TABLE OF CONTENTS
| ARTICLE | AUTHOR |
| Enrique Santos Discepolo | |
| Lidia Ferrari | |
| The Essential Tango | Sharna Fabiano |
| Styles of Argentine Tango | Stephen Brown |
| Milonga Ettiquette | Tasmanian Tango Club |
| You know you are a Tango addict when... | Cambalache Tango Club |
| The Beginner's Crush | Ask Maleva.com |
| By Jean-Pierre Sighe | |
| Tango Poems | Assorted Authors |
Music & Lyrics by: Enrique Santos Discepolo
(Excerpt from planet-tango.com & Edited by Cambalache Tango Club © Copyright 2006)
Several times in the twentieth
century, self-appointed monitors of good taste and manners have used censorship
to silence the people's voice in Argentina. In one notorious instance of taking
intolerance to their maximum degree, military rulers waged a "dirty war" against
the people of Argentina silencing the dissenting voices of the people by making
them "dissapear" from the face of the earth. The infamous Secretaria de Prensa y
Radiodifusion has been in the past the hideout of coward footmen of the military
regimes that held Argentina hostage for many years at a time. Safely protected
by the forces of repression, these individuals found no better things to do than
attempting to "cleanse" the language of the popular music of Buenos Aires,
a.k.a. the Tango. In other words they pretended to legislate culture by the use
of power.
The Tango lore is full of
anecdotes referring to the periods in which it felt the wrath of the censors,
the castrators of the social expression of the people at large who in many
instances where inhabitants of the south part of the city. One may only guess
where the censors lived or aspired to move to.
During the presidency of Gen. Juan Peron (1940-50's), the forces behind SADAIC, the Society of Authors and Composers, finally decided to bring the issue of censorship directly to Peron. Led by Homero Manzi, the group began to arrive to Casa Rosada, the presidential office. Alberto Vacarezza, a well known playwriter had been mugged on the bus on his way to the meeting. Alerted to this fact, Peron using a very graphic lunfardo expression greeted Vacarezza saying, "me entere que lo afanaron en el bondi." Everybody knew at that moment, with Peron using the street language to refer to Vacarezza's being mugged on the bus, that the long period of Tango censorship had ended. It is a common mistake to assume that the lyrics of the Tangos were written by uneducated pimps and compadritos. To the contrary, from Pascual Contursi to Homero Manzi, most celebrated autors were very well educated and consummated poets. The fact that they choose to use the language of the people to write poetry to Tango music earned them the respect of all of us who love the Tango with a passion, but most of them, were seldom given the proper recognition by the ruling intellectual elite.
Today, the Tango snobs of the world quote Borges or Marechal, who finally caved in to the pressure of their European fellow socialites who appreciating the Tango could not understand why they despised it so much. Even, today, the injustice continues, very few people ackowledge the gigantic work of Manzi, Contursi, and Discepolo and many others.
Let's talk about Discepolin. In
the fundamental poetic line of Discepolo we see the moralist observing the
social context and complaining bitterly about the depravity that surrounds him.
He desperately searches for God and painfully denounces the lack of values.
Discepolo contributed to a more
instinctive and metaphysical vision of the Tango. In many ways he called for
ethical parameters for a sociopolitical scene lacking moral attributes. His
first fundamental work was "Que vachache" written in 1925 but the subject of
this commentary is "Cambalache" which he wrote about ten years later.
An interpretation of his lyrics
may help understand why the military rulers that came into power in 1976
"recommended" that it not be broadcast on radio and television.
Of particular interest are the
verses, "Mixed with Stavinsky (a notorious swindler), you have Don Bosco (catolic
priest founder of the Salesian Order) and La Mignon (a well kept lover), don
Chicho (the nickname of the infamous head of the Buenos Aires maffia) and
Napoleon, Carnera (a popular Italian boxer) and San Martin (Argentina's general
who led the forces of liberation from Argentina to Chile and Peru)
Version en Español |
English version |
|
Que el
mundo fue y sera una porqueria,
Hoy resulta que es lo
mismo Que falta de respeto,
Siglo veinte,
cambalache |
That the
world was and it will be filth, Today it happens it
is the same What a lack of
respect, Twentieth century,
bazaar |
The Place of Woman in Tango
(Translated by Jeffrey Tobin & Edited by Cambalache Tango Club © Copyright 2006)
Is tango macho? I pose this question not to cast doubt on the masculinity of tango, but to open a space for women in the tango world because woman's role in tango has always received less attention than it deserves. The topic can be approached from many points of view. My approach reflects my own particular point of view as a woman, as a psychoanalyst, and as a tango-dancer. A straightforward reading of tango lyrics leaves us with the impressionthat tango is thoroughly dominated by men and that women figure only as passive victims. But keep in mind that most tango lyrics were written several decades ago, by men, and they reflect the machista prejudices and values of their time. Of course, in most of these lyrics women do not farewell. Since the time of the "milonguita" -the girl dazzled by the downtown lights, the "young seamstress who was led astray"- tango lyrics have portrayed women negatively. Women are "led" astray because in general women are assigned a passive role in tango-lyrics: "Men did you wrong", "She was towed along behind the big shot's limo", and "Other women have fallen the same way". Thus, a woman does not choose her fate, but is dragged down the wrong road by a man. The lyrics also reveal that a woman was just the "plaything of the moment" and that now she is left with only "the devestation of her loss". In "Atenti, pebeta" [Watch Out, Girl], Celedenio Flores generously offered advice to women in the tango world: "Drop your hemline to where your ankle begins."
But does anyone know if the milonguita, "la pelandruna abacanada" [the naive girl who falls for a bigshot], or "la flor de fango" [the mudflower], repented or retracted the step she had taken? I am in no way unaware of the phenomena of prostitution and white slavery in which women were carried of by force, trickery, or pressures related to the need to survive. In those cases it would be difficult to consider that a woman's choice played a part in her fate. But I am referring to the ideological bias in tango lyrics that do not recognize that people actively chose a fate, or when the lyrics do recognize this, they assign a negative value in the case of women.
It is frequently asserted that tango is machista, as if such a conclusion were inescapable. Tango-dance, in particular, is described as a machista dance in which a man dominates and a woman is dominated. I believe, however, that this is a simplistic and square argument that fails to account for the differences and complexities within the world of tango. I will turn to tango-dance to shed light on some of these complexities. Tango is a very complicated dance because it tries to have two embracing bodies accomplish figures, pauses, movements, "cortes and quebradas" [pauses and breaks] within a choreography that includes both of them. The dance would be simple if the two were not embracing. Other dances, such as the pericón and the chacarera (both Argentine folk dances) also have distinct choreographies for the man and the woman. But these dances are much easier than tango because the dance partners do not tightly embrace one another as they attempt to perform their seperate steps. Another way to simplify the dance would be to choreographic it in advance. Many stage dances, in particular, are very complex, but they lack tango's spontaneity. Or, the partners could dance exactly the same steps, only mirrored. This is common in European social dances. But tango is tango precisely because it includes two dancers who, despite their tight embrace, spontaneously execute verydifferent steps, which nevertheless go together, to make up a single dance. As Carlos Vega says: "Tango Argentino accomplishes the miracle of inserting the figure of the enlace [link] ... This is the secret of its success; that is the primary innovation it offers to the world."
As Alicia Dujovne Ortiz observes, tango is a "two-headed monster ... a beast with four legs, langurous or lively, that lives just for the length of a song and dies, murdered by the final note." In tango, two minds, not one, achieve fluid movement, so that each leg and each hand fits into what the other legs and hands are doing in order for the two to function as a single body. One body and two people. Moreover, two beings as different as a man and a woman, who often have never before met, embrace one another and dance to the rhythm of the music, creating and creating a beautiful dance. There is something marvelous in this occurence.
To be able to dance tango the dancers must complement one another, they must cooperate with one another. If they compete, if they fail to collaborate, it is impossible for them to dance, or at least to dance well. But how is this collaboration achieved in the absence of prearranged choreographies? The answer is that there must be some basic agreement about how the two are to function together. One of the formulas for doing this is for one of the dancers to lead and the other to follow. I believe there is no other way for it to work. Thus, tango begins with an agreement between the dancers that the man will lead. I ask, why is this seen as subordination, submission, or passivity on the side of the woman? It is the man who leads, but this leading is not synonymous with domination or hierarchy.
The two dancers coordinate and cooperate with each other without losing their difference. Each dancer achieves something different. And therein lies each one's position in the dance. What defines each position is its technique and the task it perfoms, which are both necessary for the dance to happen. The positions are not defined for the greater or lesser masculinity or femininity of the partners. Eventhough these are usually confused, a dancer's masculinity or femininity is more an imaginary phenomena that is attached to the dance. For a woman to let herself be led by a man is not to be dominated, to submit, or to subordinate herself to him. Rather, for a man and a woman to dance a tango, each of them must submit to the rules of the game that make the dance a tango and not, for example, a rumba. Thus, there are three elements: the woman, the man, and the tango structure. In this sense, man and woman, with two distinct roles, techniques, and positions find themselves working together to produce something outside of the two: A tango.
In the histories pertaining to tango's origins, there are always accounts of two men dancing tango together. To this day, men dance with each other in tango practice sessions and private classes. At least in Argentina, this is how men transmit their knowledge to one another. One man teaches another man how to dance and how to lead by occupying the woman's place in the dance. This example demonstrates that the man's role in tango-dance is strictly dependent on the woman's role, and viceversa: Two men can not dance tango together unless one of them plays the part of a woman. This is contrary to a machista position because the machista man could never admit that what he does is a function of what a woman does, and viceversa.
This example alse shows that tango
is a game, like chess, in which each piece moves according to standardized
rules. A rook, for example, moves at right angles, while a bishop moves
diagonally. But both pieces, and all the others, are necessary for the game to
be played. Similarly, to dance tango, and to enjoy doing so, each dancer has to
try to follow the rules pertaining to his or her position in the dance. Thus, I
am privileging the structure of the dance in this analysis, and not the passions
and emotions that circulate in that structure. I believe that the passions and
emotions are a consequence -an effect- of the dance, and as such they are not at
the dance's hub.
As Carlos Vega says in reference to the origins of tango: "There is no luxury in the embrace; it was the critics of the tango embrace who introduced luxury to the tango. The dancers had many other things to worry about. One danced for the pure enjoyment of dancing ...". Even today, those who want to learn how to dance tango must invest a lot of time and effort before they can find anything in the tango embrace except that which makes it possible to dance tango. If your primary interest is seduction, passion, body contact, or sensuality, you will not go to all the trouble of learning how to dance tango well.
It is clear that one of the keys to woman's position for dancing tango is to "let herself be led", but this does not mean -despite what is commonly believed- that women occupy a position of submission or passivity. To let herself be led by a man is not "to subordinate herself" to him, but to accept that his lead is necessary to be able to dance tango. As I said early, both dancers have to submit themselves to certain rules in order to dance a tango and not a rumba. A man alone can not dance tango and neither can a woman. They need each other, and both need to submit to the rules of the game. One such rule is: The man leads.
I believe one can relate the way men characterize women in tango lyrics with the way women are often characterized in tango-dance. The same prejudices and ideology are displayed in both. This is why it is necessary in the teaching of tango, to show women when they are learning, that the fact that they must learn to let themselves be led does not mean that they should let themselves be led just anywhere. It is the most important one of the many rules that a woman must learn in order to be able to dance tango, and it is the hardest lesson of all in the learning process. It is the most important rule because many women find it so difficult to accept the statement "let yourself be led". The next lesson for a woman, which is even more difficult, is learning when to stop letting herself be led. In my experience teach women to dance tango, I have often seen that at first, what is hardest for a woman is to be able to let herself be led or to be able to follow the man's lead. Later, once the woman can let herself be led, what is hardest is follow the man's lead in a way that is not robotic.
For example, the man's hand and body mark an ocho [figure 8] and a giro [pivot]. The woman responds so automatedly that she barely takes the time necessary to execute the step, and she "falls" onto the man, loosing her own balance. It turns out to be hard for her to understand (with her head and her body) that even if she must follow the man's lead, the step is she makes is hers, not his. She must take the time and space necessary to perform the step properly.
This is where the importance of having good balance and strong, secure steps comes in. These are the qualities that allow a woman to be an active participant in tango dance, and not a passive object. Neither the man nor the woman can dance well unless both of them are secure with their bodies, their balance, and their postures. They both must be able to sustain a constant tension in the embrace without losing their feeling for the dance. "Flanes" -that is to say, "wimps", people who are fragile and insecure- have just as much difficulty dancing tango as do those who are excessively rigid. A woman who lets herself be led any way at all, like a leaf in the wind, can not dance tango. For both partners to dance and enjoy dancing a tango, the woman must be able to offer a light tension in response to the man's mark.
I say that the structure of the
tango dance is not machista, but this does not mean that tango is not subject to
all the fantasies, ideologies, and ways of life of the people who dance it. The
fact that tango is danced by a man and a woman who embrace each other makes
tango a fertile ground for dancers to deposit in tango the fantasies that we all
human beings have, and which figure in all aspects of our lives. But tango is
not responsible for what people do with it. Thus, it would not be strange to
find women in the tango world who submit badly, are confused, or who love
futilely. It would not be strange to find passionate stories surrounding the
dance. It would not be strange to find stories of abuse and dishonesty. It would
not be strange to find beautiful love stories. It would not be strange to find
men who love futilely and are rejected. It would not be strange to find men who
exploit human weaknesses for their own interests. And it would not be strange to
find machista men and women. But I have seen many men with strongly machista
personalities who stop being machista as soon as they step onto the dance floor.
Contrary to popular opinion, I believe that a man who is machista can not be so
while he is dancing. In order to dance well, he can not have an attitude of
uncaring or of insensitivity towards his partner. While dancing, his concern is
to enjoy something with her. A man's strength and security help him to dance
well, not to dominate or feel superior to her. Just like a woman who lets
herself be pushed around, a man who pushes around a woman can not dance well.
Moreover, it is possible to observe that tango has beneficial effects for most of the women (and men) who dance it: better posture, surer balance, firmness in their bodies, and assertiveness. With experience, women learn to say "no" to men with whom they do not like dancing, and to say "yes" to men with whom they do like dancing. (I do not claim, however, that knowing with whom to dance translates into knowing with whom to enter into romantic relationships.)
In general, a good female milonga dancer knows how to let herself be led. She accepts the invitation of a man who dances well and she enjoys dancing with him. Thanks to his sensitivity, his presence, and his confidence, she can display her own style. If a woman lets a man express himself, and the man lets the woman express herself, then they will both find in tango an opportunity to be creative. Thus, I believe that one of the reasons for which dancers in the milonga thank one another at the end of a set of dances is in order to acknowledge that they each made it possible for the other to let loose his or her own fervor, ability, and feeling.
(Written by Sharna Fabiano from NeoTango.com & Edited by Cambalache Tango Club © Copyright 2006)
Historically, dance has created community bonds, served as a form of spiritual practice, provided physical exercise and stress relief, and, of course, taken on the important role of a mating ritual. In recent years we have been experiencing a revival of social dances from around the world. This indicates a growing need for people to reconnect with each other, their communities, and themselves. Partner dance just might open the door to this reconnection, and the tango, one of its most distinguished representatives, could be the key. In Buenos Aires, Argentina, where the tango was born, they say that the initial "embrace" tells you everything before you even take the first step. Well, what exactly, you might ask, is this "everything" that can be learned in a mere instant of physical contact?
The tango sidesteps the notion of a "right way," but rather teaches us, above all else, to "improvise." This means that the "leader" uses subtle changes in the pressure and position of his torso to let the "follower" know where to place each foot. He then invents a step of his own to accompany her, and so on until the end of the song. This is why the tango appears so complex, and why the two partners' legs manage to intertwine in such a remarkable way. Herein lies the beauty, and the puzzle, of the tango. We change partners often, and every dance is different, bringing its own surprises, challenges, and thrills. Do we take a step softly, or does it carry a sharp accent? Do we embrace our partner very tightly, or very gently?
Because of the
moment-by-moment improvisational relationship between partners, the tango
demands that we pay attention in a way few of us have ever done before. As in
life, neither partner knows for sure exactly which step will come next. Two
steps backward dont necessarily guarantee a third. A new partner might react
differently to the same technique used with a familiar one. If either leader or
follower become distracted, important signals will be missed, and somone might
get their toes stepped on, literally! In the tango, our senses are magnified,
particularly our senses of touch and hearing. This heightened sensitivity allows
us to learn a lot about our partner very quickly, on a non-verbal, intuitive
level. Through this intuitive connection, the tango offers us something very
enticing: the chance to create a dance that is completely one-of-a-kind.
The opportunity for the unique dance is possible because after learning only a few simple rules, the possibilities of customizing the tango expand exponentially. Like snowflakes, no two songs are ever danced in the same way. No two tango dancers or couples look alike from the outside, nor do they feel alike to each other. The greatest dancers are not so much revered for technical excellence, but for the distinctiveness of their "unique personal style." The goal of unique personal expression is a strong pull for would-be social dancers, and the excitement inherent in sharing that expression with others is even stronger. Where else are we especially encouraged, each time a new song begins, to deliberately "be ourselves," sometimes even by a partner we have never met before! Our tango role models, with their cultivated personal styles, have allowed their inner spirits to be fully expressed through the dance. This is the deep call of the tango, and why, even though it was invented nearly a century ago, it still carries an important message to us today.
Striving to be ourselves while we learn to pay attention to others can be a transformative experience. As a result of the creative process of learning and dancing the tango, an encounter takes place between what is inside you and what is inside your partner. This connection is magical and uplifting. Unfortunately, because the experience takes place on a primal, intuitive level, it is nearly impossible to verbalize and describe (though many have tried!). One dancer says "When I am not dancing tango there is a space in me that won't be complete until I dance again." Others say simply "I need to dance tango. I just love it so much." To date, there seems to be no limit to the depth this shared experience can reach. Enthusiasts sometimes resemble spiritual seekers as they work to refine their lead and follow sensitivity, so that they might detect increasingly more subtle changes in posture, position, or energy. This heightened sensitivity awakens our deepest intuitive and creative forces, and sets them to music.
To understand this pursuit, the tango is best envisioned as an intuitive, non-verbal language, with all of the nuances, regional acccents, and inside jokes associated with spoken language. As partners become increasingly sensitive to each others leading and following signals, the music becomes the context of a private, intimate conversation. These non-verbal conversations can and do express the full range of human experience, from humor to anger, curiosity to irony, passion to sorrow. To speak this language, we must maintain focus through our heightened senses of touch and hearing - this sensory focus keeps us "in the moment" with our partners.
The remarkable language of tango has led dancers to draw parallels between tango and meditation, tango and yoga, tango and family relationships, and even tango and business management. In each of these real-life spheres, as in the tango, observing and reacting "in the moment" takes top priority. To meditate, we must let all outside distractions float away. In a yoga asana, we must not try to achieve the ideal pose, but only our own pose, on that day, in that room. When communicating with a spouse, it is crucial to avoid expectations and imagined scenarios, but rather listen and respond to a real situation. In business, what frequently makes the difference between success and failure is our ability to spontaneously adapt as quickly as possible to the changing needs of our customers and of the larger market.
Because the tangos essential qualities run through other areas of life, it is transforming how people typically think about social dancing. In nearly every city in the world, there are not only tango dancers, but tango communities. There are groups of people dedicated to cultivating these skills of acting and reacting "in the moment." A global electronic tango discussion group provides an active forum where the dialogue of tango approaches philosophical inquiry. A favorite subject is the energy of leading vs the energy of following. Are these qualities specific to men or women? Are they completely opposite or do leading and following responsibilities actually shift back and forth between the two partners? Sending and receiving, speaking and listening. These are universal forces we employ in all of our relationships, in all areas of our lives.
The tango is
not for the weak of spirit. The union of mind and body is no small task, and
dancing challenges us to be patient and accepting of ourselves and of others.
Enthusiasts attest, however, to profound intimacy, unbridled joy, and good old
fashioned fun as worthy rewards to overcoming the initial insecurity and tension
of your first tango lessons. The tango is a metaphor for the way we relate to
the world and to each other. It is a process we engage in. This process prompts
us to examine the ways in which we learn and communicate with others, and
teaches us as much about ourselves as it does about the tango. Are we impatient
with ourselves or with our partners as we learn? Do we dwell on mistakes, or use
them as learning opportunities? When two different teachers give us
contradictory information, do we label one right and one wrong, or use both
perspectives to our advantage?
As we learn the "lead and follow" technique of the tango, it becomes possible to see miscommunications rather than errors, and to seek greater clarity within the non-verbal dance language rather than blaming our partner for taking the "wrong step." In allowing ourselves to relax, focus, and exist in the moment with our dance partner, we find a sense of balance while dancing that teaches us about life. The tango grabs our attention with its fascinating legwork, then points us inward toward our natural desire for self-expression. The Spanish verbs that the Argentines frequently use for "lead and follow" - marcar and responder - translate more precisely as "show the way" and "respond." This is a process we learn by dancing the tango, but that we can also use within ourselves in other areas of life. The creative "internal leader" in each of us longs to express itself with all of the authority and truth that the tango leader embodies. If we listen, the responsive "internal follower" will not question those creative desires, but will trust them, as a tango follower trusts her partner, and allow them to be reflected in personal choices of recreational pursuits, professional ambitions, and love relationships.
by Stephen Brown
(Written by Stephen Brown from TejasTango.com & Edited by Cambalache Tango Club © Copyright 2006)
In Buenos Aires and other parts of Argentina, tango is danced in a spectrum of individualistic or personal styles, and many tango dancers who are Argentine do not accept a categorization of their own dancing by any broad stylistic name. They simply say they are dancing tango, their own style, or the style of their neighborhood or city. A few confuse the issue further by identifying their own style by a name that other dancers associate with a different style. Consequently, parsing the commonalities and differences that can be found across the continuum of individual styles to clearly describe the characteristics of various styles is challenging, potentially controversial, and possibly misleading. Nonetheless, if we regard style to mean an approach to dancing that creates incompatibilities with other approaches and has a sufficient number of adherents who stick firmly to the listed elements, I think it is possible to create rough definitions for a number of distinguishable styles of Argentine tango: salon, milonguero, club, orillero, canyengue, nuevo and fantasia.
Milonguero-style tango can also be identified as apilado-, cafe-, and
confiteria-style tango. One of the better-known dancers of the style, Tete,
refers to his own style of tango as salon.
Which Styles Have an Open Embrace and Which Have a Close Embrace?
Embrace and Frame
Which Styles Are Improvisational and Which Are Choreographed?
Which Styles Are Feeling and Which Are Analytical?
Aren't Salon Tango and Fantasia Really the Same?
How Are the Milonguero and Club Styles Related?
Ric-Tic-Tic Rhythm
(Written by Tasmanian Tango Club & Edited by Cambalache Tango Club © Copyright 2006)
Tango Argentino is a passionate, intimate and emotive social dance. And there’s the key point—it is social and therefore has some protocols and etiquette to ensure smooth interactions on the dance floor. Here are some guidelines to get you started in your understanding of the culture of social milongas.
Traffic
Always dance counter-clockwise around the dance floor. In traditional milongas there is constant movement around the floor with nobody stopping in one place. People move faster around the edge of the dance floor and slower towards the middle. If you need overtake, move to the outside. Do not go in every which direction looking for space.
Leaders, do not step backwards without looking carefully first. Try to avoid any movement counter to the line of dance. Stay clear of the dance floor if you’re not dancing.
Courtesy
Both the leader and the follower are responsible for being aware of other dancers around them. It is considered extremely rude to bump into people, even on a crowded dance floor. If you do bump into someone, apologise immediately and courteously. If you see someone is likely to bump into you, let your partner know subtly or take steps to avoid the collision.
Appropriate steps
Consider the amount of space available to you and your partner before leading fancy manoevres or making wild and dangerous embellishments. It is extremely unpleasant for other dancers to be speared by flying stilettos, kicked or stomped.
Practice
If you want to show your partner a new step of practice a particular step, move off the dance floor out of the way of other social dancers. Alternatively, save practice for practica sessions and relax at the social milonga.
At a social dance, try not
to give advice or instruction unless you are specifically asked. Remember that
everyone starts as a beginner and an instructive comment, however
well-intentioned, can destroy the already fragile confidence of a new tanguero/a.
Social etiquette
It is general practice in Argentina for the men to invite the ladies to dance. However, they do not do it without encouragement, so make eye contact with your favoured prospective partner and smile.
It is customary to dance a whole ‘tanda’ (group of similar songs) with one partner. This usually takes about 8 minutes, so even if s/he is an awful dancer it’s not too much of a trial to stay the distance. At the end of the tanda, take your partner back to her seat. It is extremely rude to walk off the dance floor leaving your partner looking like a dork in the middle of the floor.
A social dance is for dancing. If you want to talk with your partner, do it off the dance floor. Don’t apologise or chat during the dance. If you focus on the music, the traffic and your partner’s expressiveness, you’ll have plenty to do!
Hygiene
Argentine tango is an intimate and elegant dance. Try to be considerate with your use of aftershave and perfume – some people are sensitive to them. If you perspire, consider bringing a change of top and use a towel or handkerchief to mop frequently. Chew a mint if you’re unsure of your breath.
You Know You're a Tango Addict When...
· One of the most exciting things in the world is to dance tango with a complete stranger.
· You have been known to sing in the ear of your partner while dancing.
· You recognize that special glow in the night as another hotbed of tango erupts in the distance.
· Your favourite color is tango black.
· Friends and family automatically assume that you want tango-related birthday gifts.
· You go through withdrawal without at least one tango-high per week.
· Your descriptions of tango have shifted from "unbounded enthusiasm" to "you wouldn't understand..."
· Your friends are secretly plotting to kidnap you for a week of serious deprogramming.
· You know who Carlos Gardel is.
· You've stopped saying sorry when you screw up - you just tango out of the trouble you got into.
· You keep a pair of dance shoes in your car.
· You wish you paid more attention in high school Spanish class.
· You've sold or moved most of your furniture to give yourself practice space.
· You make sure you never run out of breath mints.
· You no longer freak out at the prospect of leading a boleo.
· You travel interstate to tango.
· You've had the big tango-fight with your partner.
· You listen to tango music when you're not at a practica or milonga.
· You bring your ankles and knees together all the time, even in the elevator.
· You plan the rest of your social life so it doesn't conflict with tango nights.
· You own a bootleg copy of Tango Bar.
· Your wardrobe is predominantly black.
· Ocho is more than just a number.
· Your fantasy travel destination is Buenos Aires.
· You are unable to schedule major surgery without compromising tango commitments.
· You now view the world in terms of people who tango and those unfortunate souls who don't.
· You've progressed from the practice hold to full contact tango.
· You have to work hard to maintain non-tango friendships (if you have any left).
· You've been dancing a year and still don't get bored talking tango.
· You have developed the ability to turn any conversation to
tango within 2 minutes.
· You no longer have parties at your house; you host milongas.
· When you look in the mirror, you are usually looking at your feet.
· Your shopping cart often substitutes as your dance partner.
· You've figured out how to find the hidden tango sections in any record store.
· Tango never fails to energize, no matter how tired you are.
· Before travelling, you check out the net for tango events in that area.
· You are willing to spend twice as much time driving to a milonga as you actually dance.
· You automatically do something Tango-ish whenever you navigate through a crowd.
· Your computer passwords at work are always phrases related to tango.
· Your ear has been trained to recognize the tango possibilities in all forms of music.
· You remember the place and partner with whom you danced your first real tango.
· You bring your own tango CDs to wedding receptions to ensure that your requests will be played.
· Tango has diminished, if not ruined, the appeal of every other dance you ever did.
· Little else in your life gets done compared to your pre-tango days.
· Your passion-index is much higher compared to your pre-tango days.
· What pre-tango days?
· You regularly shop the local Salvation Army to suppliment your tango wardrobe.
· You have been spotted dancing tango in parking lots.
· Posters for upcoming tango events are always magnetized to your refrigerator.
· You have developed a healthy fear of foot injuries.
· Your interest in shoes can easily be mistaken for a fetish.
· You dance tango in your mind.
· You have to dance. You have to dance.
· You seek out stories from those who have danced tango in other countries.
· The thought enters your mind that Johnny Cash was aware of tango black long before you.
· You have found yourself caught in unusual situations that are best described as a Tango Moment.
· You become associated with a signature move.
· You have hosted someone from Buenos Aires at your home.
· You can't resist dancing a few tango steps whenever you cross a wooden floor
· You find that you sandwich feet far more often than shake hands
· Whenever you wait in line, you must fight the urge to randomly gancho those around you
· You've put your house on the market to support your tango habits!
(From Ask Maleva: A Tango Advice Column & Edited by Cambalache Tango Club © Copyright 2006)
'Dear Maleva, I'm desperate and unsure what to do! I am madly in love with an incredible dancer in our community, but all he ever wants to do with me is dance! I have tried dropping some hints about maybe giving me a call, but I have to say there isn't much conversation happening. I fear we may not have a lot in common, but I do want to explore it further, it could be the start of something beautiful. But I am very confused by the mixed signals, on the dance floor it's pure bliss and very much a mutual rush, and his hand lingers on my lower back after the last chords die away, and he is very attentive and everything, but then he walks me back to my place and after that it's like nothing ever happened. It's pure torture and it's interfering with my sleep, eating and concentration at work. Is this what tango dancers are like? Please advise me on what to do, other than quickly becoming such a great dancer that he can't think of anybody else, either. I'm not sure I could, he is a very accomplished tanguero. Help! Desperate Tanguera'
Dear Desperate Tanguera, I'm sorry to say that it sounds like you have fallen victim to a very, very common phenomenon in the dance world: the Beginner's Crush. That is - beginner/student (almost always female) gets overwhelming crush on teacher/skillful dancer (almost always male). This doesn't just happen in tango - it is pervasive in all the partner dances from mambo to waltz. Why does this happen? Tango can be a very powerful experience, especially for women. A follower surrenders total control of her body to her leader. A masterful leader can make even a beginner do things she didn't know she was able to and make her feel like a goddess. A good dancer's confidence and sureness is extremely appealing to women. The professional dancers can also make the beginners feel like part of the 'in' crowd in the social hierarchy of the milonga scene. Susana Miller once said in a workshop that the woman cares only for the Dancer not the man, and the man cares only for the Woman not the dancer. It doesn't matter to the woman if the guy is a jerk or if even he's good looking, all she cares about is how he can make her feel when dancing. The man doesn't care about how the woman dances, only that she is beautiful. I think it's nice that your tanguero-in-illusionary-shining-armor knows enough to leave it on the dance floor where it belongs. Many, many tango teachers and experienced dancers take advantage of female students. And really, who can blame them for falling for these wide-eyed and worshipping ladies. What guy wouldn't love it if a beginning girl looked at him with big eyes and said "Am I doing it right??" (batting eyelashes...) The Beginner's Crush is no secret in the dance world and I even remember seeing a segment on 60 minutes or some other such news program a few years ago about how dance studios encourage the male teachers to flirt with the female students because they know it will keep them coming back for classes. So you are certainly not alone in your feelings. I, myself, fell under the spell of a better dancer during my early days - MORE than once - and most of my friends did too. I can't say that the phenomenon is all bad -- it certainly provides incentive for love-struck ladies to try and get better faster. They want to be able to dance well with their crush like you said, and perhaps they even fantasize about becoming their crush's partner and performing with him. On the other side, I think it is pretty rare for a beginner male student to get this type of crush on a better female dancer. Men are intimidated by the experienced female dancers and when they do dance together usually the tanguera is only able to make the poor guy feel more inept and clumsy, not good about himself. I don't mean to devalue your feeling for this guy; it's not that they're not very real, but my bet is they won't last long-term. As you become a more experienced dancer, your crush will fade. You'll dance with lots of great dancers and feel magic in their embrace and that is something to be cherished. But the longer you tango, the more you learn to separate heart from body and realize that what you feel is not love of the man but love of the dancer, and you will be able to leave it at that. Ask yourself this about your crush: Would I still like him if he were a lousy dancer? Hmmm, maybe not. There must be equality for a relationship to truly work and the teacher/student or advanced dancer/beginner relationships, while very common, almost always end in heartbreak. So, should you look for love in the milongas? - Hell yes! But look for love that is born out of a connection off the dance floor, that you feel because of who the man is, not just how he makes you feel when leading you through steps.
By Jean-Pierre Sighe
(Written by Jean-Pierre Sighe & Published by El Firulete.com - Edited by Cambalache Tango Club © Copyright 2006)
A year ago, in a concurrence of circumstances, I was introduced to the world of Argentine Tango. I had no idea at the time, that I was in fact being introduced into a significant experience destined to ultimately have a profound effect on my whole being. Intuitively though, after making the decision to learn how to dance Tango, I felt it would be important to learn it "the right way", that is, under the supervision of a teacher, native of Argentina; given the distinctive coloration that the Argentine culture has engraved in Tango, it seemed only natural to look for someone native of that culture.
I was already involved with dancing, focusing more on Ballroom dancing. My interest for the Latin dances was indeed awakened and Salsa and Rumba were my favorites. In the context of the Ballroom dancing, I was also experimenting with Waltz and what is known as " International Tango". The discovery of Argentine Tango came like a sweeping tide that was going to absolutely erase from my mind the existence of that "International Tango".
Very quickly, I was lucky to find my teacher. A gentleman from Argentina, Alberto Paz, with his partner, Valorie Hart, from the United States. I explained to Alberto that my goal was to learn how to dance Tango; but not just in terms of the dance-steps, but rather more deeply, with the elements of the Argentine culture. As an African and a musician, it was clear to me that one needs to connect spiritually with the emotions of a dance in order to perform it properly. My teacher kindly laughed as he listened and accepted to take me as a student.
After my first lessons, a persisting question knocked at the door of my neophyte's mind. It was not the kind of question that one asks, knowing that an answer can be given by someone to whom it would be asked; rather, it came as some suggested direction of an intellectual and spiritual quest. The rethorical question was: " What is Tango? "
Tango seemed to have such an important impact on the emotions of the dancer that it was only logical to speculate that if there was an impact on the emotional body, there would have to also be something similar on the psychological, thus, the spiritual and probably the physiological bodies as well.
Usually, in order to comprehend our human constitution, we must separate, classify and label different functions and abilities of our human nature; we try to distinguish between the physical, the psychological, the emotional, the spiritual bodies. In reality, all these bodies are one. The interaction between them is instantaneous; anything affecting one has a reverberation on the others, in an harmonic response. Just as a vibrating string on a guitar will induce the other strings (although untouched), to vibrate in turn. However, each string will vibrate in its own musical note or vibration speed. By analogy, one can begin to sense that the different bodies or "states", will provide the Tango dancer with different types of experiences. These "states" will become the different successive "doors" through which the dancer will ultimately enter the very subtle world of the imponderable… the spiritual world (not in the religious sense, rather in its etymological meaning).
The other obvious component in the Tango dancing is the music. It has probably been stated already an infinite number of times that music is one of the most mysterious and powerful things that exists. In fact it is a very useful tool to those who understand its nature a little better. Music is the perfect vessel that one can use to explore the different "states" afore mentioned. As a musician, I discovered that there are two kinds of charts that are being played, while performing: one is written for the musician to follow; the other is unwritten… actually, it is BEING WRITTEN as the performance develops. It's a very special chart made of the combination of the musician-and-dancer's performance… a little explanation will be useful here.
The chart that the musician uses is made of musical notes, pauses, with all the crescendos, diminuendos, fortes… and so forth. The musician knows that all these nuances must be respected in order to render a good performance. On the other hand, every step, pause, spin, jump, slide… etc. that the dancer does IS, indeed, in combination with the musician's chart, ANOTHER CHART being written. This means that, without being conscious of it the dancer, the Tango dancer, is indeed composing and writing, as does the musician; it becomes crucial to realize that the experience of going through the successive "doors", to which the musician is accustomed, is equally shared by the dancer. But, at this point, other parameters will need to be considered: has the dancer been properly trained to understand the connection between the dancing and the music? Is the dancer prepared to consciously appreciate the journey through the "states" and "doors" ? Has the dancer been trained to feel the music and dance WITH the music, rather than simply performing some impressive footwork? The training, in other words, the "initiation" process, is absolutely, a determining factor to the inner experience of the dancer.
Therefore, choosing the right teacher must be a carefully conducted task, for, the rest of the dancing experience will surely be affected, either positively, or regrettably, in a negative way. It is the sine qua non condition to the enjoyable experience one is looking and hoping for!
Dancing becomes a profound and exciting undertaking. It becomes almost, in the Tango realm, a… ritual! It becomes very beautiful to visualize two people plunging deep into their souls and writing together in a ritual… a story; maybe the story of their friendship or the story of their attraction to one another; maybe the story of their lost lovers or the story of their loneliness; maybe the story of their joy for life or the story of their sadness about life… in other words, the story of life and love!
They will have to "assume", as in the African ritualistic dances, different "states" of mind, and project them outwardly, using their physical bodies… isn't that beautiful ?
There is one thing about Tango that commonly, dancers express, jokingly: its "addictiveness." Certainly, the more, one experiences the inner contact with the self, through the practice of Tango, the more agreeable it gets as the dancing talent is refined. The process is comparable to the spiritual quest that allows a gradual and increasingly enjoyable connection with the inner self, the inner being… with the soul. It should not be, therefore, an extrapolation to define Tango as another mystical ritual for the human soul. The fact that Tango was born in the slums and was deeply connected to the brothels, as historians teach us, should not diminish at all its magnificence. To the contrary. Isn't it a wonder that a tree as thorny as the rose tree can produce such a beautiful flower as the rose? Isn't it marvellous that the beauty of the lotus is given to us in the swamp?
Tango will continue to capture the imagination of humans throughout the world. It is by no accident that indeed Tango has so many lovers all around the world. I clearly remember saying to my teacher that I was having a sense of an important window being opened within, even though I had no precise idea of its significance. A certain impression of universality was felt; a certain sense of being with my close ones was undoubtedly present. Tango is, de facto, a wonderful link between different people of different origins and different cultures, for, it appeals to the essential part of us all. To those who would have approached it with a profound sense of amazement, Tango will become the threshold, the "door" to the inner poetry… contemplation… the "door" to the State of the Soul.
KEEP IT SIMPLE, STUPID: ADVICE TO ALL TANGO LEADERS REMEMBER THE K.I.S.S. PRINCIPLE
Keep it simple, stupid,
Is what I always say,
For when you're dancing tango,
There is no other way.
Just keep it simple, stupid,
Control those twitchy feet,
Don't try to show off all your steps,
To every girl you meet.
You may try all the steps there are,
When dancing round the floor,
But all that does is to proclaim,
You are a tango bore.
Too many men take to the floor,
Who give the girls a fright,
By messing up some fancy step,
They half-learned just last night.
Now, gents, the thing your partners want,
Is heaven, not a hell,
So learn to do the simple things,
And learn to do them well.
Just keep it simple, stupid,
It's balance, poise and pace,
It's dancing in the music,
With elegance and grace.
Yes, keep it simple, stupid,
And the way that you'll impress,
Is never ever to forget:
In tango, more is less.
Please, please, just keep it simple,
I urge you and implore,
You'll please yourself and partner,
For less is always more.
BEATS OF EIGHT
I am resigned it is my fate,
To live my life in beats of eight.
I walk along a city street,
Whilst stepping out that tango beat.
And then I push upon a door,
And walk up to a tango floor.
I take a partner's hand in mine,
No word is spoken, just a sign.
We pause a moment on the floor,
Our senses seeking dance rapport,
And then we move off with the beat,
Each stepping
out with silent feet.
The balanced pause, the poised advance,
This is the essence of the dance.
The grace that is a giro turn,
The music that makes passions burn.
The closeness as our bodies flow,
The frisson sparking to and fro.
I may not know my partner's name,
May never dance with her again,
But for those moments we become,
Two bodies moving, merged as one.
I hold her near, I move away,
I block, I turn, we pause, we sway.
No word is said that might detract,
And break the dance's silent pact.
For as we dance the floor around,
My signs and signals make no sound.
A finger's press, a slight deflection,
Is all that's needed for direction.
A torso turn is signal sent,
And sign enough of my intent.
And suddenly the dance is done,
Two people part who just were one.
Three minutes is but little time,
To sense a tempo so sublime.
Then I rejoice it is my fate,
To live my life in beats of eight.
TO
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