiple costume changes evoking each age and place.
Until 11 April. Information: 0844 412 4300, www.sadlerswells.com