Saturday, January 5, 2013
Hopalong CATASTROPHE
A good name for Mike near the end of his 3rd tango lesson last Friday while practicing a TRASPIE to Canaro.
AUGUSTO asks????
Augusto Balizano speaks English. We are able to understand much more when he finally gets to the fine points in English of his lessons. Last week at the end of the lesson ( 1 1/2 hours) at the Galerias Pacifico- Escuela Argentine de Tango- he asked his usual. " Are there any questions?" He next asked for specific questions or complaints about the embrace. Every decent lesson starts with a review of the embrace and the posture, before we start the next part of the lesson- walking, balance and pivoting exercises to music. Since we were dancing with 6 couples who love the tango the same way we love the tango everyone listened and added something to think about.
The men:
They do NOT like the women's arms wrapped around their necks.
They do NOT like the women's arms over their shoulders with the hand pointed down- fingers looking like a bunch of bananas.
I think Alberto Paz calls any form of this one the "kidney grabber".
The women:
They do NOT like the men pulling them in.
They do NOT like the men's right hands limp on their backs.
They do NOT like their right arms raised above their shoulders. This one
throws women off the axis.
They do NOT like the men's heads pressing on their heads.
What to do? Embrace like a warm hug and dance the dance.
The men:
They do NOT like the women's arms wrapped around their necks.
They do NOT like the women's arms over their shoulders with the hand pointed down- fingers looking like a bunch of bananas.
I think Alberto Paz calls any form of this one the "kidney grabber".
The women:
They do NOT like the men pulling them in.
They do NOT like the men's right hands limp on their backs.
They do NOT like their right arms raised above their shoulders. This one
throws women off the axis.
They do NOT like the men's heads pressing on their heads.
What to do? Embrace like a warm hug and dance the dance.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
LESSON - PABLO VERON- A MASTER TEACHER
Keep my body relaxed and comfortable. Stand in a normal position. There is no need for me to tilt forward or lean my head into Mike. Relaxing my body and breathing naturally helps me keep my free leg free, free from the hip, to move with the intention that starts from Mike's back. This generates every step. First the intention which starts my movement and then his torso to lead the direction. It all looks like one movement, but EVERY step is a tango. At times we change the embrace from close to a little open to even more open. Now all this with what seems like a contradiction or an impossiblbity - my energy from the waist up is upward, like I'd won a prize- boastful. My energy from the waist down goes into the floor.
And I thought learning to fly a plane was difficult.
Ever so slightly we pause and breathe in at the end of the forward, side, back or change of weight before moving on to the next step. Alberto Paz told Mike over and over not to run.
Now Mike is no longer a runner. He's a leader and a pauser, but still dancing the "silence". Impossible? Simple and beautiful? But what about the beat? Another year of work to find THAT.
And I thought learning to fly a plane was difficult.
Ever so slightly we pause and breathe in at the end of the forward, side, back or change of weight before moving on to the next step. Alberto Paz told Mike over and over not to run.
Now Mike is no longer a runner. He's a leader and a pauser, but still dancing the "silence". Impossible? Simple and beautiful? But what about the beat? Another year of work to find THAT.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
WINDING DOWN / FALLING DOWN
Our one touristy adventure this trip ended with a really scary, honest-to-goodness TRIP. Today when I looked down there was Mike, sprawled on the floor of the gorgeous Teatro Colon. He was shaken, but I was shaking. When Mike falls he rolls into a ball on his side- says he learned this when he played football and when he was in the Navy practicing parachute jumps from a tower. There he was at the bottom of the stairs- missed the last step- thank God only one step, and landed on the inlaid marble floor. The guard, the guide and the other tourists gathered around with great concern. There was no injury, but my stomach did twists and jumps. Had to sit around for about 15 minutes to make sure all was well. Mostly with me I think. As usual, I ended up crying, but this time over "spilled Mike".
Our trip is winding down- OH NO!- We have shed all the bad habits learned in our first year of tango in the states. On New Year's Day we literally ran up Tucaman to catch the 23 bus and head out to a NO TOURIST milonga- Nuevochique on San Jose. The dance room was packed- women lining one side, men lining the other side, all jammed in double deep with couples packed into tables at the ends. Our early arrival secured us one of the last good tables. We danced and danced- corazon a corazon to the mournful music. The women dancing with feet on the floor and the men navigating around tight little spaces. Mike was an Argentine- January 1st, 2013. We have been waiting 7 years to tango like portenos in a crowded milonga. Nothing mattered but the music and the connection. Another amazing day here in Buenos Aires where I will always have an enormous part of my heart.
As usual, these posts tie into tango. When we practiced "the borrachito" with Augusto on Friday he said you need to practice in both directions. Message to Mike:
BUT Mike, not on the steps of the Teatro Colon.
Our trip is winding down- OH NO!- We have shed all the bad habits learned in our first year of tango in the states. On New Year's Day we literally ran up Tucaman to catch the 23 bus and head out to a NO TOURIST milonga- Nuevochique on San Jose. The dance room was packed- women lining one side, men lining the other side, all jammed in double deep with couples packed into tables at the ends. Our early arrival secured us one of the last good tables. We danced and danced- corazon a corazon to the mournful music. The women dancing with feet on the floor and the men navigating around tight little spaces. Mike was an Argentine- January 1st, 2013. We have been waiting 7 years to tango like portenos in a crowded milonga. Nothing mattered but the music and the connection. Another amazing day here in Buenos Aires where I will always have an enormous part of my heart.
As usual, these posts tie into tango. When we practiced "the borrachito" with Augusto on Friday he said you need to practice in both directions. Message to Mike:
BUT Mike, not on the steps of the Teatro Colon.
Friday, November 16, 2012
ARRIVAL in Buenos Aires
We like to use VIP Car for their excellent service from EZE to our corner in downtown- the exciting corner of Paraguay y Calle Florida. The drivers are always young men, clean cut in white shirts and black pants, always courteous. The drivers speak very little English, so I usually get a chance to practice my limited Spanish. How is the weather? etc.
Today Mike sat in front to stretch his legs after the 12 hour flight. ( the new knees were not the problem I thought!) Today the driver had very acceptable English. He hadn't been to the States, but spoke rapidly and used tenses much better than I will ever use the impossibe Spanish ones. Mike tried to speak to him in Spanish- he didn't understand a word and it became funnier and funnier as the 45 minutes zipped by. Finally I opened my big mouth and yelled from the back seat, "He speaks English!" Duh!
God, are we tired and punchy, but so happy to be in the balmy sunny days of Argentina.
And for Mike....I am so delighted to be in BA again. Peace has come over me like a blanket. Estoy tan encantado de estar en Buenos Aires otra vez. La paz se ha apoderado de mí como una manta.
Today Mike sat in front to stretch his legs after the 12 hour flight. ( the new knees were not the problem I thought!) Today the driver had very acceptable English. He hadn't been to the States, but spoke rapidly and used tenses much better than I will ever use the impossibe Spanish ones. Mike tried to speak to him in Spanish- he didn't understand a word and it became funnier and funnier as the 45 minutes zipped by. Finally I opened my big mouth and yelled from the back seat, "He speaks English!" Duh!
God, are we tired and punchy, but so happy to be in the balmy sunny days of Argentina.
And for Mike....I am so delighted to be in BA again. Peace has come over me like a blanket. Estoy tan encantado de estar en Buenos Aires otra vez. La paz se ha apoderado de mí como una manta.
Monday, October 22, 2012
LOOKING BACK at our 6th SEASON
You can find us on Facebook -NEPA Tang0 in the Tent
This season, our 6th started with Anne and Will Francois providing transportation for Carlos Duarte from BA and NYC on June 3rd.. A fine lesson- back to basics.
"Back to Basics" was the theme for every lesson this summer.
Every Sunday we had tango with a crowd- always 20 and usually more- maybe double.
Because we never ask, it's an adventure every week.
We closed in October on the 7th with Sid Grant minus the dog Zoro.
Looking backwards- here is a recap of a wonderful summer in FACTORYVILLE PA.
Sunday, October 7
Sunday, September 30,
Sunday, September 23
Sunday, September 2
Mike has 2 new knees this week- 7 days old, but he still made it to the tango tent.
Milonga Lesson with Jon Tariq and Della!!!!
Sunday, August 19
Sunday, August 5
Sunday, July 15
Sunday, July 1
This season, our 6th started with Anne and Will Francois providing transportation for Carlos Duarte from BA and NYC on June 3rd.. A fine lesson- back to basics.
"Back to Basics" was the theme for every lesson this summer.
Every Sunday we had tango with a crowd- always 20 and usually more- maybe double.
Because we never ask, it's an adventure every week.
We closed in October on the 7th with Sid Grant minus the dog Zoro.
Looking backwards- here is a recap of a wonderful summer in FACTORYVILLE PA.
Sunday, October 7
Sunday, September 30,
Sunday, September 23
Sunday, September 2
Mike has 2 new knees this week- 7 days old, but he still made it to the tango tent.
Milonga Lesson with Jon Tariq and Della!!!!
Sunday, August 19
Sunday, August 5
Sunday, July 15
Sunday, July 1
Dynamic Cruzadas with Carl and Elizabeth
Sunday, June 17
TENT opens this SUNDAY with CARLOS DUARTE
Sunday, June 3
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Sunday, July 1, 2012
Am I now THE BOOK THIEF?
"When you dance tango you must give everything.
If you can't do that, do not dance."
-Ricardo Vidort
"El Tango te Espera."
-Anibal Troilo
Mike found the above quotes this week, but the excerpt from Erich Fromm's book "The Sane Society" is what we talk about and think about in our lives.
"Even if man has knowledge, even if he performs his work well, if he is decent, honest, and has no worries with regard to his material needs- he is not and cannot be satisfied.
"He must act out with his body what he thinks out with his brain."
"If man expresses his grasp of the world by his senses, he creates art and ritual, he creates song, dance, drama, painting, sculpture. I shall use "collective art" meaning the same as ritual; it means to respond to the world in a meaningful, skilled, productive, active, shared way.
If you can't do that, do not dance."
-Ricardo Vidort
"El Tango te Espera."
-Anibal Troilo
Mike found the above quotes this week, but the excerpt from Erich Fromm's book "The Sane Society" is what we talk about and think about in our lives.
"Even if man has knowledge, even if he performs his work well, if he is decent, honest, and has no worries with regard to his material needs- he is not and cannot be satisfied.
"He must act out with his body what he thinks out with his brain."
"If man expresses his grasp of the world by his senses, he creates art and ritual, he creates song, dance, drama, painting, sculpture. I shall use "collective art" meaning the same as ritual; it means to respond to the world in a meaningful, skilled, productive, active, shared way.
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