The Tango-L mailing list archive
Digest from 29 Jan 2000
to 30 Jan 2000
Reply-To: Discussion of Any Aspect of the Argentine Tango <TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
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Date: Sun, 30 Jan 2000 03:00:03 -0500
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Subject: TANGO-L Digest - 29 Jan 2000 to 30 Jan 2000 (#2000-29)
There are 14 messages totalling 862 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. Music which becomes alive in musician's hearts! (3)
2. Fwd: Re: Arthur Greenberg's Post, About Rosi's comments Author: Frank
Sasson
3. Dancing to Live Music (2)
4. Dance Exchanges & Tango Economics
5. Professional AT Dancers and Instructor
6. Rosi's comment
7. "Assassination Tango" by Robert Duvall
8. Live Music
9. Lack of applause for live music
10. tango enthusiasm
11. Listing of National Geographic documentary
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2000 10:42:01 +0100
From: Natarajan Balasundara <rajan @EMC.COM>
Subject: Re: Music which becomes alive in musician's hearts!
Original Message-----
From: Daniel Diaz <dan @intellinks.com>
Date: Saturday, January 29, 2000 5:27 AM
Subject: Music which becomes alive in musician's hearts!
[ stuff deleted]
>Sadly, I have recently being told by a musician from another group
>playing in milongas, that they want to play for themselves, for their
>own enjoyment. I said what about the patrons? What needs to happens
with
>us, the musicians, is that along with the pleasure of playing our
>instruments and music the way we like, we must also give of our spirit
>and heart, to those in the audience or in your cases the tangueros at a
>milonga. At least that how I feel about.
>
This may not be as bad as it sounds. If they produce great music,
probably
that is good enough. Look at Piazzola himself -- I remember reading
somewhere that he expressed a desire to break the legs of anyone
he saw dancing to his music. This may be because of the company with
whom he was in paris as a mucisian--Nadia Bolanger(sp?) and Phillip
Glass.
Perhaps this is one of the reasons why some classical musicians may like
him more although I dont see anything from piazzola(cerbral and
passionate)
rubbing off on Glass(cerbral and remote) or vice versa. Perhaps he
thought
the ultimate test for his music being truly cerbral would be if no one
could
really dance to it(no matter it would require him to break their legs
:-).
Besides, trying to please dancers like myself who may not even be
noticing
rhythm and melody may not be that useful an exercise for a good
musician.
> I would like to invite
>tangueros to look at dancers in Denver dance to Piazzolla's slow
>milongas, to other pieces with variation on tempo, and as Tom
indicated,
>to Adios Nonino coming alive. Rhythm and melody are both danceable
>whether separate or together. It take a musically trained dancer ear.
My
>suggestion is for dancers to listen to AT music while you are not
>dancing.
>
Another one probably in the same category is 'El Chocolo'. There is a
recording of both this and Adios Nonino in a collection 'the story
of tango' on EMI by "music for stage" Sexteto Mayor.
rajan.
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2000 08:10:27 EST
From: Arthur Greenberg <AHGberg @AOL.COM>
Subject: Fwd: Re: Arthur Greenberg's Post,
About Rosi's comments Author: Frank Sasson
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Hi Listeros:
The need to set the record straight is often caused by ignorant people like
Rosi whose addiction to gossip is so strong that it is their only claim and
justification to being alive on this earth. Rosi tells you that she
promises to "tell the truth" and then in her ignorance, stupidity and bias,
proceeds to viciously and maliciously twist things around so badly that
the truth she professesto tell becomes one slanderous prefabricated pack
of lies and misinformation. Rosi's lies and misinformation cultivated by
malice, exaggeration and bias, float accross the Tango List like feces
floating in a sanitary sewer. Hopefully, if you tell the truth it will set
you free. To tell the truth you first must know or recognize the truth. If
you pretend to tell the truth with malice aforethought, but you either lie
or do not know the truth you weave a web around yourself that will
eventualy choke you to death, embarrass yourself and the gullible people who
cannot distinguish the truth from the untruth and Rosi, the liar becomes
inextricably entangled in her own web of lies. The only reason that I can
forward the following message with a clear conscience is that I am confident
of the the veracity and integrity of the writer, Frank Sasson! So here is
what FranK wrote:
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Content-Type: message/rfc822
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Return-path: FRSASSON @aol.com
From: FRSASSON @aol.com
Full-name: FRSASSON
Message-ID: <be.dd67e3.25c43597 @aol.com>
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2000 07:22:47 EST
Subject: Re: Arthur Greenberg's Post, Rosi's comments
To: AHGberg @aol.com
CC: MRDANCE @aol.com
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
X-Mailer: AOL 5.0 for Windows sub 45
Arthur:
I tried to post this in Tango-L on Friday, and as usual, I'm being
discriminated against, and it was sent to the moderator; I'm sure you saw it
on ATOF.
In Jorge's defense I would like it to appear in the tango L, and even though
I'm against doing things surreptitiously, I need this to be posted.
Could you please send it under your name, and somewhere in the text say it
was writtten by me?
Thanks a million, and I'm sending a copy of this whole thing to Jorge.
Frank
At Roberto Maiolo's Friday milonga in Coral
Gables, FL. he made the same announcement several weeks ago, in fact, the
rumors go that Mara moved from Arizona to Miami and he married her for
whatever reasons.
Rosi:
I don't know who you are, but you'd better check on your facts, before you
make slanderous statements about one of the most dedicated Tango teachers in
the country, Mr. Jorge Nel.
12 years ago, Jorge Nel brought Tango to Miami, teaching 6 or 8 people in
the living room of his house, and his incredible efforts, having passed
through an incredible amount of troubled times, have resulted in Miami, that
is South Florida being the front door to all the teachers that come from
Argentina, the City where we have, not one congress per year but two of them,
and the reasons are not important, just the fact that we have two of them and
they are both very successful in bringing the best teachers in the world, to
show us how.
Jorge Nel needed a dancing partner to be able to expand his horizons into
other cities in the United States and abroad; Martha, a lovely person and a
magnificent dancer, could not travel so extensively, so, through lots of
tribulations, he finally found Mara, as a dancing partner, who not only is an
accomplished and excellent tanguera, but who has a personality, a look and
the technical ability to be able to dance with Jorge Nel, who is an
incredible dancer and teacher.
Jorge Nel is not married to Mara, and when I spoke to him this morning, he
wondered, what business is it of yours if he is or isn't married to her,
which I repeat, he is not, and as to the whatever reasons, your implications
are slanderous and you'd better be able to back them up or, since you
disseminated that wrong information throughout the Tango L list, you should
apologise to Jorge Nel for your lack of tact and sensibility, and make that a
public apology.
In addition of being a great teacher, Jorge Nel, with Martha and with Mara's
help, is the organizer of the Miami Beach Tango Congress at the beginning of
May, this year, and it promises to be a very good one, because of the caliber
of teachers he will have for our learning and enjoyment.
I have no financial interest in Jorge Nel's Congress, or have I been asked
by anyone to write this, I just cannot see, Rosi, whoever you are, slandering
a great Tango teacher and dancer, and to whom, the whole United States owes a
vote of thanks for what he has done for Tango in this country.
Frank Sasson
Miami Florida
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Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2000 12:48:35 EST
From: Richard deSousa <M1APORT @AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: Music which becomes alive in musician's hearts!
To Dan and List:
I can attest to the increased intensity of live music vs. recorded music. I
used to be
an International folkdancer and Cajun dancer and always looked forward to
dancing to the visiting bands (whether from far away eastern Europe or from
"nearby" Louisiana) when they came out to the San Francisco bay area. The
difference between live music and "canned" music, and the magic of the
emotional feedback between the dance audience and the musicians, cannot be
overemphasized. I've also danced to "flat" bands, and when there is no
"chemistry" between the dance audience and the musicians, there is no magical
transformation between the musicians and the dancers to the emotional nirvana
we seek.
Rich deSousa
In a message dated 1/28/00 8:28:11 PM Pacific Standard Time,
dan @INTELLINKS.COM writes:
<< Thanks to Tom Stermitz and Judith Farkas for their comments about our
recent Grand Argentine Tango Weekend at the Mercury in Denver, to Dave
Schmitz for the pre announcements on the Tango-A list and his continued
support, and to Marilyn Megenity, a great lady, owner of the Mercury
Cafe, one of the greatest venues in this country for Argentine Tango for
her great support to Argentine Tango music and dance.
Let's us discuss live music, or better yet, "music which is alive"...
music which becomes alive in musician hearts... and then flows straight
into dancers heart! And let's talk about dancing to Piazzolla...
Tom says: "the tremendous dynamic range of a live tango orchestra. The
first time I heard live tango I was blown away by the intensity of the
music."
Shocking it is! That's a comment I hear from many dancers as I go around
playing in AT communities. I can see that by the response to our music,
our audience and dancers response. (yes, we have many who come to just
listen the music alive orchestra and watch the dancers dance).. I have
been delighted to see all of them them applaud, yell, scream and jump of
joy at the conclusion of many of our renditions. Three encores! That is
our real pay!
And certainly the objective of the "music alive" group should be to
bring as Tom said it: "lightening sparking straight into peoples'
hearts"
The hearts of the musicians through their music placed right in between
of the hearts of the dancers. Yes... not disturbing, but making closer
the closed embraced, motivating perfect movements between the two
dancers.
On Piazzolla's music - I find myself that there is no controversy on
Piazzolla versus the Old Guard (Guardia Vieja) music when it comes to
dancing... for musically sensitive dancers. I use Denver as an example.
At times we have done 50-50% Piazzolla and tipical tangos. The floor
remains full all the time when we play. With CD's the room goes to half
full. This is the reverse case of what Arturo Greenberg experienced. So
where is the difference? In musicians hearts and in at least one that
can give his Argnetine Tango spirit to the group.
Sadly, I have recently being told by a musician from another group
playing in milongas, that they want to play for themselves, for their
own enjoyment. I said what about the patrons? What needs to happens with
us, the musicians, is that along with the pleasure of playing our
instruments and music the way we like, we must also give of our spirit
and heart, to those in the audience or in your cases the tangueros at a
milonga. At least that how I feel about.
On the comments of Steven about rhythm drop. I would like to give my
observations on the subject. I see some dancers who would dance
perfectly to the rhythm and the melody (melodies without the rhythmical
accompaniment still have rhythm within). I see others dancing totally
and completely out of step with rhythm, even when the piece is played
D'arienzo style which never drops the rhythm. I would like to invite
tangueros to look at dancers in Denver dance to Piazzolla's slow
milongas, to other pieces with variation on tempo, and as Tom indicated,
to Adios Nonino coming alive. Rhythm and melody are both danceable
whether separate or together. It take a musically trained dancer ear. My
suggestion is for dancers to listen to AT music while you are not
dancing.
Jorge Vernieri. I agree with Manuel on their loss of Jorge Vernieri. He
is the best Argentine Tango pianist, arranger and composer living in the
US. I also miss being close to him since I moved from Atlanta. Florida
dancers: You have a treasure in your community! To hear Jorge's piano
sound you may go to my site indicated at the bottom of this message. The
samples page.
Be looking for a new star! Chritine Brebes of Kansas City. She is a
young and talented violinist who have the true spirit of AT in her
heart. I was first invited by her to start a group there, and since then
I have included her on many of our performances on other cities, and our
work together continues.
Since I listened again a moment ago to Tango Among Friends - Mi Buenos
Aires Querido, mentioned by Steven I have to agree that Mederos gives
out all his heart, and Console demonstrates why a double bass is so key
to our dear Argentine Tango...
On Arturo's comment regarding the quality of the sound system I agree
100% percent. The quality of the sound can make or break both live
groups and CD's. When I go to perform I carry with me about $10,000
worth of high quality microphones and other audio related equipment. By
the way sound is an integral part of my "other" professional work:
http://www.intellinks.com
On my cultural enrichment side this is my quest and mission: To bring
true Argentine Tango music spirit to AT communities and to help them
develop local AT music groups. You may want to visit my tango web site:
http://www.intellinks.com/rioplata
I guess Dave Schmitz says it better referring to my work: He's already
being approached by other venues, including Europe, so I think he's on
his way to becoming THE traveling tango musician in the U.S. "Have
bandoneon, will travel."
Un abrazo para todos los tangueros... I would like to hear from you.
Daniel
>>
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2000 14:18:21 -0700
From: Tom Stermitz <stermitz @CSN.NET>
Subject: Re: Dancing to Live Music
> I read Tom's post about dancing to live music with some interest.
>...
> I agree with Tom that the effect of a live tango orchestra with a
> bandoneon and a good sense of rhythm seems to lessen the rhytmic
> challenges of dancing to more complex music than was typically played
> in the Golden Age of tango.
>...
> One of the shortcomings of dancing to live music, however, is that if
> the orchestra drops the rhythm--which has never been a problem with
> the New York Tango Trio--the dancers may find themselves dancing
> poorly without really understanding why. Dancing to the music helps
> partners maintain their connections with each other. If the orchestra
> does not do its part, the dancers will have more difficulty do theirs.
>
> --Steve de Tejas
- Daniel Trenner says "Beware those who tango but do not dance."
- Brigitta Winkler says "dance IN the music, not just ON the rhythm".
In Buenos Aires things are really different, but... In the US
newcomers to tango are usually awkward with both the steps and the
music. Even after they become familiar with the movements, it is a
long time before they learn to dance with feeling and musicality.
Some never achieve this and continue to lumber around on the slow
beat in a monotone fashion.
I like DiSarli, but I am coming to despise the use of this slow and
solid music for teaching beginners. On the other hand giving them
Biagi or Tanturi doesn't work if they can't hear and feel the music.
Musicality seems to be difficult thing to learn, and it is easy for
people to get caught up in the "external" steps rather than finding
the internal connection, the emotional energy and feeling the music.
The advantage of live tango is that it is so powerful and dynamic
that even beginners can't miss the accented beats and they can get
into the music better. There are orchestras that are flat and don't
accentuate the music for dance. Mont Alto Ragtime and Tango Orchestra
is a really great local orchestra that has lots of experience playing
for dancers. The band leader knows how to lead the dancers into
shifting tempos (Strauss waltzes) without ever losing them, just as a
leader in tango is always within the reaction time of the follower. I
haven't been able to analyze it clearly, but I think it has something
to do with very clearly accented beats.
My opinion about dancing to Piazzolla?
I couldn't understand Piazzolla at all until Rebecca Shulman
explained that the rhythm is actually like that of a slow milonga. I
had to go through an intellectual process to figure it out, before I
could feel it.
Piazzolla is moody and dynamic in a way you don't find in the dance
music of the 1930s & 1940s. It is suitable for expressive dancing or
choreography, but misses out on the "swing" pulse in D'Arienzo or
Biagi.
With Piazzolla and to an extent with Pugliese there is a tendency to
dance expressively with your partner and with the music, but that
takes you away from the shared experience of dancing in a room with
everyone else. What you really feel on a dance floor in BsAs includes
the crowd energy from reacting to everyone around you.
Tom Stermitz
2612 Clermont St
Denver, CO 80207
Chautauqua Publishing / Ragtime Interiors
"On-Line Arts & Crafts Movement Resource Directory."
(303) 388 - 2560
stermitz @ragtime.org
http://www.ragtime.org/ragtime/
http://www.tango.org/dance/
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2000 14:58:48 -0700
From: Tom Stermitz <stermitz @CSN.NET>
Subject: Dance Exchanges & Tango Economics
The idea of Dance Exchanges is a great one. It has both economic and
social impacts.
Economic Impact.
Assuming Ruddy typically breaks even on his milonga South of San
Francisco, the consequence of 10 unexpected visitors is $100 profit
(almost a windfall?). Same thing for Matej's workshops. If he
balances his books with 20 people per class, then even 5 extra people
for the weekend makes everything profitable.
That is simplistic, but it pretty much sums up the economics of doing
tango events. The fixed costs of doing a workshop or a milonga are
fairly high, and organizers usually eke out a small profit that
doesn't compensate the risk or time.
It is all a question of numbers. If a milonga is break even at 40
people it makes decent money at 60 and at 80 you can almost afford
live music; If a workshop is break even at 20 per class, then at 30
per class you can afford to drop prices, offer student discounts or
open up multiple levels.
There are a lot of cities in the US where you can get 15 - 20
students at each class of a workshop. Given the fixed costs and
guarantees to teachers the extra 5 or 10 people would make all the
difference in the world. Aside from a few cities, it takes a really
special teacher or really great promotion to get more than 30 in each
workshop.
One thing that would help the local organizers is if the tango club
were able to cover fixed or extraordinary expenses an individual
might have trouble with. For example purchasing a really good sound
system with wireless mikes, securing a long-term lease on a practice
hall, subsidizing airfares for visiting musicians, or even giving
your local bandoneon & violin players tickets to BsAs.
Social Impact.
A local organizer of ballroom events told me that 50 people is the
critical mass for social energy at a dance. It has to do with people
feeling like they can find appropriate partners. With 20 people you
only have 10 potential partners. This is fine if those 20 are your
best friends, but in this case you should be having a house party,
not a dance!
This is where the social or emotional impact of visitors really makes
a difference. The appearance of 5 good, new dancers at your milonga
is enough to really change the energy. You have the newcomers trying
to prove themselves and the locals trying to show off. Imagine the
effect of 5 "alpha males" dropping in to impress "your" women.
One suggestion to help travelers plan is for the local tango websites
to look ahead two or more months to indicate which weekends are more
special than others. I notice that a lot of organizers don't plan far
enough ahead for anyone to make travel plans, unless they are
spontaneous enough to get one of those "fly this weekend" internet
airfares.
Tom Stermitz
2612 Clermont St
Denver, CO 80207
Chautauqua Publishing / Ragtime Interiors
"On-Line Arts & Crafts Movement Resource Directory."
(303) 388 - 2560
stermitz @ragtime.org
http://www.ragtime.org/ragtime/
http://www.tango.org/dance/
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2000 08:21:36 -0700
From: Daniel Diaz <dan @INTELLINKS.COM>
Subject: Re: Music which becomes alive in musician's hearts!
Natarajan Balasundara wrote:
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Daniel Diaz <dan @intellinks.com>
> Date: Saturday, January 29, 2000 5:27 AM
> Subject: Music which becomes alive in musician's hearts!
>
> [ stuff deleted]
>
> >What needs to happens
> with
> >us, the musicians, is that along with the pleasure of playing our
> >instruments and music the way we like, we must also give of our spirit
> >and heart, to those in the audience or in your cases the tangueros at a
> >milonga. At least that how I feel about.
> >
Rajan responded:
> This may not be as bad as it sounds. If they produce great music, probably
> that is good enough...
Daniel in turn responds:
Rajan:
No, it isn't bad. As I said, as long as they do play with the audience in
mind... and heart.
> Look at Piazzola himself -- I remember reading somewhere that he expressed
> a desire to break the legs of anyone he saw dancing to his music...
I know how he was in that respect. Once at an Argentine concert/dinner I
stop a piece short because a couple started dancing. I felt the same way as
Astor then. I have since repented and enjoy watching people dancing to my
music at a milonga. I wonder if there are some windows in heaven where Astor
could peek from. What would his response be when he sees so many people --
modern, AT and ballet dancers dancing to his music.
> Besides, trying to please dancers like myself who may not even be noticing
> rhythm and melody may not be that useful an exercise for a good musician.
There is always a possibility. The key is to training your ear by listening
to the music, without dancing, but imagining you are. In my case, I am on
the other side, when I dance (only close embrace) all I can do is walk to
rhythm and melody, I can't do many special steps.
> Another one probably in the same category is 'El Chocolo'. There is a
> recording of both this and Adios Nonino in a collection 'the story of
> tango' on EMI by "music for stage" Sexteto Mayor.
El Choclo is always a piece which makes musicians and dancers come alive. I
usually change the tempo throughout the piece and people love it. However,
I personally don't like inserting a "pure" jazz rhythm in it as I recently
heard a group do. Piazzolla's fusion -- well rooted tango with classic and
jazz undertones, is another thing.
Thank you for your comments
Daniel
mailto:dan @intellinks.com
http://www.intellinks.com/rioplata
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2000 12:16:26 -0800
From: guillermo boyd <arrabal_2000 @YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Professional AT Dancers and Instructor
TO WHOEVER IS INTERESTED:
Guillermo Boyd and Marcela
Vallejos,professional dancers and instructors of
Argentine Tango (from Buenos Aires), are visiting
Miami at the present time and are interested in
holding workshops around Los Angeles and New York.
If you are interested in having them in your city for
a special event or for workshops,please respond
directly to the email address and they wil be happy to
send curriculum and pictures.
arrabal_2000 @yahoo.com
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger.
http://im.yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2000 07:15:24 EST
From: Frank Sasson <FRSASSON @AOL.COM>
Subject: Rosi's comment
At Roberto Maiolo's Friday milonga in Coral
Gables, FL. he made the same announcement several weeks ago, in fact, the
rumors go that Mara moved from Arizona to Miami and he married her for
whatever reasons.
Rosi:
I don't know who you are, but you'd better check on your facts, before you
make slanderous statements about one of the most dedicated Tango teachers in
the country, Mr. Jorge Nel.
12 years ago, Jorge Nel brought Tango to Miami, teaching 6 or 8 people in
the living room of his house, and his incredible efforts, having passed
through an incredible amount of troubled times, have resulted in Miami, that
is South Florida being the front door to all the teachers that come from
Argentina, the City where we have, not one congress per year but two of them,
and the reasons are not important, just the fact that we have two of them and
they are both very successful in bringing the best teachers in the world, to
show us how.
Jorge Nel needed a dancing partner to be able to expand his horizons into
other cities in the United States and abroad; Martha, a lovely person and a
magnificent dancer, could not travel so extensively, so, through lots of
tribulations, he finally found Mara, as a dancing partner, who not only is an
accomplished and excellent tanguera, but who has a personality, a look and
the technical ability to be able to dance with Jorge Nel, who is an
incredible dancer and teacher.
Jorge Nel is not married to Mara, and when I spoke to him this morning, he
wondered, what business is it of yours if he is or isn't married to her,
which I repeat, he is not, and as to the whatever reasons, your implications
are slanderous and you'd better be able to back them up or, since you
disseminated that wrong information throughout the Tango L list, you should
apologise to Jorge Nel for your lack of tact and sensibility, and make that a
public apology.
In addition of being a great teacher, Jorge Nel, with Martha and with Mara's
help, is the organizer of the Miami Beach Tango Congress at the beginning of
May, this year, and it promises to be a very good one, because of the caliber
of teachers he will have for our learning and enjoyment.
I have no financial interest in Jorge Nel's Congress, or have I been asked
by anyone to write this, I just cannot see, Rosi, whoever you are, slandering
a great Tango teacher and dancer, and to whom, the whole United States owes a
vote of thanks for what he has done for Tango in this country.
Frank Sasson
Miami Florida
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2000 17:55:30 -0500
From: Jorge Navarro <jorge @XMAIL.COM>
Subject: "Assassination Tango" by Robert Duvall
The rumor has it that Robert Duvall will begin shooting his movie "Assassination Tango" in Buenos Aires next month. Duvall plays a hit man who finishes a "job" in New York, and goes to Buenos Aires to take a vacation. Down there he falls in love with the underworld of the Argentine Tango. Great title for a movie! Too bad it's already taken, or I would use it for my movie script about "Tango Fantasy/Comedy in Miami Beach".
There is a love triangle: "Martha", "Jorge Mel", and "Marsha". Actually, since Jorge Nel proudly advertises the fact that he marries each and every one of his partners, this must be his seventh or eighth marriage. Thus it's more of a love octangle. There is this former friend and business partner, but now an enemy - "Dandy-Randy". And not to forget the loyal friend "Artur", whose picture can be found in the Webster dictionary under "with a friend like this who needs enemies?"
Speaking of Arthur, can you believe what he posted on the List? Of course, it's not even 10% as nasty as the threats that he writes to me privately on a regular basis. What an "enchanting gentleman"!
Look people, some of you did not get the joke about "Mr. Tango Shoes"! First of all, it's not the first time that Jorge Nel is selling knock-offs of something. He's been selling knock-offs of the "Tango Argentino" - the original Broadway show - T-shirts for years. Wait 'till producers of the show catch up with him. His shoes are infamous for their soles becoming unglued only after two months. Let me tell you something about Mr. Tango Shoes - everything about him, from his hair-piece to his "shoes" is a cheap fake!
Regards,
Jorge.
=====================
Sent by Xmail
www.Xmail.com
Get your free mail account at www.xmail.com
Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2000 12:16:04 +0000
From: Keith Elshaw <elshaw @INTERLOG.COM>
Subject: Live Music
This has been an interesting thread to read.
I too would rather listen to recorded music than inferior live
performance, but good live music that is truly made for dancing is a
treat.
It is so nice to hear real instruments ... a real bandoneon. As long as
the Nuevo Tango (which I personally like in appropriate doses) is kept
to a respectful minimum if people want to dance. There is a time and a
place for everything.
Perhaps my most memorable time dancing to live music was one night last
winter at La Tangueria in Montr=E9al. The power went out in the district.
Within moments, candles were lit. Then, seemingly like magic, a piano
came to life! Victor, an excellent Tango musician, played beautiful
Tangos, Vals and Milongas for an hour 'till the power came back on. It
was SO romantic ... a great Tango experience for the hundred-plus people
in attendance.
There have been live shows in Toronto, but they are always promoted by
people who don't "get" dancing; so immediately after the musicians
finish, they put Salsa on.
So, on March 1 and 2, for the first time ever here, I am bringing in for
my Milonga Tango Vivo (a quartet of 22 year-olds) from Montr=E9al. These
are the nights of the filming of an NFB documentary, so it should be
pretty a special treat.
Unhappily, we have a divided community of little cliques, so I can't
wait to see what happens - especially as there will be no cover charge.
I'm trying.
Listings for all social dancing in Toronto can be found at
http://www.interlog.com/~elshaw/ttactive.html
Keith Elshaw
ToTANGO!
http://www.interlog.com/~elshaw/ttindex.html
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2000 23:51:03 +0100
From: Inger-Johanne Bauer <jbauer @ONLINE.NO>
Subject: Dancing to Live Music
I have made an observation which upsets me a bit, and I would like to
know if this is something particular for Norway, where I live, or if
this happens elsewhere.
We are lucky to have a fairly active tango community in Oslo, and there
are concerts/dances with live music 4-7 times a year. Not all of the
visiting orchestras/ensembles play "danceable" music (as discussed
previously in this thread), but most of them do, and we all agree that
it greatly enhances the atmosphere to be able to dance to live music.
Now, here is the problem: I have noticed that when the orchestra
finishes a piece, many of the dancers (and some of the seated audience)
forget to applaude the musicians and just stand around chatting and
waiting for more music. I know it is not because they do not appreciate
the music, but it may be that we are so used to dance to recordings that
we forget where we are. But I find this incredibly rude to the
performing artists!
Perhaps I am more sensitive to this than the average dancer because my
parents are both performing musicians (not tango) and I grew up
listening to their complaints about inattentive and chatting audiences.
I worry that if we keep ignoring the musicians, they will not feel
welcome and will not want to come back, something which would be a great
loss to the community.
Has anybody else had similar experiences elsewhere?
Are there any musicians on the list with opinions on this issue?
Am I being over-sensitive, or is there something to this?
Should we try to counteract it?
I could add that I have also danced to live music in Bs.As. and Valencia
and I don't recall having noticed it there. But I could be wrong...
Saludos tangueros de Johanne en Oslo, Noruega
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2000 18:31:15 -0800
From: Cammie Strange <milonguera @DELLNET.COM>
Subject: Lack of applause for live music
Inger-Johanne Bauer writes in part: "Now, here is the problem: I have
noticed that when the orchestra
finishes a piece, many of the dancers (and some of the seated audience)
forget to applaude the musicians and just stand around chatting and
waiting for more music. I know it is not because they do not appreciate
the music, but it may be that we are so used to dance to recordings that
we forget where we are. But I find this incredibly rude to the
performing artists!"
Inger-Johanne, what I have observed a number of times here in Denver,
Colorado, where we are lucky to have live tango music fairly often at our
milongas at the wonderful Mercury Cafe, is that people often seem mesmerized
at the end of a song and are still in their "tango trance" and there is
sometimes a delay before the applause starts. This may have nothing to do
with your situation there, but is an interesting phenomenon. At times like
this, sometimes someone who is just watching will start the applause. I
always feel a little worried for the band when this happens, but in a way,
it is a compliment to them that the dancers were so absorbed in the music
and the dance that they are still in a kind of daze at the end of the song!
Cammie Strange
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2000 19:12:33 EST
From: Gulden Ozen <gulden_ozen @HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: tango enthusiasm
Hi all tango lovers!
After having a very nice tango weekend in DC,
I wanted to add my impressions to Joseph
Philoxy's that I read a while ago on ATOF.
It's been a little bit longer than a year since
I first met Metin YAZIR and had a chance to work
on tango basics with him. Since then, I don't
want to miss any of his workshops I can attend.
Jan. 15-16 weekend was another one of those for
me in DC and thanks a lot to Anne-Sophie for
organizing the workshops and milongas with Metin
there besides being a wonderful "hostess"!
It's amazing how one can find the answers to
those questions about the clarity of leading a
certain move and following with sensitivity and
elegance,after Metin's explanations by executing
what he means perfectly and clearly.
It's not only that he has excellent skills for
communication by using interesting metaphors but
also he pays close attention to all his students
and corrects their practical mistakes without
letting them get frustrated about some "complex"
image of a move!
It's a unique experience to dance with Metin and
to realize how much a man can be successful at
comforting a woman and enable her feel like that
she can dance to any move he leads. After watching
him dancing with many different women, it becomes
very obvious that he cares a lot about the elegance
and musicality of the dance they share. He doesn't
push anyone beyond her current skills just to show
how many different figures he can execute and the
dance becomes a pleasure for those who are watching
them as well as the partners who share that moment.
Thanks a lot to Joseph who shared his impressions and
feelings about his memorable experience. Thanks to
Metin and Anne-Sophie and all our friends in DC whom
we enjoyed dancing with so much for providing another
wonderful tango weekend. It's good to hear from Robinne
about "tango exchange" idea that will enable us to
experience more tango weekends like this last one.
With my warm regards,
Gulden
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Date: Sun, 30 Jan 2000 00:59:13 -0800
From: Cammie Strange <milonguera @DELLNET.COM>
Subject: Listing of National Geographic documentary
Charles Rocques kindly notified the list recently of the National Geographic
documentary on tango on CNBC this Sunday, January 30, 2000. I could not
find it in my local TV Guide (I am in Colorado) but e-mailed Charles,
who wrote back that he heard it is following a National Geographic special
on Jaguars, which is showing locally at 6:00 pm and 9:00 pm on CNBC for two
hours (8:00 pm and 11:00 pm Eastern Standard Tiime).
I looked at the CNBC website and did find a link to the National Geographic
website, which has a reference to it being shown "also in this episode" in a
description of "Haunt of the Jaguar." The web site is
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/tv/explorer/exp013000.html
Cammie Strange
End of TANGO-L Digest - 29 Jan 2000 to 30 Jan 2000 (#2000-29)
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