My tango journey continues...

tangopilgrim.com

2009-11-30T14:16:00.003-05:00

is the new home of my blog. Please update your link to www.tangopilgrim.com.

The past weekend was tango inspiring. Some tango friends were in town. So I got to dance three nights of good tango in a row. I had experienced tango high again. Thank tango god. :-) I had some tango conversations/debates over dinner. I got the chance to practice following for a couple of hours. And of course NOW I am having quite a few thoughts that I want to share.

But first I have to sort out some technical matters with the new site.

Thank you all for reading my little blog for the past two and half years. You might no agree with some of the posts I wrote but I appreciate your candid comments. I have met dancers around the world who told me they liked (or loved) my blog. And I am sure there are readers out there who are sneering at what I've posted. The great thing about tango is that it is multilayered.

So here is my last post on blogger, just about two years from my first trip to Buenos Aires. In retrospect, I feel blessed in my tango journey. I've changed some, but my idea of tango is still the same:

Tango is a feeling in the music, the embrace and the sound of breaths.

Tango Music Collection

2009-11-19T18:47:00.007-05:00

(imagine from Montreal et aileurs)

I am sorting out my music library and putting it on this blog by orchestra under label "tango music collection", with reference links to eng.tango.info and todotango.com.

Music has always been my inspiration to dance tango. Even though I've been dancing much less these days, the love for the music still keeps me here.

I am expanding my library on the weekly basis. So check back from time to time. I will try to post some of my favorite tandas under individual orchestras as well.

La tupungatina

2009-11-17T16:20:00.005-05:00

This is one of my favorite Pugliese instrumentale. Interestingly, there are two different versions of this song, learned first from Royce. You can read here.

The shorter version is 3.55 minutes long, I think, which could be found on BTAC Collecion Revista Vol. 01. - Osvaldo Pugliese y su orquesta - Años '52 / '53. The more commonly available version is 4.06 minutes long from Reliquias' Cantan Alberto Morán y Roberto Chanel.

I like Fabian Peralta y Virginia Pandolfi's performance the best. I like Peralta's recent performance seen on youtube. There is more subtlety in his movement and less flashy. I really enjoy the musicality these two have expressed. And how they walked to the music.

Perfect example of how Pugliese is danced in the milonga setting. Simple, smooth yet musical. Less is more, and it seems so effortless.

Both of them are amazing dancers. I love the way Tate dancing socially in the milonga. Here, however, since they are not regular partners, the performance lacks of chemistry, despite occasional demonstration of individual brilliance.

Pay attention the pauses in all these performances in didactic context. It is interesting to see how each selected which phrases to dance and where in the music to pause. For me, the first two performances,even while the dancers were pausing, the intention still carried the music. So the both performances felt uninterrupted, smooth and flowing to the music. The third one, the pauses interrupted the flow of the whole dance, therefore the music choppy.

Tango is internal.

2009-11-05T20:10:00.004-05:00

I used to be puzzled yet at the same time fascinated by some of my close tanguera friends' tango experiences. How certain men would make them feel...using their own words: "opening up like a flower", "that he knows every inch of my body"... or simply "orgasmic". I felt jealous when I listened to these tales.

Just about one year after I started dancing in the milongas, I had already received compliments. Women told me sincerely how beautiful my various partners and I looked together. Some men, who had danced for a longer time, pat me on the shoulder and said that they were going to steal a few moves from me. I knew that I could make women look beautiful dancing with me and make most of them dreaming in my embrace. Everyone told me I was a good dancer, but I wanted to be the best.

When I was not dancing in the milonga, I liked to just sit and observe. I paid attention to how people move and what expressions they wore on their face. And I observed a couple of said men dancing. At first, I felt unjustified.

There was this man, who a friend of mine said that she would go to a milonga just to hope to have a tanda with him. I looked at him barely dancing and questioned " his movement doesn't have music. "

"Oh... he is so musical."

I don't understand women... I have twice better posture and movement than this guy. My walk is much more elegant. I definitely dance better than this guy. Hmmm!!!

There is this instructor from BsAs. The first time I saw him dancing. I thought to myself " What's the deal?"

He didn't move much. The woman in his embrace wasn't what you would call dancing either, movement was sporadic. Yet the expression of the woman's face was intriguing: eyes closed, small beads of sweat falling through their pink cheeks. A lot of women were thrilled to dance with him. According to some, dancing with him was a tangasmic experience.

I believed the first hand accounts of my friends. But I didn't understand or start to understand till this post.

Shortly after, one summer night, I was at this outdoor milonga. The night was beautiful. The music was alternative, a beautiful guitar piece by Chris Spheeris. I took this tanguera friend's hand and embraced her. She was on her platform sandal, and I my flip flop. The floor was uneven wood plank. We didn't dance the way we used to dance. I didn't even lead ocho. We just embraced and breathed together. Walked slowly, one step then another...

She told me after that she hadn't felt this way for a long time.

Me neither... I finally start to get it:

Tango is internal.

We really don't need to do all these movement to connect with the other. Sacada, volcada, boleo, open embrace, fluid embrace...etc these are all external, like how many different positions does a couple have to do in order to achieve orgasm? Or does one have to do a series of movements in order to reach the deepest and most tranquil state in meditation?

I like what maestro Juan Carlos Copes said:

Lo más difícil del tango es hacerlo fáci
Lo más difícil del tango es caminarlo.
Lo más difícil del tango es sentirlo y demostrar lo que se siente.
Algo muy distinto que bailar para los demás.
El tango se lo baila para uno…
(first read it here)

although it took a few years for me to understand.

Open or Close?

2009-10-30T15:03:00.003-04:00

I was djing at this milonga and playing a nice tanda of Calo con Beron. One of the guys who has been dancing for a couple of years asked one of the local teachers to dance. She was a dynamic dancer who has danced and performed with some of the biggest names in Tango. She gracefully accepted the invitation and embraced him. This guy, whom I know, danced decently. He walked with the music and did slow giros. Slowly the teacher closed her eyes...

All of sudden, he decided to open up the embrace and started performing some forever tango stunts, which was clearly beyond his physical capability. Looking at the expression of her stern face, trying to dance to his lead, I shook my head: this guys hadn't figured it out yet. He hadn't found his tango.

A couple of weeks later, at the same milonga I was dancing with a beautiful young woman from out of town. She had a decent embrace, dancing quite nicely. Our cheeks were touched. I was breathing smoothly, and I could hear her breathing. A moment of tranquility...

That lasted only less than two minutes, she went in and out and danced close to open afterward. The whole tanda, except the first two minutes, I had to figure how to dance with her. It was like trying to sleep, but constantly being waken up. I hadn't asked her to dance again, although she was very beautiful young woman.

I have paid attention to how good teachers, dancers and performers dancing socially in the milongas. Most of them don't break the embrace and do the amazing things that they do in the performances. Most of them dance very calmly, one step at a time. The ones who are moving like chicken without a head, showing everything they have learned yet mastered on the floor are the clueless wannabes.

There are nothing, in my opinion, that one wants to express in the music or communicate with partner, that one couldn't do it within the embrace. You could, however, find a lot of things missing in the open embrace.

Don't follow me

2009-10-26T15:36:00.003-04:00

I said to a young woman, whom had danced only six months but seemed to be a natural tanguera with warm embrace, at a practica.

"I don't follow you?" She was surprised, not surprisingly from anyone whom had been taught to follow the "leader"/men from the first class.

"Follow the music and your own body." I smiled, hoping that she would somehow catch the idea, not turning into one of the many women whom just try to follow the movements of the men. I then showed her what I meant, briefly.

It could be overwhelming, this information. It took me almost two years, from Javier's lesson of "being selfish" to my turning point discovery of "the most important dance...", to start dancing without first thinking about how to lead.

Tango is not about leading and following.

If you think of tango as a conversation between the two, then leading and following is like reading from the script. If you think of tango as a dance of improvisation, then leading and following is like choreographed. If you think of tango as man showing the beauty of the woman, then the woman has to know how to shine when the opportunity arises.

The experience of dancing with a woman whom just follow, regardless how impeccable her technique is, is utterly uninspiring. And vice versa (Marite's response at the end of the post).

Giving and receiving

2009-10-09T13:00:00.002-04:00

Simba's post "important difference" echoed a sentiment that I've been having: I like to receive as much as I give in tango.

According to my tanguera friend, whom had a few conversations with our teacher at Tangocamp and in BsAs, his philosophy is to give love to all regardless if you expect it to be returned or not. you are there to please the other person. I like that idea, and always follow it reasonably well. And on the blogsphere, there are good amount of posts about how a man should take good care of woman and give a good time to the woman in the dance.

But how about us, the man? What gives us the pleasure of tango? What kind of woman gives us the "ah..." at the end of song, the heart rate that equals to 30 minutes on the treadmill, or in my case, an tangorgasmic experience that I had to hold my tears?

I had a few conversations with my fellow tangueros (the ones whom are popular in the milongas). Yes, men talk too. :-) The most we talk about: a woman's embrace...

The first time I came back from Buenos Aires, I ranted about the change of embrace on this side of the world; distant, somewhat cold (or nervous) and unnatural as oppose to warm and comfy. It has been close to two years since my first trip back and I have been dancing with hundreds of different women. The more I dance, the more I realize that embrace is as much about technique as attitude; much less to do with experience. Tina has this post that has been always inspiring.

Some of the warmest and most comfy embrace I have experienced were from women had danced just a few months to less than three years. And it is not about particular group of women. The Asian, European and North American can embrace just as well as the Portenas. Some portena's embrace can feel cold and stiff. Again, part technique, mostly attitude.

The attitude of giving. The attitude of pleasing the other person.

Sometimes one has to give in order to receive.

Royce's tango music posts

2009-10-04T17:44:00.006-04:00

Thanks to Royce's recent music posts, my check amounting balance has just decreased triple digits. But seriously, anyone serious about tango music should check out her latest posts.

Here is her blog. Enjoy, and watch your wallet. :-)

BTW. The joy of listening to good tango music is... PRICELESS.

La Melodia del Corazon

2009-09-27T16:28:00.002-04:00

La Melodia del Corazon, the tango derivative of Etude by Chopin, by Donato con Gavio and Canaro con Amor. The Donato version is mostly played during performance. I am not a huge fan of Canaro, except his milongas. I did make a Canaro Con Amor tanda with this song as the last one and played it last week at a practica. It was quite nice actually.

A more modern rendition, they were like two butterflies floating on the floor.

Crash

2009-09-25T15:51:00.000-04:00

The unpleasant aftereffect of an orgasmic tango experience is the inevitable crash, the emptiness that follows as hollow as black hole. After having that experience every night for four night straight, dancing till exhaustion, one could only imagine the severity of the crash.

I am not alone. A buddy of mine has been disinterested of dancing since he came back from a trip a couple of months ago. He hasn't gone out as often lately. Whenever he was at the milonga, he hung out most of the time. We have mutual sympathy for each other.

I don't know how long this will last. It is not a plateau or a slump. I am still improving technically. I have been trying to go out and dance. I have had some good tango experience.

But good isn't good enough.

Some asked: " Don't you wish that you haven't had that experience? "
" Better missing it than never had experienced it. " I answered.

Que Falta Que Me Haces

2009-09-18T13:45:00.003-04:00

Love Calo con Podesta, but haven't danced to this song for while.

J&G

S&R

O&S

S&A

Dance with the stars

2009-09-15T16:00:00.006-04:00

So I was at this milonga and witnessed a theatrical scene... to say the least.

One of the local tangueras went to a well known tango "star" and commanded for a dance. After being turned down, according to "first hand" recounting, she threw a fit and berated him with names and something like " you are in my country. You will do what I told you...". Then she slapped him and was countered. She went to ground... and all hell broke loose. She subsequently threw a glass of RED wine to him and a few people sitting with him got some of that... including a teacher I have respect for.

I was dancing a milonga set with a friend of mine on the floor. I passed by the spot, annoyed by the commotion. What I saw was that the woman on the ground, then got up and went after the "star"; the star was refrained by his friends to execute a front kick, no mistakenly a trained martial arts move. I danced away immediately from that spot and only stopped when the commotion grew wilder at another corner.

Well, this post is not about who's right or who's wrong. Nor about discussion of public opinions of this sort of things. So I would delete any comments in that nature. And of course, no names will be revealed publicly, although I suspect the gossip will spread around if it hadn't already.

The post is about dancing with the "stars".

First of all, let me make my position clear: I don't believe in calling or labeling anyone "star" or "deity", let alone "god or goddess.". They are just normal human beings who happen to excel in their profession.

Secondly, it is delusional to think that just because one has danced with and being seen dancing with a "star", that one's tango status has immediately elevated. A "star" dances with regular dancers for many reasons: y0u are a student or a target student, you are the DJ or the organizer, you are an acquaintance or a friend, you are deliciously gorgeous and in a sexy outfit, or in few cases that you are really good dancer...

Thirdly, your "deities" are also human beings. They could get tired, impatient or drunk. Sometimes milonga is the place they relax after a long day of teaching and performing. They surely don't the obligation to dance with anyone whom they don't feel like dancing.

I have been to four festivals this summer and all these festivals were stuffed with who is who in the tango world. Some of the female "stars" were generous to dance with common folks. Yet few of these common folks were really into the dance itself. They rather took the opportunities as a chance to show off their ridiculously shabby skills, pretending to be another "superstar", dragging and flinging the women around. I felt sorry for the "star" whom, sometimes being dragged on the floor, had to endure the torture and couldn't get off the floor quick enough once the music stopped.

I once asked a performer whom happened to be an acquaintance and sometimes would ask me for a dance in local milongas, at a festival milonga. She just performed that night with a well known tango "god". She first told me that she was bit drunk and would like to dance later. I pressured her because a few people (among, one of the godesses in tango world, if you will) were around and my pride got better of my sense. She got up and danced with me. We didn't connect, despite my favorite orchestra was on with my favorite songs. I tried, but she was not there. She could be tired and bit tipsy, or just dance with me because I insisted. Technically, we danced well. But I didn't enjoy it, nor could I imagine she did.

At another festival milonga in a faraway country, I was standing there looking for a partner to dance the Tanturi con Campos tanda. There came a woman standing next to me, coffee in her hand and singing along with song in Spanish. Although I don't often invite woman whom I haven't seen dancing before, I figured if she could sing along, she couldn't be a bad dancer. I caught her eyes and invited her. She was a bit surprised but told me that she could dance with me after she finished the coffee. A guy came by, greeted her and then asked her for a dance. She hesitated for a moment and explained to him that she promised to dance with me. (in Spanish they spoke). The guy apparently insisted so they went to the floor. I found out later that he was the organizer and she was one of the big "stars" who dances with the biggest name in nuevo world. I could have asked her for a dance again in the coming nights, but I didn't. Instead I danced with the regular dancers whom embraced me and gave me a hell of experience that I had never felt before.

I still look to dance with the "stars", not because they are the "stars". It is because some of them are amazing tangueras. I want to dance with them when they truly like to dance with me, that we could mutually enjoy the dance. Just like they enjoy dancing with some of their fellow "stars". (I have also seen them dancing with the fellow "stars" for the sake of just to dance with an acquaitance.)

In the end, for me the ultimate tango experience does not depend on with WHOM I dance. The ultimate tango experience occurs when two open their hearts, embrace each other and share the moments.

Non-Argentine Tango Salon Champ.

2009-08-31T14:39:00.000-04:00

The tango blog topic of the week is probably a Japanese couple won the Tango Salon category. I didn't follow this year's competition on youtube. I was busy dancing my heart out. Nonetheless it was quite a news that for the first time in the history, a non-Argentine couple won the Salon category.

And it is interesting to know that Yamao scored top position at Rondas Clasifications, and second place at Semifinales. There wasn't a surprise that they won the final, because they were the only couple in top 5 position in both rounds. They had been consistent with their performance.

I also noted that a Russian couple scored the second at Rondas Clasifications and seven at Semi. Out of the top 15 at Semi there were six international couples, four representing Japan, one Russia and another Chile. 40% non Argentine...Bravo to that!!!

A few months ago, I posted a few clips of Asian tanguero(a)s dancing on my private blog. I commented that traditional Salon Tango was very popular in Asia; judged from the teachers whom were invited to their festivals and workshops, the posture and walk and of course the embrace that dancers showed. I've danced with quite a few good to great Asian tangueras. I was impressed by their clean footwork, good energy and nice embrace. Most of them had spent months in BsAs, learning and dancing. Although in Asia, Tango has the shortest history, Yamao's winning of Salon proved that whoever said only Argentine knew how to dance tango was shortsighted.

Hard work, dedication and smartness can make up the shortcoming of language and culture difference. And I am not surprised that the Russian will win one in the future.

Lovely milonga

2009-08-26T16:13:00.002-04:00

I like and respect this couple more and more. Took their workshop at Baltimore Tango Element. Watched their performances at Moscow Milonguero Nights. Impressed by their professionalism and brilliance.

Hope you enjoy the above milonga as much as I did.

Amazing...

2009-08-25T17:57:00.000-04:00

If there were a tango nirvana in this world, I am sure I had been in it the last four days. Packed in some sightseeing around Moscow during daytime, I had been in the milonga till 6am every day except the first night. Body is tired, limps are sore, neck stiff... but my spirit is still high. The whole festival was full of new discovery, new friendship and new high of tango experience.

Quite a few tandas that I had danced, I'd experienced this indescribable, unprecedented and overwhelmingly strong sensation that I wanted to cry and scream. Two nights in a row, I had four tandas with two great dancers in the beginning of the night. After those four tandas, I was so physically and emotionally drained that I didn't get a second wind till 2 hours later.

I had certain expectation when I left for the festival. What I had experienced was ten times better. Some moments were really magical and unforgettable.

That's it, the highlight of my summer of tango, the festival of all festivals.

What's next, I wonder...

Summer of 2009

2009-08-13T18:45:00.000-04:00

Turns out to be a summer of tango festival for me. The next one, most likely the last one for the summer, Moscow Milonguero night is only six days away.

I am truly enjoying all the festivals I've gone to so far. A few reasons:

1) The festivals that I chose had great lineup of teachers, which attracted good attendances.

2) The places that the festivals were held were cities that I'd not visited, except Baltimore. I enjoyed visiting Roma as a tourist and spending half day at the Taste of Chicago at Millennium Park in Chicago.

3) I felt I was benefited from the workshops that I attended with all the masters. There was truly something to learn from everyone. I've been focusing on improving my milonga. The workshops with Julio y Corina and Sebastian y Mariana had opened my eyes. I am sure whatever I've taken in would help me down the road, in a few months from now. Just like things I'd learned over a year ago, they are much more clearer to me now.

4) Part of the fun of going to festival is to make friends, whom share the same addiction; and to see old friends. It was always a pleasant surprise to see some one you know showing up at the same festival. A big and long hug, kisses on the cheeks, it warmed the hearts. And it was nice to dance with them and feel the difference after all these times, most of them had improved and the dance experiences were felt much better. Tango people are mostly NOT CLIQUE. If you open yourself up and try to make friends, you will see that this is a big happy family...

Traveling around the world dancing tango is quite a tough job. And I am serious!!! The jet lag, the long line and the run around at the airports, the change of diet, the lack of sleep, the never waning anxiety, and on the top of them, five to eight hours dancing a day... it is quite physically challenging and it takes toll on the body.

That's why I am recuperating from the Baltimore Tango Element, which by the way was very good. Try to recondition my body, stretching, light exercising, good diet... After all, it is going to be four incredible days, probably the highlight of the summer, the festival of all festivals that I've gone to.

And my dance card is filling up quickly even before the festival (thanks to facebook)... I will let you know how it goes. I can't tell you how excited I am, how much I look forward to it.

The summer of 2009 turns out to be the second highlight on my tango journey, other than my trips to the Mecca.

Stop dancing with them

2009-08-05T17:00:00.001-04:00

Ms. Hedgehog's recent post inspired me to repost this with a few changes:

I was at this practica DJing. There went this old guy and a young beginner, dancing right in front of me. The guy was 6' tall and over 200 lbs; and the poor girl was like 5"6 with heels on, no more than 110 lbs. Beauty and the beast at the first sight.

What went on made me frowned: he was throwing her around, taking her off balance and forcing different nuevo/stage moves which clearly beyond the physical capabilities of both. (Why a sixty year old, who has no apparent dance background or the physicality of a fit man, would practice off axis volcada lead or anything that is off axis, is beyond my comprehension, although none of my business.) A few times, I thought the girl was about to twist her ankles or have a broken arm.

Yet the girl went on to dance two tandas with the old man. I was amazed... at her ability of enduring such a torture for over twenty minutes. Maybe it didn't hurt or feel uncomfortable as much as it appeared to me.

A couple of nights after, I was at my regular milonga dancing. All of sudden, there was this commotion that made everyone stop dancing. Some one was on the floor. Men were arguing. Instantly I knew whose fault it was.

This guy has been dancing for a long time, longer than I have. I had seen him dancing. He could dance nicely. Somehow he choosed to open up and do crazy stuffs all the time, crowded floor or not. I was following him one tanda. His movement was big and unpredictable. I had to be on constant alert. At one time, I elbowed him lightly when he almost backstepped into me. Enough was enough.

I was told later that the woman was tripped by this guy's partner. He must lead her doing some crazy stage/nuevo moves, as usual.

That got me thinking: so many women complaining men/bad dancers, yet these men are still getting dances from women. What's wrong with this picture? If you don't enjoy dancing with certain people, while keep dancing with them. Have you learned how to spot a bad dancer on the floor?

Do women get so desperate that they jump at every invitation that goes their way? I don't get it...

I don't invite women whom were seen dancing with bad dancers* frequently. And most of the time, these women get stuck with the same type of dancers. Bad by association. Good dancers look for good dancers to dance with. Besides, if you constantly dance with dancers whom have bad postures and inferior techniques, you develop bad habits unconsciously.

I was going to ask the aforementioned beginner to practice walking, show her how to embrace. But after one tanda and she still stayed with the old guy, I lost my interest and enthusiasm. She needed to learn by herself, how to say no, how to look for good dancers, sometimes the hard way.

I like to help beginner, intermediate or even some advanced dancers to improve or correct certain things in their dance. I don't do it actively unless I am asked. I rarely offer advices voluntarily unless I know the person very well. There are a lot of ego and self esteem among. For those who are eager to learn and to improve, I do like to offer them my hands without reservation.

Beginner and intermediate dancers have to make choice between not dancing and dancing with bad dancers. Remember: bad dancers are around because they are dancing. Some one is dancing with them. If you are that someone, then you shouldn't be complaining...

(* Bad dancers= those who have been dancers for years yet have no idea of how to navigate the floor, how to dance small and dance for each other and how to follow the line of dance...)

Simple, Elegant and Musical

2009-08-04T17:17:00.003-04:00

"The most important dance is...

2009-07-29T08:05:00.000-04:00

... the one that happens inside us."

I stole this title from a lovely and beautiful tango friend of mine. I've meant to write something about this for a long time. Words had escaped me.

A few months ago, I was in my worst tango slump. My favorite music didn't inspire me. I was on auto pilot most of the time, doing just steps. I felt I was repeating the same steps/sequences over and over again, and with the same partner. The energy was flat and I rushed to chase the music. I felt bored of myself for not being creative. I thought I didn't know how to dance any more. Some told me that I'd reached a plateau. I felt I was regressing.

I went for a private lesson with my first tango teacher.

"There is nothing wrong with your dance. Your technique is good, walk is nice, embrace is comfortable, and very musical..." She said to me, after danced a song or two. " What's wrong is up here. " She pointed to my head, jokingly.

"I had been there before. I understand. You need to forget about having the perfect technique, posture and steps. Try to find the tango within when you dance..." Break the mode. "and take your time, like tasting wine, sip it...like tasting chocolate, let it melting in your mouth."

Find the tango within...I chewed on it.

The next few weeks, every time I stepped onto the piso, I took a moment and looked inside. It was like a self meditation (or inner gaze). What moved me? Was it the woman whom I was about to embrace, the music or the energy of the place? I tried to find my own presence before I embraced the woman.

Then something magical and powerful happened. The connection was amazing. When I danced with beginner/intermediate level women, I felt that they were calm and following well. With good dancers, I felt like I was into their minds (hypnotized them) and their feet doing what I suggested. When I had the pleasure to dance with great women, I felt completely free, like they say, one body four feet.

I didn't think about how to move or what steps to take any more. Like Pedro said, just listen to the music, it tells you how to dance. I let the music and the woman inspire me. From time to time, I was pleasantly surprised by myself from the move or steps I did with music, sometimes things that I had never done before...

These days, I dance much less, two or three tandas a night, once or twice a week. If I don't find an inspiring partner in the milonga, I just sit and listen to the music. When I do dance, I rarely feel unsatisfied afterward.

"I am more interested in what moves people, than how they move." Pina Bausch

(posted by my first teacher when Ms.Bausch passed away not long ago)

Being turned down.

2009-07-22T13:34:00.000-04:00

There are so many reasons for a woman to turn down an invitation. I used to ponder and speculate them after being turned down. Then I realized I was wasting my time and energy.

What's the big deal? Look for those whom are looking for you. Go find the woman whom is willing to be in my embrace rather than wonder why this one doesn't want to. And these days, I rarely get turned down because:

a.) I adhere to cabeceo when I am in a festival.
b.) I am contented to have a great tanda a night, rather than take a risk to have ten mediocre ones.
c.) I am an excellent social dancer. Shameless brag yet it is true... haha.

Still, I get ticked off by this rejection: a woman turns me down by saying that she is tired and needs a rest. OK, fine and understandable. But the next song, she gets up right in front of my face and accepts an invitation from another man.

This, in my book of tango etiquette, is the biggest offender.

For sure, she will not be getting another look from me as long as I remember this episode. Not that she cares, Nor I.

The music is same old...

2009-07-19T18:28:00.004-04:00

I often hear people complaining about hearing the same music over and over again. They get bored.

I have been listening to the same old music over and over again for the past three years; more so recently as I started DJing. Sometimes I could listen to the same song over ten times a day. I never get bored, on the contrary I find something interesting and different each time I listen to the same song.

Then it occurs to me that the music isn't boring, just that people who complain never really listen.

The same piece of tango music has always been here, interpreted by different orchestras, sung by different singers and danced by thousands of dancers from various backgrounds in numerous ways. How could it be boring if there are thousands of different interpretations?

"Those who dance are considered insane by those who cannot hear the music."

Why People Quit Tango?

2009-07-14T22:21:00.013-04:00

Who cares!

The mentioned survey was circulating on FB a while ago. I took a glimpse and decided to skip it. What's the point? I have heard enough whining and bitching for the past three years, nothing new, and it is not going to change.

People quit everything: jobs, relationships/love, hobbies and sometimes their own lives. Things don't work out? Quit. Easiest solution. In this culture, few people seem to understand "no pain, no gain.".

Tango bliss doesn't come like a snap of fingers. Just because once out of blue moon, some dreamy dancer comes from other planet dances a blissful tanda with you by accident, then you are entitled to that blissful moment every time you dance? Wake up, people.

People demand a lot before they pay their own dues. Have you learned to stand on your own foot without losing balance? Have you learned how to embrace a person? Have you learned how to walk grounded without your partner feeling like hitting a pothole every step of the way?

The thing is that in order to truly enjoy tango, one has to invest a lot of time, mind, energy and money. You want to dance the top level in three years, you better have a athletic body, decent musicality, learn astutely from a few excellent teachers and dance four times a week, 52 weeks a year.

Otherwise, just accept the fact that you would be dancing with the rest of the people in the milongas, at your level. If you think that dancing with the others at your own level is a torture, an unpleasant experience, then strive to be a better dancer and work harder and smarter to get to the next level where dance experience is better. Too much work and not worth it? Then quit.

You are not going to be missed by anyone.

Cruelty? Yes, but also reality. Or maybe it is a blessing in disguise. You stop wasting your life on some hobby that you are not cut out for. There are more important and meaningful things in life than a stupid dance, right?

Listen to the music, it tells you how to dance.

2009-07-13T17:47:00.005-04:00

I was playing a tanda of De Caro in the milonga. The music started and she looked at me and said: " I am not sure I like this music." I smiled and said: " Let's give it a try." At the end of the tanda, I asked her how it was. She replied: " very interesting."

I used to stay away from the 50s or the early 30s songs, too orchestral or too simple. Lately I enjoy dancing wider range of music. Maybe it was the result of constantly listening tango music a couple of hours a day, seven days a week for the past three years. The once strange and hard to dance ones become interesting and inspiring. Or maybe I finally learn to listen to the music and look for what moves me in the music.

"Those who dance, are considered crazy by those who can't hear the music."

Chicago Tango Week 2009 Recap

2009-07-08T15:18:00.000-04:00

Just got back from Chicago Tango Week, all in all I had a pretty good time. Although the hotel is bit far in the suburb, I guess that it kept the cost down. One note for future reference, to save 28 bucks from the airport, take the Blue line to loop (stop Jackson) and transfer to Red line (Howard), at the end of Red line, take Yellow line and call the hotel for a shuttle pick up at the end of Yellow line. The whole trip takes about hour and half to two hours and the cost is only $2.50.

Class

The lineup of teachers was great, good balance of traditional and nuevo. I took two classes of Julio y Corina: milonga and vals. Their classes were fun to be in. I thought I learned more from the milonga class than the vals class. Maybe it was because I loved milonga but didn't like vals in general. In the milonga class, Julio y Corina had explained the principle of dancing milonga and then worked on a sequence excercise which later was demoed with different flavors and varieties. In vals, we mainly worked on two sequence, that required adjusting my embrace. I sat most of time just listening and watching.

Milonga

The Friday night milonga included live music by Otra Aires. The first part of the night was held up on the top floor. The ambiance was very nice and classy. I would have enjoyed it if it weren't because:

I started my dance with an almost beginner who was uncomfortable with embrace.
It got very crowded later when Otra Aires started playing and it was impossible to enjoy dancing on the floor. Besides, most of the pieces they played were probably more suitable for listening than dancing.
I was tired and cranky and didn't get into the rhythm.

The second part of the night was moved down to a big ballroom at the bottom floor. It was a nicer space for dancing. It was around 3:00am in the morning. I left soon after I had a nice tanda with an acquaintance. For Friday night, I had three tandas, went from bad ,to decent, to good.

Saturday night was a night of great dances. I had a very good time at the afternoon practilonga and continued the good fortunate into the night. Every single tanda I had danced was very good, except one being just decent (from someone I met in the practilonga who asked me for a dance).

Sunday night was slow, while a lot of people had gone home. I should have saved a night of hotel and left on Sunday. I enjoyed more watching all the masetros dancing socially. I had a few decent tandas and went upstairs packing for the early AM flight back home.

I thought all DJs had gone a very good job. Friday night, Adam was consistently good. Saturday night, Horacio was bit funky, just like the way I had experienced at La Viruta. He played 5 tangos and 4 milongas very often. The selection of songs was sometimes surprisingly good. The mixing of alternative, traditional and modern orchestras was smooth. And it was a good party all night long. Sunday night, Pablo Inza played cortina only occasionally, and within hour and half I had heard Pugliese played twice. But there wasn't a moment that I felt disliking the music. The energy was well controlled throughout the time I was at the milonga.

Next one on the agenda: Tango element in Baltimore and then Moscow Tango Festival in Moscow Russia.

Poema

2009-07-01T18:51:00.007-04:00

The first time I felt the woman's heart beat, I was dancing to Poema. I haven't danced or listened to it for a long long time. Although I have three tandas of Canaro con Maida, Poema isn't in any. It was like some old memory, being put aside and forgotten. Alex's recent post about eleven performances of this particular song brought it back. When some one from tango-l claimed that it was too precious to be interpreted by Carlos Copello and LunaPalacios, I laughed.

It was just a song. As a matter of fact, I know someone whom grew up listening to tango music dislikes it. I don't dislike it, but it isn't my favorite any more. It doesn't have the same effect to me as that time I danced to it and felt the woman's heart beat.

Maybe it was because I had felt many heartbeats since, or even better I felt the woman melting in my chest and I was out of this world dancing to different songs. Or maybe Roberto Maida's voice is less appealing to me, the music itself isn't that romantic. Or maybe it is so overhyped that turns me off. Whatever reason it might be, it is just another song, which doesn't even make into my tandas.

It is funny how things have changed as I progress. The once favorited and loved are no longer the favorited and loved. The once mattered is no longer mattered. As long as I am connected with the woman, any song sounds just like Poema, as I first felt the heartbeat of the woman.

Pugliese

2009-06-19T17:23:00.004-04:00

A lot of people dance Pugliese like stage performance on the milonga floor. Because the music is very powerful, average dancers will try to dance every beat. Pay attention to the floor next time you are in a milonga and not dancing to the tanda, and see how many of them dance frenzily.

The key is to control yourself and ride on top of the music, not just follow the music. Breathe along the music, use small adornment and movement to express the music. Take the time to dance, to talk to and feel the partner. Dance it like tasting a fine aged wine.

I don't normally dance Pugliese, hard to find the right partner. But when I do, it's often the best tanda of the night.

I always learn something when I watch them dancing.

Embrace

2009-06-11T16:59:00.007-04:00

I was at Javier and Stella's advanced class on Saturday morning at Tangocamp Roma. There was this young chica, slim and pretty, waiting for the class to begin by the door. Judged from her wristband, she was at the intermediate/advanced group. Apparently she was one of those Javier followers (such as myself :P) who tried to take every class with Javier.

The first half an hour, we did nothing but walking individually forward and back, up and down the classroom. Then we did a lapiz on free leg, walked a step; lapiz on the other free leg and walked another step... so on and so forth.

After twenty minutes Javier explained embrace, and asked us to pair up. This young chica paired up with me. Javier showed us the exercise: just put our arms around each other and walk.

I opened my arms and she put hers around me and embraced me. I could feel that she was tense, holding her breathe and nervous. Yet, there was something different, something that I felt I rarely experienced. She embraced me with feeling and emotion.

Stella stopped us at one point, corrected her posture and the way of her walking. Then we changed partners. The moment the other woman embraced me, I instantly missed her embrace. We partnered up again after two more changes till the end of the class.

We did nothing but walking in embrace. I was in a state that I was only aware of my own breathe, the music and her being. I could almost feel the emotion going through her body. And it was powerful.

After ten fifteen minutes, Javier stopped us and then put on a Pugliese. I turned around to her and we embraced again. All of sudden she loosed the embrace, mumbled something and gave me a little kiss on the cheek. I was a little surprised. She turned me around: Javier and Stella were doing a demo for us at the end of the class...

I had never had the chance to dance with her again, in the milonga. She was dancing with this guy for hours two night in a roll. I was too proud to walk over and asked her, although a few times I almost did.

I watched them dancing on the floor, amidst the frenzies of the crowd. They were just embracing each other; her eyes closed, his half open, her posture slightly awkward, foot lifted in the air from time to time, his moves far from grounded, but they were in their own world.

I danced till Monday morning and went back to my room to pack. I went out to the bar and tried to get some coffee before leaving for the airport and saw her at the reception with her luggage.

We smiled and waved at each other and I kept on walking. Half way back to my room, I couldn't help it but turned around and walked up to her.

"Are you leaving?" I asked.
"Yes" She looked at me.
"eh...I think you are going to be great. Keep dancing the way you do. You dance with such emotion..." I pointed to my heart.
"You too, with great emotion" She said sincerely and a bit excited.

We embraced each other for a long moment, one more time...

On my way back to my room, I realized that we didn't exchange any information, no names, no e-mails, nor facebook info. Somehow I felt that I would see her again somewhere, in one of the big festivals in Europe or a small milonga in BsAs. Next time when I dance with her, she would be great. She already had the most important quality. Technique is not important (as Javier told me), it would come as long as one works on it...

But "nobody can teach you the feeling..." as Gavito said.

Tangocamp Roma 2009 Recap

2009-06-10T14:11:00.004-04:00

This was my first Tangocamp experience and my first time dancing in Europe. I'd wanted to attend Tangocamp since 2007 and put off due to various reasons. Although I am not a big fan of tango festival, I took the trip as a vacation of visiting Rome and my friends in Umbria with tango as a side trip.

I had a very good time at the Tangocamp Roma, met some old friends (it is truly a small world) and got to know some new friends. It was more of a social event for me.

Class

I was a little disappointed that our group (advanced 3-5 yrs) did not include any Gustavo Naveira and Giselle Anne class. I had to take a drop in with them. I skipped three of my group classes and instead took one advanced extra with Damian Esell & Nancy Louzan and a intermediate/advanced with Javier Rodriguez and Stella Misse. Together with the class of Pable Inza and Eugenia Parilla, I had learned more ganchos and volcada in three days than in the last three years.

I know I am biased, but the classes with Javier and Stella were more beneficial for me. He started all the classes with half an hour walking back and forth, explained and corrected. In the advanced class, he introduced the idea of embellishment by instructing us to walk and lapiz on the free leg. In the intermediate/advanced class, we learned the exercise of giro and sacada, which I thought was helping me a lot.

Milonga

I thought the New York tango scene was pretty bad till I witnessed the festival scene. The piso was messy. Granted, it was a large milonga and had probably over three hundred people on the floor at the same time. But it was a large floor and I did see a lot of space in between couples. But it was those Gustavo/Chicho/whatever names wanna be who danced with no regards to the others. There were a lot of them.

I danced in the beginning and after 2:30am when the floor was cleared a bit. Still whenever I was on the floor, I felt the my dancing space was threaten. I got bumped into twice by the same guy from behind in one song. One guy made the effort of passing me around outside the floor and back... A lot of guys danced with their head dropped and tilt down. They led women doing all kinds of high boleos, or the women just did it by themselves. I almost laughed when I saw the seriousness of the hilarious moves.

That being said, I still enjoyed most of dances except one or two tandas. I made a rule to myself that I would not approach woman and ask for dance. If a woman doesn't understand the rule of cabaceo, she is probably not the type that I would enjoy dancing with anyway. Friday night, I had great tandas all night. Sat night the energy dip a bit, but Sunday I danced till five o'clock in the morning and went to my room packing then to the airport.

Since I am also DJing, I was paying attention to the music that was played. Although music played in all three nights was good, I found that the energy was not well controlled. And the music selections were plain, mainly on six major orchestras. For example, all three night I heard the same tandas of Tanturi con Campos: una emocion, oigo tu voz, with two more by three different DJs. And I hated mixed orchestras and four songs in a milonga tanda. But it was probably just me. :-)

All in all, I had a very good time at the festival. I was told by a woman from Rome that the level of dancing didn't reflect the actual quality of dance level in Rome. A expat friend of mine who lives in Italy told me that the level of dancing was much higher in other festivals in Italy that she had attended this year, such as the ones in Firenze and Torino. You can probably tell by the lineup of teachers at those festivals.

Now I had the experience, although very limited, of dancing in Europe. I would still come to Europe, the history and the root of tango is much longer there than in the states, but more for being tourist with tango as a bonus. For serious tango trips, I wouldn't be anywhere else but Buenos Aires.

Mozo Guapo

2009-05-27T15:20:00.002-04:00

My favorite milonga performed by my favorite people in BsAs: Ruben y Cherie.

Don't you just feel the joy of milonga that these two radiates...

Superb Musicality

2009-05-17T10:11:00.002-04:00

I've been watching this video over and over again. The more I watch it, the more I appreciate the musicality that they've showed in this performance. The embellishments just decorate perfectly.

Back to the public eyes again

2009-05-14T18:25:00.003-04:00

Last Friday I was dancing at a milonga. One guy came up to me and said: " Can I ask you a question? "

"Sure."

"What happened to your blog?" he asked.

I have never publicly stated the reason of turning it private. Some speculated that I was hiding because I couldn't face the heat of debates or different opinions. My reason was simple. My blog " Buenos Aires....where my tango journey begins" had become very popular. I could no longer write my thoughts without reservation. Sometimes when I wrote about my experience at the local tango scene, people got offended or felt uncomfortable. So there you go, only a few people got to read my thoughts.

Over the past year, I often received email requests to read my blog. People still remembered and were interested in my journey and my experience. Another tango friend of mine came to me on the same night last week and asked to access my blog.

And I started reading blogs again recently and felt that the newcomers could probably compare notes with someone whom had gone through similar journey of being a beginner, crazy about tango and see how I have evolved and how I still hold certain principle since day one.

So there it is...my public blog: My tango journey continues... Hope you enjoy it.

Do it a million times...

2009-03-29T11:30:00.001-04:00

I went to Cesar's milonga workshop yesterday. First time I took a workshop in two years. The workshop itself wasn't quite interesting, partly because of the overall level of the participants. Yet I learned something from this amazing teacher.

Cesar was a very good teacher. He stressed on fundamentals and the very core of tango. It wasn't about teaching the steps, even in the workshop environment. It was about dancing with feeling to the music, about walking with cadence.

One thing he said had particularly struck a cord. He stopped the class after watching for while and seeing most of the people were just rushing the steps. He told a story of how his father taught him dancing tango.

Cesar's father told him to just walk to the music. After a while, Cesar got bored. But his father insisted that he kept on walking. It was not till the 50,000 times that Cesar walked that he started to find cadence in walking, that he found something interesting in this seemingly boring walking. Repeat a million times, until you are bored...and you start looking for something interesting in the simplest thing... then you find tango.

Breathing exercise

2009-03-20T02:15:00.000-04:00

I discovered a practice myself this morning while driving to work. Listening to Pugliese on the road, I suddenly found that I was breathing along with the music. I thought that this is a good exercise. Like in Yoga practice, I was always told to just enjoy the breath, pay attention to the breath and let it take me to the presence. I think it also works in dance.

Try that: find any tango music and try to breathe along the music. It is a good exercise. It helped me to be more center and relax in the dance, more submerging in the music and the embrace.

I miss learning from these two.

2008-11-12T11:19:00.000-05:00

They all talk about the same things,

2008-10-28T01:30:00.000-04:00

just in different ways. A private lesson with Lorena Ermocida made me realize what good tango is regardless of styles. Tango is forever about embrace, posture and walk.

After dancing one song with Lorena, she first gave me some encouraging compliments: very smooth, dance to the music well, elegant... but... then she pointed out the things that she didn't like.
I occasionally took her off her axis, my embrace was too controlling at those moments. We tried to dance a little without my right arm embracing. Then we discussed the placement of my right arm. Then we danced a second song.

After that, she asked me what I would like to work on. I asked her what she thought that I should work on. We went through posture briefly, spent a lot of time on walking and leading with the body. I was amazed that the way she explained walking, however different style it is, was essentially the way Javier, Andrea and Silvina had taught me. They all stressed the leg behind, good transition between legs and the pull up from the front leg.

There were a lot of information to be absorbed in an hour. I was too tempted to book another lesson with her next day. Then I realized that I needed time to take everything in. But I thought that this class had taken my dance to another level. I finally realized how to set myself free in the dance.

Lorena Ermocida

2008-10-27T12:57:00.000-04:00

I am having a private lesson with her tonight. She and Osvaldo Zotto are the few teachers who I respect. Last time I was in Buenos Aires, I watched them dancing on the crowded floor of Salon Canning. They were just floating on the floor. Some of my first youtube experiences were watching the following clips where they danced at Canning.

I don't know what to expect from the class. What I am trying to do is to just be myself and dance the best I could and have her figure out what I need to improve.

Analysis of a youtube performance.

2008-08-07T18:02:00.000-04:00

I have posted this video clip before. Watched it a few more times today and wanted to share some of the things that I picked up in the video for didactic purpose. But I am going to let you watch it first and see if you pick up something useful as well.

There is no style.

2008-08-05T15:14:00.000-04:00

Tango style, is another topic that I found pointless on my occasion visit to tango-l.com. Tango salon, milonguero, stage... nuevo, traditional... there is really endless discussion around it on all forums. Everyone involved in the discussion all seems to have a point...

But what is the point?

As in this clip , they said with a sense of slight derision: if you start analyzing it too much, you get lost... You start looking at it as a dance not like a feeling that can be danced.

In my book, there is no style. I do, however, categorize tango into two: good and bad. Good tango: a feeling is danced. Bad tango: there is no feeling.

It can't be that simple, can it?

It is in between the steps.

2008-07-31T10:45:00.000-04:00

Silvina told my tanguera friend during our private lesson. My friend has been dancing for less than a year. Even though she has been a modern dancer for many years, she tends to rush the steps in tango.

Quality over quantity. It also rings truth in the dance. Dance slower, stretch the time before you land your foot.

Bad dancers use excessive upper body movement to express the music and feeling. Mediocre ones use steps. Good dancers take time to dance one step. Because between the steps there is infinite moment that one can express so much...

When I dance with good followers,

2008-07-11T12:41:00.000-04:00

I dance to their level.

When I dance with the best dancers, I dance like myself.

Nada

2008-06-30T17:16:00.000-04:00

A beautiful song interpreted by two inspiring young dancers. Rediscovered via MsHedgehog's post.

Carlos Di Sarli Con Alberto Podesta

Music: José Dames
Lyric: Horacio Sanguinetti

He llegado hasta tu casa...
¡Yo no sé cómo he podido!
Si me han dicho que no estás,
que ya nunca volverás...
¡Si me han dicho que te has ido!
¡Cuánta nieve hay en mi alma!
¡Qué silencio hay en tu puerta!
Al llegar hasta el umbral,
un candado de dolor
me detuvo el corazón.

Nada, nada queda en tu casa natal...
Sólo telarañas que teje el yuyal.
El rosal tampoco existe
y es seguro que se ha muerto al irte tú...
¡Todo es una cruz!
Nada, nada más que tristeza y quietud.
Nadie que me diga si vives aún...
¿Dónde estás, para decirte
que hoy he vuelto arrepentido a buscar tu amor?

Hot potato or cold stone?

2008-05-29T17:46:00.000-04:00

I was dancing with this woman for the first time. She was humming with this sound of excitement in my right ear, which I am sure you all know what it sounds like, shortly into the song. Her embrace was reasonably giving. The whole dance experience was relatively pleasant throughout the song, or so I thought...

Soon as the music stopped, she pushed away from my embrace, like I was a hot potato...

And it happened three times (one tanda)!

???????????????????

"Poema"

2008-05-27T16:26:00.000-04:00

different styles on the same floor.

Tango is a...

2008-05-20T16:34:00.000-04:00

lifelong journey, not a short sprint. What's the rush?

Enjoy it...

Selfishness

2008-05-18T09:01:00.000-04:00

An old Chinese proverb: "The heaven punishes those who aren't selfish." There is nothing wrong about putting oneself first. One's own selfishness, however, shouldn't do damage to the common interests of others. In this case, a lot of others.

If one is smart enough or business savvy, one should know that tango business isn't a business that will make one rich. There aren't enough customers out there to make it a big business. There are what, less than 100, 000 dancers in the world? At most, it is a multi million dollar business. Split among all these people involved in the business, there isn't enough to make a few millionaires. If one doesn't have the passion, what's the point of being in this business? If one has this passion about tango, then one's intention will not hurt a great deal of people's common interest.

The following letter comes from a respectful person in NY tango community: Mr Richard Lipkin.

Dear NY Tangueros,

As many of you know by now, Michael Foster is running a milonga in an area of Pier 17 in the South Street Seaport that for many years has been used by Tango Porteno as its rain location. I am, by this letter, explaining why I have decided to take the unprecedented step of removing his listing from the New York Tango Calendar.

If you do not know Michael Foster, you can familiarize yourself by reading his own words:
http://www.newyorkt ango.org/ ohtango.pdf
His terms for dancing on Pier 17:
http://www.newyorkt ango.org/ taa/11.html

During the past winter, Michael approached the Seaport Museum that controls Pier 16, the restaurant Skippers on Pier 16, and General Growth Properties the organization that runs Pier 17. In each case he represented himself as the person to deal with concerning tango on the piers. Michael has never had any role in running Tango Porteno although he has taught a few lessons in the past.

This attempted hijacking of what is arguably New York's premier tango event cannot be allowed to succeed. Unfortunately damage has already been done. Although the Seaport Museum refused to deal with Michael, I believe the attention he drew to Tango Porteno has resulted in our being obliged, as a condition of continued dancing on Pier 16, to pay a floor fee or rent. Unless an alternative source of funding is found, this cost must be passed on to you the dancers in the form of a "donation" or admission charge. We are working with Skippers to lessen this but passing the hats will no longer suffice.

If too many people will not pay this donation, currently estimated at $5, the dancing will be over on Pier 16.

Sincerely,
Richard Lipkin

Although I've danced tango just over two years, and last year was my first year attending Tango Porteno, I instantly loved it. This is an event that has been going on for the past nine years during summertime. Always free, until now... I don't mind paying for the donation or any reasonable amount of entrance fee to support the event. That's not the point.

The point is that the spirit of celebrating tango is tarnished now that a donation or entrance is mandatory to keep this event going. All because of a single person's ego and personal interest. That's is the worst and most despicable kind of selfishness.

Music and Musicality

2008-05-14T15:42:00.000-04:00

I always have very good musicality even when I was a beginner, or so people told me. In the hindsight, I was just dancing to the beat. There was no difference to me between Piazolla and Di Sarli. I could dance them all. I even danced a nice tango to ballroom music with my former partner during the pre-performance rehearsal about one year ago, which prompted the teacher whom invited us nodded approvingly. What's the difference, music is music, step to music, easy! At the time the only orchestra that I couldn't handle was Pugliese. I went nuts while dancing the end of Pugliese pieces. I couldn't control myself. The music controlled me, I chased the music with steps.

It was not until I danced on the crowded milonga floors in BA, that I started feeling the music. The small space forced me to pay more attention to the music because there was no space to dance every beat. Most of the time I had to stretch the movement to a few beats. And later I found out that I could sometimes dance to the weak beats as well, even pause in the middle of the music. Then another door opened up: playing with the music.

I started collecting and listening tango music right before my first trip as a preparation. Brought back a suitcase of seventy some cds from my first trip and forty some the second one. Right now, I have close to 7000 tracks in my Itune library, all of them traditional tango music. The joy is endless just listening to the same song played by different orchestras.

It was when I started reading the lyrics that I found another dimension in the music: the feeling in the lyrics and the music. As in Una Emocion by Tanturi con Campos, the proud feeling makes me straighten my back and dance with stronger energy. When I danced Trenzas by Miguel Calo con Raul Iriarte one morning, I felt this feeling of missing a lost love. The girl who I danced with, the moment she was in my embrace, she felt it. And I felt the instant surrender in her and the little shivering from her body. At the end of the song, we kept our embrace for a few more seconds.

Then I realize that when I more and more appreciate the music, my dance gets better and better. Music is the catalyst and the inspiration. A man's style develops by the way he interprets the music, not by the way he dances. Observe. Most of the steps and movements are similar between different styles: Salon or Milonguero, Nuevo or Traditional. That's why I like to watch Chico dancing, even though I am traditional guy myself. Human bodies move in an organic way. How a man expresses the music with his body and leads makes the difference between the mediocre and the excellent.

It was not until I understood how to interpret the music and how to dance my feeling through the music that I knew I have good musicality.

Tango is simple.

2008-05-13T18:21:00.000-04:00

Tango is no high art. Tango is no myth. Tango is no higher calling to enlighten human being.

Tango is between two persons who are seeking pleasure in each other's company. Simple.

Their latest performance

2008-05-05T17:57:00.000-04:00

to "Niebla Del Riachuelo" by Fresedo Con Roberto Ray, a orchestra that they are rarely seen performed to. Enjoy:

"Listen to the music, That's it,

2008-04-22T12:58:00.001-04:00

The music makes you dance. " Pedro said to me during our milonga practica session with Tina. Pedro is a seventy year old milonguero who has been dancing tango for over fifty years. He makes the yummiest rabbit stew.

The music makes you dance. It is so simple when one gets it. Connect with my partner and then connect with the music, let the music tell me how to move my body rather than how my body moves to the music. With the right music and right partner, I am contented to have just one tanda a night.

I adore adornments

2008-04-14T22:50:00.000-04:00

Less isn't more! Like the Macy's July 4th fireworks, what you want to see after waiting for hours is the moment when hundreds of canons explode at the same time and create brilliant colors and patterns. Like going to a concert at Carnegie Hall or Lincoln center, a violin and a piano isn't going to interpret Beethoven's symphony like a big orchestra does. The more the merrier.

I am not saying that one should adorn every single song by different orchestras. I doubt that any one who is capable of doing adornment will embellish much in the De Caro's music. But in the music like D'Arienzo, adornment is almost a must to fully interpret the energy in the music. Often I've seen such lifeless scene on the floor while D'Arienzo is played. As Javier would say: "sleepy".

To embellish in 4 inch high heels to the music requires very good technical skill, great balance and strong foot. And sometimes I suspect it is another natural born Argentine thing, like the hips, that women are not inhibited to express themselves. In my opinion, adornment is the woman's own right to express her musicality, celebrate her own individuality and show her personality in the dance. A woman has her own say in the dance.

At Sunderland, I watched a little girl age of six or seven dancing with her father, whom in my opinion was a lousy lead. She was toe tapping while led pausing, little kicks here and there while doing ochos and sometimes high kicks to kneel level. It put smile on my face, watching her.

I had spent a lot of time observing in the milongas and noticed that young portenas who dance well love embellishment. Case in point, the often criticized Samantha Dispari. I watched her dancing (not performing) in the milonga at Canning. She was adorned with great speed, accuracy and full of energy. I didn't remember the music, but I remembered her hip was vibrating and foot was about drilling holes in the floor while tapping. I was feeling the music and the joy by just watching her dancing a few feet away.

More often now I feel the urge to express the music with embellishment; and I give time, allow space and expect the woman embellish. Nothing makes me smile and enjoy the dance more than a response from the woman with her adornment to the music. I admire her musicality and creativity. It is like having an intelligent conversation, and now I have found my match.

Tango is no longer a passive leading and following in 21st century. Men, give the lady the space and time to tell her story and feeling; Ladies, let me feel those pianos and violins through our connected chests with your leg and feet.

I adore those who adorn.

(And now I can get back to file my income tax.)

Disclaimer: The above opinion applies to established and advanced dancers only. For those who haven't been able to walk straight back and forth ten feet on an even level, those who couldn't balance herself/himself with one standing foot, without having to lean onto and effect the balance of their partners and those who couldn't tell the violin from the piano or bandoneon nor the difference between music of Di Sarli and D'Arienzo....Disregard the above post and KEEP WALKING.

They are doing

2008-04-08T17:31:00.000-04:00

workshops in Asia next month. I am working on a business trip that allows me to take some workshop with them. It is great that one can mix business with pleasure.

Watching them dancing makes me happy

2008-04-07T18:08:00.000-04:00

very happy!

Trenzas

2008-03-31T17:57:00.000-04:00

The first time i heard this song was at my private class with Javier y Andrea. I thought it was by Carlos Di Sarli. Because we were dancing to Di Sarli the whole class. Andrea likes this song very much. She picked it a few times throughout the classes.

Music: Armando Pontier
Lyric: Homero Expósito
Orchestra: Miguel Calo
Singer: Raul Iriarte.

Trenzas,
seda dulce de tus trenzas,
luna en sombra de tu piel
y de tu ausencia.
Trenzas que me ataron en el yugo de tu amor,
yugo casi de blando de tu risa de tu voz...
Fina
caridad de mi rutina,
me encontré tu corazón
en una esquina...
Trenzas de color de mate amargo
que endulzaron mi letargo gris.

¿Adónde fue tu amor de flor silvestre?
¿Adónde, adónde fue después de amarte?
Tal vez mi corazón tenía que perderte
y así mi soledad se agranda por buscarte.
¡Y estoy llorando así
cansado de llorar,
trenzado a tu vivir
con trenzas de ansiedad... sin ti!
¡Por qué tendré que amar
y al fin partir!

Check this out

2008-03-27T18:34:00.000-04:00

Royce's Tango Thoughts

Fellow Bloggers, Tango Friends

2008-03-26T02:00:00.000-04:00

It is a small world, they say. It gets much smaller when you are a tanguero(a) who blogs.

When I started frequenting the milongas in New York last March, I thought it would be nice to write about my experience in the milongas, what I thought of tango at the time. Then I discovered other tango blogs and for a while my routine was: coming back from the milongas, have a beer,spend an hour or two writing my blog and then read some more.

Slowly I started making comments on others' posts and receiving comments. I participated in some small blog wars and fought one or two myself; made quite a few friends or maybe one or two foes.

Other than the few bloggers who have the courage to post their photos on the wild wild web, I often try to imagine what that person on the other side of the cable looks like, what is her/his personality, how well she/he dances... Between the words, sometimes I feel they are all so close, even though some of them live thousand miles away. When I sit in front of my 20in LCD screen and read about their posts, I feel like they are sitting on the other side of the screen. I am almost there living through their experience. I share their joy, frustration, and blissful moments.

By reading Issac's blog, I decided to finally take my first trip to Buenos Aires and learned from Javier and Andrea. I was glad that Cherie's blog had provided me information about the milongas in BA. And her service had helped me to enjoy my first trip tremendously.

I still remembered the first time I met with Cherie and Ruben. We had such a great time at Nino Bien that it became a memorable night in my first trip. I met my fellow New Yorker tangueras whom I had never danced with. How strange, we didn't have our first dance till we met in Buenos Aires, even though we might have sat next to each other in New York.

Meeting Sallycat at Cafeteria la Ideal was like meeting a friend who I haven't seen for a long time. Although our only encounter before was through comments on each other's blog, I felt very comfortable at her presence. I have much admiration for this courage woman. In a lazy Thursday afternoon, the empty Ideal felt special when I danced a tanda with her before I headed out for my private class.

Even though a smart guy like me, had figured out who were the beautiful chicas of tangoaddiction, I respected their wishes of remaining anonymous while we were in BA. But a smooth walk of Di Sarli at Porteno y Bailarin with Eva and a tanda of Pugliese at La Ideal with Malena had eventually broken the ice. We share a tanda or two whenever we meet in New York's milonga.

I feel fortunate to have met Tina during my second trip to BA. She is a beautiful dancer and lovely person with a warm heart. I wouldn't have the same wonderful experience this time if it were for her. Sharing a practica with Padro whom Tina has introduced me to, following her on an educational walk through the tango spots in Buenos Aires after the lunch at an Old Cafe, going out to Sunderland with friends twice, hanging out at La Viruta, talking with her about tango, the ghost... Tina, my dear friend, you had made my time in BsAs a rocking one.

And CDT: Le Chemin Du Tango, my multilingual fellow student of Javier, I will always remember our first dance at Nino Bien, a tanda of D'Arienzo, and our last one at Sunderland, a tanda of Pugliese, both are my favourites. As you said after our goodbye hug at La Viruta: I am sure I will meet you here again in Buenos Aires.

And what are the odds that three Chinese guys from three different countries: Singapore, Taiwan, and USA met in Buesno Aires studying with the same great teachers at the same time?
Issac, Gus, and yours truly. Although I am the oldest of three, you two are my inspiration.
I am wondering where we will be in tango one year from now.

I must say that all the fellow bloggers are good dancers. It makes sense. NO? In order to do well in something, you must first devote yourself into it. If we blog about tango, we must care enough about tango to be a good dancer.

TB and Elizabeth, the remaining two bloggers friends who I haven't met in person, you are just as close as the others to me. I am sure we will meet eventually one day, most likely in Buenos Aires. After all it is a small world.

Miss Tango, I will probably become a BA temporary resident soon. So I will be seeing you and the lovely Isa.

Johanna, our tango taoist, La Tanguera I look forward to having a tanda with you one day.

Gus said the good social dancers are not normal. I would say that we are special. For us, the tango bloggers, we have extra bonds. We share the same passion with the same dedication. We write about our feeling.

At this early AM Wednesday morning, with a glass of Norton Malbec 2004 in my hand, I salute you, all my fellow bloggers and real life tango friends. wishing you a tango journey as wonderful as mine.

I've never known a guy can be so good...

2008-03-24T15:33:00.000-04:00

being a follower...So entertaining. It was fun to watch him do it on the floor of Porteno y Bailarin (he is one of the organizer, so he doesn't get kicked out). And a little pleasantly surprised that he was doing it on the floor at Canning. Ladies and Gentlemen, Jose Garofalo.

Bailar como un hombre

2008-03-21T10:54:00.000-04:00

Would you like the woman in your embrace dancing like a man, marching like a soldier, say during the song of Poema? Probably not, right? A woman should look and feel like a woman: sexy, beautiful and feminine. A masculine follower doesn't get much cabaceos, at least at the milongas where I have been going to.

A woman tangos like a woman, a man tangos like a man. It is natural, that yin and yang thing. When two becomes one, it is the most beautiful to see and feel. When I was in Buenos Aires, from the 72 year old Padro who has been dancing over fifty years to Javier who is younger than I am, every man that I met who dances tango, has this universal message: stand like a man and walk like a hombre.

When I left La Nacional last night, I took a glimpse of these men, who are supposed to be the creme of creme in the NY tango scene, dancing, which inspired this post. I felt ill watching these men dancing like they haven't eaten for a week. I wanted to stop them and said to them: "Guys, please, dance like a man."

First night out in NY

2008-03-21T01:29:00.000-04:00

My first night out since back to NY. Met Maetro on the street and talked with him about his gf's loss the night we went out. La Nacional was half empty by the time we went in. Plenty of space to dance considered where I just came back from. I could almost image the scene at Nino Bien. With all the people from all around the world participating CITA, Nino Bien must be very tight and crowded. Even so, I would rather be at Nino Bien than at La Nicional.

I was glad to see my acquaintance dancing on the floor. Also I saw the chica from NY also sitting by a table. Went over and said hello. Gave her a warm hug three times. And then did the Viruta way (or NY way) of asking for a dance: Bailar? Grabbed her hand and pretended to take her to the floor. She laughed. Off we went for two tandas.

When she left for NY we danced three tandas at Porteno y Bailarin. They were good tandas, except the moment Tete stopped us and made comment to her on my highly held left hand. Maybe I will ask Tete what the hell you were talking about when he is here in May. Think he remembers?

In two tandas that we danced, she stepped on my feet twice, misread my lead three times and apologized four times. She told me that she didn't enjoy all the milongas that she had gone to here. In Buenos Aires, I saw her getting cabaceos from some of the good old milongueros and dancing with them. Here I saw her being dragged around by some old guys whom have danced just few years. I hope they are not going to ruin the interest of this woman to tango.

I danced with my acquaintance for God knows how many tandas. In the beginning I felt her embrace was not as comfy as last time that I danced with her, just about one month ago. Maybe dancing in NY does change one's many good tango elements. I had the walk down from my first private session with Javier and Andrea. Three month later, I had to rework on the walk again. How can I maintain what I've had and build on it? I would think it over before i throw myself back to the milonga scene in New York again. The last thing I want is to take two steps forward and one step back.

We slowly got more comfortable with each other. During one song at our fourth or fifth tanda, maestro came to us on his way to the bathroom. We were dancing and he said to us from behind: "you guys look great." What? I hated to be interrupted. " You guys look great together." He repeated it two more times. I had to stop the dance. He's my maestro in NY and a respected teacher. He is always proud of me being his student. His compliment meant a good deal. But in the middle of the song while I was deep in the music with my partner???????

I made a face to his back as he walked to the bathroom. What's up with these milongueros/Argentines, first Tete and now him?

We danced about six tandas. Last one was D'Arienzo and clearly I didn't dance as well as slow and smooth ones. I asked her if she felt anything wrong. She hesitated for a moment then told me that I was tense and that transfered to her. Brilliant! I needed some one to tell me that. I relaxed the next song and we finished it better than we started.

I went to have a beer and then watched the floor.Then that inspired my next post. So get ready for some TP's rant. When I saw a bunch of Tango Nuevo teachers and dancers coming in, I knew it was my time to go.

I had a good first night. Yet it reconfirmed my will of spending more time in Buesno Aires. Having danced just two years, I've already found the level of tango in NY low. It is the environment and the level of teachers. The overall quality of embrace, posture and walk are in the baby stage. The school ones go to doesn't have them in the curriculum. Or the teachers ones go to don't even know the ins of these basics.

The popular teachers are the Americans who have been dancing just a few years. Two things the Americans do well are advertising and marketing. The Argentine teachers suck at these two things. They are like the Shaolin monks hid away in the mountains. One who wants to learn the real Kung Fu has to seek them out.

I am fortunate that I've found my master shaolin monks here in NY and over there in Buenos Aires. I am at where I am now partly because of them.

Cost of living in BsAs from a Turista's point of view

2008-03-20T15:22:00.000-04:00

How expensive or inexpensive traveling to Buesnos Aires is? At 3.14 peso to 1 dollar, here my break down of daily expense:

Breakfast at 12:00pm: 4 media luna and two pastries from a pastry shop at las Heras and coffee at my apartment

cost: 4 peso

Lunch: A steak (10 peso), Asado (8 peso), half roasted chicken (16 peso), Salad (6 peso), beer (4 peso),Spaghetti with sauce (15 peso)

average cost: 20 peso

Modest Dinner: in a restaurant: steak, salad, water,

average cost: 30 peso

A night out to the milonga:

entrance: 12 peso
water: 6 peso
coffee: 6 peso
empanada: 2.50 peso/each
Taxi back home: 12 peso

Average cost of a night out: 40-50 peso

I had been taking the collectivo (bus) most of the time except coming back to the apartment 4-5AM after milonga. So I had saved quite a bit transportation cost. Still my average expense a day is around 100 peso.

If I went out to a fancy restaurant or ordered a bottle of wine or champagne at the milonga. The cost went up accordingly. Mind you, as I went out every night, I kept my expense modest. Even a few times I took a few friends out for dinner, we went to local restaurants that serve portenos.

My rent for my studio apartment at Recoleta costed: $560 a month (1750 peso).

Two pairs of Neotango shoes : 380 peso at 190 each (after 10% cash discount)

Eight sessions of msssage: 480 peso at 60 each

Credit recharge on my BsAs cell phone: 30 peso

38 Tango CDs at Zival: 800 peso

5 bottle of delicious Malbec at Disco: 130 peso

Transportation from and to the Airport: 160 peso

My private classes and couple of dinners with friends: 4200 peso

Round trip ticket: 2450 peso ($780 dollar)

for 24 days: 12,650 pesos ($4000)

Average good salary in BA: 2000 peso?

I don't know about you. It doesn't sound like an inexpensive heaven. A pair of Neotango has gone up 20 peso since December of last year, in merely 3 months. The entrance fee in some milongas has gone up too. We went to Puerto Madero one night. The club we tried to go charged 50 pesos for entrance. We looked at each other, Nah, too steep.

But comparing with other big cities in the world, it is still a relatively inexpensive place to visit for short term. I havn't gone to Europe for two years simply because it becomes very expensive to travel in the Euro zone. Asia is too far for me. :) (how ironic consider where i came from) Hong Kong is a very expensive place to visit. A night at a decent hotel costs around $100. Although I have a nice big apartment to stay in China, there is no tango in that city. I won't be staying at any place without a milonga for more than a week. I can't.

So for my next visit to Buenos Aires, I am planning to stay for a few months. It has tango, beautiful chicas, interesting night life, characteristic barrios and generally good people. Hopefully, by the time I go, it is still affordable for me.

Post BsAs Blue

2008-03-18T19:29:00.000-04:00

Got home yesterday morning. First impression: it is cold here. Second impression: to put it less offensively to my fellow New Yorkers, where did all the beautiful chicas go?

Got back to my apartment and found out my Lucky bamboo survived three weeks without being watered. I forgot to leave it under my dripping bathroom faucet. Unpack half of my suite case, and went to bed for a nap. Woke up a few hours later and felt starving. Thanks to American Airline, all the weight that I had gained during my last couple of days of fine cuisine tasting in BA had lost in the ten hours flight back: total less than 12 oz food served. Cheap bastards! They didn't even serve enough water.

Returned the pastdue book to the library, paid my overdue mortgage, and went to get some greasy Chinese lunch and resupplied my frig with fruits, veggies and fishes. Went to blockbuster to return a DVD and rent a new one.

Another nap after the lunch.Cooked dinner around 11:00pm and finished my dinner well past midnight. Eyes wide opened at four o'clock in the morning and wondering what Canning was like at that hours. Finally felt into sleep at day break, and dreamed about the delicious media luna and cafe con leche.

Woke up around 11:00am this morning. Texted my colleague and told him I wouldn't be in the office till tomorrow. I am sick.

I have post BsAs blue, though not as severe as last time. Nonetheless I have it. I have been feeling nostalgic. What's worse, both of my Mate wood cup cracked after cure. Now I have half kilo of Mate but no gourd to drink it from. It crossed my mind that I would jump on the next flight back to BsAs and confront the vendor who sold me two cracked mate cup, or at least who sold me two cups without proper instruction of cure.

Checked out what had gone on in NY's tango scene through facebook photos. I almost cried when I saw the postures of some women. That ended my thought of going out tonight, tomorrow night and the night after tomorrow...

Spent the whole afternoon on importing my new CD collection. Now I have 266 tango albums, 4973 songs and 21.0GB of music that will last ten and half day of non stop playing. Read some blogs and later listened to Adriana Varela, which added more nostalgia.

My life without tango is indeed quite pathetic. It will take me some time to get back to the normal life here. First thing first, I have to get back to work...

My next time in BA will be much longer, months longer... at least that's what I have to plan for.

Day 24. Packing

2008-03-16T11:47:00.000-04:00

My suitcase is one quarter empty, despite all the shoes, cds and the wine that I bought. What have I left in Buesno Aires?

Day 23. Happy Ending...

2008-03-16T04:53:00.000-04:00

Every story has its ending. All in all, it was a happy one on this Saturday night. The last day of my trip started with a late morning breakfast. I actually forgot my massage appointment. Oh well, I guessed I didn't need it at the last day of my stay. I would be more relaxed back home.

Went to Consagrados for a good bye dance with some friends. Every portena I know told me to come back soon. I danced with Flo a wonderful tanda of Pugliese; Paula, the beautiful chica from la plata, a nice tanda of Tanturi; S, who is lighter than a feather.

Javier and Andrea are performing tonight at Sunderland. I reserved a table for ten. We went earlier to have dinner. I saw a few friends there. I danced with all my friends. It was a great way to say goodbye. Tango with them.

Javier and Andrea's performance was incredible. See my youtube channel for all of the performances.

(Andrea's favourite song. I danced with her a few time of the same music. :) )

They are wonderful people, fantastic teachers and great tango artists. Not just dancers, ARTISTS. If you have the chance to take private with them, just do it. Accept them, understand them, follow them. They will transform the way that you look at tango and dance it.

For any leader who has just danced two year, I can say that few can outdone what I have accomplished in two years. A lot of the credits go to my maestro Carlos De Chey in New York and Javier and Andrea in Buenos Aires. Carlos has shown me how tango is danced in Buenos Aires. He is heavily influenced by Nito y Elba, classy and elegant. Javier has transformed the way that I dance, opened my mind and inspired me in many ways.

The party continued at La Viruta, where young and cool kids hang out. I don't know what this place has. I felt more and more that I like it here. Maybe it is the dim light, maybe it is the hot babes ( loads of them), or maybe it is the chacarera at four o'clock and the darness at 6:00am (make out time, that is what I called it.) Whatever it is, it got the best of me. I felt that I was free on this dance floor. I had natural high dancing with some women. No judgements, no apologies, just hot and sexy tango. If Javier saw me dancing like that, he would have given me a thumps up. (not that I hadn't gotten one.)

We had the freshest media luna at 4:30am. Coffee and cortado kept me going till the very end. What a scene when all those gorgeous women who wear sexy outfit passed by me! My friend sighed:" Damn, look at all these gorgeous women!" It is good to be single!

That was it. I spent all my pesos, had a wonderful time, learned a lot and still don't know a lot. But one thing that I know for sure..

I love tango.

El Fin.

Day 22. La Viruta.

2008-03-15T13:12:00.000-04:00

I had accidentally deleted my original post. So here it is again: I will try to be as original as I could remember.

Split with the guys who were looking for actions at bars somewhere downtown. Although the girls were hot and smoking (actually smoking), smoky bar and loud non-tango music were really not my cup of tea. So I caught a cab and headed to La Viruta.

On the floor were pretty much all not so good dancers, wearing jeans, regular shoes. It was pretty much everything goes. Nobody was taking oneself too seriously thereIt, which I liked. It was crowded. A lot of guys were standing by the bar looking for baits (babes). :) Seventy percent of the women were young and beautiful there.

Saw my friend and her daughter sitting at a nice table by the floor and sat at their table. Fabian Paralta was sitting next to our table with a young and very pretty girl. What does a guy with his look gotta hang out with babes like that? :) She didn't even know how to dance. I saw Fabian dancing with her on the floor like holding the hands of a baby learning to walk.

There was live music at 1:30am. The music wasn't for dancing, at least to me. But there were a lot of people on the floor. Quite a few were doing their first steps. It reminded me my beginner year dancing to live music. At times, I had to look away from the floor. It got ugly. Yike!

I danced a bit with my friend and her daughter when the traditional music began. It was actually very good arrangement. The DJ is fantastic at La Viruta, playing very good traditional or nuevo and even salsa music. Always enjoyed the music the few times that I was there.

They had been sitting since 11:30 and rejected a few requests for dance. "This is a meat market." My friend's daughter said to me. She remembered it as a respectful milonga where the nuevo guys, such as chico, fabian salas, hang out; eight years ago that was. They left soon as we danced.

I was enjoying it. If it weren't because I was coughing out of control, I would have stayed till 6am. After 4:00am, when the admission is free, a lot of good dancers started coming. I met a student of Javier and Andrea on my way out, when chacarera was playing.

I stopped by the bar when I saw the fresh media lunas were brought out in baskets. A cafe con leche and three fresh and yummy media luna were too good to pass over. I left happy with a full stomach.

One more day left in the tango land...

Day 22. Private 8. Finale

2008-03-15T02:58:00.000-04:00

Last class was all about fixing the little things, such as changing weight, keeping the body as one block, getting rid of the unnecessary body movement, keeping the footwork clean.

We spent some time to get the walk down. Andrea showed me how to lift the free leg before walking. Javier showed me how to use the foot to land. Normal. He said, just like walking on the street. I have to keep reminding myself when walking back, body first, and push off from the standing foot.

There are still a lot of work for me to do. Mostly I need to go back to NY and continue learning. Javier suggested to me that I should film myself and practice as follower. I will understand a lot of things and I am ready to be a follwer, as Javier said.

I started to understand a lot of what they taught me during these two weeks. I need time to revisit all these lessons and process the information that I got. I need to put them in the practice and see where I go from there. Quite a few people down here have told me:" the way you dance to the music, one day you will have your own steps."

One day I hope...

Day 21. Private 7. Happy feeling

2008-03-14T03:08:00.000-04:00

I felt tired, not so much into tango the whole day. Took a nap before going to the private. My breakfast was at 2:40pm with steak, mashed potato and a glass of cold beer with my DJ friend. Lunch at 6:30pm, coffee and media luna. No wonder I was having this big headache.

Got to the class, and saw a student of them whom I met the first night at Canning. We chatted a little. And I chatted with Andrea. Andrea looked stunning wearing a nice skirt. My tango energy was at its all time low.

Well, I got to dance with Javier first. A song by D'Arienzo and Hector Maure, it was fine except my usual problem: lack of energy and small steps. I thought dancing in the crowded milongas in BA had definitely changed certain ways of my dance.

We spent most of the working on my walks. I knew I got the walk back in November. I was a little frustrated that we had to work on it again. Javier patiently showed me the way to walk. Well, simple! Walk like normal. He led me to walk back and forth in practice embrace. Then I walked Andrea in hugged embrace with arms wrapped around each other. We kept walking until she felt fine and I looked fine by Javier.

Then we talked about feeling in tango. Javier wanted me to feel happy dancing, not feel burdened. I danced with Andrea la Yumba by Pugliese. There were hiccup here and there. But I was feeling light during the dance and happy after. " You looked happier." Javier told me. " Remember that feeling."

My cell phone rang. They both smiled. My ring tone is Humilicion by D'Arienzo. Andrea liked it and wanted me to send her the song via Bluetooth. I hadn't done it before. So she helped. But we couldn't transfer the file. Tried to transfer to Javier's phone, which is the same model as Andrea's, it worked. Andrea's phone wasn't compatible with mine. Ha!

One more class with them...

Day 20. Private 6 Fatigue takes toll.

2008-03-13T01:29:00.000-04:00

I was very tired, coughing during the night and in the morning. I guess that I am reaching to the end of my milonga stretch. By the time I reached Javier's place I felt lack of energy.

Andrea brought me upstairs. They went to Santa Fe yesterday for a show and class, eight hours bus ride. She looked a bit tired too.

Javier was dancing with CDT a milonga. To see him leading CDT dancing the milonga in socks was very entertaining. He saw me and joked: " It is you again. Every day I see you. Every where I look I see you. " I answered:" I am leaving soon. Don't worry."

As usual the previous class ended late. While Andrea took CDT down, I started dancing with Javier to Bien Pluenta by D'Arienzo. It was good except that my steps were too little while doing the giros. Not so manly, very intimidating. I told him that it was because in the milongas I worried about hitting some one while doing the giro. "Practice here then in the milongas you will have better confidence." Javier said.

He switched the music to Di Sarli. I danced with Andrea for one song. After the song, Andrea hold up a fist to my fist. She felt perfect. She wanted to congratulate me. I didn't do giros, however, and she noticed. Ha, I cheated and danced the stuffs that I know the best.

Later, we pretended the space as the floor of the milonga and practiced everything that I did in the milonga. Then Javier fixed the way that I held woman's right hand and explained that man and woman's arm shouldn't be touching. And I practiced some giros. Normal, nature, these are the keys of good tango.

I was feeling that my body and my mind was slow today. So we ended the class a bit earlier. I thought that I reached the point that I have all the elements of good tango: very good embrace, posture, walk, and the right mentality. Now it is a matter of putting that into practice and gaining experience.

They had said some nice things to me that made me feel very proud. Two more classes, I am ready to see the result by the end of my second series of privates with two of the teachers whom I have utmost respect.

Day 18. Private 5. Move to another stage

2008-03-10T16:59:00.000-04:00

Today I had a early class. They were teaching a Russian guy while I got there. Andrea was working with him in open embrace. While Javier introduced the concept of dancing selfishly to him, he had drawn such a blank face that I couldn't help but smile. Ha, I was not the only who didn't get it. :)

I was smiling the whole time listening to the class. When the Russian guy asked how he should do the giro, which part of the body goes first, Javier said: " natural" The guy was drawing blank.
" it is like this: you want to go the bathroom very urgently. The bathroom is there. What do you do? You turn and you run to the bathroom. Do you think about which foot goes first, if the hip should turn this way or that way? " Javier was telling him and the same time acting very animatedly. It was the Russian the first class, he would eventually get it.

My class started with Farrol by Pugliese con Javier. We danced two times, fixed two small technical issues. The third time he was very happy. He said,"that is, we would wrap this up. This stage has finished. You dance very nicely, very musical to Di Sarli and Pugliese. The way you dance the music is perfect. Technical is not so important. Now we will move on to dance to half beat. "

D'Arienzo time. I danced with Andrea a few times, and Javier danced with Andrea one song to show me. Well, it is more difficult for me to dance to D'Arienzo than to Pugliese. We worked on the energy of the steps. After the last one, Javier said that it looked good but something was missing. There was not fire, to watch me dancing makes him sleepy.

Ok, good, new challenge. Let's see what Wednesday class will bring.

Day 15. Private 5. Break Through.

2008-03-07T18:03:00.000-05:00

Since the second class, Javier has been talking about being selfish in the dance. I vaguely grasped the concept. Maybe it is my upbringing that makes me an unselfish person in life. You dance who you are, as they say in tango.

I started with Andrea. It was fine, except the giro sill felt awkward. So we worked on that. I led Javier. First time," you gotta relaxed more, I felt your tension on your neck and shoulder. " Second time, " I still felt your tension, the movement was not smooth, and you must adjust the embrace."
Third time, I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and felt my mind was total emptied. Without thinking much, I just went. I felt effortless. Javier told Andrea: " Perfection does exist."

I danced with Andrea one more song. And corrected two old problems which had been going on since day one. One was that I put Andrea on the outside edge of her foot at salida. The other was that my second step was weird and not straight (habit of dancing back in the tango babe days).

After the correction of the little technical imperfection went on, Javier talked a lot about being selfish. How a man should be a man in the dance (nothing about being macho). What a man's responsibility is in the dance. A man should first be responsible for himself.

I told Andrea that I understood that but it would take me time to build up confidence in myself. I only danced two years. I didn't felt that I had known the structure of tango. Andrea said to me before translated my thoughts to Javier: " You already have everything that you need. The warm embrace, the walk."

Javier sat me down and started "brainwashing" me. :)

"I am going to talk to you about the structure of tango. So that you understand.

First: you dance Tango Argentino, not Tango Espanol, Americano, nor Chino. Second: as you know, in Argentine, there is no structure... ( I laughed) So tango is about improvisation. Improvise means free. You are free to make a decision at the exact moment what you want to do. Listen to your lady what she wants, and tell her what you want. You have to know what you want in the dance as a man. You have to be selfish."

He stand up and showed me. " you have to be perfect, on your own axis all the time." All of sudden, I got it. I got it that at this level where each one already has the technique, I need to focus about my own dance. How to dance perfectly myself. " The more perfect you are, the better for me." Andrea told me.

That's what the being selfish means. I need not worrying about my partner. She has her own feet, her own chip (computer lingo: brain) and she knows how to dance. Think about myself how to be perfect.

I felt so much lighted like a burden was off my shoulder. I danced with Andrea one song. I thought nothing but my own perfection in the music. It was the best one I had danced so far. Andrea was completely satisfied, no pointer. Javier gave me a long look: "The feeling you have in the music gives you the potential of being great." I couldn't believe what I heard. So Andrea translated again. That must be the biggest accomplishment I had in my two years.

Then Javier showed me how to dance to the music. How to pause in the music. He took off his sneakers, and danced in socks one tango with Andrea to show me. It was inspiring to say the least. Then he talked about the beginning, middle and the ending of a song. What goes on in the three sections.

I danced with Andrea without the music. Then the fun began. We played in the dance. At the time, I felt that I was creative and enjoying the dance. "This opens thousands of possibility. You have so many options that it will drive you crazy. " that was Javier's last comment on this Friday afternoon.

I thought it was the class that would eventually transform my dance.

Day 14. Private 3. Secrete of Tango

2008-03-06T17:52:00.000-05:00

Today's lesson started with dancing with Javier while Andrea was making mate. One song after, we sat down and had a priest's ball and mate. Then Andrea translated what my problem was in the dance. All my linear movement was fine, but the circular ones I was tension and not smooth. And I was still trying to control the woman. Woman has her own responsibility in the dance. I don't have to take her responsibility (well, not every day I got to dance with Javier or Andrea.).

Then Javier asked me to dance with him without right arm embrace. At first I was nervous, he had to stop me in the middle of the song. The next one he was very satisfied. Then I danced with Andrea the same way without right arm embrace. It was fine except when I did giro she felt a bit uncomfortable.

Then we talked about the right amount of energy in the right arm embrace. The woman should feel the heat from my arm. The embrace should be relaxed, firm yet not forcefully controlled. At times, it should make the woman want to embrace me more. I knew what she talked about making the woman wanting to embrace more. I had that experience with other followers.

Then Javier talked to me about the precision of the energy. How to visualize woman's feet, where they are, what they are doing. How to place them in the exact spot. "Your technical is fine. Now you have to understand this secret." he told me.

In the end he showed me the way the giro that I often do should be executed. Three simply movement. I tried it. One take, BAM, wrap it up. Tango is simple in its essence. To reach that simplicity requires a lot of preparation and work. When you get it, it is like "OH, is that simple?"

Day 13. Private 2 Being Selfish

2008-03-05T17:55:00.000-05:00

Today we continued working on small stuffs. First thing was to work on leading woman front ocho and walking out of it. We spend about ten fifteen minutes on different variations of it, adding different color.

I danced with Javier a few times. Javier said Andrea was too good at adapting to the leader. He was wearing boat shoes with flat bottom. So any fault on my movement he felt it. Well, he is no Andrea but certainly better than most of the women I have danced with. After a few adjustment, he actually loved my embrace. Andrea got a kick out of it by watching us dancing. " muy lindo" because we both wore blue jeans and white t-shirt.

What I learned was to slow down more and not to rush the woman. I knew that it was my problem as I had been feeling it in the dance. Not natural as Javier would say. As I got more comfortable, the tension was getting less. Most of the things that they mentioned I fixed it the next song.

The only thing I needed time to digest was what Javier said and I read it from Issac's blog before: follow the mind of the woman. How not to lead all the time. He mentioned that I was always going after the woman.

"Are you married." He asked.
"Nope"
"Solo, an individual. Then why you listen to the woman all the time. Do you have plant at home?..." "What do you do?"
"computer" I answered, didn't get into detail.
"Now I understand, your computer is your wife. Entiendo todo." We all laughed.
"Don't make me quit my job." I told him and Andrea translated.

But seriously I understood what he meant. It was not being sexist nor macho. It was about liberating my dance, so that I could express myself and dance my own style. I had put too much into trying to lead every step. I was still at the stage on leading and following.

Now I should go to the next level: have a conversation, not just listening or speaking. It will take time for me to be able to do it naturally. It will take a equal partner to understand that. At least I know what the goal is, so I can go after it.

Day 12. Private 1. Picked up where I had left.

2008-03-04T18:20:00.000-05:00

I was bit anxious before the class. Took the bus from the apartment all the way to Javier's place, costs: $2 pesos. I've been saving quite a few pesos since gotten used to take the buses. Besides, I feel like getting to know the city more.

I felt more comfortable with them this time. We chatted a little. Andrea asked me how things are. I told her that it was hard for me to dance well in New York. Few has the embrace. She laughed: "move here." Don't tempt me!

We started with a Di Sarli. I felt that I was a bit tense, but overall OK. Correction time:

Walk: I had it last time. After dancing in NY for a few months, my walk got weak.

Embrace: I tended to embrace the woman. Nope, let the woman find her embrace first, then finish my embrace with her.

Attitude: Grounded and relax. Open up the elbow, expand the chest.

Giros: Let the woman go first, then follow.

There were other techniques that will free myself from leading but dancing. The second song, I had fixed the walk, the embrace and the attitude. I was still not sure the mechanics of the giros.

Then Javier continued stressing the concept of feeling nature in the dance, how to resolve problem with solution. It will take me some time to digest what he and Andrea said. I know if I understand it, my dance will go up another level.

Tina arrived around 8:00pm for her private. Since we started late, she was waiting on the balcony.

I got more comfortable with Andrea and was playing with the music at some point. She was actually playing along and seemed to enjoy it. There were some information to be digested. But I was glad that there was no major issue to work on. And at a point, Javier actually was happy with the way I handled pauses and the flow of the dance.

Time flied, I felt exhausted at the end of the class. Went back to the apartment and had dinner. Took a nap before heading out to a milonga.

Day 11. Canning

2008-03-04T02:39:00.000-05:00

Had a slow day. Took it easy during daytime and went out to Zival to pick up a few more CDs. I had been looking for a particular one: Grandes Del tango 16 Miguel Calo. This was third time that I came back to look for it. The guy kept telling me come back manana. Surely it was not on the rack. It was in stock, just that they never bothered to put it on the rack.

I saw the guy and spoke with him: " it is not there." Finally he gestured me to the counter, punched in a few keys, looked, picked up the phone and spoke a few words rapidly. Then he told me:"two minutes." and ran upstairs. Four minutes after he came down with the CD that I'd been looking for. Actually I just wanted one version of " Nada" from the album. But I was happy to finally have it. This time I have bought about 35 cds, which brings my tango collection over 150 cds and 20GB of itune. Quite a collection to sort through.

Went to Canning around 12:00pm. It was a slower night than last Monday, because of the rainy weather. Saw Tina and CDT sitting at a front row table. Waved at them and sat down a couple of tables behind them.

The floor was actually not very crowded. The floor craft was semi decent, not that many nuevo turn close embrace kind of dancers. First dance went to a portena who doesn't know who Javier Rodriguez or Andrea Misse is. "Too many Javier Rodriguez here " she said. I smiled.

What a contrary to our idea of tango stars. Here all the youtube heros are just regular folks who happen to dance tango. Julio y Corina were sitting a few tables away. When I danced with CDT, we were dancing right behind them. The nervousness of dancing right next to the top dancers is gone. To me, they are just another couple sharing the same floor. And they are better not space hogs. :) (most of them aren't)

Then I saw the gringa with whom I danced at Sunderland. I was very happy to see her. She later came over and we had a very nice tanda. Her embrace was so good. She had very clear and strong foot work that I knew exactly where her foot was. She was also having this "disassociation" that is typical of very good followers. It was a very very pleasant tanda with her, even though the music was uninspiring. She mentioned that my postures, especially the way my left arm holds, reminded her what her private teacher: Alejandra Martinian said about man's left hand should place like holding a piano. I told her that it was taught by Javier. We smiled. It was so nice to have danced with someone who learned the same way. We exchanged our e-mails after the tanda . And she went off to dance with a friend of hers.

Gus came in with his friend. It was so happened that one of the seats at my table was available. So he sat down right next to me and we had some chats. He was sounding more and more like Javier. " I have headache watching these people dancing. So many bad postures. The leader's head leans back, stomach sticks out. No wonder they can only do giros, can't walk." I agreed: few people can walk straight on the floor except a few old milongueros.

Talked about old milongueros: Tina introduced me to the low key but respectfully PS. I watched him dance. The 72 old man still has impeccable posture: straight back, strong lead and quiet walk. I am hoping that I could learn some Milonga con Traspie from him. I love Milonga con Traspie. A tanda of milonga (again so-so music selection) with Tina later, I was determined to improve my MCT. I could feel the potential that I have at it.

I had my good share of tango tonight. I was happier. The rest of the night I just chatted with Tina and her friend and watched the floor. The music wasn't really good. To be honest, my experience with female DJs hasn't been fantastic so far. Their selection of tandas tended to be on the even tempo side, lack of fire and energy; too mellow for my taste. In tango, man dictates the interpretation of the music. Andrea once told me: " you have to let me know how you want the song danced." I need to feel the music. The music that a DJ plays should get me off my seat and look around for partner. I didn't feel that urge once during the whole night. Gus felt the same way tonight: " What's wrong with this DJ?"

I couldn't wait to hear what Javier and Andrea say about my dance later tonight. Stay tuned...

Day 11. Nostalgia

2008-03-03T13:46:00.000-05:00

Woke up this morning feeling down. It might sound strange to some people, but I am actually missing New York. It might be the fatigue. That would effect one's mood. Or it might be the beer that I had before went to bed last night. Or the combination of both.

I logged on to Facebook to checked out the photos of last night's milonga in New York, posted by a fellow tanguera. Seeing the familiar faces put a little smile on my face. As I said before, it is not where you dance, it is with who you dance.

Don't get me wrong. I am enjoying Buenos Aires and enjoying the friends here as more of them are coming. I am experiencing tango in different ways and absorbing it from different perspectives. I have been living in two different cultures: Chinese and American. Now through tango I am living in the third.

Sometimes, you don't miss something or someone until they are thousands miles away. I am sure I will be missing Buenos Aires, like I did, and the people whom I grow to like by the time I get back to New York. As I was younger, I had this strong feeling of nostalgia. Maybe it was because I went to live in a foreign land by myself when I was young. That feeling has gone for a few years while I had been living a more stable life: stable job, stable friends and a stable relationship (even it was rocky). One day , se fue, gone the relationship, gone the life that I had planned. Though I still have the stable job and stable friends.

My heart has found a place in tango. It is also a place that I travel with caution. I learned to shield and turn away certain feeling in the dance. And there are certain songs that I am reluctant yet longing to dance to. Tango without feeling is very unsatisfied. Feeling in tango is hard to find. I savor each of those deeply connected tandas. Each of them is nostalgic.

Day 10. Barrio Chino, El Beso

2008-03-03T09:53:00.000-05:00

Woke up in the afternoon. Felt really sluggish. Had a Heineken for lunch and went to have a nap till early evening. Text the tango bloggers and decided to go for Chinese food at Barrio Chino.

It had been raining hard the last few days. Humbolt y Santa Fe, exactly where I stayed last time, was flooded. That section was closed. The taxi had to take another route. I felt lucky that I didn't stay the same apartment this time. I would have had unpleasant experience.

We went to the same restaurant. The food was decent enough. Every one was full and felt sleepy afterwards. The fatigue had been slowly seeped in. I didn't feel the urge to dance. Tina y CDT were going to El Beso. We took the bus 60 back.

I went to El Beso after dropped by the apartment and changed. I thought I lost the interest of dancing this night. Only danced a tanda with the portena whom I danced before. And a fucking guy led his partner into my elbow. He stopped and pull my elbow down in the middle of the dance. I was pissed. It must be my look. If I were a porteno, he wouldn't have done it.

I didn't say anything but kept my elbow where it was. This is the way I dance. I don't change just because you tell me so. Who are you to tell me how to hold my arm? I am a very sensitive and careful dancer who knows enough to take shit from a schmuck. Later I saw him lecturing the fellowers with whom he danced.

During the break in between songs, he came at me again. Pointed to my arm and said something like: per favor, keep it in. I gave him one of my stares, turned my face to the portena I was. dancing with. She shook her head, and told me in English " Don't mind him." I mumble: "stupid Locos." She nodded.

That was enough to finish the night for me. I didn't feel like dancing again. I chatted with Gus a bit, who came in later and sat next to me by the bar. I was getting impatient with the scene. Maybe I was tired, or the level of dancing was low. I felt uninspired watching the floor.

I took off early around 2:00am.

Day 9. Consagrados, Sunderland, La Virtua

2008-03-02T03:39:00.000-05:00

Took a night off on Friday. Too tired to go out. Stayed in watching the 13 going on 30 by Jennefer Garnder. Actually learned a few words in Spanish because of the subtitle.

Saturday, woke up early around 11:00am and had breakfast before went to my 1:00pm massage session. Relaxed and got ready for a night of tango.

First stop: los Consagrados, a milonga para portenos. Got there around 7:00pm. Cherie y Ruben were already there. So was Tina. The group got bigger as the night went on. By now, I have some regular portenas to dance with. We had champagne, chatted and time went by before I knew it. It was 10:15pm when the La Cumparsita was played.

Time to hit the next stop: Sunderland. It was a trip out from Nino Bien. The cab driver didn't even know the exact location. TG, Tina was there to give direction and talked to driver. 30 peso and thirty minutes later, we were at Sunderland. Again without reservation, Tina used her magic to get us a table right next to the floor.

The place was less crowded than last week. I actually enjoyed the tandas with Tina and La Chemin du Tango, who joined us later. Javier y Andrea will be performing on March 15. We are planning to come back and have a big table that night.

Geraldin and Ezequiel came in around 2:00am and sat at the next table. Tina couldn't help but kept looking at Geraldin's feet. "Those, must be custom made." Women and shoes.

Gustavo came in his posse. We chatted a little about milongas. He's been away from the popular ones now. That's why I haven't seen him around till this night.

We left around 3:15am and caught a cab to La Viruta. It was my first time to Viruta. It is more like a night club for people who dance tango. Dim lights, young crowd,gorgeous women...good place for pick up, flirtation and muchos besos. It is an interesting place. I might come back another time to explore.

It was 6:30am Sunday morning by the time I got back to the apartment. It had been a long day. :)

Come when you are ready

2008-02-29T11:12:00.000-05:00

Then you will the best out of the trip. I have met a German woman who came here for six weeks. Met her at Canning and we had talked a little bit. Poor woman, she left a luggage in the cab on the way in and lost her cell phone, camera and a bunch of stuffs. She is salsa dancer who took a few classes of tango. And there she is.

Met her again last night at Nino Bien, she came over to where I sat. She didn't have a good time. I took her out for a tanda. She didn't know how to do ocho cortado. She couldn't get good dances if she dances like this. She realized that and told me she would take a few classes before going to another milonga. I admired her courage, coming to BsAs alone without knowing much of tango nor spanish. She could have enjoyed the scene better if she is more ready. She is young and good looking. If she dances well, she would have been a darling of the milongas.

The other night at Canning, a woman from New York came over to where I sat. She's been dancing for about a year at the dance studio I used to take classes. I haven't seen her often at the milongas in NY, so I was surprised to see her. Apparently she would like to have a dance. I know how it feels to be alone in the milonga, times two while in a foreign land. Even though I knew it was not gonna to be very enjoyable , somehow I felt that it was the right thing to do.

Whenever I dance with someone, I always try my best. It was ten times harder to lead a beginner (even after her one year of studio learning) on the crowded and mixed level Canning floor. I had to make sure no accidents and no embarrassment. I was exhausted after two songs. "You should go to the milongas in NY more often" I mentioned to her during the break.

Every experience on the floors of BsAs' milongas is an unique one. I am in no position to say that don't come unless you are good dancers. Do come to experience the city by all means. But come prepared. Do some research, understand that except a few places (which I haven't been to) close embrace is the normal. Understand that when you accept a dance, then embrace the person like you embrace your family, your friend, your lover. A polite, ballroom style and cold embrace is a small offense to me. And understand that if you want to dance, don't be shy, look around for similar minded opposite sex, cabaceo is easier than you imagine.

Like in every other adventure, a good preparation ensures a better journey. May yours be just as good as, or better than, the fantastic one that I am having right now.

Off to La Ideal.

Day 7. Nino Bien

2008-02-29T00:55:00.000-05:00

Went to Nino Bien early because Julio y Corina were teaching a group class. I watched them explained a few steps then sat down. Julio and Corina asked why I didn't join in. I smiled. Never again, group class.

It was just so happened that my table was right behind theirs. They were friendly people and of course maestros and great performers. But I couldn't see the steps that they taught being useful on a crowded floor. Later they danced to a milonga on the floor. It was beautiful to see.

And just as the class came to the end, I caught the sight of Tina and guess who: La Chemin Du Tango. It is a small tango world indeed. Later when a D'Arienzo tanda came up, I tried very hard to cabaceo her. And she caught it. She has nice embrace, feels light and follows very well. I enjoyed very bit of D'Arienzo with her.

Tina was popular. I couldn't get the chance to cabaceo her every time a good tanda came up. She was always on the floor. Finally one hour and half later, I saw her sitting down. Walked over and cabaceoed her. We had a nice tanda, but it was too crowded and too many not-so-good dancers around to have a great tanda. Hopefully at Consagrados on Saturday, we can finally be at our best.

Nino Bien is actually quite an international scene. Over fifty percent of the women are not portenas. And you can tell how tango has been developing in different parts of the world. I danced with a woman from Switzerland. She has the embrace and dance very well.

In my opinion, a lot of foreign women are as good, if not better, as the portenas. Few men could dance as good as the old milongueros. It is not the technique. There is something the old milongueros have that takes years to cultivate. Watching Tete dancing is quite an interesting experience. There is nothing special in his steps, but by watching him dancing with young woman :) I can feel the joy that radiates. Same with Ruben y Cherie, watching them dancing together, it is just fascinating.

The younger generation, however, doesn't have it. I have seen a lot of them perform and dance socially in the milonga. The connection is on the feet, not the heart. Too many figures, too many steps, too showy, lack of the magic that draws the hearts. It takes life experience to express the feeling in the music. Without the depth of life experience, then tango is no more than just another dance.

Cafeteria La Ideal martinee next...

Day 7. Un tanda mas?

2008-02-28T12:41:00.000-05:00

So I read this before: in BA, if you dance with the same person more than twice, then others might think that there is something going on between the two. I guess that the rule doesn't apply to milongas anywhere else. In NY, we often dance with the same partner a few times in a milonga. While in Rome, however, do as the Roman do. I followed the "codigo" well in BA.

This time I found this particular rule is no longer strictly followed. Or has it ever had such a codigo? At Consagrados, I danced with this young portena three times. Sunday night, at El Beso with the young portena who claims to be a lawyer actually cabaceoed me the second time. Last night, the portena in green dress twice. So now I am bit confused. Some women I would love to dance with more than one tanda. Sometimes when I cabaceoed someone in the middle of a tanda and found out we had good connection. Do I cabaceo her again?

I asked Ruben with help of Cherie. His answer is that it is OK to dance someone more than once in the milonga as long as not consecutively and the intention is to dance. And part of the reason that people don't dance more than one tanda together is that they could have chance to dance with others. That is, unless you are the best dancer in the milonga, according to Ruben, women, after having their best dance with you, don't want to dance with anyone else and then go home happily.

Maybe one day I could become this dancer who gives the best tanda. :) One day...

Day 6. El Beso

2008-02-28T00:15:00.000-05:00

Went to El Beso early and hoped to get to sit at a table. Nope, all taken. So I ended up hanging around by the bar area. Had a nice first tanda with a portena in a green dress, then I sat around for an hour and half without finding one to dance.

It is harder for a guy who is a relatively new face in a milonga to get good dances. Experience dancers don't look at you unless they have seen you dancing on the floor. The ones who easily accept your cabaceo are normally foreigners or not-so-good dancers.

Right now I don't mind not getting dances any more. I would rather have one or two great tanda a night then dancing 10 tandas. It is about the quality not the quantity. Like in everywhere else, I am building my dancer card one at a time. People will remember your face if you are good dancer. I am not worried about that. I spent more time watching the floor then being on the floor. It is a good learning experience to see different leads, follows and expressions of the music.

Talking about foreigners, I think a lot of them(me included) are better dancers. With different background and financial means, we are getting better in shorter amount of time. I have danced with some older portenas, only a few have the good overall feel.

Later, I danced with an middle age Italian woman from Bologna. She dances beautifully: good embrace, calm and smooth movement. Another portena of the same age: lean back posture, lift her feet in the dance which gave me a uncomfortable feeling, her following was just decent.

A good song came up, I wholebody was jazzing up. I looked around and caught the eyes of the first portena. Off we went to have a second tanda. The connection was better this time. The floor opened up, we danced more freely. I could hear her breathing.

I left around 2 am, another early night home. I had a decent time tonight. Two and half good tandas, not bad!

Tomorrow, Nino Bien. Julio y Carina are teaching before the milonga. So i will be there early. Maybe take some video to share. I am getting lazy with taking video and picture this time. Maybe I am less touristy. :)

Day 6. Already?

2008-02-27T16:13:00.000-05:00

Wow, don't feel that I have been here close to a week. Days have just gone by like a snap of finger. I am thinking about extending my stay till the 22nd. Some friends are coming down from New York during the CITA week. Love to hang out with them. It will be fun to hit the milongas together.

I am more settled in today. Went to supermarket-Disco to do some grocery shopping. I was fascinated by the price of a good bottle of red wine: 9 pesos, the more expensive ones are in the 40-60 pesos range. I was tempted to pick up a few bottles. But I shouldn't be drink any alcohol. It was hard to walk away from the wine section of the supermarket.

I got myself some beef tongue and rice from the cooked food section, some bread, cheese, milk, mate tea bag (I love it!), packaged salad and 6 gallon of water. The problem with the diet here is lack of variety of veggies. And I don't if it is my imagination, but I think things are getting expensive here. For everything that I got, I paid 72 pesos, close to 24 bucks US. Pretty expensive for two days supply. I am wondering how the portenos deal with living expenses. From what I heard, they don't earn as much here.

I took bus 95 back to the apartment. I now know how to take bus 60 to El beso, Zival from my apartment, bus 59 to Palermo, but still need to find the bus to Javier's place for privates starting next week, and to Nino Bien by tomorrow.

Resting the rest of the afternoon, listening to my newly purchased cds (25 of them, mostly Canaro, Troilo and D'Arienzo) and writing this post.

El Beso tonight.

Day 5. Porteno y Bailarin

2008-02-26T23:46:00.000-05:00

Woke up feeling muy cansado. Got an appointment for massage at twelve. Didn't even have breakfast. I could feel all the knots on my shoulder, back and legs. I felt soreness all over my body after. I need to have a few more sessions.

Javier is on the beach somewhere right now. I don't have any class schedule this week. So I decided to try a milonga class at the Escueia Argentina de Tango on Rodriguez Pena. There were only four students: me, a french man and a couple. There were two chicas, but they just wanted to dance with each other.

The teacher showed a few steps. The chicas played around by switching lead. And I gave my following virginity in BA to the French guy. Javier told me to learn how to follow. It would help me to understand how the woman would feel. And I felt the French man very nervous. I left thirty minutes after. And it was supposed to an hour and half class.

I took the bus, yes! the bus to Porteno y Bailarin. Cost only 90 cents ( a little over a quarter US). Great, I just save 7 peso. I am loving this bus exploration.

Porteno y Bailarin has changed its old wood floor to marble one. Based on my experience, it is going to take toll on feet if one dances all night long. I am still feeling the pain on my foot and knee from Sat. night at Sunderland.

Well, I don't have to worry about it. I didn't dance much. First of all, I didn't feel the music the whole night except one tanda of Di Sarli and one tanda of Lucio Demare. My friend told me on Sunday at El Beso that people are not going to P&B because of the music. She didn't have good dances at P&B. I have to agree with her.

I danced one tanda with a portena only because I saw both owners of P&B danced with her and she cabaceoed me. Her embrace was... so not Argentine.

My second tanda and the last one was with... Tina ! After all this blogging and comments, we finally met in person and got to dance a tanda of vals. I was watching her dancing before our tanda and enjoying her elegant, clean and playful footwork. She has wonderful embrace. I wished the floor wasn't so crowded at the time, so that I could have more connection with her. I guess there will be another time then.

I left shortly after our tanda. It was only two o'clock, still very early. Walked out on the street, I saw some familiar faces coming out from El Beso. I could have more dances at El Beso, but the one with Tina made up for them.

Day 4. Canning

2008-02-25T15:46:00.000-05:00

That was it. Salon Canning is now officially on my shit list. I went there early in order to have a seat. I didn't have too much expectation anyway based on my last experience at Canning. So I sat there, chatted with a girl whom I got to know last night at El Beso.

Didn't really see anyone that I would like to dance with. Gringas who don't know how to cabeceo are probably newbies. Those who dance for a while want to dance with portenos. I saw a few women walking out in the middle of the tandas. And quite frankly, there were not that many good portenos around at Canning.

Saw Osvaldo Zotto y Lorena Emocida on the floor dancing one tanda. He was bumped four times in one song. He is such a classy guy. He offered a friendly gesture to the guy whenever there was an accident. Some big dude, who looked like a biginner, blocked his path at the beginning of the song. He was a bit upset, but he waited patiently till the foreigner moved away before he started to dance.

I didn't take my eyes off them until they reached the other end of the floor, out of my sight. They are such a graceful couple. They moved as if floating on the floor and flowing around quietly and smoothly. By watching them I could find myself breathing like in the state of meditation.

The only dance that I enjoyed was with some one from New York, whom just danced five months. Her embrace was so comfortable, even better than some portenas'. She followed extremely well. I felt ease to navigate around the crowed floor with her. I would have danced a second tanda with her if I didn't have to converse with a student of Javier.

The woman saw me greeting with Marite and approached me at the end of the night. She started the conversation. She is also studying under Javier and Bichi. She wanted to have a dance.

Hugo Diaz was playing. I told her that I don't dance this music. She said: "Why? It is nice music. I dance everything."
"I am particular with music. I have music that I don't dance to." I told her, "Let's dance when the music is right."

Finally, a tanda of Di Sarli started. We walked on the floor. It was past four in the morning and the floor opened up. The moment I embraced her, I didn't feel it. She has the same problem with a lot of gringas: the torso feel like a block. It felt stiff and cold. Even though she claimed to be a former ballet dancers, I have had much better embrace than that. I mean the five month beginner embraced me better than her. I can't even walk long with worries that she would pull me off balance. There was a reason why she had been sitting in front of me the whole night and I didn't cabaceo her.

We talked about a bit of styles and learning experience with Javier. It seemed that we had some differences. She started from Nuevo and fantasia, I have been always a traditional guy. Well, I was once again missing the girl with whom I danced at Sunderland. Where has she been dancing?

Day 4. Monday, holiday

2008-02-25T08:38:00.000-05:00

While the city gets into its gear, a turista like me takes the day off. Today I am gonna stay in a bit. Maybe run around the cemetery, have lunch and take a nap before going on a bus trip to Neotango.

Thanks to Tangocandy, I went to the newsstand and bought a MiniGuia de Buenos Aires. I sort of figure out how to get to Riobamba (El Beso and Porteno y Bailarin) from Recoleta. And it is pretty straight forward. But I have yet figured out how to get back because Riobamba is a one way street. I have to take another bus back. Which one, I have no clue. But last night the cab ride cost only 7 peso ($2.50). So worst comes to worst, I will take a cab back.

I am picking up some Castellano from the Milonga. A young chica with who I danced one song at Sunderland taught me a few words last night. She just started dancing but has this embrace that is unmistakably Argentine, warm and comfortable. And an Americana from Seattle, who in her own right deserves a separate post (I even have the title: the mind of a typical American who dances open) but I am not gonna write it because she is a smart, beautiful and likable person, corrected me on the pronunciation of ll.

I got around all right with the 7 words and phrases that I know. Now armed with bigger vocabulary, maybe I will start a conversation with one of these hot chicas at the bar very soon. Or is it just something that I dream about? LOL.

Day 3. Lo De Celia y El Beso, Ruben's empanada.

2008-02-25T00:15:00.000-05:00

It has been a long day. Where do I start?

How about a porteno asked me how was the girl with whom I just danced, at the end of the night at El Beso? I thought he was debating if he should cabeceo her. That put me on the spot. She was a nice person, but her posture was straight, and anticipated a lot. I had a OK tanda with her.

I didn't want to lie to the old guy. It looks like he is a regular at El Beso. But I don't want to badmouth anyone either. So I hesitated and responded: "Maybe it is me."
"It is not you, you are good dancers." He said in heavily accented English.

I got to El Beso early and saw the now-resident-of-BsAs from RI. She is a very nice person. She invited me to sit with them. I danced with her and her friends to start the night. Then a cabeceo to a young portena whom told me she is a lawyer. I was surprised. Thought she is only 20 something. We had a very nice vals tanda and so happened we were dancing in front of Tete and stopped at his table at the end of one song.

He said something to her. And then I saw him dancing with her at the next tanda. A few tanda later, she actually cabeceoed me for a tanda of milonga, which was a mistake. I don't have the traspie down yet. She missed a few steps. So I finished the rest in Lisa. She has been dancing for ten years and was surprised when I told her I've danced only two years.

There was an Asian woman who danced fantastically. I didn't catch the chance to cabeceo her. I kept a note for myself. I was a little disappointed the gringa, whom I met last night and had a great Pugliese tanda, was here tonight. I missed dancing with her. I could still remember the detail of the tanda, the moves, the connection, the conversation and the embrace. I hope to dance with her again.

Earlier of the day, we went to Lo De Celia, a martinee milonga like Consagrados, catering the local. There are only three turistas here: us (a Chino from NY, a chica from Norway and a gringo from LA).

I was dead tired by the time we sat down. Didn't see anyone I like to dance. The thing I like about the milongas in BA is that you can chat, order a drink and listen to the music. I had a great time talking to Cherie and Ruben about the music, a bit of gossips and other things. I danced a few with Cherie, the chica from Norway and una amiga del Ruben. The floor is marble, a bit too smooth for me to feel the floor. And I was bushed out and thinking about keeping some gas in the tank for later at El Beso.

We left around 10:30pm and I went to El Beso by myself.

I ordered two empanadas when I got to El Beso. I was hungry. But the best empanadas I had was made by Ruben. I had sampled quite a few in the afternoon before heading to La Celia. We had wine, champagne, the best empanada in town, and some helatos. I was tired but feeling very good. Good friends, tasty empanada, good wines and tango...

Life has been good so far in BsAs.

Day 2. Sunderland club.

2008-02-24T03:08:00.000-05:00

A 22 peso cab ride and half an hour later, I was at the famous Sunderland club. The first driver didn't even want to go. The one who took me there was pissed because I didn't have exact change. The moment I got off the cab, I saw a guy from New York. Great!

Inside, I asked for the table of Maxi Copello. It was the last one, the host told me. I couldn't find it, stood there like ten minutes and finally caught my friend. The place was jammed packed. I saw two gringas whom I know from last time. Some greeting and they were surprised to see me again.

Danced with my friend for a milonga tanda. The floor was impossible. Even though the place was packed with stars, but the people on the pista were mixed. Some good ones, but a lot of showboats who danced with no regards of the others.

One of the woman whom I know danced with me a tanda and got kicked three times. Even though it was not my fault, as she said, but I felt stupid and embarrassed. I was very good at floor craft. This tanda was the worst one because never in my life before I had a woman in my care gotten kicked three times in a tanda. She was upset about the whole scene, I can't blame her.

The other gringa was so much better, yet still some fucking hot shot made a hugh step and had his partner's heel in my partner's foot. The fucking guy just danced away without a blink of an eye. I guess that our foreigners are second class dancers on the floor. Fuck you very much, asshole.

J, the other gringa who I met at the milongas last year, impressed me. We danced a tanda of Pugliese and I must say that was the best tanda that I had. Her embrace was so good. And in three months time, she got so Argentine, I felt like I was dancing with Andrea Misse. She told me she will be coming back to the states later this year. I lobbied her to move to New York. Gee, how can some one get so good in the matter of three months, I mean other than myself. :)

But seriously, she made me feel hope about American tango dancers. Or is she just an Argentine transplant? I long for a partner like her.

Anyway, I sat around and had another dance with a chica. Still other than having seen the known names like Geraldine y Ezequiel and every one else, the place is not yet my favourite. It is too far, too crowded, not too good floor craft ( Some young hot shot was blocking an obviously well known milonguer, whom was frowning at the young guy while trying to protect his partner.). I would have gone to Maipu 444 if it weren't for the invite of my friend.

The stars are just some normal people who happen to dance better than the rest of us. It makes no sense to be there just for the sake of seeing them. After all, for me tango is between two people. I would care less about everything else. I enjoyed Los Consagrados better. Thank god I had a great Pugliese tanda with J. Otherwise, Sunderland would be on my not-to- visit-again list.

Day 2. los Consagrados

2008-02-24T02:28:00.000-05:00

This is a local milonga on Saturday afternoon at Nino Bien, Humberto Primero 1462. Only a few gringos y gringas, y uno Chino. I went out around 5:00pm, took the bus to Plaza Italia to catch D train. It took me about an hour to get to Neotango, which turned out closed at 4:00pm on Saturday. Most of the stores had their gates down. Not a good sign for economy.

Anyway, took a cab and got to Nino Bien. Met with Ruben at the door. From my understanding, Cherie would be late. It amazed me how far I got with the very limited spanish I know. Sat down, ordered the Champagne, and eveything was so familiar. Every one was at their regular tables.

My first dance is with a beautiful Argentine, whom Reben raved about. But I knew her already, danced with her at La Ideal once. Apparently she remembered me, a cabaceo later we met at the floor. I was glad to have my first dance with her. She told me I am a very good dancer. Coming from a portena, it was a good compliment.

My favourite arrived. She was surprised to see me. She looks the same; same dress, same necklace. Everything is so familiar. We had total three tandas. I didn't know what rules I have broken. Will have to check with Cherie and Ruben again for some update on the codigo.

Had a wonderful tanda with Cherie, although I messed up a few times. But watching her and Ruben dancing a tanda of milonga, they were amazing, the best on the floor. I stole a few steps from Ruben, I guess I would have to get him a nice bottle of wine tomorrow at the Empanada gathering.

Ruben is a sweet guy. He constantly told me who was good dancer. I danced with a round figure chica he recommended, and it was good. I regretted afthat I didn't cabaceo her at the beginning of the tanda rather in the middle of it. Hopefully she is going to be around next week.

It got to the end of the milonga. One portena pointed her finger at me, yes you, you forgot to ask me for a tanda. She is the regular here, and a very good dancer, light as feather. This time I felt that I could lead her much better.

Apparently she agreed. She gave me compliment during the break, but also some tips at the last one. I had to relax my left shoulder, she felt the tension. She was right, I did feel a bit tensed. We danced the last one.

It was 10:00pm. And I was hungry from dancing all these tandas. Said goodbye to Cherie and Ruben I headed back to the apartment. Sunderland was next...

Day 2. Sunderland

2008-02-23T11:31:00.000-05:00

Just got a phone call from a friend. Tonight it is the birthday celebration of an old milonguero at Sunderland. I am invited to sit with her at the table of Carlos and Maxi Copello. Los Consagrados in the afternoon and head out to Sunderland after. It is gonna be a great first night for tango. I can't wait.

I am going out to have a hair cut. Then Neotango for new pairs of shoes.

Day 2.

2008-02-23T09:30:00.000-05:00

Woke up in the morning and had a stiff neck. Maybe it is the bed. The only problem with the apartment is that it is on a busy street. So the noise level is high during daytime and higher when the happy hours arrives at night. I could still hear conversation on the street at 3:00am this morning. I don't know how I am gonna survive three weeks like this, but will see. How do you say ear plug in Spanish?

The weather is bit muggy after the rain. It is not the kind of weather I like, but better humid than cold. Beside, the apartment has AC. So I will probably spend most of the daytime at the apartment working.

Went out to get some media luna for breakfast. There is no coffee filter at the apartment and couldn't find any around either. So I ended up at MacDonald to get my caffeine fix. Walked around the neighborhood, found a couple of spas, bakeries, boutiques and a wine store. Restaurants are everywhere. Lots of bars.

With my little Spanish, I got around making an appointment for massage (60 peso =less than ed$20 an hour) at the spa next block and left my shirts to be ironed. I learned a few new words: camisa, plancha, masaje.

I am liking the hood. Now if only I can figure out how to get around by bus. It is wasting to go around in cab, especially just to do some grocery shopping.

Day 1.

2008-02-22T23:04:00.000-05:00

I am here. It is so familiar, except the remise fare went up 15 peso in less than three month. The apartment locates a block from the Recoleta cemetery. One Irish pub and a restaurant called los porteno sit across the street. Bars, clubs, cinema are around the corner.

I went out with the rental agent, whom happens to be a expat from Houston, to the Locos sports bar to have a beer, watch a NBA game and check out the local hot babes. He told that these are what made him stay: the beautiful argentine women and the wine. Hey, whatever makes you happy bro. I told him.

Too tired to hit the milonga. Beside, it is Friday night. I don't have a favourite on Friday. Tomorrow, today rather, I will see Cherie y Ruben at Los Consagrados, then head down to Maipu 444. First thing first, gotta figure out how to take the bus to D line. It is going to be an adventure for me, taking the bus.

Two days

2008-02-19T11:40:00.000-05:00

before I take off to the Tangoland. I am less excited this time. Maybe it is because I have gone and come back less than three months ago. Or maybe it is because lately I have been having good time out dancing in NY. Or maybe I have had quite a few things on my plate since I booked the trip; I need to redo my kitchen floor and renovate the bathroom, finish my two year old project, do a overdue medical check up, plan a trip to Asia.

For past year or so, tango has taken over my life: dancing four to six times a week, watching thousands of youtube clips, spending hours writing and reading tango blogs, listening to the music over and over. It has been an incredible ride, the way that I have soaked up tango in just two years. And I start getting it: the music, the connection and the embrace... the ability to lead the woman dreaming in the dance.

But where do I go from here? With the exception of few, most of the women who I've danced with need much work on the embrace, posture, walk, let alone the concept of active following. I have been having good time, but only occasionally that I can truly immerse in the music and uninhibitedly share my feeling. The better that I get, the more I feel unsatisfied. I feel like I am giving more than I receive in the dance. I know there are still a lot for me to improve on, but what is the point?

Maybe it is time for me to slow it down. Just let tango be a part of life, not my life.

An interesting website about tango

2008-02-18T15:23:00.000-05:00

from a local tanguero.

www.tangoprinciples.org

Check it out. May learn a few things.

The milonga business

2008-02-14T15:11:00.000-05:00

From the facebook, I learned that the DJ and host of the popular Sunday milonga has ended his tenure abruptly. The host is a friendly guy and a well known DJ. Shortly after the news, there is a group created to call for boycotting that milonga on facebook. I can understand the sentiment. I am not gonna join the group but I won't patronize that milonga for sure. I have never liked the piso.

The place was pathetically slow last winter. The departed host has revived it this season and turned it into the place to go on Sunday. The few times that I had gone I enjoyed it even though I didn't dance that much. The music has always been good and the energy was better than most of the milongas in town. I am sure that the business end has been good as well: for a miserable 4 couples a night to 80-100 people. You do the math. It will be interesting to know how this milonga will be doing without this beloved DJ and host.

The milonga business is somewhat tricky. There are so many elements involved: music, floor, location, host, timing and weather. Some milongas never gain popularity. Some attract only certain types of patrons. Some have been always been the place to go on the particular date. Some have gone from crowded to deserted. Few take off like this one.

My Wednesday night regular hasn't been doing well in attendances for a while. I haven't been getting quality dances there much for a while. A few times I thought about not going.

My DJ friend has been doing quite well with the music. The location is all right: two, three blocks from the subway station thought way downtown. The size of the piso is decent. The hosts, eh, are so so to say the least. They are nice people and Argentine. But somehow, they just seem not getting it. Lately no much promotion effort has been spent. I haven't seen some regulars for a while. No new faces. Some regulars have been leaving early. I have a feeling that it is going downhill.

Milonga is a business and a competitive one in this town. The customer base is limited yet new milongas are announced on a regular basis. It is very simple business based on attendance. Attendance is up, profit increases.

But what makes one go to certain milonga? Great music, good dancers, welcoming environment, free beers (wishful thinking)... whatever it is or they are, hosts, it is your job to find out.

Two years, Two weeks, Two times

2008-02-08T11:38:00.000-05:00

Two years ago, at 1:00pm every Saturday afternoon in Feburary, six people, two guys and four young and beautiful women took their first steps in tango with the fabulous Mariana Galassi . One of them has turned into a tango junkie.

For the next six months, I had taken average six to eight group classes and practiced four to six hours a week. I watched thousands of youtube videos related to the keyword: tango. Yet, I hesitated to step in the milonga world. The idea of being rejected hindered me.

I can't remember anything about my first milonga but my heart was beating fast the whole night. The feeling of being turned down by a woman often haunted me till I came back from Buenos Aires. I had stepped on toes, bumped knees and grazed breasts. I had struggled, frustrated and lost...

Now I am mostly calm and confident. I know the way that I want to dance tango. I begin to understand how to dance the music with my body, how to follow the woman and how to connect. And I am expanding my dance card one woman at a time. All these happened because I went to Buenos Aires...

In two weeks, I will be heading back to Buenos Aires the second time in four months. Other than taking more privates with Javier Rodriguez and Andrea Misse again, I will be looking into group classes with Geraldine Rojas and Ezequiel Paludi, Julio and Corina at Nino Bien and Canning, and El Flaco 's milonga traspie at la Escuela Argentina de Tango. Or maybe not. I want to know the city a bit more. I want to relax, chill out and have fun. Some friends are going to be there around the same time.

It is gonna be better second time around...

Year of RAT

2008-02-07T11:47:00.000-05:00

Suffering in Tango

2008-01-30T11:02:00.000-05:00

'... look to suffer too much in the dance. Putting too much thought into technicalities, how to move, how to step, how to do this figure exactly, how to do exactly what this teacher said, what that teacher said, trying so hard to copy exactly how every teacher moved.'"

Excerpt from Crossroad

I have been reading some blogs and realized quite a few people out there are talking about the technical aspects of tango down to the specific bones. I tried to follow the detail descriptions. Two paragraphs later I was overwhelmed by the amount of anatomy in the writing: how one's pelvis should be placed in this movement, the degree of hip movement for that movement. For a moment, I thought I was reading a medical journal rather than a tango post.

I try to image how one dances while being conscious about one's shoulder, pelvis and feet. I can't do that, thinking about my body and dancing to the music at the same time. I used to HATE teachers counting step. I still can't associate 1234568 to the beat of the music. Maybe it is just ME who has never taken a class on Music. (Mind you, I am often told that I have great musicality.:)) And who invented this way to teach tango?

At my pre-intermediate classes, the Argentine teacher taught embrace as imagining yourself holding a bady, the American one a round cylinder. For some reason, when my American said that, I had the image of a steel pool in my arm, and i had shivers.

At a workshop on sacada that I attended a year ago, this young American taught about forming the triangle and stepping in 45 degree. At the moment, I thought I was back to college studying Mechanics 101 again.

"Soy, Voy" Javier taught me how to do a sacada: with intention and just go. He showed me, I followed; Andrea's leg was flying. No 45 degree, no triangle, no thinking, just go.

"When they (the Argentine) embrace, man or woman regardless, they don't tear their hair out trying to obsess in technicalities, posture, figures or the teachings of tango teachers."

"Instead they indulge in the shared embrace, listen to the music, to the singing, let the body move naturally and have fun; be happy together! They just want to enjoy the music, enjoy the partner and dance!"

"Why agonize over a perfect side step, or a perfectly led giro? As long as you don't throw each other off balance, and two of you get from point A to point B together, let whatever happen in between happen!" Javier dismissed with a wave of his hand.

Remember, tango for most of us is a social dance. It is not a rocket science, nor a fine art. Teachers, please teach tango as what it is. And dancers, let your body go, enjoy the music and the embrace of your partner. Enjoy tango.

Interview with Geraldine y Ezequiel

2008-01-29T13:58:00.000-05:00

viewable from www.tangonoticias.com, excerpts:

Right now it's the fashion to dress casually all the time and make fun of the people who dress up and wear suits. When you dance this style, the people believe that they automatically become artists.... were only interested in "being artists" and dancing tango nuevo.... the main group, were making fun of these people that wanted to learn Argentine tango.

Tango was designed by normal people, the regular crowd.

The only thing we have in Argentina is our spirit. Everything else is from outside-imported. For normal people, relationships are important.

People say tango is sad but it just gives you in poetry the real situation. Nobody is purely happy. Tango takes your sadness out.

These are the reasons that tango outside BsAs is different. Few people truly understand the essence of tango. Most only see it as a dance, a movement and glorify it.

While you sit in a milonga, observe. See how people dance. Do they dance for themselves? For the people who are watching? or for each other. It is rare to see a couple dancing for each other.

D'Arienzo

2008-01-29T11:19:00.000-05:00

My morning coffee, my RedBull, my Gatorade.

Buenos Aires Relived

2008-01-27T04:08:00.000-05:00

My feet hurt. I had been dancing from 11:00am to 2:30am, with 4 hours lunch and dinner break in between. I HAD my tango fix this weekend. Will try to make it to the Sunday night milonga later, if my feet are feeling better later, that is.

Caught up with a girl whom I've seen before. She just got back from BsAs. We had a great conversation. And two great tandas. She said it was the first time she felt real dancing after she got back. We both loved to be in each other's embrace. It felt so, how should I put it, Buenos Aires. We hugged each other a few times at the end of the songs, savoring the lost feeling. She was the third person that I had danced with that familiar embrace.

I felt I was back in Buenos Aires, doing my milonga marathon again. Ah... less than a month...

Slowing Down.

2008-01-21T01:12:00.000-05:00

I had a milongaless weekend. And I only went out one night in the week. The weather hasn't been nice enough: snow, freezing cold, rain, and strong wind. The thought of going out in the weather and having a bad or even a so-so night deterred me further. I still remembered driving on the icy side streets of Manhattan to attend milongas last year. Now the desire of dancing with all those "hot" women is waning. Tango, for me, is no longer to dance till my feet hurt.

My enthusiasm is still here and growing strong. Besides working on the technique in my living room, I am undertaking the work of putting lyrics to my 4000 song Itune library and building my own tanda list. It is to help me with my musicality, which has always been raved by most of the followers. Now only if I understood the lyrics, had I have more control over how to express music. At the mean time, I am expanding my Spanish vocabulary. Maybe by November, my third trip to BsAs, I can finally converse in Spanish.

Two of the bloggers have taken down their blogs. I think that I can relate to it. I wiped out my posts from March to October 2007 without backup. At that time, I felt that I needed to move on and there was no need to look back. Two weeks later, I found myself posting again, only that it was changed to a journal to my first trip to BsAs. Amidst my post BsAs blue, I wanted to close up shop again. A few days later, I couldn't resist but voice my opinion again... I do hope one of these days they will find the desire to write again and share their voices.

Part of the reason I am so into tango is because it is a life long experience, like martial arts. There is always another level you can reach to. In the end, it is not so much about the physical aspect of the game but the mental one. One doesn't stop learning if one chooses not to.

It is rewarding to have a blissful tanda once a while. And it makes the whole experience more cherishable.

Youtube Friday

2008-01-18T17:35:00.000-05:00

Dug up these two clips of Andrea Misse y Leandro Palou from youtube.

Tango (to Siete Palabras by Di Sarli)

Milonga (to Milonga de Mis Tiempos)