Amid thick snowfall on Tampere's Central Square, couples whirled to the sounds of Finnish tango on Saturday afternoon.
The annual Lumitango (Snow Tango) Finnish Championships have been held in Tampere since the year 2000, hosted by the local dance association Tanssiseura Hurmio. Some of the dancers were wearing fancy dress, hoping for a prize in the costume contest.
Singing on a makeshift stage was Piritta Venho from the south-western town of Laitila. She's a former winner of the Finnish Tango Princess contest for singers, held each summer in Seinäjoki. The uniquely Finnish version of the Argentinean style has developed over the past century, still finding young fans.
Back with a vengeance
There were two classes in this light-hearted and light-footed contest, one for beginners and one for experienced pairs. The competition was so tight in the latter group that the jury asked the six finalist couples for an encore dance to pick the winners.
Local Tampere pair Armi Tanskanen and Matti Tuominen have won the class several times in the past but in 2015 had to make do with fourth place. This time they were back with a vengeance, scoring silver.
"Last year these younger folks seemed to have rushed past us, but now we were able to make difficult for the youngsters," says Tuominen with a chuckle.
Chilly toes and fiery feet
Although some of the spectators on the square may have suffered chilly toes, the dancers certainly stayed warm. They told Yle that despite the unusual snowy surface, the feeling was just as fiery as on a regular dance floor.
Tanskanen and Tuominen say their secret weapons in the contest were genuine passion – and the right kind of shoes.
"Some people wear studs in the snow, but we wear these same shoes as always. But we can't tell you anything more about them," says Tanskanen with an enigmatic smile.