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What is
TANGO
for you?
By
Elena Pankey
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During five years of my learning, performing,
teaching and observing Tango, I discovered several
interesting things that I would like to share with you.
It is obvious that every couple will dance their own
Tango. It depends on their life experiences,
personalities, and ability to think fast, to create
their own design of the dance. In addition, it depends
on their ability to break the common patterns of the
steps. These traits are distinctive characteristics of a
few well-known tango masters. When you know tango deep
enough, you will go out of the common patterns and try
to see many possibilities in the simple basic.
We all know that the Tango music is the main
conductor of the dance. But during the 2-3 minutes of
it, we are concentrating on many different things. The
most challenging part for a compatible couple is to be
in harmony with each other, and to dance together to the
same musical instrument at the same time. However, it is
important listen attentively to the energy inside the
tango embrace, even before you start your dance. As
always in Tango, everybody expresses his/her own life
story; and the dance will open your character and your
tempo. Your Tango will show (whether you want it or not)
who you really are in this present moment of your life.
Nobody ever could be able to hide some thoughts during
this dance. For example, if you like to fight, your
dance will show it, and it will be more jerky than
smooth. If your thoughts are chaotic, your dance will
have these short and fast movements out of harmony. On
the other hand, if your personality is thoughtful and
loving, your dance will be slow, attentive, courteous
and tender. If you have some passion or sadness in your
life, it comes to your tango expression as well.
For elegant and beautiful Tango, everybody should
learn and use the correct techniques. Moreover, every
person in this life-dance partnership needs to have a
deep ability to listen to each other and dance between
the steps (adornos).
Tango is the most challenging dance I ever learned.
People who like some challenge in their lives would like
tango. Tango music is changing all the time, and you
need to be able to improvise fast which requires fast
thinking and strong concentration. My goal is to dance
with any advanced man and perfectly follow his lead with
the correct techniques, through all different fast
movements.
When you are dancing Tango with the music and a
compatible partner, when you follow his creative and
precise lead, when you are doing some spicy actions
(movements) with him together, but without taking his
own space, it feels like a miracle, meditation, or
flying sensation. We can really melt in the music and
our embrace with him. This kind pleasure you could not
compare with anything else in your life. I felt it once,
but for such moments of pleasure, I am learning Tango.
Tango is your own life story with all nostalgia of
the past and all that is gone… Tango for me is the
space and energy between two dancers that I discover,
exchange and experience... I teach classical authentic tango. But I like to
create “theatrical” tango for my “Tango Caminito
Dance Company” shows, with some interesting plots and
intrigues inside the dance. I am a storyteller of my
dance, and try to get to the top of freedom… We always
telling some life stories by dancing them….even if we
don’t know that… What is tango for you?
Contact:
EPankery@Juno.com
and visit www.TangoCaminito.com
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Ask
Maleva |
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The Tango Advice
Column |
Hello Maleva,
I read your advice column
with both chuckle and appreciation as you have certainly been
immersed in the peculiar yet exhilarating culture of tango.
Perhaps you can shed some light on my predicament. I have been
dancing tango for close to two years. I still consider myself a
"beginner" in the true tango sense. I have taken from so
many different teachers with so many different styles that I have
made a decision to stay with estilo milonguero which I love very
much (Lo de Celia is a perfect example as you have aptly indicated
in your advice. And of course, I have taken Susana Miller's
classes with tremendous interest and respect. Also, Cacho Dante's
class is very good).
Here is my problem: I would like to continue to learn the
milonguero style in US, but almost all of the teachers, both local
and Argentineans do not teach that style since it is not
"sexy" or fun for most of the American tango students.
On top of this problem is that most women prefer to do fancy
boleos, back sacadas and ganchos instead of
simple contra tiempo steps with rhythm and enjoyment. To most of
these women, the connection with partner is secondary to showing
off their steps.
So, I end up dancing very
little or cheating by doing those "fancy steps" I have
no true interest in.
Do you have any suggestions? IÂ can't keep going to Buenos
Aires to dance milonguero style. I would go broke in no time.
Thank you,
Milonguero in training.
Dear Milonguero in Training,
It's hard for everyone to find partners they like dancing with, no
matter what style they are partial to. It's especially hard for
people who like Milonguero style sometimes, as you said, because
it's not as commonly taught. It has a reputation for being hard to
teach to beginners and some teachers think Americans can't learn
it, at least not right away, because Americans are afraid of close
body contact. (Not true.)
People also categorize
Milonguero style as 'inward' and only about feeling and other
styles as 'outward' and more about looks. Women want to look
pretty when they dance. They like boleos and ganchos because they
are flashy and women associate looking pretty with being flashy.
But ladies can look just as beautiful doing simple steps - it's
all in the way they move. If a woman moves gracefully and
beautifully and musically it doesn't matter what 'step' she is
doing. AND there are tons of cute ways to embellish the smaller
steps associated with Milonguero style and still look 'flashy'
while keeping a strong connection with the leader.
Anyhow, I'm not sure where you
live but most communities of a reasonable size have some good
dancers and in my experience, most followers who are good will
enjoy dancing with a leader who is also good, regardless of what
style he dances. I myself would rather dance with a good nuevo-style
leader than a bad milonguero-style leader. I find that it is
usually the women (and men) who are newer to tango who are still
impressed only with the showier steps.
There are different styles of
tango, but in the end it really is all one dance and if you dance
well it's going to be enjoyable to the other person. And in my
opinion the key to doing it well, in any style, is having a good
connection. So dance with the women of all styles and find the
ones who know how to connect. If they like to do the flashy moves,
you can still keep them happy. Who says you can't have drama AND
rhythm? Milongueros do boleos too! You can do boleos, as well as
deep thigh-thumping sacadas and ganchos, all in a close embrace
and to contra tiempo rhythms. Another dramatic move that has been
very fashionable lately, the volcada (where you lead the woman to
'fall' on you), is perfect for close embrace.
Of course, traveling to Buenos
Aires is great for finding milongueras to dance with, but you
should consider traveling within the US as well. Go to the
festivals in Denver and Portland especially, and Washington DC
too. You'll meet great dancers from all over the country. Many of
the women who attend these events can dance any style and I'm sure
you'll have great milonguero dances with them. Also, travel to
workshops. If no one in your city teaches what you want to learn,
then find out when close embrace workshops are being held in your
region. You mention Susan Miller and Cacho Dante, who are both
great, and there are a number of American teachers who travel
around the country who are also very good.
Ask Maleva is
published courtesy of
www.close-embrace.com
Have you shopped for Tango Items online yet? Try typing in tango shoes and you might be
surprised.
 
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Eva Wolff
from one port to another
a special for Let'sTanGO!
By Enrique Snider
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She embraces tango with the same passion and delicacy she embraces her bandoneon. She is a voluntary hostage of porteños music. Eva Wolff is not even 30 years old, but she has already accumulated a great experience and a significant trajectory as performer, composer and arranger.
She was born in Gante, the second port of Belgium. Her relationship with music began when she was 8, at the keyboard of a piano for the Academy of Music, in her birth town.
With her absolute conviction on musical art and her inborn notable talents, Eva rapidly became a brilliant student, who began to fly by her own as a performer of the Classic genre.
Her restless spirit and her devotion for investigation led her to discover the bandoneon, and with it, make the great jump into tango. She was only 15 when she decided to dedicate exclusively to the study of this new instrument with Leo Vervelde, who was -at those times- bandoneon player for the Sexteto Canyengue, in Holland.
Such a settle vocation for tango and bandoneon made her take part of the Tango School at the Rotterdam's Conservatory, in Holland, in 1995, where she finally graduated in 2001. In the meanwhile, she was incorporated to the Orquesta Típica Veritango, directed by the Argentine bandoneon player Alfredo Marcucci, where she stayed until 1997.
A couple of years later, during the first part of her academic formation, she entered the Sexteto Canyengue, one of the most prestigious tango bands in the world, under the conduction of Carel Kraayenhof, another Dutch seduced by bandoneon and tango.
When Eva knew about the creation of the Orquesta Escuela de Tango in Argentina, and encouraged by the Artistic Director of Rotterdam's Conservatory, the Argentine piano player Gustavo Beytelmann, she attended to an audition in Paris.
Once in Buenos Aires, she works hard for two years, under the directions of maestro Emilio Balcarce and other guest conductors. She also takes advantage of her stay in Argentina to get deeper into the essence of tango and apprehend the most minimal details of good and bad aspects of the genre.
After concluding her stay at the Orquesta Escuela, she entered the Orquesta Típica Imperial and goes on tours round European stages, most of them she had already visited,
Meanwhile, her original thought of definitely get back to Belgium starts to vanish, as she is captivated by Buenos Aires music and its people.
Her Argentine project came true when Felix was born, nine months ago. She dedicated a tango named Reserved space to Félix and her maternity.
After the birth, baby Felix and his mom fly to Belgium. But once she's back home, Eva takes a transcendent decision: moving definitely to Buenos Aires.
Thus, last January 17, Eva arrived to Ezeiza airport, with the luggage at one hand and little Felix on the other, leaving behind her European life and ready to start a new life in Argentina.
Immediately, she is invited to enter the Orquesta Académica de Estilos Tangueros, whose repertory now includes her Espacio reservado (Reserved space).
Her exceptional musical sense allows her to speak many languages fluently, although she never took a lesson.
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"CAFES
of
BUENOS AIRES
and EL
TANGO"
special report in two chapters
By Orlando
Budini
on
location in Buenos Aires
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Chapter One
*My sincere thanks to Mr. Milanesse, a
92 years old authentic "guapo" of La Boca who
still walks those brave and full of history streets, for
sharing his memories with me.
Buenos Aires is, was and I'm positive
will always be a "City of Cafes". From the
1880's over those café’s dark and worn out tables, immigrants went through a great deal of
emotion and sentiments. Solitary men with no jobs, no
family and no destiny tried to pacify their souls there
laughing, crying, getting mad or becoming happy for a
little while. The first ones, the beginners, those cafes
of Buenos Aires that have come to us through history,
through memories, through tango letters or poems were
the "cafes musicales" (musical cafes). They
started opening their doors in the suburbs from the
south, north and west of the city (el centro), imitating
those very successful "Cafe concerts" with
entertainment from Rome, Paris and all Europe. Some of
them started as "almacenes", then began
selling ginebra (drinks) and pretty soon added as an
attraction those popular "Trios" and "Cuartetos"
that were playing a new music, a music some times sad
with words that sang of history very much like the
histories of any one of them. That music and those words
were "El Tango" its first... its very
beginning!
The southern barrio of "La Boca" tasting of
sea-salt and with its bright colors was an opening door
to a massive Italian immigration. El Riachuelo and the
so called "Cafes mistongos" (poor, of lower
importance) start playing a very important part in this
new music, in this new and growing culture. The corner
of Suarez and Necochea one of the bravest corners (esquina
bravia) seems to be the place where tango was played and
danced for the first time in 1887. "Cafe Tancredi"
was first, later on "Cafe El Molino" and then
"Cafe Royal". In 1908 Francisco Canaro signed
contract with "Cafe Royal" to entertain the
"guapos de las orillas" and "patotas de
ninos bien" (groups of society guys) that used to
visit the suburbs looking for fun, easy women and..
.trouble. In this place one night in1909 don Francisco
Canaro was introduced to a young and skinny guy with a
bandoneon and a tango score under
his arm, this guy was Eduardo Arolas (el tigre del
bandoneon) and his tango composition was "Una noche de Garufa"... pretty
soon both, the tango and the composer, where very
popular in every corner and tango place of Buenos Aires!
San Telmo and San Cristobal, also in the southern part
of Buenos Aires where very important pieces in the birth
of this fascinating dance and music. Cafe "la
Buceca" in the corner of Montes de Oca and Saavedra
was the place where Eduardo Arolas played his bandoneon
surrounded by pins, cafishios and easy women of the
night. The legendary Gabino Eseiza, Jose Bettinoti and
Ernesto Poncio were the partners of Arolas in the
entertainment. Perhaps the women of these cafes like
"la Buceca" and "la Pichona"
(located in calle Pavon entre Rincon y Paso in the San
Cristobal neighborhood) where "La Moreira" who
was an excellent tango dancer and also the lover of a
"El Civico" (a guapo and a pin) as well as
others like her helped to give to El Tango its
association with prostitution a fame written down many
times by writers in their Tango letters and poems.
In the meantime "Café del Estribo" also in
San Telmo was packed every night with peoples eager to
dance or to listen to a "Cuarteto de tango"
composed by Vicente Greco (Garrote), Prudencio Aragon,
Vicente Persi (el tano) and Francisco Canaro, it was
only a few weeks since Francisco Canaro "Pirincho"
finished his contract with "Cafe Royal" and
move his "Cuarteto" to this place, just
another temporary stop on his way to taking his tango to
El Centro (downtown).
Boedo was also a "Barrio de Tango" (a tango
neighborhood). Around 1927 at the corner of San Juan y
Boedo Cafe Bar "El Aeroplano" open its doors
(getting its name from a drowning painted in one its
windows) and Homero Manzi sitting at his preferred table
(the one besides the counter to San Juan) writing his
Tango master piece "Sur". |
Corner of Suarez and
Necochea in La Boca, place where "Cafe
Royal" used to be. Today it is one of
La Boca´s cantinas. The La Boca bridge is at
the end of the street. |
Another piece of history of
Boedo "Cafe El Capuchino" was on the corner of
Boedo and Carlos Calvo, they held a "Cafe
concert" and Manuel Arostegui, a piano player and
composer, was hired to entertaining the customers. This
place used was visited regularly by the most famous
tango dancer of Buenos Aires Jose Ovidio Bianquet
"El Cachafaz" who night after night delighted
the visitors with his dances to the point that,
Arostegui inspired by Bianquet and his dance, composed a
tango "El Apache Argentino". Just the mention
of it still to this day, gives me, you and anybody the
urge to dance.
El Abasto, as every tanguero knows, had played a
fundamental roll in El Tango. Cafe O' 'Rondeman just in
front of "Mercado del Abasto" in Humahuaca and
Aguero streets was the center of the reunion of "El
morocho del Abasto" with all his friends. There
Carlitos (as he was know in his old neighborhood) sang
for the first time his "tonadas criollas" and
the Traverso brothers, owners of this cafe, becomes his
protectors. The building was recently torn down.
Palermo from the northern part of the city gave us
" El Armenoville". Some historians saiy that
"Armenonville" was the first cabaret of Buenos
Aires, successor of "El Pabellon de las Rosas"
was located on the corner of Avenida Alvear and Tagle, a
very elegant place contrary to the ones at the south. It
was surrounded by gardens and more than a café, it was
considered a dancing place. Historians said that when
Gardel and Razzano did their first presentation in the
"Armenonville" Carlos Gardel asked how much
they will be paid and when somebody told him the salary
was 70 pesos per night Gardel said: "For 70 pesos I
will sing and ... wash the dishes". That night, the
most famous duo of Buenos Aires sang "El Pangare",
"La Pastora" and "El Moro". Later on
Firpo and Arolas entertained the "high life”
society and the elegant women of Buenos Aires between
champagne and Tangos.
In Recoleta, still standing, "Palais de Glass"
the building at Avenida del Libertador, Scciaffino and
Avenida Alvear by the park that surrounded the
distinguished "Cementerio del Norte". There in
the 1920´s the young portenos (usually called "Ninos
bien" or "High Life") danced in el "Palais"
the only Tango Salon to the orchestra of "el tano"
Genaro Esposito and his quartet. Before that in 1915
Carlos Gardel used to visit "Palais of Glass"
in the company of Elias Allipi (artist and tango
dancer). One night when Gardel was stepping out of his
car, he was wounded by a shot in his chest from the hand
of Roberto Guevara one of the "High Life
Compadritos" over a woman. *Today "Palais of
Glass has not changed its appearance but inside are the
Cultural offices of the city of Buenos Aires, Recoleta
today is one of the most expensive areas of Buenos
Aires.
This is part of the history, is intended for those
tangueros and tourist that visit Buenos Aires, for whose
who dance El Tango, this is not enough. For those who
also want to discover the historical places where it was
done, where it grew, the many stories behind the
history, the testimonies and the legends surrounding the
magic of this music and dance. Allow me to finish this
first chapter of my trip throughout some of the oldest
cafes of Buenos Aires, one way or the other related to
el tango, by saying that many of the Cafes had been
destroyed in the name of progress, a few others had
survive and are living proof and history of brave
peoples in brave times. In this chapter, I started in
the suburbs, next month, I will be taking El Tango, like
the pioneers did, to El Centro. To the cafes of Calle
Corrientes and the cafes of Avenida de Mayo, final stop
of the dance ... before it jumped to the World!
"Hasta el proximo
Tango ! . . . Orlando
Email orlandobudini@yahoo.com
and visit his web site http://metatango.com/index.html
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Birth
Place
of
Mi Pasión ! |
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Oh my, there is so much to tell! Our trip to
Argentina was great…
| We left on the 28th
of February and arrived in Buenos Aires on the 1st
of March. Right away that evening we started enjoying
the wonderful food. Then a live orchestra of 6
bandoneons, 5 violins, a base, cello and piano
along with a fine singer.
These
tangueras had Fiacro was
seeing double! > |
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The following day was site seeing and of course food.
A city tour followed the next day with visits to San
Telmo, Palermo, Los Olivos, the Municipal Palace and
Evita’s tomb.
We were surprised that we had to show our passports to
use the ladies room at the American Express offices,
lots of security there. We spent the day shopping for
tango shoes and souvenirs.
< We listened to a great tango
street band while shopping. |
That evening dinner at La Ventana
Restaurant where the food, wine and tango exhibition
were spectacular. We always were fortunate to catch
exciting tango shows such as Cia International de
Tango directed by Enrique
Cuttini. Later a taxi ride to the San Telmo
neighborhood where we danced with handsome local
tangueros at the La Cumparsita.
Saturday found us at El Tigre near El Plata
River where we shopped, drank beer and ate Bifo
Chorizo. El Beso Milonga is where we tangoed that evening,
it was conveniently located about 2 blocks from the
hotel.
Sunday we went to San Telmo again and enjoyed a spectacular
variety show at Sr. Tango that included Natives,
Regional Dances and of course, tango. The local
tangueros dance beautifully, of course.
Georgina
and
a "Gardel sound alike" at Sr. Tangos > |
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We rested Monday evening as
we were leaving for Mendoza early in the morning. In
Mendoza we toured the wineries where we learened the
correct way to drink wine. Margie and Georgina loved
the local sayings such as “vino abierto is vino
muerto” or “el que vino y no tomo vino, no se para
que vino”. After visiting the vinedos, we had dinner
at Facundo’s and feasted on “Cabrito a la
Parrillada” and more great wine.
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Wednesday we took la Alta Sierra tour bus to the Andes
Mountains. At altitudes of over 21,000 feet, on the
border between Argentina and Chile, the vistas were
inspiring. We were served hot chocolate by some Inca
descendants who live in the area.
<Georgina,
Margie and myself, yes, the sky was really
that blue. |
That evening we
attended a milonga and danced with the Mendoza
tangueros. While out walking Thursday, I fell in love
with some beautiful hand woven silk/wool shawls
displayed in a bank window. I got the weavers phone
number and called her. Marta is her name and she does
gorgeous weaving, I bought 2. We flew back to Buenos
Aires that evening…
Georgina and Margie were always
at the gym working hard to get rid of all the food and
drink! They also enjoyed Venturucci’s Beauty Salon
where for 73 Pesos (about $30. US) they received
hair color, set and style, pedicure, manicure and brow
shaping. That afternoon more shopping and then dinner
at Cabana las Lilas that evening. Saturday was a trip
to an Estancia with Gauchos, this was a great outing
as we enjoyed watching the beautiful horses and
skilled riders. The bus driver taught us about
yerbamate, an herb grown by the Guarani Indians in
Paraguay north of Argentina.
The Congreso Internacional de Tango Argentino !
Classes, milongas, exhibitions, wow, tango all week.
Many talented tango masters to learn from. Julio Balmaceda
y Corina de la Rosa, Fabian Salas y Carolina del
Rivero, some of my favorites from the Fandango de
Tango held in Austin yearly. Also, Nito and Elba who
were in San Antonio last year and many, many more.
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Classes consisted of about 40 people and were mostly divided
evenly between men and women, but not always. If you
didn’t have a partner you had to hire a taxi
(partner). We were not always happy about this
situation but did the best we could. There were people
from all over the world, Australia, China, Japan,
Holland, Germany, Mexico, Spain, Italy, France, Canada
and the U.S.
Margie and me
with a Dallas TX tanguero we met at CITA, Bert Berrong> |
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By Monday the 20th of March we were back on tour by
buquebus for a day trip to Montevideo, Uruguay . A
nice city but obviously a very poor country. Tuesday
we caught a 2 hour flight to Iguazu, where we took a
boat ride on the Parana and Iguazu Rivers. While
there, we were introduced to a wicked little Brazilian
drink called Caipirinha Wow! did I get high…..
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The
next day we were traveling west to the Cascadas,
waterfalls in the middle of the Rain Forest of Iguazu.
I can only say, magnificent. The river boat took us
right under 3 of the falls, we were soaked, but it was
awesome.
Thursday morning a driver picked us up and
delivered us to the Minas de Piedras Preciosas. This
was very interesting and pretty, of course, Margie
could not resist a few babbles.
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Friday found us back
in Buenos Aires and after a deserved rest we had
dinner at Chiquilin Restaurant and then to Casona
Theater for a 50’s musical review, this was fun.
Saturday we relaxed most of the day but enjoyed a
dinner and show at Opera Pampa presented by the
Argentina Ballet Co. The dance and song portrayed the
history of Argentina, in an unforgettable spectacle
without precedence, where the beginnings of a nation
and its traditions are demonstrated as no-one ever has
before. A magnificent theater piece of work,
that combined magic and realism. Sunday we were getting ready to
leave for San Antonio but we had to have Fillet Mignon
one more time. They are so huge, juicy and tender,
Margie and I shared one and the cost is 20 Pesos or
$6.00 US. I will miss those meals and the
wines! Oh yes, we brought 4 bottles of tequila with us
and over the months time drank them all, a shot here,
a shot there.
It was grand to spend time the at birthplace of my
passion, tango. The trip was unforgettable and I feel
fortunate to have been in the company of three very
fine and fun loving people, Margie Valdes-Shick,
Georgia Earnhart and Fiacro Salazar. I also want to
express sincere gratitude to Margie for keeping a
journal so I could relate our adventures to you.
See
you at a milonga soon!
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Hello Fellow Tangueros,
Hoping everyone is doing well as the
spring season comes upon us. This past month has been
busy in San Antonio as there has been a flurry of
workshops hosted by the San Antonio Tangueros group and
Puro Tango. San Antonio Tangueros recently had Alberto
and Valerie back from New Orleans to teach and at the
end of March the San Antonio Tangueros will host that
dynamic dancer from New York, Carlos Yannacanedo, he
will also be here for a week, so you better sign up
early. Both these groups have worked hard to bring
quality instructors to the San Antonio area for the
benefit of the tango community. The Austin tango
community is also hard at work setting up work shops. Of course San Antonio and Austin are
not located very far from each other, oh….about 70
miles as the proverbial crow flies. This unique
situation provides quite a few opportunities for dance,
learning, and as a fringe benefit one gets to meet an
array of people some tall, some short, some sweet, some
quite, but all share a love for the dance of tango. |
Angela Avila y Carlos
Yannacanedo
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Shahin Medghalchi y
Roy |
I recently had the good fortunate to
travel to New Mexico and view the wondrous sights that
great state has to offer. While in Santa Fe, New Mexico,
it snowed and that gave the landscape a totally
different ambience. But as an additional treat my
excursion gave me the chance to go to a couple of
milongas that were held in Santa Fe.
The tango community there also had a workshop though I
was not able to attend; however, the milongas were
inspiring. Again meeting people and dancing. I want to
thank Tish, Kay, and most of all Shahin Medghalchi for
their hospitality. They introduced themselves and
allowed me the pleasure of dancing with them, ah… this
tango thing has been a godsend. |
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In other good news, Monica Caivano and
her helpers from the Austin tango gang just recently had
a soft opening of her new dance studio, Esquina Tango,
after much hard work and devotion they have created
another fantastic place for dance, learning, and meeting
people. They had food, wine, music, and a unique
environment to dance in. I for one cannot wait for the
next event at Monica’s new tango scene it should be a
blast. Make sure to come out and see it.
Well, hope to see all of you soon and
can’t wait to dance and meet new people, which seems
to be a reoccurring theme in tango.
Hasta Luego,
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Monica Caivano
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All Photo's by R.
Montejano
Contact Roy via email ...........
r.montejano@grandecom.net
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