Tango Thoughts

Women's Technique Workshops Autumn '09

September sees three women's technique workshops at the Garden Shed.  They were very successful the last time and I wanted to offer the chance to work on posture and optimal movement in turns as well as some adornos.

12th September: Walking, Balance & Posture

19th September: Ochos & Pivots

26th September: Giros

All of the sessions run from 1:30-5:00pm and refreshments will be served.  The exact location is given after booking.

To book simply click on the following link and select "other", each workshop is £45 or you can book all three for £120.  Each workshop is limited to 8 places.

http://www.tasteoftango.co.uk/bookandpay.html

Abrazos, shoes and Tango with Milena Plebs

Milena Plebs gave an interview with Revista Noticias, in Spanish.  

Feliz Dia Del Amigos...

I was thinking about the friends I have in Tango.  The people who I have fun with, those who I met randomly and found we had common ground, those who made the effort to welcome me to their city, their milonga.  

I love that I can go to a milonga and see friends, spend time talking and dancing with them. That it's not about collecting the number of dances to feed the fix, but enjoying the company, the music, the Tango.

In the milonga, every day is Dia del Amigo.

Inviting a girl to dance (aka the Cabeceo) Part I

A Taste of Tango is 4 today.

After months of pressure from my sister and my mate James I was thinking maybe I could do this. "You should be teaching, you love Tango." seemed to pop up at least once in every meeting. The truth was I did, but it wasn't until James arranged for me to teach Tango at The Third Space, that I really considered it.  

"I can do this, for beginners, sure." I said after the initial shock, and then panic set in, I was terrified.  I had a few months to prepare and think about what I wanted to do. I needed more time.  There were so many things, what did I want to do with Tango, the concept of the classes, the website, dealing with "We're not members of the Third Space, but we want to come to your classes...",  I had a chat with Pineapple and arranged to start teaching there.

D-day or T-day was looming and I was getting excited, it was a real change.  All from that split moment decision years ago in Paris "Do you want to go to a Tango lesson?", "OK, I like dancing".

The website was up with a picture of my legs 

 in homage to the first BajoFondo album. The studio at Pineapple was booked and I had a few people email me to say they were coming.  

Then disaster struck, the London bombings struck a mighty blow to the capital and just the day after everyone was so happy because we'd been elected to host the Olympics.

I felt terrible, this awful thing had happened, now no one would be interested in learning to dance Tango.  I thought about cancelling, and then decided against it. I was going to do this.

"Yes, you're going to do this," I taunted myself as I went up the two flights of stairs to studio 10 in Pineapple, "you're going to be there and no one is going to turn up."  I nervously opened the door and eight of my friends had turned up to support me. So went the first class, walking and connection.

It's been four years since that class and thankfully I have a few more people turning up, I still talk about walking and connection and I still love Tango. I want to say thank you to Tina & James for the nagging.

Tango for Tango's sake.

I love the fact that it doesn't matter if you're rich or poor, red or green, a doctor or a nurse in the milonga.  All that matters is if you dance well.  

This is one of the things of a milonga that should be protected.  I am not interested in people's politics when I'm dancing, I don't want to dance to protest or make a statement about the world, I just want to dance. 

Don't Miss Color Tango this Thursday & Friday

As first bandoneon and responsible for over 20 arrangements in Osvaldo Pugliese's Orquesta, Roberto Alvarez certainly had the credentials to do something spectacular after his mentor Pugliese's death in 1995.  The result was a dedication of his musical career to continuing the style of Pugliese's music, the connection with the history of the music, the result was Color Tango.  With a sound that is clean, full and sensual, they're coming to London this Thursday & Friday.  

You can find out more info here.

I've got a pair of tickets to give away for this Thursday's milonga, where Color Tango will be playing with demonstrations by Ivan Arandia & Rachel Greenberg, David Benitez & Kim Schwartz.

The winner will be picked at random from those who answers the following question correctly.

What was the name of Color Tango's first album?

Was it;

(a) Color Tango

(b) Con Estilo Para Saltar

(c) Milonguita

Answers on an email to me

This competition is open only those who have subscribed to the blog.  See the left hand column if you would like to subscribe, it's quick, easy & free.

If you don't manage to win the competition, and would like to go simply mention "Chacabuco" at the door and you will get £4 off the entrance on Thursday and £2 off on Friday.  

Normal Entrance will be £22 for both nights.

Mingo & Esther Pugliese...

I went to Carablanca on Friday to see Mingo & Esther Pugliese dancing.  If you don't know them, it's easy to wonder from just looking at their picture, what's so special about this couple.

Turns, improvisation & musicality that couples with the advantage of youth aren't able to execute. Connection that comes with years of dancing with one another and the youthfulness only Tango brings, combined with a desire to keep it fresh that comes from within. Watching their Tango unfold, you realise there is much to celebrate. 

Mingo is the one of the group of dancers (along with Carlos "Petroleo" Esteves) who revolutionised the Tango in the 40s & 50s, introducing an equal role for women and more comfortable embrace as well as giros and ochos.  Tango as it is today.

Here's some of their performance from Friday, I love the way he puts her forward at the end of the dance for the applause, as though he did nothing.  Bring them back again soon.

Pining for Pina....

The first time I saw anything by Pina Bausch was in an Almodovar film.  I felt strange, there was so much going on, alot of which I couldn't understand, but it was moving me, and then a softness that made me melt.  She always had the knack of expressing a feeling that words couldn't really describe, taking you on a story's path that was often a rainbow of emotions. The only thing I can say is that you have left us much, but you've left us also wanting more.

Philippine "Pina" Bausch (July 27, 1940 – June 30, 2009)