To Write About- A List

Stretching the shoes- Thinking back to when I only had one pair.
The Carlos Gardel movie- out in 1935 and the 12 second scene with Piazzola as a 12 year old.
Watching Piazzola play Adios Nonino. Watching anyone play Adios Nonino.
The time I demonstrated with Chiche and he called me a milonguera.
Mike's endless YouTube tangos on Cd's. You want ocho cortado. You get ocho cortado.
Alberto Paz and his gift for the music and lyrics.
My favorite instructors in BA. Little things that stick from each one.
Zotto's smile in his eyes.
Jerry Neri and our stolen idea for a "tango tent"

Snow and sleet for our 3rd milonga

Just after we left for Clarks Summit to set up the 5:30 dance- which means shopping for ice and snacks- the sleet started.
With the temperature at 19 I thought we were going to skid our way to Clarks Summit. 5:30 came, 5:45 came and it was Mike and I doing a quiet traspie to Poema. Me thinking it would be an evening of tango for 2. The more I think about tango, I think it's only and always tango for 2. Slowly the dancers and the curious walked in - the new couples and singles looked at the lovely space and the night turned out to be a wonderful evening of dance and laughter. How lucky we are to have found the tango. How lucky we were to stumble into the perfect tango space with Ed Mazeleski being so generous with his attitude. Whatever you do is fine with me!
Now I want to share my favorite Gardel of the week- "Cuesta Abajo" from a cd we bought at the Plaza Dorego in San Telmo on a Sunday. Marco Bellini pulls the orquesta tipica together with a perfect and haunting tenor. Name of the group is "Tango Al Palo".
One last item. The dance floor is now a real dance floor.

Solution to the Spongy Dance Deck Problema

Ripped it all up. Got 14 sheets of 1/8 " hardboard and put it down. Crawled around with a roll of duct tape to keep the hardboard from shifting.
Put it all back and, wow, it helped. Almost perfect- now we can dance. WE CAN DANCE.
Nothing like lifting 2000 pounds to keep us young?
True confessions. Had help from Dan Wilga who picked up the hardboard and helped us put it all back. Frank ran in to offer a little help, too. How I wish Cecilia and Gustavo were here to have the first dance. If I only could magically transport them out of the Carlos Copello school in BA.

Ah! Andi

How beautifully she dances and how smart she is to be packing off to Rosario for 8 months- just north of Buenos Aires- with a Fulbright and her love of tango. With a little planning we'll spend some time with her in the capitol- maybe April and definately in November. Last night at our"winter tango tent" she looked so graceful with Matt. I like her style.
Now what to do about the squishy dance deck. Donna C made such a face when she tried to pivot we all burst out laughing. Me, I can't even walk backwards without falling off my axis.
Mike and I thought of trying to lay some hardboard under it -Dick thinks it might work, but Dalton Carpet says no. If the weather holds we'll do a test spot tomorrow. Why do these wonderful plans often run backwards? At least all this amuses me.

From The DANCING WU LI MASTERS

And from EMBRACE TIGER, RETURN TO MOUNTAIN
He begins from the center and not from the fringe. He imparts an understanding of the basic principles of the art before going on to the meticulous details, and he refuses to break down the t'ai chi movements into a one-two-three drill so as to make the student into a robot. The traditional way. . .is to teach by rote, and to give the impression that long periods of boredom are the most essential part of training. In that way a student may go for years and years without ever getting the feel of what he is doing.

Explaining the Essence of the Dance

1. Not a dance you learn -it's a dance you explore
2. How can a dance that has only 5 basic steps- forward and back walking, side stepping, change of weight and pivoting- be so complicated.
3. The MAN ( in this country- the LEADER) controls the movement.
4. Balance and the embrace start you on your way.
5. Maintain your own axis and if you are the WOMAN (FOLLOWER), as Sr. Copes emphatically states, "Don't lead!"
6. Use the music to feel and develop the moves. Don't rush.

Thinking About "Malena"

After our last trip and numerous lessons- walk, walk and more walk, I was told to start reading tango lyrics. Could this activity improve my dance? Yes. I think it does. How I'd love a better grasp of Spanish- the translation loses something.
Anyway so here's some of "Malena"
Malena canta el tango como ninguna Malena sings the tango like no one else
y en cada verso pone su corazon. and in every single verse she pours her heart.
A yuyo del suburbio su voz perfuma, Like a slum weed her voice excudes
Malena tiene pena de bandoneon Malena has the sadness of a bandoneon
Tal vez, alla en la infancia, su voz de alondra Perhaps, back in her childhood, her lark's voice
tomo ese tono oscuro del callejon, acquired that dark intonation of a back alley
o acaso aquel romance que solo nombra or maybe it is the romance she only names
cuando se pone triste con el alcohol when she gets sad with the alcohol
Malena canta el tango con voz de sombra Malena sings a tango with a somber voice
Malena tiene pena de bandoneon Malena has the sadness of a bandoneon

So if you want to hear this one. My favorite is Roxana Fontan singing it as if she were Malena.

Our First Milonga in Clarks Summit

So what a surprise when 21 showed for our first milonga. Lights were low, music just right - a little spongy on the dance deck, but such a fun and interesting evening. Matt took care of the 2 new women and Mike, Cathie and I got the 2 new couples started with a bit of walking.
Went so smoothly I don't know why I was so tired by the end of the first hour.
Cleaned it all up and out of there by 9:00.
Having the cortina on the Ipod and the regular milonga format of music was a change for our group. "Malena" and "Milonga Para Gavito" are my favorites this week. Also was happy with the 3 pieces by Canaro to work on our traspie- "Ciego", "Hotel Victoria" and "Poema"

POEM FOR JUAN

After the new banners fell down on the floor of our "winter" home for tango in Clarks Summit I decided to write my poem to Juan- just to take my mind off the 50 more times up the 8' ladder.

For JUAN- A Reponse


Juan dances a tango- a tango with words
The sound circles around in his head until the last note
When you observe his pen, the tip suddenly stops- a parada- and his eyes close
Partially in thought and sometimes thinking of other dancers
If the writing is sloppy or disorganized, he quickly starts over
Pressing the pen to the paper until the line satisfies him
    and things are moving on again in his solo fashion
Juan has a gentle secret- a secret you can find in his eyes
Juan is forever dancing a tango
    Karen Lucey May 2008

Getting Ready for TANGO

Today we lay the dance deck in the spot we're now calling the "winter tent". Also have to haul down cleaning supplies- the place is in need of a real bath- and chairs and as usual the list keeps growing. The previous occupants, during the holidays, sold Christmas trees outside and inside. No problem until we realized they were using a chain saw INSIDE. No problem there either. A glorious smell fills the space and a million pine needles found there way into the carpet where we'll lay the dance deck. No problem with the smell, but the needles?
Next Sunday- January 11, 2009 we'll dance here. 611 S State St in Clarks Summit. 5:30-8:30.
Mary Ethel said she'd vacuum and Mike and I will do the dirty work of cleaning the bathroom.
Dan is in charge of the floor and it might be fun???
Still need a place to hang coats.

FIRST NIGHT Scranton PA

Packed our car in the 15 degree gusts and headed for Scranton at 4:00. Picked up the official First Night Artist tags and with the help of the Callahans unloaded the tables, signs, sound system and all else into the Scranton Cultural Center.
Table in the lobby with a tv and video of Zotto and others doing a basic walk. Everything else up to the 4 th floor- Shopland Hall where we still weren't sure we were welcome -too many questions about why we were there and who SAID we could occupy that space. All in place by 5:30 so we waited and talked and danced a little unitl the streams of curious came in to try a little walking. Thanks to Cathie we had a group lesson at 7:15 and all our friends and tango community popped in to dance and say hello. Mike and I dragged everyone we could onto the floor for a few circles of walking and then it was 8:30. Packed it all up and back into the cold.
This one was a huge success and in 12 days we'll open or own little tango winter home in Clarks Summit- every Sunday 5:30-8:30. 611 S State St. 570:945-4047