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.

Meeting Sally

Sally and I decided to have a blogger union at Cafeteria La Ideal's afternoon milonga. Got there around 5;00pm, it was quiet. Sally walked in a few minutes after. We were so happy to finally meet.

Ideal was quiet at that hour, only one of two couple dancing on the floor. We chatted a bit until a Pugliese was played and a Sally's regular cabeceoed her. Sally danced like some one who has been dancing for a few years instead of just one year.

She has very precise steps and cute little embellishment. It was a pleasant treat to watch her dancing with the milonguero.

We had a nice tanda of tango and vals. She looked so good that a guy kept his eyes on her all time while we were dancing. But he was one of those bad dancers. Sally was way out of his league.

Time flied when you had a great time. It was close to 6:30 and I had to take off for private. It was wonderful to meet an amazing woman like sally in the real world. It makes cyber world a little more humane.

Trapped in the elevator

Woke up this morning having a little headache. Looked at the empty champagne bottle than I understood why. The bright side was that I had a sound sleep. Now L-A-F-S is gone, I can concentrate on tango again.

Planning to meet a respected blogger later at la Ideal (yes, going back to that place), then 7:00pm private, after straight to El Beso, then Nino Bien around 1:00am. With full schedule ahead, I had my coffee and media luna and went out the Bulnes to get some cash and changed $100 bill at Carrefour by getting another of fine champagne (13 peso, 4 dollar). Came back and picked up my laundry.

The elevator at this building is strange. The apartment that I rent is on the 1st floor. The button hasn't been working right since I came in. Today, I just couldn't get it working at all. I went up to second floor, no problem, press the 1st floor. The elevator gave a click sound, then nothing.

Didn't want to stepping into the darkness of the second floor and walk down to my floor. I pressed 0 to get down to ground floor. Then press 1 again, click, click, and beep beep beep. Fuck, I ran out of patience. Still don't want to use the fire escape stairs. (it is a horrible experience, trying to the find the light switch in pitch black.) I pressed 3, smoothly the elevator carried me to the third floor.

Guess what, no luck again. back the ground floor, one more try I said to myself, press 1 again. Yes, it finally was moving...