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Argentine tango blog
/ with Interaction Design interludes / by Oleh Kovalchuke |
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September 2004
Sep. 20-27, 2004 - Impressions from the first tango trip to Buenos Aires. Monday to Monday.
The city
OK, here I go like so many people before me: “Me Buenos Aires queridooooo…”
Where to start… Buenos Aires fits like an old expensive shoe – both shabby and lush, bustling with people, taxis and people in the taxis. It reminded me post-soviet Kyiv with some ostentatious architecture, multistory apartment buildings, tenuous traffic rules, protest demonstrations, street kiosks, street vendors, great coffee and food, and Food! Atkins would feel at home in the city. Since my Spanish was lacking I resorted to simple solution – I would order the most expensive dish on the menu and not a single time did I go wrong. The most expensive would equal about 15 pesos or about $5 at nearby restaurant. My Franklin electronic dictionary also came to be very handy at the restaurants.
Ladies, one word: shoes.
Move around on feet or in taxi. The furthest milonga I went to (Salon Canning) is 9 pesos taxi ride from the downtown. You need to know street addresses of milongas to get to them in taxi. Get Tango Map for that.
The music
Tango is heard all over the city. At milongas golden era orchestras are played: D’Arienzo, Troilo, Calo, D'Agostino and Canaro are the most popular as far as I can tell. I didn’t use to have D’Arienzo played at milongas here. Not anymore. CDs are 16-18 pesos ($6) here and you can listen to all of them at Zivals
music store (one block from El Beso and seven blocks from my hotel). So I spent three hours per day for three days rummaging through the store's collection. The beauty of living in the place like BsAs is that you could dance to a lovely tune at night and get it at Zivals the very next day. On fifth day of my stay as I dropped in to get "Corazon de Oro" by Canaro I was greeted with "como estas" by clerk in the store.
Incidentally "Corazon de Oro" makes perfect soundtrack to BsAs sidewalks. I put it on repeat in my CD player and walked seven blocks back to my hotel via some of the busiest streets in the Buenos Aires. I know I looked dorky with headphones in my ears and CD player clutched in my hand but this was one of the more memorable city experiences for me.
The lessons
Private lesson with Maria Plazaola. I went to El Beso on Monday evening where Maria from La Academia was teaching beginner lesson and scheduled a private for Tuesday. The lesson was good: I have learned the step I wanted to learn (I walk on double beat and lead the follower into back ochos to single beat), plus two variations I wasn’t aware of; Maria learned two new English words: “cute” – the way she walks and “stubborn” – I am in general. Maria told me that I do too much with my feet and that of all milongueros only Gavito does something similar with his feet. I countered in my usual manner that as long as I maintain connection, dance to the music and lead well my footwork is icing on the cake, belongs to my personal style (I have danced with another, assistant instructor from La Academia later at Milonga de las Morochas and she told me she likes the way I dance, other local dancer at Lo de Celia told me that I dance like porteno).
I expected that private lessons in BsAs would be three times cheaper than in the US like anything else. Not so. 150 pesos per hour. This particular lesson was worth it even though the price quenched my desire to take more than one private lesson.
I also took group lesson with Maria at El Beso. Here country discounts do apply (10 pesos per lesson). There were four instructors working with a group of 40 students (intermediate and advanced). First we did some stretching exercises then instructor showed a sequence of steps and everyone has repeated it with partner rotation. After a five minute break the class was divided into two groups: advanced and intermediate. I was labeled advanced. New sequence of steps was introduced and worked on. At some point leaders and followers were separated to work out their respective patterns. What can I say about the group class? I do not like learning and teaching sequences especially since Maria insisted on doing them exactly as shown. Neither do I like to separate leaders and followers because every step should be lead and improvised according to specific partner and to music.
The milongas
My primary goal for this trip was to go as many milongas as possible. So I went to two/three milongas per day. In retrospect one or two milongas per day is better paced ratio.
Overall impressions.
- I saw open embrace dancers on three occasions: one tourist couple at Club Espanol, one guy at El Beso switched to open embrace when he danced with a tourist from Spain, one guy late at Nino Bien after the floor cleared, this one could have been local dancer. Besides these three exceptions people dance chest to chest at all milongas I went to. Everyday milongas are as crowded as those at crowded Denver festival with about as many or more people. The level of dancing is naturally more uniform and rather high. I have not seen any beginners (the way we have them in Colorado Springs or in Denver), either they take lessons for couple years before starting to dance or there are special beginner milongas??
- The most popular steps are ocho cortado and wide variety of turns. No leg wraps are unknown. Some dancers do not do self-gauchos and prefer to have no leg or feet contact at all.
- After each song within tanda couples simply stand on the floor and chat for half or full minute into the next song. Only every forth/fifth local dancer speaks conversational English. So if you do not speak Spanish the pauses will feel rather cumbersome. This is another reason why tourists do not get invited often. Tourists do speak English usually.
- After each tanda the floor is cleared, people return to their tables.
- At most milongas a tanda of salsa/merengue is played (at some rock-n-roll is played too). As far as salsa dancing is concerned BsAs is very far from Miami, Denver, Boston, San Diego or San Juan. In fact the level of salsa dancing at milongas is downright pitiful (it may be better in salsa clubs, I didn’t go to those in BsAs). Also a tanda of local country line dance is often played. Cute to see the first couple times but in general I do not like line dances of any kind – limited improvisation.
- Many milongas have presentations by performance dancers. The best I saw was at Porteno y Bailarin by Pibe (?), stocky guy with black crew cut – excellent close embrace dancing not limited by line of dance and space. The worst was one of several performances at Salon Canning – the guy routinely threw follower in the air, there was virtually no dancing with each other – if I want to see figure skating I’ll buy a TV, there is no need to do it to tango music and on the dance floor too.
- Same place may host different quality milongas at different days of the week.
- People do smoke but it is not that bad – the ceilings are high and ventilation is good. Also I used to smoke too so it is not something entirely new to me.
- Unless you do not drink wine be ready to make the crucial choice: “Sin or con gas?” (bottled water). At El Beso edible food is also served.
- see cabeceo below
Listed below are some of milongas I went to. For more complete and informed list see: Dancing in Buenos Aires by Jenny DeBouzek (do not forget to copy street addresses for milongas) and Tango postcard by Bibi Wong.
Monday
Matinee at Confiteria Ideal. My first milonga. Straight from the plane. I told so the hostess and she kindly put me in the middle of the first row. It was a bit stressful, I stared too much but I did get to dance a bit.
Lo de Celia. The best and the most thoughtful placement of dancers by the host. Older crowd especially on Monday. Again I was placed right in the midst of milogueros. Here I have met D. rather luckily. Still stressed and clumsy with cabeceo. Had very different and good experience at Saturday matinee. Got to dance with some exceptionally good dancers both local and from New York (clandestine “I am local” New Yorker who visits BsAs twice a year). Lo de Celia is the best place to go to on Saturday considering that this day of the week is mostly couples night elsewhere.
Salon Canning. Mixed crowd (mostly younger, the most touristy place of all). Los Cosos de al Lao quartet was playing. Original violin player. Very crowded. I watched mostly (danced only four tandas).Tuesday (everything within walking distance of hotel)
Matinee at El Arranque. Older crowd. Still somewhat uncomfortable with cabeceo. Danced with D. again. Left early to get some CDs at Zivals.
Un Monton de Tango at El Beso. Relatively small milonga. The best music selection and the best overall quality of dancing. A bit dark for cabeceo especially if you are not very good at it. People tend to know each other and to dance within the circle of friends and acquaintances. Very friendly bar personnel. Order cafe con leche separado. Also here is where I was seated next to two hardcore milongueros – a lot of false invitations. One of attendees confided me that this milonga is where middle to upper middle class of BsAs goes to dance to. Certainly the most dressed up crowd. Most of the dancers migrate to Porteno y Bailarin after 1 am.
Porteno y Bailarin. Down the street from El Beso. Mixed crowd. Two small elongated floors. A chance to observe old milongueros presiding over one of the floors. Occasionally they abandon presiding part for a bit of dancing with eager followers. I am getting better at cabeceo.Wednesday
Fattomano custom shoes are just couple blocks from Salon Canning matinee and reachable by subte (subway). This matinee is not too crowded. Left early to go to group class with La Academia at El Beso. The class was followed by a small milonga. Took a chance to dance with fellow students.
La Nacional. Diverse crowd. Older, younger, locals, tourists. Elongated and sizable floor. I had a lot of fun with D. at this milonga. I came late (at midnight) and luckily she happened to have an empty seat at her table. She has the best deadpan sense of humor I have encountered in years. Keen eye, sharp tongue and no qualms whatsoever about using it. What a relief this milonga was. This is where I truly have started to feel comfortable at BsAs milongas.Thursday
Matinee at Club Espanol. The most ornate/posh building of all. Due to apparent absence of hardcore milongueros I got to be a minor star at this particular milonga. In fact I had to hide my eyes for a bit of break from dancing.
Salon Canning. Me and D. went here to avoid crowds. The place was fairly empty since everyone is at Nino Bien on Thursdays. This again gave me a chance to be a minor star. A lot of dancing with different people including “Japanese tigress, grrr” (D., animal print dress, very animated footwork).
Nino Bien past 2 am. Elongated floor large enough to accommodate everyone you have heard of plus some tourists before 3 am. Reasonably empty past 3 am.Friday
Salon Canning. Friday was very crowded. A lot of performances.
La Estrella is couple beautiful shady streets away from Salon Canning. Free entrance past 3:30 am. Also large floor. Mostly younger crowd. Tandas routinely have six songs in them at this milonga. Last tanda at 5:50 am is danced with lights off. Try it. Ride to hotel at six in the morning was memorable too – BsAs waking up, going to bed in the morning twilight.Saturday
Matinee at Lo de Celia. The place to dance on Saturday if you are single. I managed to get into tango zone within one tango with one exceptional local dancer at this milonga – I did not have to lead her since she always was able to be in front of me, amazing skill.
El Beso. I started to really dance at El Beso at this milonga. Danced with daughter of Picasso (yep, the painter). She is from Spain of course, dances tango for one year and has that easygoing cocktail parlor demeanor which is so difficult to imitate without years of practice. What would be a clever retort to “Oleh, Oleh” said to a bull fight motive? Charge?
La Viruta (same place as La Estrella). I went to this milonga after El Beso to drink some wine and to watch only – the floor is raised at the entrance, nice vantage point.Sunday
El Beso – Went to Plaza Dorrego and decided to walk to El Beso instead of riding cab to Tasso. A mistake in retrospect.
Porteno y Bailarin – this was my last milonga and I danced a lot at this oneThe intricate art of cabeceo
Cabeceo is ritual used at Buenos Aires milongas to invite a partner to dance. For some time I absentmindedly called cabeceo cabesito, which if you think about it is altogether very different thing. It took me three full days to work out proper ritual for cabeceo. Not that I wasn’t dancing but I am sure I have missed some opportunities to dance simply because I would be staring at inappropriate time or simply staring. Borges has wasted his talent writing that tango poem (about knifes and other silly things). It would have been much better spent attempting to describe refined rules of invitation to dance at milongas. As for any complex social system there are exceptions from the rules and exceptions from exceptions. Also the rules vary from milonga to milonga and depend on how early or late you arrive to a particular milonga, and on how good a dancer you are. See, Borges would have loved to write about it. Well everything is not lost as yet - I saw a guy at Salon Canning and a girl at El Beso doing nothing but writing fervently throughout milonga. Tango Borgeses in the making?
Milonga floors are rectangle. Since dance invitations in Buenos Aires occur via eye contact it is the best to separate men and women and place their tables at perpendicular sides of the floor (the best example of this kind of placement as well as the best environment (floor size, light) can be found at Lo de Celia). As you enter the milonga a host usually greets you and escorts you to your table. The best tables located in the middle of the front row are usually reserved for hard core milongueros. It makes sense since these are the guys who will be looked on the most and often dance the most. Tourists and couples are placed at the back row. Again makes sense since these are the people who are not going to use cabeceo much. Couples dance with themselves. If you are a couple but wish to dance with other people sit at separate tables. It is very easy to spot tourists at milonga especially in Salon Canning: they form the islands of people among empty tables still sitting during third song in the tanda.
You can call ahead and reserve a front table. However I would advice against it if you do not dance well, since you might feel lonely sitting there while everyone except you has left their tables to dance. Also it could be very stressful for your neck and needless to say to your psyche to node in response to all the glances addressed to some really good dancer sitting right next to you. If you happened to find yourself in this predicament (sitting next to a popular dancer) you will be well advised to wait until he gets up to dance and then start scanning the tables for remaining potential partners.
So the host has placed you at your table (or if you arrived late or to Salon Canning you found an empty chair somewhere). Cortina is played. Look at the floor, the ceiling, the table, your neighbor - anywhere but the followers; you never know what kind of music will be played during the upcoming tanda. Tanda has started. Let those popular guys get up. Now start to glance casually along the follower’s row. If you have just arrived to Buenos Aires at your first visit and not a Prince Charming on white horse and in full armor chances are no one is looking your way. At some point at this introductory stage you might encounter three kind of glances: 1) quick glance and look elsewhere – no interest; 2) about three second stare and look elsewhere – too late, you have just missed your chance to invite someone for a dance, node after the first or second second to invite – these are the potential dances I have missed a lot initially; 3) constant stare – your fellow tourist.
Start dancing and hope that your partner is good (this is why some sage tourists hide from compatriots). If you are good and needless to say close embrace dancer magic begins to happen: after couple tandas heads begin to turn your way. First from the table with the follower with whom you have just finished a tanda. Gradually from all around the room. Now even local dancers might begin to stare. At this point anything goes and you can also start to stare at someone you consider to be an interesting to dance with.
I didn’t do it but I saw some great local dancer who would stare at followers all the time simply because he would hate to miss a tanda.
You know that you are accepted as a quality dancer when you come to Porteno y Bailarin for your second milonga and a good follower sitting in front of you and with whom you have not danced as yet turns her chair around almost putting her back to the floor to face you. Naturally native milongueros are surrounded by this kind of attention all the time. In fact it is very illuminating as well as entertaining to stand behind milonguero’s row at Porteno y Bailarin (bar is conveniently located right behind this row) and to observe the lengths some of the followers go into to dance with the old tigers.
More on social etiquette at BsAs milongas from El Firulete: Girl Talk and Esta Solita?.
Summary
When can I visit again?
Sep. 18, 2004 - Stopover in Miami. Milonga at Randy's studio
Randy is skillful dancer/instructor who actually enjoys dancing and being the star of a show. The most welcoming host I have encountered so far. Milonga is in his newly remodelled studio and was attended mostly by students from his rather sizable class. There were couple Argentineans and surprise (to me) karaoke by local perfformer uncanningly similar to Goyneche in his delivery. I thoroughly enjoyed connection with two followers. As usual there is a pinch of nostalgia when you think about those particular dances. Most dancers do tango in open or in pseudo-close embrace in spite of valiant and mostly vocal efforts by Randy to squash couples together. I would modify my approach to instruction instead.
Sep. 16, 2004 - Tango is a mature person's dance
Another excerpt from Hyla's post, which sounds very true:
Tango is a mature person's dance, it is for me the antidote to the youth cult that we have in the US. A lot of those fabulous women dancers in Argentina and elsewhere are older, have lived through a lot, and have learned to be here, be heavy, make no apologies, don't try to be so perfect, so easy, so compliant. They are in touch with their centers, their emotions, they are grounded. These women, whether young or old, do not try to fly away on the tippy toes. They are right there with their leads, listening, answering back, challenging, agreeing, becoming full partners in the making of something beautiful, rather than merely empty vessels waiting to be filled with the lead's brilliance. Some dance on a more pointed foot, some on a flatter foot; some have "stiff backs", some don't; some give a lot of resistance to the lead, some don't, but they all have maturity and depth and full personalities. I am glad that since I have no desire to get any younger (anyone here really want to repeat high school?), there are some things that I might be able to get better at, as I get older. Tango, as far as I am concerned, is one of them.
Mature... In tango context I refer to these definitions:
- Of, relating to, or characteristic of full development, either mental or physical: mature for her age.
- Worked out fully by the mind; considered: a mature plan of action.
Considered is probably the most critical part of these two definitions - one has many points of reference and understands and tolerates many things, which previously could have been unacceptable (very well described in the beautiful and wise post by Polly McBride from Portland, Oregon below). Considering considered definition the usage example: “mature for her age” also rings true – reference to age is tenuous: not every old person is mature (here I disagree with Hyla), even though many more young people are immature.
There is much to be said about.....Tango and Maturity
Time can be our best friend or not. Through its passage we gain wisdom and understanding of a million things we had no clue about in our youth. We've learned how to learn and that ego-me-go takes us nowhere. We understand love, loss, longing, and the lessons life has led us through. It tickfully reminds us of our m-m-m-mortality.
With each year we have more to offer and to share. We bring more to the floor and receive increased benefits from the dance, our partner, the music and the experience. The more we give, the more we perceive how much more we receive.
The combined pleasures of holding or being held by a partner, haunting and playful music, inspired choreography, and living in the moment, create some incredibly sweet and powerful connections. The delcicious footprints left lingering on our soul/sole keep us coming back for more.
In our youth we would have enjoyed the dance on different levels than we do now. (Assuming the reader is beyond their kinderyears.) We would have enjoyed the music, being in close proximity with an attractive partner, playful footwork, and the excitement. (We still do of course.) Now there is much more and the "more" makes everything else exquisite.
In our "maturity" we hold a myriad of emotions and memories that have become part of our inner being. Tango music touches us more deeply because our heart and soul have deepened. Our connection with the music and our partner reflect those depths, and we respond with heart, body, mind, and soul.
We love watching young folks dance tango, knowing that somewhere in time they will truly understand it. Meanwhile, we will share our unspoken understandings with them as they share their exuberance and energy with us. This magical blending of generations will keep tango a living dance. It lives through us as we live through it.
Each time we're on the floor, our dance changes. Ever so slightly, perhaps, but it grows right along with us. We connect with a partner for short intervals that contribute to the accumulation of many hours and miles. While we nurture another, we nurture the dance. The art of refined caring comes with maturity. We have learned the importance of taking care of someone, including ourselves. And we've learned that tango takes care of us in ways we never dreamed possible, so we trust ourselves in its embrace.
With maturity comes balance, growth, deepened tango and selective vulnerability.
Sep. 16, 2004 - Constructive Rest Position - a cure for stiff back
If you go to tango festivals chances are you will experience fatigue in your back muscles - I do, usually after four hours of dancing or after dancing with followers for whom I need to overcompensate by leaning forward too much. The best way to fix this problem is to have a massage. There was a massage therapist at the Memorial Day festival in Denver - in 15 minutes she completely restored my post-overnight milonga back.
There were no such therapist at the Labor Day festival. So someone recommended me to lay on the floor for 15 minutes with knees and head lifted up. The technique is called "Constructive Rest Position". Hyla Dickinson posted detailed (and long) description at Tango-L. Here is an excerpt:
Lie on the floor with your knees bent, feet on the floor, or rest your calves up on the seat of a chair; the main thing is that your thighs should be at a 45-90 degree angle to the floor. Put a folded towel under your head so it is maybe an inch off the floor, to help align the spine. The feet and knees are about four to six inches apart, wherever you feel the least tension, and about in line with the "sit bones". Just stay in that position, noticing whatever tension or discomfort is in your back, hips, belly, etc., for 10-20 minutes, more if you like. (blankets can be nice if you are cold, and it's good to have carpet or a towel on the floor, but don't do this on a soft surface like a bed--you need the feedback from a level, unyielding surface).
The great thing about the CRP. is that the entire spine is supported against gravity, and the position of the legs puts no strain or tension on the long torso and back muscles. So if your back is arching up, twisting, pushing one side into the floor or lifting one side off the floor, then you can say "hey, this is tension that is always there that I never even recognized! Those muscles are stuck in the "on" position!" Just say to yourself, "I don't need to be using those muscles, how do they turn off?" and then notice what happens. Don't try to force your back to flatten or make the muscles relax, just notice where it feels tight, where it hurts, areas where you don't feel anything at all, and let the awareness create the possibility for change. Sometimes before an area lets go, it seems to hurt more, as it comes to your attention, and then it will sort of all let go, like a huge knot just fell apart.
The more often you do this, the more you will notice, and more things will let go. Remember that when a muscle is relaxed, it is actually NOT DOING ANYTHING. So don't try to relax or stretch or do anything at all, just notice what you feel and how things change or don't change. Sometimes you will notice an emotion connected with the tension or its release, just feel and notice that, as well. It is so simple, it can be hard.
For me (as for many others) the first few times that I actually felt relaxed through the back were actually scary and uncomfortable. I wasn't used to feeling "like that". The sense of freedom and ease were nice, but I also felt vulnerable and unsupported. At first I was unable to keep that sense of relaxation because it was almost unpleasant. Once I realized that those strange, icky feelings were not all bad, and began to work with them along with the physical tension, a lot began to change very fast. This has been a tremendous help to my dance, balance, emotional stability, groundedness, ability to connect.
Sep. 16, 2004 - BsAs in NY Times
You start planning your trip to Buenos Aires and lo and behold New York Times provides you with an Insider Address Book for BsAs. The world is my oyster? Site registration is a sham basically - all you need to provide is unique name and password. Bogus email should work.
Sep. 15, 2004 - Tango music analysis - audio aid
Someone with New York accent decided to skip the practica. Well, at least my command of "a" single axis turn has improved. Soon it will be time to invent my own turns.
You post something at Tango-L and it might haunt you months later. I got email from someone interested in tango music analysis by Orquesta Escuela de Tango. The CD "De Contrapunto" is available at TangoStore.com. I will try to get one for myself in Buenos Aires even though I still consider that simply listening (and enjoying) music is more important for a dancer than any analysis.
Sep. 14, 2004 - Tango in Harlem
"Tango in Harlem" by Touch and Go: "It's a great place New York. I mean, they have the best muffins and bagels in the world..." - brilliant existential nonsequetur. Also very good in a throbbing way (to steal from Nabokov) is "Straight to... Number One. Dreamcatcher mix" - another great alternative tango. Good CD with two great and one blah tracks. I listen to it almost nonstop for second day in a row.
I am off to Denver practica again - I know someone with New York accent going to be there and I need to practice those single axis turns as well as volcadas from cossfeet position.
Sep. 10, 2004 - Intimate Strangers
Intimate Strangers - what a perfect title for tango experience. A while ago there was a thread on Tango-L about movies, which have tango in spirit. "Lost in Translation" was one of them. "Intimate Strangers" by Patrice Leconte is another one, maybe even more so - more precarious movie experience. Emotional development from clinical despair to shared healing with some delicious ganchos sprinkled along the way. Some motives are all too familiar. Recommended.
I have checked Leconte's filmography at IMDB and one of his movies from 1993 is titled simply "Tango". Judging from the plot synopsis it has nothing to do with dancing. That in combination with the "Intimate Strangers" experience tells me that Patrice might be tango admirer - he understands the spirit well and likes to film it. I would like to even speculate that he could be a dancer - in the closing shot of "Intimate Strangers" woman is doing typical cross.
Sep. 10, 2004 - Borges and a movie
Borges rocks. Except when he writes poems about tango. "Kafka and his precursors" is gem illustrating the maxim that all of us are sages in the hindsight with nice collective consciousness twist.
"El hijo de la novia" - the movie treads familiar grounds: there is work and there is life, the second should not be sacrificed for the sake of the first. Set against lush shabby backdrops of Buenos Aires. It let me assess the level of my Spanish. At this point I think I might be able to communicate with kids and Alzimer stricken patients.
Sep. 9, 2004 - On being grounded
The buns discussion got me thinking about being grounded as this was the main argument for walking the way Robert does.
Here are two _extreme_ examples illustrating the two types of being grounded: from the hip - long distance walker fluidly gyrating his tush at Olympics; using entire leg (bent knees) - Kung Fu practitioner. Both are well connected with the earth and balanced. The second, Kung Fu example allows huge variety of steps and I guess that’s why I like being grounded in this way, since I like to reach out and play with follower’s legs and feet. I would like to repeat that these illustrations are extreme, neither Robert is as fluid in the way he walks no do I bend my knees that much.
The second argument was stress to the knees. The contra-argument could be possible stress to the hip joints, but I prefer an example of all those elderly people doing Kung Fu at sunset – it’s all in the technique.
For some reason only picture of Kung Fu at sunset and on the beach comes to mind. Why is that?.
Sep. 9, 2004 - Root chakra and tango tush spin-off
The comment I have made about Robert Hauk's lesson (see Sep.7) generated a flurry of emails and some discussion on Tango-L. All this activity wasn't in vain - I have clarified to myself some of peculiarities of my own style (it's all about me as usual) and solved a long standing mistery of me being unable to dance well with the followers who are taller than me.
When I go for a long walk I end up with locked legs by the end of the walk not unlike those guys who walk in Olympics - the correct metaphor for Robert's tango tush style. I bend my knees more when I dance for four reasons: because I can (my legs are fairly strong), because it let’s me to give extended, powerful lead with my torso when I step (similar to those large Pugliese steps Robin taught, but smaller, no issues with follower not being able to notice the weight changes), because it keeps me balanced when I fool around the follower’s legs/feet – I like that and need the balance and the reach, and because it gives me the opportunity to contrast with the occasional quick and tiny steps where I completely straighten my leg (in milonga usually). All of the reasons are basically elements of style different from Robert's.
So why do I have so much trouble leading the followers who are taller than me? I straighten up too much, loose my balance, the free leg reach and the strong step lead qualities. Solution? Do not change your posture with tall followers, put your head on their breast and enjoy the feeling.
Sep. 7, 2004 - Labor Day tango festival in Denver – impressions three days and minus three pounds later
Impression #1: The lessons – the farce and the poetry.
Two brightest impressions (besides an amazing display of root charka by Robin):
- Two bickering leaders at “Doing nothing to Pugliese” lesson for ten minutes doing nothing but bumping into each other and locking horns over where the inner and where the outer line of dance is and (in roaring wisper) why the other one is such an imbecile because _he_ crossed that imaginary line. I personally have not taken sides and agreed with both. I wonder what their partners thought about these guys? Granted the step taught at the lesson can be wide and intrusive why not spread a bit more or walk to other part of the room altogether – it is just a class after all.
- New fantastic feeling of actually flying through the single axis turn. This was something I was looking forward to learn for some time now and Hsueh-tze has delivered in spite of all the poetry she spreads liberally throughout her lessons (yes, she is a poet and I remain obstinately unenthusiastic about poetry). It is hard to pick single axis turn just by watching others – the mechanics are significantly different from other steps. All I could do was admire the flair, but I would always loose my balance when I tried to do it myself. Now I have the privilege of doing it because she knows how to break it down to important elements. Thanks Hsueh-tze.
She tantalizingly pointed out that she knows at least twelve different single axis turns and I happen to believe her, but restrained myself from taking private anyway because my rule of thumb is “learn no more than two new steps in any given weekend, you’ll forget the rest”. Hsueh-tze demoed one of the additional turns per my request in one stealthy swoop, which looked uncunningly similar to a move from kung fu movie – quick, beautiful and entirely incomprehensible.Overall the classes I went to where not bad at all.
Robin Thomas and Jeniffer Bratt’s class on Doing nothing to Pugliese was hands down the most entertaining and covered not only the footwork, but also root chakra, follower embellishments, root chakra, fundamentals from the root chakra perspective and of course musicality (root chakra sublimated). One of the followers told me that I am great Pugliese dancer – dubious compliment if you think about it, because now I have to work on being good with hundreds remaining individual orchestras. Robin often uses connecting side steps around the follower. I don’t do it nearly as often – new perspective gained (there is another valuable lesson hidden somewhere here ).
Hsueh-tze’s lesson on “a” single axis turn, as she put it, was great as I have mentioned above. Meticulous and well paced. I have caught only the last ten minutes of her another, milonga lesson where I have learned that I can do one of my usual milonga steps backwards (also by going back) and weaving it a bit (new variation). I have added the weaving brush to my forward step and it does feel good especially with slow milongas. There must have been more in the hour I have missed.
Robert Hauk's and Barbara Durr's lesson for beginners certainly opened new horizons to me too. At some point during the lesson Robert solemnly informed the beginners not yet hardened by rigors of hours of back ocho exercises that he can tell if leader is any good by looking at his behind while he walks and proceeded with demonstration of essentially Travolta walk from Saturday Night Fever as far as butt is concerned.
While I have admired the nonchalant suavity of his butt movement I couldn’t help pondering if I ever be able to be a good dancer in Robert’s eyes, considering that I prefer to use muscles of my entire leg to maintain good balance instead of just buttocks. Then to my utter horror I have recalled that Cacho Dante seemed to be doing the same thing and when later on I shared my concerns with Jani he happily informed me that this is what all of them do in Buenos Aires. Wellllll, I have never analyzed the finer points of gyrating my own tush while I dance, maybe I still have a chance? Or better yet one can still be a good Argentine tango dancer without excessive suavity expressed via his butt? I’ll have to investigate this matter further during upcoming visit to Buenos Aires. By the way I should keep it to myself probably but Barbara happens to be a very good follower (I am talking from connection, not behind perspective).
Impression #2: The dancing – humiliation and humility
It happened again, a follower walked out on me after just two dances in the tanda. Quite a blow, since it does not happen all that often lately. As any average Joe I blame this occurrence on combination of conspiring forces: shoes, floor, afternoon nap, differing dance styles and of course lawyers. (By the way if one does not wish to ever dance with me again the easiest way to achieve this goal is to walk out on me after only two songs in the tanda. Human, only human.) To heal the humiliation I have decided to perform an exercise in humility for the rest of the festival and not to walk out on any not so great dancers if I were to dance with them. As a precaution I decided to dance with only those followers who I know for sure will enjoy the experience. By 4 AM on Monday morning the selection narrowed down to one follower and, boy, would I be a happy puppy dancing with her only if it were not for painful life experience she went through and shared with me. Only now do I understand what makes her such an amazing tango dancer. The sword is brittle.
The music. I have a simple question: “Where can I get Tango in Harlem, besides bribing Robin in some way?” The alternative milonga he DJed this time was absolutely fantabulous. The conventional milongas were also quite good. All DJs even played no more than three milongas in one tanda and played slow milongas mostly, a pleasant surprise. Less people came compare to Memorial day weekend, but overall quality was high especially from the dancers coming from New York.
Discovered another tango blog describing Denver festival. Directly from the Godfather of the Memphis Argentine Tango Society. Impressions from Labor Day festival.
I understand now why does she have that style. It’s a case where deep personal trauma transgresses the poise. I could feel the undercurrents, now I know the understory:
Hard work in the foreign country. Two bright grown up daughters. Family visit. Fatal car accident. Dance lessons, which happened to be in Argentine tango, to cure the pain.
It hit me hard the next morning as I was listening to Nina Simone in my car. I was too tired to react at the overnight milonga and so we simply held on to each other as we danced for couple more hours – what else could I possibly do?
Sep. 3, 2004 - On quality of close embrace connection, follower perspective
Linda~ has posted some of her experiences with connection on Tango-L:
There's the awkward, timid connection. It's commonly found in beginners, but I've found that beginner leaders who learn close-embrace first don't seem to have as much trepidation. I think this is because the main thing for them is to maintain a good connection, so they don't have as much pressure to lead particular steps ("Oops, I didn t lead you to the cross").
Another common type is the business-as-usual connection, where the embrace is mundane, there s not much feeling between partners and you feel like you re just going through the motions. The dance is pleasant, but I could be drinking coffee.
There s the trust-me connection. There's a leader I know whose embrace is quiet but resolute, calm but totally in control. It is easy to surrender to his lead because the trust is established immediately in the beginning.
There s the passionate connection that ranges anywhere from quietly intense to "Ay, mi vida!" By that, I mean that the leader is full of energy (but not body noise), and his enthusiasm is infectious. Milongas are as uproarious as an open fire, and in the quiet moments, you can feel the emotion humming beneath his skin. The lead is clear, but not rough.
On another note, I have a tendency to assume that open-embrace (particularly nuevo tango) to have lots of motion, while close-embrace is a lot more calm. One memorable dance had all the circular dynamism of nuevo, but it was done in close-embrace. It was completely new and unusual to me, and it blew me away. [this is how good dancers dance in Buenos Aires - OK]
Lastly, the all-encompassing connection: there was a series of dances where I no longer thought of myself as a separate entity. I was completely lost in my partner, like when two colors of paint swirl together. I guess this is what people call trance, but I ve never experienced anything quite so powerful.
Sep. 2, 2004 - On quality of close embrace connection
Listed below are some of connections I have experienced. I describe the followers styles only since I have not had a chance to experience different quality of leads. Everything applies to close embrace only of course.
Steady presence – the most common. Experienced with the close embrace followers who are aware that they need to be present but not comfortable enough with the lead cues to start fooling around with connection. Very easy to lead. The experience can range from flat to trance.
Dynamic horizontal axis – strong presence in the beginning of the stride somewhat lesser by the end of the stride (Alicia Ponce).
Dynamic diagonal axis – dangerous vulnerability, like a sword twisting and unfolding – experienced with one follower only. How does she do it? You fall into trance and do not wish to get out.
Fluid connection – the most challenging to lead and to follow. Quite a bit of twisting in the upper body. The most fun for milonga. Should be used by advanced dancers only and even then only when they are comfortable with each other’s lead and follow habits after the first dance in the tanda. The person has to be naturally wicked to follow this way. Do not force it otherwise it will be percieved as a lot of body noise.
“Love me now, you fool” connection – not always possible to reciprocate, especially on the dance floor.
The big momma connection – does not necessarily correlates with body size, however usually does. The follower puts you in her motherly embrace and owns you for duration of the dance. Later on she might mention: “oh, your lead is so cute”.
Fleeing connection – it's like stepping into thin air or chasing a ghost, very frustrating. Experienced with advanced dancers trained in open embrace who have no problem doing the footwork however essentially dance with themselves. Not all advanced followers who started with open embrace dance this way however I am yet to find a follower who started with close embrace dancing with fleeing connection.
Absent minded connection - experienced with some beginner-intermediate level followers trained in open embrace style. They often simply ignore the torso lead and either proceed with what they think might be implied or wait for the arms to push-pull. Unfortunately quite common around here.
Soft connection – response was like leading a pillow and I am not talking about breast size here – no edge whatsoever. Not for Pugliese, could work with later Fresedo I guess.
Flat connection (as soda without bubbles) – usually comes from the followers who are aware of necessity of presence but prefer to chat while they dance.
Refrigerator connection – it’s like pushing refrigerator around the floor. Experienced once only. Embrace was entirely superfluous.
Trepid connection – beginners, who literally tremble in your arms. This stage passes as experience gained, usually.
I wonder what are leaders like?
Sep. 1, 2004 - Un Mes de la Cultura Argentina
I dedicate this month to Argentina: study Spanish, dance tango, watch Argentenian movies, drink vino tinto from Mendoza (recommended), read Borges and Cortazar and visit Buenos Aires - not too bad a pasttime if you ask me.
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