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During the month of July
we had to bid goodbye to our tanguero friend Steve Brown.
What a loss! but, wherever he goes, he will take with him
wonderful memories from San Antonio Tangueros who love him
and hopefully he will return someday. We wish him the best
luck. Our greatest surprise was that not only does he have a
passion for tango, but he also is quite fascinated with the
Mexican culture and has in the past had some training in the
Aztec Danzas. That evening, Steve had a wonderful surprise
for all of us. He and his group of dancers performed an
Aztec Danza wearing beautiful, colorful ,huge headpieces
call PENACHOS and the typical Aztec costumes. It was an
unforgettable evening-the dance group invited us (the
tangueros) to participate in some of the danzas. Wow! Steve
how wonderful you dance!!. The mood and the ambiance were
great. The S.A. Tangueros who appreciate Steve a lot, wish
him the best and great trip to Montreal, Canada and we will
all have him in our prayers in that Circle of Danza.
We have a wonderful "Recuerdo" of Steve- "Te
queremos mucho, mi amigo" don’t forget us. The second
milonga took place on July 11th and was organized bt la Sra.
Judith Foster in the Club House of her residence at
Summerfield. We had a pleasure of helping her with this
milonga bringing delicious hors'derves (botanas) and
pastries that evening. We were celebrating Argentine's
Independence. we were fortunate to have Glover of Austin
playing for us our favorite tangos-what a marvelous pianist
and composer he is! And of course we will not forget the
talented Daniel Monserrat, singing the tangos as only he
knows how, with his beautiful voice which filled us with
passion. We were very happy but would have been happier if
more tangueros had show up for the milonga. My
Tangueros friends, we need your support for these events so
that we may continue to grow in the Tango community of S.A,
as it is growing in other cities.
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To All Lanoix Fans . . .
Eric is taking a mid-summer break and will return with
his column next month . . .
Keep
the questions coming, I love them! Hasta la proxima tanda,
tango
on friends!
Eric Lanoix |
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Email eric@tangotango.us
with questions and visit tangotango.us
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Ask
Maleva !
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Dear
Maleva,
I agree
with you, what you described is not the way to dance
close-embrace. I don't mind a face connection, but only if
it happens naturally after we've already connected sternums.
Sometimes I never even get to touch the follower's cheek,
like if she is busty for example. As for direction, she can
look either way as long as there is no forward push of her
head. If her head is relaxed and our heads touch, it feels
good. Basically, tension and tango do not mix. Some
follower's have a way of looking to the right and making it
feel nice. Omar Vega once told me that the lady should look
to the right because she should look at the leader's heart.
Dear Southern
Cali-forehead-nicator,
I have been
pondering your inquiry into the dreaded Forehead Incursion,
in which one or the other of the partners usurps the other's
head space. I pondered for, oh, about twelve point oh six
nanoseconds, and this is what came to mind:
The forehead incursion is not a new phenomenon, as can be
witnessed by observing many, many, many old photos of tango
in it's early years. It could be said that the
forehead-to-forehead contact was incidental or staged for
the camera, but I think we can realistically infer that head
butting is not new to tango.
It is myth that one must touch another's head to inspire or
develop intimacy. It is also a myth that as we close the
embrace, our heads naturally come together. On the emotional
plain, intimacy in this country is often depicted as a kiss,
i.e., head to head contact. It is a natural tendency for us
tangueros to make the emotional leap to touching our faces
or heads in a quest for said intimacy, passion, desire, call
it what you will. The problem is that connecting the heads
with any but the lightest touches, ANY stress at all in the
neck, will automatically disengage the true place of
intimacy, the heart. And how many times have our (better)
tango teachers told us to lead and follow with our chests?
There is a reason beyond just acting macho and having sexy
pectoral muscles, and that is to open your body to the
possibility of intimacy.
The main issue is balance. If I push your head, even
lightly, eventually you will move to protect your neck. I
manipulate your balance at the highest point in your body,
you head. If you push back, we are fighting a war, albeit a
small war, but a war of necks just the same. Our ability to
step down onto the ground with energy and intention is lost.
Our subtle balance muscles in the back, neck, and legs are
no longer of use to us because we are using them for
purposes that that they are not intended, i.e., bracing
against our partner. And any subtlety in turns is lost the
instant we connect our heads. I make my connection in the
chest, while relaxing my legs (stiff neck = stiff legs, I
promise you) and ask my body to talk to her body, not my
chin ramming her forehead into submission.
Be aware leaders AND followers of you
neck and it's little stresses, and I guarantee that you will
improve your dance 3.625 fold in the first week alone!
So this is a VERY brief look into the realm of the embrace,
particularly the intimacy of it. I believe that we should
look for the path that leads us to stress-free living and
stress-free tango. Women who "seek out" my chin
for guidance do not get another dance from me. Cruel?
Perhaps. Selfish? Yes. Self preserving? Above ALL ELSE,
thank you. How can I offer you the best dances that I've got
in me if I have to suffer for it? And why throw away all of
those great yoga classes that I paid for...!
Ask Maleva is published
courtesy of
www.close-embrace.com
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Dear LVT Readers,
We are celebrating our first year of online
publishing.... WOW what a learning curve! ... but so worth
it, both fun and gratifying to meet tango enthusiasts from
all over the world.
I want to thank most sincerely everyone who has contributed
to the success of LVT. And to the three columnist who
have been with me through the good, the bad and the ugly
issues, from the bottom of my heart Norma, Orlando and
Eric... thank you for your support, patience and confidence.
I would like everyone to send the link ( www.lavidatango.com/
) to their tango friends and urge them to get their email
address on the list. We are currently sending out close to
2000 monthly notices of the new edition posting each
month... The goal this year is to double that.
I am still looking for a cartoonist and should you
like to contribute please let me know.
And last bless you LVT
readers.
... tu
hermana tango
B
publisher@lavidatango.com
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Tango
Art for You
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"Amor
De Tango"
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15.99 |
includes
shipping
within US |
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HUNDRED
TANGOS
OF SILENCE . . .
FOR A
TRUE
MILONGUERO!
By . . .ORLANDO BUDINI
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It was late Sunday night, very late
but I had to complete the selection of teachers for my
next Metatango Festival in Texas, besides all milongas at
“Porteno y Bailarin” in Buenos Aires start at 11pm or
later, Carlos Stasi was at the door checking admission. As
usual I wanted to pay for my ticket… as usual he refused
to take my money! I instantly noticed an unusual number of
ladies going up and down so I asked to Jose Garofalo:
–“what is going on tonight that there are so many “minas”
(girls) Jose?”- He replied: -“Carlos Gavito is
teaching back there”. We arrange, after waiting for
Gavito for a while, that he was going to be teaching in my
festival in 2004. No contract… just a sincere handshake.
I had met Carlos Gavito about 10 years before in San
Francisco/California, Nora Dinzel teacher and director of
“Nora’s Tango week” introduced us one day. I
remember that he was teaching with Marcela Duran (his
partner in “Forever Tango”) when a beautiful lady
entered the room looking for him, he excused himself
saying to me: “I will see you tonight at the milonga and
I will buy you a cup of coffee there”. After that night
and that cup of coffee I had found Gavito in Rome, in
Paris, in Madrid, in Buenos Aires and in many other
milongas, many times and in many places. If there was a
milonga where ever I was any where in the world and “Forever
Tango” was in that city, Carlos Gavito was there or…
he was on the way!
Jose Garofalo, my friend, a tango teacher, a dancer and
one of the owners of “Porteno y Bailarin” where Gavito
had held many of his work-shops lately, remembers: “I was in New York teaching in “Dance Manhattan” trying
to overcome the fact that my name was not known in USA.
One night I went to see “Forever Tango” Gavito was
told that I was there and he invited me to the artists
camerinos, he introduced me to the all Company and spoke
about me and my career in tango with words of the highest
regards and recommendation … besides that he invited me
to his Sunday milonga at “Paul Pellicoro” studio in
New York (competition of Dance Manhattan, the studio where
I was teaching). It sounded unusual to me that an already
famous teacher and dancer was trying to help another new
up and coming teacher that he barely knew. I went anyway
and to my surprise, as soon as he notice me entering the
place, he stops the practice and start talking about me,
my carrier as a teacher, who I was as a person and giving
all types of reasons for everyone there to take classes
with me, mentioning several times the competition studio
where I was teaching. For me this was incredible, it was
very emotional and I could not believe that a teacher like
him was recommending to his students to go to a
competitors studio to learn with another teacher. A couple
days after this we went to lunch together and he talk
about his life and I listen and listen because I need to
know who a guy like this was. We talk from noon to sundown
changing restaurants and cafes! …and we stop only
because we both had to work. After that Carlos Gavito was
my friend and I’m proud to say today that I was lucky to
know not only a great milonguero, but a real Master and a
great human being”
He learned Tango in the suburbs of Buenos Aires and
spent most of his dancing life in England and Europe, his
ex wife and daughter lives in Great Briton and he was
legally a British citizen, however He told me one night in
Buenos Aires: “ I’ m not leaving my country, I’m “always
coming back”, Argentina is my home, my life, my
everything. Coming back to Buenos Aires to me is like
coming back to my cafes, my family, my friends and my
milongas”. He was not known in his own country until
Broadway made him famous after he created some
choreographic numbers for “Forever Tango” and dancing
with Marcela Duran. These were key numbers for the show
which were instrumental in making him one of the shows
fundamental stars. He used his “lean” and his “pauses”
very close to excess making them his personal brand and
his own style of dancing, they worked-out and finally
Buenos Aires had again the perfect milonguero to represent
Tango everywhere in the world. Every where he was women
were flying from other places to visit, to take his
classes, to dance with him. He was close to being a
legendary figure spreading his magic elegance to dance and
his deep knowledge and love for Argentine Tango everywhere
he was. Being a star of “Forever Tango” for so many
years he was in a lot of places!
Milonguero is not only the guy that goes to milongas
once a week or that new generation of so called tango
teachers. But milonguero is a “trasnochador”, a man
very much in love with the night, with the music, with the
noise, a man who enjoys being there talking with his
friends, who enjoys not only dancing himself but observing
how the others dance. To me Carlos was a real TRUE
MILONGUERO (yes, with capital letters) in every sense!
Milongas were his natural habitat, his environment, his
air and respiration.  The
dancing floor was a sacred ground for this man, dancing and
teaching Tango were his passion and the motive of his life!
I remember at the beginning of this year in Buenos Aires
in one of those eternal nights conversations after “Nino
Bien” milonga and waiting for the dawn of the next day
to come, he said: “I’ left Buenos Aires in 1968, I had
visited 95 countries with all of their cities and I live
happy in places where there is Tango, where there is no
Tango … I’m a miserable!” This was the last time I
saw and talk to Carlos Gavito… one of the last, if not
the last one, authentic and True Argentinean Milongueros!
El Tango and all of those all over the world that loves
Tango like you and myself, have lost one of the most pure,
representative, authentic, elegant and true milonguero of
all times!. I’m sure any way that wherever Carlos Gavito
is right now… he will be looking for a large cloud with
a nice and smooth floor to organize a milonga … and I’m
also positive that all the lady angels up there, will be
more than desperate, expecting to be his partner… to
lean and to pause… dancing his unforgettable Tango!
Adios Milonguero! . . . Orlando
Thanks to “Porteno y Bailarin” here
is for you one of the last videos of
Carlos Gavito:
www.porteybailarin.com.ar/gavito10.html
*** Photo C.Gavito y M.Plazaola
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A
"Going Away Party" doesn't
mean gone forever
or even forgotten that was the
case when on July 1, 2005 we
celebrated with a party for our
friend Steve Brown, the brain
specialist. Steve may be up north
with the cold weather and the hot
tango women but he is still alive in
the memories of his friends here in
San Antonio. Steve changed jobs and
in the process changed his address
which is now in Canada... 
don't they
have brain doctors in Canada? Well
anyway, Steve's party was well
attended by
his friends from his work,
his tango
group, and his Indian dance company.
Also, Steve's Indian dance company
surprised him and his guests with a
special dance performance. It was
quite a sight. We all had a great
evening and saying goodbye was a
hard thing to do. Steve don't act
surprised if someday soon someone
shows up on your doorstep in Canada.
Steve
and friend . . . Photo by R.
Montejano . . .
July
10th..... Was the date of the
S.A.Tangueros milonga party
celebrating Argentina's Independence
day. The event
was held at Judith
Foster's neighborhood association
clubhouse.
San Antonio
Milongueras Rita Rey and Gwen Diaz
Ridgeway... Photo R Montejano
The entertainment was provided by
Glovertango of Austin and Daniel
Monserrat of San Antonio fame. Refreshments
were provided by S.A.Tangueros and
some of their members. This event
was the brainchild of Judith Foster
who had the idea of celebrating the
Argentine holiday here in San
Antonio any way there was a good
crowd that evening and fun was had
by almost every one there. We want
to thank everyone that came to the
event and to all the members of the
S.A. Tangueros that helped with the
milonga.
Until the next time enjoy your
tangos more . . .
email R.Montejano@att.net
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Browsing
the internet for new and exciting
places to travel? San Miguel de
Allende Mexico will be one of the
first towns to come up. Due to an
incredible increase of people moving
to San Miguel, and to out of town
visitors attending the many cultural
festivals and events, this high
mountain town is bursting with
tourists from Europe, Canada, and
the USA. I lived in San Miguel as a
child, and I have witnessed the
change over the last 40 years. New
construction dots the horizons, and
more gorgeous homes are being
tastefully built behind the turn of
the century doors. The traffic
bustles relentlessly along
cobblestone streets built for
horses, burros, and carriages.
Vespas dart in and out, amid the
occasional mountain bike. But there
are many things that have not
changed; the numerous churches
chiming for events, the hour , and
just for the heck of it. The many
stands for snacks, selling luscious
watermelon or pineapple, thick
gorditas, tacos, and boiled corn on
the cob. The strawberry, asparagus,
and fig vendors still sell door to
door. One still asks the corner rose
vendors to pass by the house to
purchase roses any day of the week.
Young couples and singles still
stroll for the “paseo” on the
main plaza on Sunday evenings. The
mariachis gather in the square over
the weekends, replete with elegant
outfits trimmed with silver.
San Miguel has romance in spades.
The last tango festival event I did
in San Miguel, those mariachis
played two tangos for a romantic
couple who spontaneously tangoed for
the public on their way to the hotel
from dinner. Crowds rose in waves at
the final nights' orchestra and
dance performance, tears cascading
down their faces, shouting
"Viva!" and "Mas, Mas!"
We danced in dreamy atmospheres. We
danced in rooms lit with star shaped
hanging Mexican lanterns and
Christmas light spangled salons 250
years old, on the stage of a theatre
just as old, and on the streets
under tall lamplights and massive
cathedral walls that have sentried
the town for centuries. We danced
underwater at night at the hot
springs; we boleo-ed in the archways
of historic homes, and all of us
took turns being famous dancers on
stage on the final night. And, come
this November, 2005, it will all
happen again. Early arrivals for
PASSION OF THE AMERICAS
INTERNATIONAL TANGO FESTIVAL will
witness Day of the Dead in San
Miguel. There are ofrendas (altars)
everywhere remembering the
ancestors, and their favorite
worldly attachments. The cemetary
will be packed on November 1 and 2,
exploding with marigolds and purple
cockscomb, tiny sugar replicas of
bottles of cerveza and enchiladas,
the sound of soft sobbing and of
laughter as everyone visits with the
ancestors. The day of Nov. 3 is the
day i will recommend the tangueros
to go; to see the cemetery empty of
people, but alive with flowers,
photos, and leftover picnics. I'm
thinking of making an altar to
Carlos Gavito this year. The
festival group could all contribute
to it, and who knows? maybe a
mariachi visiting our Dia de los
Muertos milonga would play a tango
or two.
let's
tango!
Christina
Johnson
email
kikibri@earthlink.net
or visit www.beyondtango.com
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BUENOS
AIRES CULTURE ON THE WEB
Porteños'
traditions
.
. .
The
daily
espresso ritual.
The rising hand, thumb and index finger
indicating an imaginary measure is an
urban icon at any Buenos Aires' coffee
shop. It is also a paradox. Porteños are
devoted to their "own" bar, a
sort of second home where they meet to
discuss politics, sports, real or
imaginary romances, a place where they
develop theories tended to save not only
their own life but also to save the world.
But a simple mute gesture is enough to
order a coffee. A great deal of complicity
among waiter and client.
Besides, porteños are proud to have their
coffee served before even ordering it; an
absolute sense of belonging. This may be
the reason why many old cafes still
survive in Buenos Aires.
El Tortoni (Av. de Mayo 829), a
city symbol, was frequented by Carlos
Gardel, painter Benito Quinquela Martín,
poets Raúl González Tuñón and
Alfonsina Storni, besides Federico García
Lorca and Luigi Pirandello. Las
Violetas (Av. Rivadavia 3899),
inspired writer Roberto Arlt; La
Giralda (Corrientes 1453) is still
famous for its hot chocolate and churros
(fried sweet pastry).
In Mataderos, Bar Oviedo (Lisandro de la
Torre y Avenida de los Corrales) opened in
1898. El Británico (Brasil y
Defensa), Café Dante (Boedo 745),
and Bar de Roberto (Bulnes 331)
confront with the elegant Florida
Garden (Paraguay y Florida) and La
Biela (Av. Quintana and Ortiz, in Recoleta).
Last but not least, in Callao 800, Clásica
y Moderna is an old bookstore (1938)
managed by its founder's daughter.
Different styles and people, similar life
stories told in several languages. So are
city cafés, places where porteños appear
sitting in front of a coffee cup.
Visit
Let'sTanGO! for more information about porteños’ culture, including
tours, sites of interest, restaurants, museums, milongas
and tango shows in Buenos Aires. Enjoy it ! click here!
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PASSION
OF THE AMERICAS
2nd International
Festival of Tango + Jazz
NOV.2-5, 2005 in San
Miguel de Allende, Mexico
by Exotic Tango Vacations, LLC
Confirmed teachers:
Paulo Araujo from
Brazil, Percell St. Thomass from Alaska/Hawai'i. Hsueh-tze Lee, from
Boston, Ma, USA. Eduardo Saucedo, from
Buenos Aires
Registration
price: Aug 1-Sept 1: $400 After Sept. 1, space available, per event
only.
MUSICIANS: BLAS
RIVERAS Rio De Janeiro, Brazil Saxophone, GERARDO
PEREZ Montevideo, Uruquay Bandoneon, GLOVER
GILL Austin, Texas Piano, PEDRO
CARTAS Queretaro, Mexico, Violin, GIL
GUTIERREZ San Miguel d/Allende Guitar, ANTONIO
LOZOYA San Miguel d/Allende Bass
Your Package includes: Tanguero
Loco: Tango show,12 classes and 4 milongasOR Tango Genial: Tango show, 8
classes, 2 milongas, 3 extra events
OR Tango Mundo: Tango Show,4 classes, 4
milongas, 1 tour and 1 extra event
EXTRA EVENTS INCLUDE: Hot springs swim and
lunch, Slow Food Mexican cooking
class, Gorgeous Hacienda lunch *perhaps milonga.
ALSO: Tours
of nearby fascinating locations, milongas in colonial and artistic
settings, parties, adventures, and everything with the lively
and exotic setting of old Mexico.
Lodging included in separate packages starting at
$549 up to $969 for 4 nights and basic package of tango. Hotel package
prices will fluctuate as of JULY 1.
Call
Christina Johnson (601)442-5355 Or email kikibri@earthlink.net
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