The "D'Arienzists" - Traditional Tango Orchestras with a PIANO 

In my last chronicle, I described the two main categories of tango orchestras (the traditionalists and the evolutionists). This time, I will say more about the most pre-dominant subclass of traditionalists: the "D'Arienzists". As you may have guessed, the term D'Arienzist comes from Juan D'Arienzo who is credited with the invention this particular style. You can tell that an orchestra is D'Arienzist if:
1. It accentuates the rhythmical aspect of tango, sometimes to the detriment of the lyrical/melodic component of tango (typical of traditional orchestras);
2. The transition from one musical phrase to another (within the tango) is done by the piano (Click here for an example).
This innovation should also be credited to Rodolfo Biagi (who was D'Arienzo's main pianist between 1935 and 1938). D'Arienzo had been a violinist and had led his own orchestra before 1928 (Click here to hear a 1928 recording of La Cumparsita with
D'Arienzo on the violin with his orchestra). He actually was not a great musician. Early in his career, he inherited the nickname "El Grillo" ("The Cricket"), a very unflattering reference to the sound coming out of his violin (!!!). But in the early 30's, he took the hint, left the violin in its box, and focused solely on conducting his orchestra. The world of tango would never be the same...
Following the tragic death of Carlos Gardel on June 24th 1935, tango was on the verge on extinction, reportedly to be replaced by more "modern" dances like Foxtrot. A Buenos Aires editorialist even wrote that "tango was dead". Along came D'Arienzo... His focusing solely on conducting allowed him to explore a new tango aesthetic that blended "old" elements of the Guardia Vieja (old guard), with his newly incorporated "electric shock beat". With the addition of transitioning from one musical phrase to another using a strong piano touch, D'Arienzo's orchestra single-handedly sprang the re-birth of tango into its golden age. The masses flocked back to the dance floors...
Tango was alive and kicking (gancho'ing!). Soon, people started calling D'Arienzo "El Rey del Compas" (the King of Rhythm), the "cricket" was no longer...
There have been a lot of D'Arienzist orchestras since 1935. Even nowadays, many groups still play in the traditional D'Arienzo style.
Here are a few examples (click on the piece name to hear an example of the orchestra's work):
1.  Juan D'Arienzo, my personal all-time favorite (piece: Llegando a puerto)
2.  Rodolfo Biagi (piece: Por algo sera)
3.  Miguel Calo, mostly early in his career (piece: Un crimen)
4.  Angel D'Agostino, who played with D'Arienzo at the Buenos Aires zoo when they were teenagers (piece: Tres esquinas)
5.  Los Autenticos Reyes, a.k.a Los Reyes del Tango - a group of former musicians of D'Arienzo (piece: El choclo)
6.  Los Solistas de D'Arienzo, the "official" D'Arienzo orchestra after his death (piece: Esta noche me emborracho).
7.  Ricardo Tanturi, my girlfriend's favorite (piece: La vida es corta)
8.  Alfredo De Angelis (piece: Pregonera)

Keep the questions coming, I love them! 
Hasta la proxima tanda,. . tango on friends!   
         Eric Lanoix

Email eric@tangotango.us with questions, visit www.tangotango.us

Ask Maleva !

Dear Maleva,
I think I need your advice.I read your advice to Desperate Tanguera.
I am planning a trip to Buenos Aires later this year for the first time. I have heard from couple of women who have been there to watch out for smooth talking, smooth dancing, Argentine men at milongas because they are only after money and sex from unsuspecting American and European women. Are there really such men lurking in milongas? And if true, how can I avoid them?
Should I go with a tango group tour which is kind of expensive to avoid getting into a sorry situation? I don't want to become another Desperate Tanguera, at the same time, I don't want to lose my money or taken advantage of. I can follow so-so but nowhere near Argentine tangueras, I'm sure. Can you help?
Unsuspecting Susie

Dear Unsuspecting Susie,

It's funny but many of the recent questions people have sent to me concern men, women and tango - it seems that tango relationships are much more difficult than actually dancing!

As for your question, would you sleep with or give money to men you did not know well here in the US? If not, then don't do it in Argentina either. Don't let the rules that apply in 'real life' suddenly slip because you are in the seductive world of the milongas or in a romantic foreign city.

Yes, it is true that there are smooth talking (Argentine) men in tango who are just out for money and sex. But my dear, those men are lurking everywhere, not just in the milongas! Go out to a bar in any city, in any country and you will meet any number of men who will try to sweet-talk you into bed without any intention of calling you again in the morning. You must deal with the rogues that you meet in tango the same way you deal with the players in 'real life' . Don't take them seriously unless you are just out for a good time too. Accept their dances - and their free drinks ;) - and leave it at that. Argentine men don't have special powers that will make you loose all rational thought and take off your clothes just because they ask you to.

In the milongas of Buenos Aires, as well as the milongas in other parts of the world you need to use your common sense. If you decide to have 'coffee' with someone after just meeting him, and maybe having a few well-connected tangos, then that is your choice (there is absolutely nothing wrong with it). But just realize that it will not turn into something more than what it is - a one night stand.

Also, you will have the power to say yes or no to men with or without other members of a group tour around you. There are many reasons for choosing to go with a group tour to Buenos Aires, but I don't think that 'protection from the lurking men' needs to be one of them (although that would be interesting claim for the brochure!) . If anything, being part of a group tour may just make you stand out more as a tourist and as someone who might be easily-wooed. Being with other people is not necessarily going to protect you from the advances of strangers. I did not go to Buenos Aires with a group, but I did go with a boyfriend, and I was asked out for coffee none-the-less. But if a man makes an advance and you decline him politely, he's going to leave it at that. Heck, Argentine men won't even come over to a lady's table to ask for a dance for fear of their rejection becoming public! Turn them down nicely and they are not going to make a big deal of it.

And of course, most of the men in the milongas in Argentina are not going to make passes at you anyhow. I think most of them are there simply because they love to dance. Either way, if you are concerned, why don't you just make a promise to yourself that - no matter what - you will not to get together with any strange man beyond the friendly level while you are there? Unless of course, he's really cute....

Ask Maleva is published courtesy of 
  www.close-embrace.com 

Coming in the October issue.
"Must the III  Worlds Tango Dance 
champions be Argentians?"

Read all the insides and information from our on 
site reporter at 
"The III World's Tango Dance Championship" 
directly from Buenos Aires, the Tango's Capital, written by our reporter at large Milonguero, 
ORLANDO BUDINI. . . 

Roy Montejano's        
dos por cuatro
in Texas   

On Thursday August 25, '05 several Tangueros from San Antonio decided to trek out to Austin Texas for several reasons; dance, dance, dance, what other reasons could there be to form a caravan and journey for ninety minutes up to the Capital city. The San Antonio Tangueros making the journey were Angela Avila, who just returned from an excursion to Montreal, Frank Huddleston, Olga, and Julie Barnet. The first stop was to Cipollina’s Italian Bistro located at 1213 West Lynn. Here one can dance to the fantastic music of Glover Tango from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. every Thursday night. We San Antonians are thrilled dancing to his music. Cipollina’s provides a welcoming ambiance with good food and wine served. The second stop was to Copa’s located at 217 Congress just a few blocks away from Cipollina’s. Copa’s provides Tango music on the last Thursday of the month. Monica gives free dance lessons on those nights from 9:00 -10:00 p.m. Copa’s also has Salsa dancing on the lower level of their club with live music. That night DJ Rudy was spinning the CDs for the Tango crowd and he does a grand job regrettably he and his wife are moving to Colorado soon. The trip to Austin is well worth the ninety minute drive to dance at venues that have great music, food, wine, and oh, did I forget to mention the other reason for going to Austin? Well, some great dancers live in the Austin area and it is always a joy to dance and converse with them. 

	Left: Gabriella & DJ Rudy enjoying a birthday dance. Below: Angela and  Vance.
Right: left to right Natasha and  Peter, Julie and Ollie.     All Photo's by  R. Montejano  Contact Roy at r.montejano@grandecom.net

Learning Tango is endless process, and there is always some challenge in it. The more advanced man is, the more attention and concentration it takes for a woman to follow him. In order to be a great leader, to please a partner and give her some joy, a man should learn this incredible dance very intensely, with determination and dedication.
I usually start my new class with a joke: "Gentlemen! I have some news: you have to be a boss, a strong leader in Tango!"
The real Tango occurs when a man and a woman are in harmony with each other, and they dance to the same musical instrument. We all need to listen to each other, and to the music, which is our conductor during the dance. But every leader has a different perception and interpretation of the specific Tango music. This is why tango hooks artistic people for a lifetime.

A special Tango walk with torque, for example, came from the19 th century, when this dance was born in Buenos Aires. Men "danced" or walked with the music ready to fight or protect a woman from others.
During our lessons we give the historical explanations of some movements. Also, we use many different images to help people to understand some steps. It brings great fun to our lessons. For example, "a big boleo" (leg makes a circle behind the standing leg) might have come from men= s fights, when they tried to clean some space behind them without looking back.

Some hints on tango techniques:  

A strong frame and good posture of a leader is 90% of the dance. A leader should not ever move his left arm, or lean forward or backward. He should keep the upper body straight up, without breaking the waistline, and don't keep your weight on your heels. Whatever we do in Tango, our knees are flexed a little, but never locked!
Your walk forward should look like somebody holds you behind and tries to pull you back, while you are trying to escape from that person. For example, to walk inside the woman straight forward, you would first put her weight on her left leg. At the beginning, for the first waking step, you will give her impulse, then will raise your knee and touch her knee. She moves her leg and gives you some space. Then you stretch your right leg forward with your toes first, in a position of "parada" or "promenade position." At the same time, you still keep the other leg bent slightly.  Your weight is at that point on your bending leg. Be sure that one knee is behind the other one. So, you should have a shape of a triangle between the legs. You are slightly in a position like you want to sit down, with your spine down vertically to the floor. This is what keeps your good balance for many advanced movements. You then move your body to the middle, and your weight is equally on both feet. Then you move your weight onto your leading leg, which you then relax as your other leg stretches forward in a new position of "parada" or "promenade position."
This is your main lead, gentleman: walk with your toes forward, carefully placing the feet on the floor, and all the time face your woman!

Most of us watch men's footwork: how smoothly the feet caress the floor, how skillful are the pivots, how precise are the steps, leads, or technique. Women want to choose a partner with whom it would be interesting to investigate new challenges and attain some joy of Tango. A good dancer makes any woman look good. A woman cannot make up the dance for a man, because he is a leader and the first creator of the Tango design.
Leaders need to improve their ability to make fast decision during dancing. When a leader put an effort and energy in his leads, has vast active Tango vocabulary, he would be able to improvise and build his own Tango. This is why it is so interesting to watch dancing couples; they are all different creators. Enjoy your Tango. It is the "powerful NOW"! Learn more about
 Elena at her web or contact her with questions . . .
www.TangoCaminito.com   EPankey@Juno.com

BUENOS AIRES CULTURE ON THE WEB  

Figuration and realism dialogues....

As a tribute for the centennial birth date of Antonio Berni, Malba presents an exhibition which comprises fifty works by the artist born in Rosario, Argentina. Berni and his contemporaries also includes 50 productions by 19 renowned artists, as a demonstration of the impact Berni's task had over other creators of his time, coming together to a reconstruction of the recent history of Argentine art.
Berni's vanguard incursion, a trend that he introduced to his land after a stay in the Paris School, is reflected in works such as La metamorfosis del pájaro azul (1932). The compromised art and its condemnation of social and popular sufferings are visible in pieces from the New Realism, such as Desocupados (Unemployed), Manifestación (Demonstration) and Medianoche en el mundo (Midnight in the world).
Juan del Prete, Raquel Forner, Spilimbergo, Kenneth Kemble, Mario Pucciarelli, Alberto Greco are some of the artists called to dialogue from their works with Berni's, the artist born in Rosario, on May 14 1905. Berni's Primeros pasos (First steps) and Spilimbergo's La planchadora (The ironer) are two good examples of the contrasts and agreements present along the Malba's exhibition.
Juanito Laguna reappears in worthy paintings which show the irruption of the New Figuration in the 60s', such as Pesadilla de los injustos (Unjust' nightmare). Alberto Heredia, Juan Carlos Distéfano, Norberto Gómez and Emilio Renart are chosen to discourse with Berni at the section devoted to the violent 70s', with some emblematic paints, like Magdalena and Cristo en el garage. 
Take note....
The centennial birth date of Antonio Berni, on May 14, will be tribute along a series of events, exhibitions and activities.
Academia Nacional de Bellas Artes: patronizes exhibitions to be held at the Klemm foundation, Rosario's Castagnino Museum, and at the National University Tres de Febrero. It will also produce a video film about the artist and will re publish the text Berni and the painting, first edited in 1968.
Centro Cultural Borges, Viamonte & San Martín, Downtown. From Tuesday 15, presents an educational, interactive and playable exhibition titled: Berni for kids. Created in Rosario in 2000, this itinerant exposition has been showed at different cities since 2002.
Temas Grupo Editorial will publish the book Berni. Escritos y papeles privados, which will comprise unedited texts recompiled by Betina Lipenholtz and edited by Marcelo Pacheco, illustrated with photographs.
Correo Argentino: the local post office has launched to stamps with paintings by Berni.

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!

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

Tango Art for Your Walls