The Tango-L mailing list archive
Digest from 18 Sep 2000
to 19 Sep 2000
Reply-To: Discussion of Any Aspect of the Argentine Tango <TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
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Date: Tue, 19 Sep 2000 03:00:49 -0400
Sender: Discussion of Any Aspect of the Argentine Tango <TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
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Subject: TANGO-L Digest - 18 Sep 2000 to 19 Sep 2000 (#2000-253)
There are 7 messages totalling 320 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. Irresponsibility of Milonga Organizers
2. Query about a Tango Poster
3. Milonga, Vals Instructional Videos
4. Subject: Cuarteto Argentino
5. Tango Shows
6. Jan , is one for you, now is my service -----RE: Tango Shows
7. Tango Guesthouses in Buenos Aires
Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2000 10:36:16 -0500
From: Stephen Brown <Stephen.P.Brown @DAL.FRB.ORG>
Subject: Re: Irresponsibility of Milonga Organizers
Melinda wrote:
>I guess nothing beats asking a native, but how can you count on making
>contact with the right one?
On a trip to Europe that Susan and I made a few years ago, I used Eric
Jorrisen's (now sadly defunct) Tangopolis list to make local contacts
in Vienna and Lausanne.
In Vienna, a long-standing milonga had been cancelled the week before
we arrived. Our contact phoned our hotel to let us know about the
cancellation and new milonga that had just been started. With his
directions we found our way to the new milonga.
In Lausanne, the only scheduled activity during our short stay was a
practica, and we told our local contact we would be at the practica.
After riding the train all day, we found ourselves too tired to dance
and decided not to go. The next day, she telephoned us to make sure
we were okay. She also invited us to go to a private tango party, and
picked us up in her car.
On an earlier trip to Paris, we relied on information from webpages
and friends who had been there recently. We also discussed
neighborhoods with the woman who ran our hotel. We had mixed luck.
One milonga that we tried to go to seemed to be defunct. But we also
found our way to a wonderful practica in a neigborhood social club.
After these experiences, we almost always try to make local contacts
in the tango community before visiting a city. Thanks to the local
contacts--some of whom have become our friends--we have found our way
around the tango scenes in numerous North American cities.
Did we make contact with the right person? In all cases, the local
person knew much more about tango activities in the community than we
did.
In the absence of the sadly defunct Tangopolis worldwide list of local
contacts, friends, inquiries to Tango-A, and contacts listed on local
webpages are the best possibilities. Both Bridge to the Tango
<http://www.bridgetothetango.com/> and Planet Tango
<http://www.planet-tango.com> have lists of North American contacts.
Maybe somebody will recreate a list of worldwide contacts.
--Steve de Tejas
Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2000 11:18:05 -0500
From: Stephen Brown <Stephen.P.Brown @DAL.FRB.ORG>
Subject: Query about a Tango Poster
A restaurant that I frequent in Dallas has collection of reproduced
posters (in Spanish) advertising movies and shows. One poster
advertises
La Historia del Tango
with
Francisco Canaro
Virginia Luque
Tito Lusiaro
Fernando Lamas
Severn Fernandez
Juan Jose Miguez
featuring Tita Merello singing El Choclo
the book is by
Enrique Cadicamo and F. Garcia Jimenez
the director is Manuel Romero
From this information, it seems to be a poster for a tango show, but
the poster does not tell the venue. There is no information about the
dates.
Can anyone tell me anything about the show or movie this poster
advertised?
Thanks,
Steve (de Tejas)
Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2000 12:07:45 +0000
From: Felix Delgado <felixmilonguero @JUNO.COM>
Subject: Milonga, Vals Instructional Videos
Can anyone make recommendations on instructional videos for milonga and
vals at the beginner or intermediate level (assuming a good basic
knowledge of tango)? They can be in either English or Spanish, but should
be readily available in the US. I would appreciate it if you could tell
me what you liked and didn't like about the videos with which you are
familiar. Thanks a lot.
Felix
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Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2001 16:59:38 -0400
From: Luda and Gabriel <magaldi @SYMPATICO.CA>
Subject: Subject: Cuarteto Argentino
What does anybody know about this group, conductor bandoneonist Enrique
Tellerias, with dancers and singers? They'll be in Montreal next Sunday,
the 24th.
Luda
Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2000 14:24:31 -0700
From: Jan A Gazenbeek <tangoguy16 @JUNO.COM>
Subject: Tango Shows
Dear List,
I have been absolutely HORRIFIED the last few weeks with what has been
said on this list! You all have had your chance to rant and rave, now you
are going to listen to ME.
I saw Forever Tango in December of 1999. I was spellbound. All of the
dancers were amazing. Gavito's A Evaristo Carriego was magnificent;
something I only dream of duplicating one day. How one could tire of that
music I will never know! It is the most passionate, emotion-filled,
strong, thunderous music I have ever heard! Instead of being such sour
grapes why don't you appreciate the YEARS of practice and hard work that
go with a choreographed tango?! Choreography is not bad it just allows
for more artisticness. Do any of you dance to be artistic like I do?
When I returned home from the show I told my parents, 'I've just seen
what I'm doing for the rest of my life!" Ever since then I have had a
love affair with Tango Fantasia and a dream to become a tango performer
with shows of my own.
Over the last few months (and probably years) there has been the ongoing
daily ranting and raving about Show Tango, Tango Fantasia, Tango for
Export, Performance Tango, etc., etc. Let me just say one thing: you
people had better thank God that something called Tango Fantasia came
about because it has brought more people to tango than anything! If I saw
someone do the eight count basic over and over again in a Milonga, I
would never have ever gotten into tango. It was the beautifully ARTISTIC
lines, poses, sentadas, jumps, arrastres, and extensions that made me
fall in love with tango. (The music also had a great deal to do with it)
I think that show tango is great. However, I do believe that it goes far
to far sometimes. I just want to say that I had the pleasure of meeting
the goddess Miriam Larici a few weeks ago and I highly respect her (she
has a stage presence unlike anyone IN THE WORLD). I enjoyed her Romance
del Bandoneon y la Noche in Forever Tango, however I thought the
Detroiter lift and spin was a bit too much. It got the audiences
attention but it was a little inappropriate.
I think that the best show tango is that of Miguel Angel Zotto y Milena
Plebs. They do basically only tango steps. Ochos, Giros, Ganchos,
Sacadas, Enganches, Boleos, Paradas, Sentadas, Patadas, a few jumps and
beautiful leg wraps. They do not however go to far into Jazz dance or
modern dance. They stick with tango (albeit 1940s exhibition style
tango). When I read all these messages about show tango and how bad it is
I ask you, do you want to limit yourself to the eight count basic,
walking, and ochos FOREVER?! Do you not want to broaden your repertoire?
Do you not want to be creative and innovative and make interesting new
steps and combinations? Do you want always to just do the steps exactly
as you learned them in class and never change them?
I dance because something builds up in me when the music starts. I
identify with the wail of the Bandoneon. I feel the music run through my
body. I try to dance an artistic dance, a beautiful dance with pauses,
extentions, quietness and sometimes (when the music allows it) with fury.
All one's movements are dictated by the music. The music tells you
EVERYTHING TO DO! When the music is slow and sensual I dance slowly. When
the music if fast I dance somewhat fast making use of molinetes, planeos,
ganchos, boleos, patadas, etc. I DANCE TO THE MUSIC. Is there anyone out
there in San Francisco that dances to the music? Or do you all just
become molinete machines dancing round and round like whirling dervishes.
Do you ALL dance with your legs flailing through the air? I find it
interesting that for a group that hates fancy showy tango so much you
sure all want to be on stage a lot! I have never seen such a bunch of
monotonous molinete/gancho machines in my life!
I also find it very interesting that even though everyone hates show
tango so much they never criticize Juan Carlos Copes. He was indeed the
creator of Tango Ballet. I have never seen a dancer do so many Ganchos,
Patadas, y Sacadas in my life. However, I believe that he is a MASTER! He
dances so beautifully. The best of the best. What do the tango Puritans
have to say about him? Does he do ONLY tango? I don't think so.
Well, I think I am finished. Please note that I am not trying to convert
you all to show tango. Just please realize that there are many styles out
there. Not one better that the other. All equal. I will close by asking
the list members to return to the purpose of this list. It should not be
abused and is not here to rant and rave and attack tango artists,
dancers, musicians, and shows. It is here to nicely collaborate and
discuss our common interest of Argentine Tango. Please let us keep this
in mind before we post negative messages. Tango people are nice people.
Let us try to show that to the world. Gracias.
Anton Gazenbeek
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Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2000 18:51:56 -0300
From: Alberto Gesualdi-SMC Argentina- HQ <adm @SMCAR.COM.AR>
Subject: Jan , is one for you, now is my service -----RE: Tango Shows
Dear Jan:
What do you have against "milongueros & milongueros " ???
You say in part of your message:
"
If I saw someone do the eight count basic over and over again in a Mil=
onga,
I
> would never have ever gotten into tango. It was the beautifully ARTIS=
TIC
> lines, poses, sentadas, jumps, arrastres, and extensions that made me
> fall in love with tango. (The music also had a great deal to do with =
it)
"
Jan , listen, tango is wide enough to embrace your artistic longing and=
my
humble eight in a milonga.
And it is not the same eight again & again.
Every time , you are not the same.
Women are not the same.
=46or instance , I have been in two milongas last week, and dance with =
six
different women.
Only one women I can tell you her name , because is one of my teachers =
of
steps. And it was fantastic to dance with her because we meet by chance=
:
The other ladies, well, we dance our three tangos , I escort them again=
to
her table, and that=B4s it .
I hope you will have a career , & I promise to go to see you if you hap=
pened
to be in Buenos Aires.
But let me continue with my eights, I have plenty of satisfaction with =
them,
and I am do not making a living with dance.
Is just a replenishment for the soul
Kind regards
Alberto Gesualdi
Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2000 20:51:39 -0400
From: Stella Robinson <stella_robinson @EMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Tango Guesthouses in Buenos Aires
Pichi writes that "Buenos Aires can be hot or very hot during the summer
months (December-March). None of the guesthouses have air-conditioning."
Isn't there another problem with being in BA during the hot season? Namely,
the mosquitos. Do guesthouses have window screens? Do mosquitos tend to bite
real milongueros (those without any underpants)? And then what about all
those pesky French men? They are like mosquitos also. Especially the ones
named "Claude".
Seriously though, I think it's best to go to the mountains of Argentina
during those months. Or to the beach, if one likes it. Otherwise, with no
AC, too much smoke, mosquitos, claudes - not a pleasant experience for
anybody from NA.
Just a thought...
Stella.
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End of TANGO-L Digest - 18 Sep 2000 to 19 Sep 2000 (#2000-253)
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