Gaucho Fair in Mataderos

Every fair has its virgin.

Over the years I've often written about my favorite thing to do in Buenos Aires--after the tango: visit the Feria de Mataderos. 

One of the services we provide our students is an excursion to the Fair. But yesterday Ruben and I just decided to go there alone for lunch at our favorite parrilla. A beautiful day, the fair was bustling with more visitors, more booths of arts and crafts and regional foods, more music and dancing than ever.

If you'd like to visit, check out the Fair's website for all the particulars. Just remember it's closed during the summer, and don't go if it's raining. And of course you can also take a tour there with us as your guides. Ruben is a fount of information on the gaucho history and tradition and how it relates to the tango. Just email for information: tangocherie at gmail dot com.

Meanwhile, here are some snaps of yesterday's trip. Because in previous blogs about Mataderos I concentrated more on the gauchos and their horses and the music and the dancing, this time it's about shopping for food and gifts.

A coffee wagon

Who wouldn't buy country cheese from this guy? We did.

You can outfit your self completely from head to toe as a gaucho or his girlfriend, "china."

Old books for sale--did gauchos have much time for reading?

Horsey stuff one might need along with a leather mate kit

Troupe of folkdancers

Never come because a gaucho and his china!

The artist standing behind his wares will happily make you a custom plaque in the distinctive porteño style of afileado.

Lots of country cheeses from all over Argentina

Like leather? Here's the place to get inexpensive hand made craft work

Leaving the fair after a fun afternoon

La Peña de la Familia

Celebrate! Music! Tango! Folklore!


Ruben and I will be dancing an exhibition in homage to Juan D'Arienzo this Saturday, December 19, in Boedo.

There also will be 2 live orchestras for dancing tango and folklore.

Please come if you are in Buenos Aires for an experience muy Porteño.


NOCHE DE MILONGA Y FOLKLORE

en CASA BALEAR

Sabado 19 de diciembre, 21:30 hrs.

Baile y Show con Orquesta y Cantantes en Vivo

Valor Entrada: $15

Reservas al 4612-2528
155-887-4392
156-447-9661


Venga a Disfrutar en Familia!!!

CASA BALEAR
Colombres 841 (y cortada San Ignacio)
en Boedo
C.A.B.A.

El Chaqueño Palavecino Live in BsAs!

I'm a big folklore fan, and a Chaqueño Palavecino groupie. Ruben and I always watch Argentinisima on TV and plan to one day attend the big festival in Cosquin.

Meanwhile, we were lucky enough to go to his concert at the Teatro Broadway last week. He was incredible! He sang all his popular repertoire, real crowd pleasers, joked and conversed with the audience, kissing babies and besotted grandmothers in good humor, and welcomed young dancers to the stage for Las Chacareras and Zambas. He had all ten of his musical group who I recognized from TV.

Ruben videoed almost the whole thing on our little FlipVideo, but folks were openly using big camcorders and nobody seemed to mind. The audience waved panuelos (handkerchiefs) at every opportunity, and I was glad I had bought one with El Chaqueno's picture on it with the Argentine flag. I can't wait to take it to the Feria de Mataderos the next time.

The crowd went crazy at the end, climbing on stage and all over Chaqueño, who posed, still singing, good naturedly with them for photos.

Here's the view from our seats:




I had never attended the Teatro Broadway, and expected it to be more like the others along Corrientes, but it was a converted movie house and small and dingy, unlike the Opera or Nacional. But the seats were comfortable and just right for three hours of enjoying a wonderful show.

That guy has the voice of an angel!

While Chaqueño finished his participation last weekend, Argentinisima continues until October 25 with other great stars of Argentine folklore, such as Soledad and Los Nocheros.

Magical Moments in Mataderos

Sometimes we experience moments of grace, probably when we least expect them. But they always seem to happen to me at the Feria de Mataderos.

Today we were there with a tango student from Albuquerque. The weather forecast was good, and we had checked several times that the fair was open despite the flu scare.

We arrived early as usual, before the live performances began on the stage. People, ordinary folks, were folk dancing in the street to recorded music. I noticed a middle-aged woman beautifully dancing La Zamba by herself. (Zamba is the national dance of Argentina, and is even more sensuous than the tango.)






Then, while Ruben went to the ArgenChino supermarket to buy our wine for lunch, this lady taught the escondido to a young girl. After a couple of chacareras, another zamba came on. The lady began to dance alone again, and a tall thin, handsome gray-goateed man, bounded out of the crowd and became her partner. (Why didn't I have my Flip video camera with me?) It was so gorgeous and elegant, and like the tango should be danced, so natural. When the dance finished, he disappeared back into the crowd and was gone. That dance was awe-inspiring. Even more so if I fantasized that the man and woman did not know each other.





Off then to our usual parrilla, only to see armadillos on the grill! Our student Raymond was all for trying it, but the asador was just grilling them for a friend and so they weren't for sale.






Look at the dove in the niche of the tree!













Next stop, the Criollo Museum, where we saw a typical gaucho's rancho, a pulperia, and then, in the courtyard where heavy rain suddenly began to fall, a real gaucho brushing his real horse, Rodrigo. The gaucho gave me a sugar lump to make friends with Rodrigo, and I fell in love.


Outside the museum, it was hailing golf balls as musicians rushed under the arcades with their guitars and mandolins, and played and sang folklore; the crowd, waiting for finer weather, joined in, Ruben belting out the familiar sad songs with gusto. It was a very special moment.












































We also ran into fellow-bloggers Sallycat (with her Carlos) and Debbi, thanks to the miracle of text messages.
Que dia hermoso!

La Chacarera Continued and Other Argentine Folk Dances

Recently housebound after falling in Pilates class and breaking two ribs, I've been watching a lot of television. Last week I came across this fabulous show from Salta, Argentina. I was enthralled.

I have been studying La Chacarera and La Zamba (which is the national dance of Argentina, not tango), and plan on learning lots more: Escondido, Gato, well I don't even know how much more there are. But they are FUN!

After the Salta Ballet performance was over, I checked the credits for contact info: balletsalta@hotmail.com



To make a short story shorter, I bought two instructional DVDs of "Bailemos Folklore con Marina y Hugo Jimenez." They are fabulous! Entertaining to watch with performance clips and also with excellent instruction. Both volumes include lots of zapateos (rhythmic footwork) how-tos for both men and women.

The Chacarera is really fun, and easy to learn, but my real passion is La Zamba. Believe it or not, it's more sensual than tango!

You can email them for more info, or if you are in Buenos Aires, you can call 011-4952-8495.

La Chacarera

Ever since the horrible tragedy of Cromagnon in December 2004, and the resulting several months closure of all dance clubs in Buenos Aires, including milongas, some reopened tango halls no longer play tandas of other rhythms. Traditionally the DJs break up all that tango with one tanda of "tropical" (mostly cumbia and merengue), one of "rock" (mostly Dixieland jazz and Bill Haley), and a tanda of folklore, or Chacarera.

Here is a video of Ruben and Victoria dancing La Chacarera at the Milonga de los Consegrados:



And some photos of me: