The Tango-L mailing list archive
Digest from 21 May 1999
to 22 May 1999
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Date: Sat, 22 May 1999 03:00:05 -0400
Sender: Discussion of Any Aspect of the Argentine Tango <TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
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Subject: TANGO-L Digest - 21 May 1999 to 22 May 1999
There are 7 messages totalling 267 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. Tango Book by Juan Carlos Copes
2. Tango in Chicago and Northbrook?
3. BAILEMOS TANGO by Juan C.Copes (reviewed by Keith Elshaw)
4. Tango and folklore show in Bs As next week
5. Perfumes de Tango tour
6. Tango from the East
7. AT Workshop by Gladys Fernandez/Ricardo Gallo -- Singapore
Date: Fri, 21 May 1999 09:40:34 +0200
From: Peter Niebert <Peter.Niebert @IMAG.FR>
Subject: Re: Tango Book by Juan Carlos Copes
Janis Kenyon writes:
> Last October I had a few copies of Juan Carlos Copes' book to offer for sale
> on Tango-L. The response was overwhelming for the 15 copies I had. The
> book was out of print. [...]
Could someone please write a review for the book or point me to
existing reviews?
Thanks
-- Peter
Date: Fri, 21 May 1999 23:10:52 +1200
From: Neville Waisbrod <waisbrod @ACTRIX.GEN.NZ>
Subject: Tango in Chicago and Northbrook?
I will be in Chicago and Northbrook from the 3rd June for two weeks. Can
someone please let me know where I can Tango in these areas and if there are
any special envents or lessons/workshops on during this period.
Thanks.
Neville
Date: Fri, 21 May 1999 16:35:01 +0000
From: Keith Elshaw <elshaw @INTERLOG.COM>
Subject: BAILEMOS TANGO by Juan C.Copes (reviewed by Keith Elshaw)
At 71 pages, it could more properly be called a booklet.
In Spanish and English, it seeks to teach the beginner Salida simple, El
Ocho, Retroceso, La Cadencia, El Boleo, La Sentada and La Quebrada.
This review is of the original edition, published in 1989. As Maria
Nieves was still his partner at the time, he begins by thanking her
warmly and saying, "She like nobody else has known how to interpret the
different choreographies I have designed for the diverse shows presented
in Buenos Aires and theatres in Buenos Aires and around the world. A
poet has said that Maria's legs "passionately and lovingly compose a
dance called Tango.'"
The next three pages are a history of the Tango by Juan. He explains
where it came from and what it means to him. The English translation
could have been better - one can tell the read would be richer en
espa=F1ol. But it's interesting nonetheless. He uses some Lunfardo,
naturally, which is explained in footnotes.
Next comes a section called "The Codes of Tango." Three exercises are
described, as well as some instruction on how to interpret the diagrams
and how to start to learn the steps. This section begins with these
words:
"I want to make it clear that there is not and there has never been
anyone in the world who has been the owner of the "truth" about the
dance-tango. Since it expresses feelings, it cannot have a fixed shape.
That is why I do not accept being called "master", even less "teacher".
It is possible to be a guide, a parameter for those who - no matter what
their age - "feel" the tango and want to dance it (and this is a
student's first task)."
=20
Can you imagine? The very first Tango dancers I ever saw, then came to
know, were Copes and Nieves. I saw over-and-over again a show he
produced in Toronto in 1989-90 called, "A Rose For Mr. Tango." Juan
gave me the book and a pile of music at the time.
I never actually tried to use the instructions in the book to learn the
figures, because I had him to teach me in the flesh. But I recall being
moved by the words he wrote and being inspired by them. I loved his
little book.
The figures are described in words; there is a diagram with numbers for
where to place your feet; and there is a frame-per-beat picture of a man
and woman's legs/feet to show the positions. (A piece of trivia: the
woman's legs in the photos are those of Nieves' sister, Cristina Rey ...
who doesn't get credited in the book).
Both the diagrams and the pictures show the man and woman with a white
and black shoe/foot. Interesting.
I haven't seen the new edition, so I don't know if his daughter Johana
is now featured in the pictures.
In my personal opinion, this booklet is more a collector's curio than a
need-to-have item. I hadn't looked at it for years until the request was
made on Tango-L for a review. It does mean a lot to me because of the
personal association and of the memories it brings back of a time when I
had my life changed forever.
I almost get a little tongue-tied when talking about Copes in a forum
like this, where opinions are so diverse and firmly-held. Some don't
like the Copes style as much as younger particular favorites. I too have
new heroes now, like Osvaldo and Miguel Angel Zotto, and my current
teacher, Hern=E1n - a young man you'll be hearing about in the future. I
owe so much to Carlos Gavito, who I'm dying to learn more from. But I
believe all Tango dancers will forever owe a debt of gratitude to Juan
Carlos Copes, Maria Nieves, and their former sort-of silent partner
Cristina Rey for creating a sublime Tango in the 50's and 60's that has
influenced us all - whether we know it or not.
I was fortunate enough to meet Buckminster Fuller, whom I practically
revered. He was in a class by himself. I spent some time with John
Lennon, another remarkable person to me. Bucky and John aside, I've
never met a person with more to show the world by his humanity and
talent than Juan Carlos Copes. Just let me make that statement. The man
is a person worthy of the highest respect. There is a humble greatness
about him. He was original; he was a revolutionary; he IS still here. He
is a giant among us. And if you meet him, you will notice that he
doesn't pretend to be anything other than a simple man who loves Tango
with all his heart and soul. He is much more.
Watch him now live, or watch him on old footage - Copes is the
poet-laureate of dance.
(I think it lamentable that a composer or lyricist can receive royalites
even 50 years after they are in their grave for their compositions, but
a genius like Copes gets no royalites for creating dance steps we all do
wiothout knowing who created them).
A film director friend of mine says that if Copes had been an American
instead of Argentinean (or had the right manager in the States), he was
the next in line: Astair, Kelly, Copes.
Don't get me started. I would like to go on. But ...
So, don't think about what he's doing now, or who you like better these
days. Just realize, the man is a cut above. Always has been, always will
be.
Juan, muchisimo gracias por todo. Where would we be without you?
"Bailemos Tango" "Let's Dance Tango" by Juan Carlos Copes is published
privately in Argentina. My copy is 10 years old and in great shape. It
was a quality printing.
=20
I would be interested to know how much he has changed in the new
edition.
Regards to all,
Keith Elshaw
ToTango!
http://www.interlog.com/~elshaw
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Date: Fri, 21 May 1999 23:58:59 +0200
From: "Gabriella C. Marino" <gcmarino @IOL.IT>
Subject: Tango and folklore show in Bs As next week
For those of you who will be lucky enough to be in Buenos Aires next week,
the most famous folklore singers in Argentina, Los Nocheros, are presenting
their new show "Signos" at the Luna Park in Buenos Aires from 24 to 27 May.
Throughout the show there will also be performances by Erica Boaglio and
Adrian Aragsn (of Tango X2) who will be dancing tango and folklore.
Please let me know how it goes, I really wish I could be there!!!
You can check out Erica and Adrian's website for further info:
www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/3843/index.html
Best regards,
Gabriella
Italy
Date: Sat, 22 May 1999 00:04:48 +0200
From: "Gabriella C. Marino" <gcmarino @IOL.IT>
Subject: Perfumes de Tango tour
Tango X 2 will be touring Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador from 31 May to
11 June with the show "Perfumes de tango".
In July and August they will be back in Buenos Aires for their regular
theatrical season with the show "Una noche de tango".
Both shows are not to be missed for their excellent quality and the extreme
precision of the dancers.
I wish they would come back to Italy soon! I managed to catch an old 1996
performance of Perfumes in Brussels on Solo Tango at the beginning of the
week but the show is so much better now, with twice as many couples and much
more varied. I was fortunate enough to be able to see it in London last
year, after falling in love with Una noche in Rome.
Gabriella
Italy
Date: Fri, 21 May 1999 19:15:12 EDT
From: Timothy Pogros <TimmyTango @AOL.COM>
Subject: Tango from the East
In my attempts to bring "TANGOING" to the Cleveland area, I talked to Barry
Gabel of Belkin Productions. This company brought "Tango Buenos Aires" to the
Cleveland area. And I was told that they were bringing a tango stage show
from Budapest next February.
At this time he couldn't give me much information about this company, other
than I'm going to enjoy them.
Does any body know of this company or the show that will be in Cleveland next
February?
Tim Pogros (TimmyTango)
Date: Sat, 22 May 1999 14:05:32 +0800
From: Kace Ong <kace @PACIFIC.NET.SG>
Subject: AT Workshop by Gladys Fernandez/Ricardo Gallo -- Singapore
Ms Gladys Fernandez and Mr Ricardo Gallo are currently on their
Asian Tour of Manila, Hong Kong and Singapore, from 20 May to 13 June.
The Singapore leg of their tour starts on 8 June 1999. The complete
workshop programme, and schedule for practica and milonga can be
found on:
<http://home.pacific.net.sg/~kace/tango>http://home.pacific.net.sg/~kace/tango
Kace Ong
End of TANGO-L Digest - 21 May 1999 to 22 May 1999
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