Royce's tango music posts

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.

Non-Argentine Tango Salon Champ.

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.

Stop dancing with them

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...)

Why People Quit Tango?

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?

Hot potato or cold stone?

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)!

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

Selfishness

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.

Fellow Bloggers, Tango Friends

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.

"The dance, it's not just making the woman follow

your lead, follow your musicality, execute your figures. But most importantly listening to the woman, in the embrace, in her figures, in her embellishments, what she wants." excerpts from Lonewalk's , who by the way is a damn good dancer himself (cream of the crops by American standard), latest post about Javier Rodriguez talked about musicality.

A very interesting post, the way Javier talked about musicality in a deeper level. I will let you read about it from Issac's blog yourself.

Tango, at a higher level, is very intriguing, to say the least.

"Its not all about trying to do what you want anymore. Its letting her body and her emotions lead you..."

Leader follows... I am revisiting the idea.

BsAs...

is no Nirvana. BsAs has average dancers, even bad dancers too. BsAs' milongas can be very crowded and hard to dance for some. BsAs has hot and humid summer days. BsAs has problems like every other city in the world...

But in BsAs, you can dance tango 16x7 (save 8 hours a day for sleep, eat, drink and go to the batroom). In BsAs you can dance with just about the world. In BsAs, you can dance with the best, if you are strived to be the best. In BsAs, you can experience something magical...

So if you are serious about knowing tango, make a trip to BsAs. Maybe you come back with disappointment, maybe you come back with depression, maybe you come back with different perspective of tango, or maybe you come back and quit...

Then one day you would say this: I('ve) dance(d) tango, I've been to BsAs...

I am an addict, a junkie: crazy, irrational.

I probably need help but you are supposed to live only once. Non? So I just bought another ticket to Buenos Aires leaving on the 22nd of February for three weeks. Great price: $782. Hotwire.com.
Now I am settled.

sleepless first night.

I actually slept the whole afternoon, now it's 2:15am Tuesday morning in New York, 12:15am in Buenos Aires. I would be at El Beso right now, and going to Porteno Y Bailarin in another hour; came from Maipu444 this afternoon. Only that I am at home in my apartment, listening to Alfredo Gobbi, with the hissing sound from the radiators on the background...

My whole body is aching, especially my calves. I think I will stop blogging till I go back to BA again. There is nothing to talk about here. And I've spent way too much time on blogging.

Time to focus on things that are more pragmatic, such as making money for my next longer visit in late Feb and march, starting to learn some Spanish so that next time I can converse during the break and the beginning the song, dancing a little less and thinking tango a little more.

I need time to digest, revisit and practice what I've learned. Anyway, three months will pass by before I know it. Much to do before the next trip. As a matter of fact I feel like I never leave Buenos Aires, a city that I get to know.

Home,

Sharp contrast:

temperature: 28 Degree,

BA: Celsius
NY: Fahrenheit

Cab Fee from the airport to apartment: $20

BA: 1 hour ride
NY: 15 minutes ride

Sky:

BA: Sunny, bright
NY: Gray, cloudy

Feeling of being home: ?

Ten Memorable moments of the trip

1. Had my first dance in Nino Bien with Cherie. I was a bit nervous at the time but gained confidence as the night went on. Ruben y Cherie are wonderful to be around with.

2. Danced behind Javier and Andrea at P&B. Nervous of bumping into them.

3. Had a great night with L-A-F-S at P&B. It was great feeling though nothing happened.

4. Danced with Andrea Misse for the first time.

5. Watching the French woman dancing with the blind man.

6. Met with Sally. You are a wonderful woman!

7. Dinner with F&E at Cafe del los Angelitos. Talks about meaning of tango.

8. All those private with J&A.

9. Met with the fellow NY tangueros and tangueras and had a tanda or two with them.

10. Knowing that I will be back to BsAs very soon.

Tango marathon continued...

From Ideal, I went to Club Gricel. Nito was teaching there. NDM was there too. He is a great teacher. Learned a few things by just sitting and watching. But I was tired and sleepy.



Dancing two tandas with NDM and we decided to leave. I went to P&B by myself. Saw the waiter at P&B and he got me a decent table. P&B tonight was dead. I danced with a German and a French. Both had problem with their own axis.

By 1:00am, I was ready to leave for El Beso, crowded, which I was told by the German. I loved the crowd, more dancers, better level of dancing and most of all great energy.

Saw Javier's friend M, gave her a big kiss on the cheek. And walk down the block to El Beso.

The place was packed. A lot of hot chicas, great dancers. Saw Gustavo there, so was Issac from crossroad. They both danced like Javier, very good dancers, especially Gus.

I thought I made a mistake to get in to el beso at 1:30am. Should have come here first. I would get a lot more dances. But I was extremely tired and my whole body was stiff. I danced with someone from NY and LA, then I walked out there around 3:00am in the morning.

On the way back to the apartment, I was already planning my next visit.

The scent of a woman

It happened at Ideal, sans the dips and the open embrace.

I was continuing my tango marathon on Sunday. After a trip to the flea market at the cemetery, I went to Ideal. It was quiet then. A few old milgueros and milogueras were dancing on the floor. I was quite tired. For a moment or two, I dozed off. I was debating if I should go back and take a nap before heading to Club Gricel.

I had been sitting there for about an hour, didn't even put my shoes on. Finally I decided to leave. Then I caught the sight of this woman with short hair. She seemed to know every one, and had been getting dances.

I cabeceoed her. And we had a lovely tanda. She understood the embrace. She is from Paris (french again).

My sense of tango had come back after the tanda. Then I saw this petite pretty woman whom looked like Eva Longoria. Cabeceoed her, she responded, but another guy mistook it and walked towards her. She looked away and chatted with the woman sitting next to her but the guy was so eager to dance that he actually asked her. Oh, only if people followed the code.

He was a lousy dancer and a Pugliese tanda was playing. Saw the look on her face, eyes wide opened, thought that it was not a very happy one.

Then I saw the French woman was dancing with this guy who had no sense of direction and wore a pair of sunglasses. Why would she dance with the dude? She had got all the good ones to choose from. Her eyes were wide open. She danced with her eyes closed with the others.

Then I realized this was the blind guy whom someone had nmentioned to me. I watched her being careful with the people around, yet at the mean time tried to enjoy the dance with him. At that moment, I felt my eyes were watery. I was touched by the sight of a wonderful woman and a courageous man.

At the end of the tanda, she walked him back to his seat, which not far from mine. She walked pass me and I touched her elbow. She stopped, I told her that it was emotional to see her dancing with this man. I had tears in my eyes, and she said that it made two of us.

We danced our emotion away with a milonga tanda. After that, I had my dance with the Eva Longoria looking woman. And that was it for me at Ideal. I had witnessed something special. And that moment will always be remembered. A kiss and a wave goodbye to the French woman, I walked out of Cafeteria La Ideal.

That was not the best milonga I've been to, but definitely a special one...

Milonga marathon...

Went the Barrio Chino in the morning with NDM. Had nice lunch and got ready for my planned milonga marathon.

First stop Nino Bien's Saturday martinee: Los Consagrados. Got there around 5:20pm. Saw the waitress, she recognized me and we greeted with a kiss on the cheek. I went to Ruben y Cherie's regular table. It was empty. No one was there yet. I changed my shoes and ordered a cafe con leche. This is a porteno's martinee milonga. All the regulars have their regular table.

I cabeceoed a lovely lady at the table to our left. She was there last week but we didn't dance. The floor was roomy at the time. We had a nice tanda. She was really light on her feet. No wonder she danced tanda after tanda.

The young and pretty chica came shortly after, same dress, same table, same time. I waited she settled down and cabeceoed her for her first dance. We had a lovely tanda, and the floor wasn't crowded yet.

Cherie came around 6:30, rougly the same time that she said she would be there. We had a nice Pugliese tanda. I danced with the chica again, and with two more portenos. And it was 9:00pm. Time for the next stop.

I said goodbye to Cherie y Ruben. Thank them for their good company. They are wonderful milonguera y milonguero, genuine people. It was a great pleasure to have known them. I will miss them.

Second stop: Maipu 444. Had dinner at the restaurant next door, Asador and spaghetti.
Food in the stomach, I went up to Maipu 444. The place was packed, a lot of young chicas. No star tonight, but very good dancers on the floor. The host was warm, handshake and all that. But I was stuffed to the worst chair in the room: in the back between the men's and the lady's room.

No matter, I would get my dances once I got on the floor. The floor was small, a little bigger than P&B. DJ was good, great control of the flow with selection of tandas.

My first dance went to a Porteno,who is petite and just barely up to my chin. She was clearly a pre-intermedite. I had to cover a lot of her steps. Then again, it must be my lead (90% is leader fault.) She kept saying " muy lindo." during the break. I couldn't say the same about her though.

Second dance went to a LA native who is going to spend a year here.(how fortunate!) She seemed to get a lot of tandas. Other than another dutch woman, all six of my other dances were with portenos (some cute ones too). I am really getting good with this cabeceo thing.

I would have stayed to the end if it weren't for my planned mission. By 12:20pm, I was ready to hop to the next milonga: Italia Unita.

Third stop: Italia Unita. Cost of entrance: 20 peso!!! The most expensive one. The place looked very classy. The floor was nice, not crowded at all.

That also presented another problem, there wasn't enough energy on the floor. The milonga felt dead. I stayed for about twenty minutes then moved on the last stop, El beso.

El beso was crowded at 1:30 am. I kept working my cabeceo and danced with five portenos. There was this lovely blond who is petite and very cute. I cabeceoed her. She came over and i was quite taken by her beauty.

But she was very nervous. Mayb I am too handsome, :). She told me after one song:" you dance so so." I was surprised. "you're very nervous." I told her with some body language that imitates nervousness. She relaxed, then we had two very nice song. At the end of the tanda, she smiled (beautiful teeth):"muy lindo."



I danced with two more portenos and a dutch. And it was the la Cumparita. It was only 4:00am in the morning. Sharing a cab back to the apartment with the dutch, she talked about not getting the dances at Maipu444. I was surprised: "Maybe it is your cabeceo." I told her. (another subject for another time.)

The night was still young and I haven't danced for 12 hours yet. Outside, the street was still very busy. Young people were walking ups and downs. Trendy clubs still got long lines outside. Cafes and pizzerias were still opened with many customers.

I love this town, where you can tango from dawn to dust.

Salon Canning-11.30

Had a nice buffet dinner with NDM with a bottle of wine, cost only $20 each. I think I will go back again before I leave.

Went to Canning after. It was supposed to be the milonga for Friday night, but what a f@#$^!g nightmare. The level of dance was so bad while we got there. I just sat there most of the time and made snide remarks with NDM.

We went on to the floor and danced one tanda. During one song I was bumped four fucking times. It felt like back in Monday's DM luna milonga. You got people dressed in jeans with holes and sneakers. Most of the women didn't even know what cabeceo is. I looked and looked, no response (not even a signal of "NO"). I was frustrated.

Comparing to Nino Bien, the floor craft on this Friday was terrible. You got f@#$^!g old men who got no sense of direction, flinging the women with 4 inch heel around as a weapon and danced to every foot of free space possibly found. There was no flow of the floor. It reminds me NY, with actually some of the milongas in NY have better flow that one of Canning this night.

Saw Gustavo with his friends and Issac from Crossroad, it was interesting to see how they danced since we all studied with Javier.

Every single girl whom I danced with got some sort of flaws. Most of them don't have their own axis or wobbly, stiff embrace with the gringas. I danced with one Porteno. She told me she just danced in the milonga, and never took any lessons. No wonder she felt weird.

I was bit disgusted. We spent thousands of dollars to improve our dance. And you just come to milonga and dance. What the...!

Even my favorite Italian girl was felt rushing the steps. But she's got a good embrace. Plus I like her a lot. Other than that, the night was almost disastrous.

Sat with Javier's friend M a bit, and went over to Italian girl's table and we exchanged e-mail addresses and names. And hopefully will meet at the milongas some where.

I was feeling sore heels. I hadn't felt the wears on my heel for a long time. I know it was from dancing with these women whom don't f%$#@!g know how to embrace a man, don't f%$#@!g know how to stay on their axis, and don't f%$#@!g take any lessons.

There you go, Women don't get to be the only ones who b%^&*.

Hopefully Maipu 444 is going to be as good as last week.

Canning at 4:00am in the morning.

Private Five- Finale.

Andrea was sorting out her Comme IL Faut when I walking in. Twenty pairs of them. Today was my lucky day. She was going to break in a new pair of CIF with me.

We talked a while first. I asked technical questions and principal questions. Javier answered them. There were so much information but so little time.

Then I danced with Andrea. I was surprised that the music Javier put on was Pugliese. I didn't know that I was ready for Pugliese. I always felt timid with Pugliese.

Stop. Javier was serious. "I care very much on the aesthetic presentation of the feet in the dance." Andrea translated "Never embellish with the outside edge of the foot." Javier showed me how to lapiz works. Then we worked on parada, and musicality. And the freedom the man has to lead.

I was taking them in and made notes and digest. Now I understand why Javier was not keen on me taking video. It takes away the process of thinking. What I learned these few days had gone into me, I am a better dancer mentally.

I am so grateful to both of them of showing me essence of the dance. Had me a taste of what it was like to have a perfect dance.

I danced with Andrea a whole song of Pugliese. Javier approved with his eyes and a little nod, Andrea said it was muy lindo. Although, few moment I tipped over her and put pressure on her heel. It was my bad habit from my beginner's day.

On the way down, Andrea told me that she was glad that we had done so much in five days. I told her that I looked forward to seeing them again soon.

With a kiss goodbye, I had completed my five memorable hours private with two of the best teachers in the world. They had transformed me and educated me. That was the purpose of coming here.

Nino Bien- A week from the first night, 11.29

One week has passed. I came back to where I started my first milonga-Nino Bien. Had a wonderful and light hearted lesson with Javier and Andrea, I went straight to El Beso. It is small place but jam packed.

I danced a tanda with a girl whom I danced the other night at P&B and E (whom I thought was getting worse following.). After that I took off and called novia de maestro and met up at Nino Bien.

Got there early, saw the fellow New Yorkers again. Had a decent table (don't bother to call for reservation. Unless you are a regular, reservation doesn't mean squat) and ordered some vino and chatted a little. She doesn't go out much to the milongas. Even though she's been here close to a year, she found my milonga tales were very interesting.

After danced with her, I started to cabeceo around. One regular (yes, one week here I am getting my regular cabeceo.)responded and we had very nice half tanda when the floor was clear.

Next one went to the beautiful Italian girl whom I danced with Tuesday night. NDM said that she closed her eyes and smiling during the whole tanda of Calo. I felt great in the perfect embrace with her. My energy was high. The floor was packed then. Had her in my embrace, breathing and feeling the chest expanding together was blissful.

Later I had a second tanda, a D'Arienzo with her. She is good at the music as well, recognized different orchestra. I guess she is as much into tango as I did(can tell through the conversation the way that we talked about music).

During our tanda, a filming crew was here. The camera was following us for a long minute or two. I was slightly distracted and led her too close to the front table (I was using every single available square foot). Her heel caught the woman whom was sitting there next to the floor in the feet. (One advice, ladies, if you don't intend to get a lot dances, for any reason, including your ability to dance. Don't sit at the front row close to the floor. Front row is for dancers whom actively cabeceo for dance, not spectators to sit and watch.)

That happened at the last song of the tanda, we danced just about 15 feet during the whole song. I apologized to her. It was my first accident in one week. I felt embarrassed, more so because the camera was there to catch the accident.

Later towards the end of the milonga, I looked over at her. We both wanted to dance the third one, but were inhibited because of the codigo. She said she would be at canning Friday night. So I would probably see her again. And maybe get her e-mail address this time

Overall, the energy of the dance was not as good as last week. But I was having a fantastic time. Danced with a Swedish, a fellow NY tango dj/organizer, a Brit, a few others and it was close to 3:30am in the morning. My last one went to this chica from Hong Kong, who doesn't look like a Chinese at all. I had no idea. What an coincident!

It is interesting how tango brings people together from different places in the world.

Later, she invited me to share a cab with her. We exchanged e-mails and promised to meet again before I leave for NY.

It was great night all in all. Great class with great milonga. I was getting comfortable to dance to what I learned in the class. Especially the embrace part, it works.

I got home feeling so tired, didn't even have the energy to write anything. Not until now, 1:00pm in the afternoon that I have recovered from the unforgettable night of dancing at Nino Bien. My favourite along with Porteno y Bailarin.

Private four- Copyright infringement-Tres Javier

I am more comfortable with Andrea and Javier. I even loosed the second button of my shirt. And Javier noticed that and said: "muy Argentino."

Danced a full song with Andrea without being stopped by Javier. I viewed it as a big improvement from the first day, when I was stopped just about one minute into the dance.

We continued fine tuned the embrace, walk and energy flow. Then Javier explained the energy of a giro that I did.

" I saw you did this." He said, Andrea translated. My favorite Javier move.

"Yes, I learned that from video." I said and

"I know." Javier winked. "I recognized it." "But it is a copy."

So he explained it how the energy works and I understood it, but couldn't do it right away. I need time to have it become part of me before I have the confidence to do it.

Javier and Andrea danced one song together to show me how it was done. I felt that I was so privileged to see the performance right in front of me.

The door bell rang. And it was another Javier's student from Taiwan. Gustavo! I recognized him from the photos on the web. I know he is very good. Some introduction after, we resumed the lesson.

I danced with Andrea one more song. Unconsciously, I used one of the moves that Javier just did. After the dance, Andrea chuckled and told Javier. Javier was laughing:" Mafia Chino."

"Mafia numbero Uno." he pointed to Gus "y Mafia numbero Dos." He pointed at me.

"What can I do," I joked " I have to steal from the rich man."

He chuckled after andrea translated. That has concluded my fourth private with them.

Then I watched Gus led Javier for one song. I recognized all the signature Javier moves and energy in his dance. I was laughing and admiring. Yet I don't want to dance just like Javier. I want to apply what he taught me and dance like me.

On the way down from the apartment, Javier told me when I go back, I should start following. Then you would understand how the mujer feels, he said.

It was a great class.