My Big Fat Birthday 2013

A grand and exciting night for me! I am so very grateful to all the friends and students from all around the world who came to La Milonga de los Consagrados to help me celebrate and make my birthday so special!

If you just want to see us dance, skip to the bottom.

 


Ruben and I danced to D'Arienzo's "El Rey"

 


Our Canaro milonga "encore"
 


And, if you can stand a couple minutes more, here's a chacarera:
 

Futuro Tango

 Last night in the milonga Nuevo Chique, a group of kids on their winter break from Comodoro Rivadavia (very south of Buenos Aires)  danced an exhibition, showing indeed, that the "future of tango" is bright. Well dressed, well danced, with a lot of respect--bravo Futuro Tango!

Los Reyes del Tango!!

The first time I heard them was in 1998 or 1999 in Torquato Tasso in San Telmo, and I went crazy. Now many years later I still am crazy for The Tango Kings, even though some of the orchestra's members have passed on, most notably José Libertella. But Juan D'Arienzo's fabulous music lives on through the eight-member players and singer of Los Reyes del Tango.


The occasion was to mark the Second Anniversary of the milonga Nuevo Chique, organized by Ruben y Marcela on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Casa Galicia on San Jose near Alsina.

 And celebrate we did! What a night for anyone who loves Juan D'Arienzo, and Ruben and I certainly do! People couldn't help dancing to the fabulous music, but I couldn't pry myself away from my front row center view of the musicians in action. The audience went crazy for them, and the musicians gave it back to us, with encores.

Me and The Kings

Marcela y Ruben

It was a super duper fabulous night, one which I won't forget any time soon.

Week of Campeonatos!

Marcelo Castelo y Ruben

The beginning of Championship Week in Buenos Aires (especially the Campeonato Mundial de Tango) included a Milonga Contest on Sunday in Mi Club, a milonga organized by Marcelo Castelo in Banfield (Province of Buenos Aires).

The Trophies

The Winners

Fifteen couples competed in two rounds of two milongas each--first a slow then a fast one. The club was packed with good dancers and it was so fun to be there and be a part of an event outside of El Centro! (Ruben and I also did a little milonga demo.)

A great evening! Congratulations to all who participated!

Ruben with old friends

Your Judges

On Display at the Milonga

Last night the Milonga de los Consagrados was completely packed full of hundreds of dancers. As was Nuevo Chiqué last Thursday. I don't know where the crazy folks who continue to blog about how "tango is dying in Buenos Aires" get their loco ideas! This is winter time, it's cold and last Thursday it was raining, it's the end of the month, and the onslaught of tourists haven't arrived yet for the Campeonato--yet the classic, traditional milongas are jammed.

But that doesn't mean that people are too busy to watch and take note and to pay attention to what's going on with each and every attendee. Don't think you can hide, folks, because no back table or corner is small enough. Which is a good thing. If you go to a milonga you probably want to dance and that means a cabeceo and for that you must see and be seen. People notice your clothes, shoes, how you dance, how often you dance, know where you're from if you're a foreigner, and see who you leave with to have a coffee--even if the departures are 20 minutes apart.

And even more to the point, they remember all of this. Sometimes for years.
(It's also important never forget that what happens in Buenos Aires doesn't stay in Buenos Aires!)




I figure that Ruben and I are invisible after all these years, sitting each and every Saturday night at the same table in Los Cons, with our Alice's Teaparty group of students and friends. Ruben seldom dances with others, and I rarely do. So I feel we are more or less under the radar.

I was reminded last night, though, that no one is beneath watching; a Porteña friend came over to ask us if Ruben and I were fighting as his chair was pushed back a little from the table (he had made room for last minute arrivals)! She walked all the way over to ask if we were arguing because of the placement of our chairs! I couldn't believe it, that she noticed the positions, and that she cared that much. She told us that she likes us so much that she was upset to think that we may not be getting along. We assured her that actually we haven't had a good fight in years, and she went back to her table more tranquila.

So this story is just to remind everyone to watch their body language, their attitude, their posture, and their p's and q's when in the milongas of Buenos Aires.

SMILE, you're being "recorded!"

April 3rd, Another Place to Dance?

Just to advise everyone that the Milonga de los Consagrados will be closed for one night next Saturday; the salon has been rented out for another event the Easter weekend. So the 300-400 habitues have to find another place to dance this week. Panic, panic!

Meanwhile, last night, unbeknownst to me yet again, there was a surprise birthday cake planned for me, and instead of the traditional "gang vals," I danced a whole vals criollo with Ruben. (Video taken by Guillermo Thorp of Diostango.)










This was the culmination of several days of celebrating my birthday, beginning with a small home gathering on the day itself (last Tuesday) of lovers of Ruben's empanadas Tucumanas.


























Cake and Tango just seem to go together--with wine and empanadas too, of course.







So I segued from the main point of this post, which is once again, that Los Cons is closed this Saturday for one night only. Where will you go to dance? Or better yet, where will we?

Milonga Con Traspié

The phenomenon of traspié ("tripping" in Castellano, also meaning an "error"-- but not in tango dancing) is relatively new in the history of milonga music, which even predates the tango. I don't know how traspié evolved, but I'm thankful it did because otherwise the 2 x 4 beat of milonga, with the basic left-right-left-right steps can be boring after a while.

Milonga is not danced as much as the tango--here in Buenos Aires or in other countries. I'm not sure why--in the U.S. lots of men are afraid of it, perhaps finding it fast and complicated. Here, many old milongueros don't have or want to expend the energy for a tanda (even though customarily the milonga tandas are only 3 songs instead of the 4 of tango and vals). Or perhaps some dancers just don't like the happy, basic march rhythm. Yes, in milonga you can let go with your hips, face, smile--it's fun!

I personally love it, and so does Ruben. But if it weren't for the traspié rhythm, I don't know how many tandas of milonga lisa (smooth) I would enjoy. Traspié saves the day.

It's not difficult to learn--traspié means two steps for every one beat of the music, or double-time. Yet dancers often are doing a kind of samba or cumbia with the double-time steps, or quick-quicks, way too fast. Just remember that two steps in traspié equals one step lisa, or one count. The milonga rhythm is 1-2-3-4, so in traspié, it might be 1-2-and-3-4-and. The quick-quicks are equal! Two for one!

Be careful to keep your torsos connected and still--no sideways movement of the shoulders ala Texas two-step tango! You can dance traspié sideways or walking forward or turning or running (corrida)--just like tango. The steps are the same, it's just the rhythm and timing that's different.

What is tricky is not dancing a whole milonga song in traspié; you have to go in and out of it to make it interesting and creative. But neither can you begin it in the middle of a phrase; you have to listen to the music and go in and out of it when the music tells you to. This is challenging to the leader. The best milongas for traspié are not too slow, believe it or not.

Put on some Canaro or Tanturi's Mozo Guapo and have some fun with milonga con traspié; next time a milonga tanda begins you won't want to sit it out.

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.

Qualifying at Los Consagrados

Last night the qualifying round in one of the three milongas participating in the Campeonato InterMilonga was held at "our" milonga, Los Consagrados. (See previous post for more information on the contest.)


Five couples competed, all but one are Saturday night regulars. There was a flap about the winning couple, not habitues, because they are "professionals." So I don't know how it ended. But we were so thankful that we hadn't accepted the honor of being on the jury! Judging between our friends? I don't think so. And just sitting on the stage like that would have embarrassed me.

Judges were, left to right, Ivone, Horacio, Mimi.




Anyway, here are some more photos of the contestants for you.

Miss Cherie's advice on how to successfully crash a milonga in Buenos Aires;

There's been some discussion around tango bloggerville about behavior in BsAs milongas. Here's a repeat of a post more than two-years old. Some things are classic.


I enter the dance hall alone. Wearing a simple black dress, I pull out all the stops for a dramatic arrival, sweeping through the crowd behind the maitre d’ to a table on the edge of the dance floor. I walk tall and straight as if I were the headliner on stage at the Follies Bergeres. I make sure everyone sees me. If I had a full length fur, I’d drag it on the floor behind me. Then I cross my legs, and fan myself with a red Spanish fan.

I look around the room for partners with expectation and animation, seeking the eyes of men I would like to dance with. I’ve already changed into my tango shoes in the lobby or the taxi. I’m ready to dance and it shows. The only time I leave my table is to accept an invitation to dance or to go to the ladies’ room. Waiters bring my drinks, and there is no table hopping. When a stranger asks me to dance, I immediately am enclosed in his intimate embrace as if we were exchanging a loving hug, my arm around his neck, his breath on my cheek. Where am I?

You can be sure it’s in Buenos Aires.

Three-to-One!

But Ruben can handle it!
This was the tanda of tropical last Saturday night at Los Consagrados.

(Check out Ruben's famous tango gang dance here.)

Remembering Enrique

It was with mixed emotions that I arrived at Region Leonesa for the milonga. Last week was so much fun, and this week we all were remembering that Enrique is no longer with us. And suddenly I recalled that for the first time in memory, a week ago Enrique walked way down to our table and kissed us. He never has done that. Normally he sat right by the door to greet people. But last week he came to kiss us. Now that we know he was to pass away the following day, it feels like he came to say goodbye.

So it was difficult to go and not see him in his usual place, to know we never will see him again on earth.

I've known Enrique since he had a milonga at Italia Unita, and then when he was at Celia's. And then for many years at Leonesa, where Ruben and I first danced together four years ago. Enrique and the Milonga de los Consagrados have been a huge part of my life, Ruben's life, and our tango professional life.

Last night the mood was somber in the salon. Perhaps because it was Valentine's Day and some folks had other plans, but mainly it was because we all were missing the presence of Enrique. There was a minute early on--not of silence--but of applause, for his life, for his contribution to tango, for the person he was.

Daniel and Miriam, Enrique's children, plan to continue the milonga as always. Good luck to them--they have big footsteps to follow.

Last night they made a presentation. Ruben and I were called up and given this gorgeous pergamino (certificate) that everyone had signed. Para Ruben y Cherie: La Milonga de los Consagrados les agradece su apoyo incondicioal y su constante presencia.


And here are the Valentine roses that Ruben brought to the milonga for me--and I like to think for Enrique as well.



Photo by SallyCat.

Enrique Rosich

"El Gordo" Enrique Rosich, the organizer of the Milonga de los Consagrados died today alone at his home. He was one of the oldest milonga organizers in Buenos Aires, and he made his milonga the very best. His son will continue to keep us dancing on Saturday afternoons at the Region Leonesa.

The Velatorio will be tomorrow, Monday, February 9, from 8-10 a.m. at Maximo Paz 501, Lanus Oeste, Provincia de Buenos Aires

Gordo, que descans en paz.

I Now Have the Pleasure to Present...

This is Tango Tourist Season in Buenos Aires--springtime down south and everyone flocks to Buenos Aires for a little tango before they have to begin planning the holidays.

It's a very busy time for Ruben and me, and we are thankful to have so many wonderful students and so much work.

Recently we had a private student who had never even SEEN Argentine tango before, never on TV or in a movie or a stage show. Yet he wanted to learn. So after some lessons with us, we took him to La Milonga de los Consagrados, as most of you know, our regular Saturday night hangout.

The lobby upstairs in the Region Leonesa was quiet, with only the ticket seller, the coat-check lady, and a smoker or two. I pulled back the red velvet curtain into the huge crowded ballroom with a flourish (I might even have said, "Ta-dah!"), and it was a big WOW moment for sure. It was like seeing a secret world, entering the gilded gates of Paradise, the portals to another time and place. All cliches fail me as I imagined what it must be like to see a milonga for the first time. He made a sharp intake of breath, and so did I, I who am so used to it after dancing tango in Buenos Aires for 11 years.

And so I made the introduction.
And just maybe it was love at first sight.

Sueño Porteño in Boedo Tango

A few months ago I wrote enthusiastically about a beautiful new milonga venue (that just happens to be two blocks from my house!), Boedo Tango, over the Carrefour supermarket at San Juan 3330 close to San Juan y Boedo. This large gorgeous salon has 3 wooden dance floors, a restaurant with the ambiance of Caminito, lots of seating, and a romantic atmosphere.

Previously open only on the weekends, there's a new Wednesday milonga there called Sueño Porteño, which begins at 8:00 p.m. Now that Patricio's y Adriana's Wednesday milonga in Gricel has closed, many good dancers from there go up the street to Sueño Porteño.

Hope to see you there!

More Coquito

There was quite a bit of response to my Wordless Wednesday post of a photo of Coquito, so I'm posting the other three pictures that we took that night in Saraza Tango (Saraza 951 in Caballito; Tuesdays 7-1). This is his milonga del barrio and so he feels comfortable to just bring out his bandoneon from time to time to play for his friends. We were glad we were there with our students from Champaign, IL, Ron y Susana.