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My Garden of Linkly Delights!


I've been sending out links on a weekly email list for a few years now, as well as to my Sacada Tango Facebook page and the New Zealand Facebook page Tango Dancers.

Many of them were archived into a post on this blog A Few of my Favourite Things
where I organised them into coherent groups. This post is where I shall put them in future as an archive. They'll tend to look like a bit of a grab bag but I prefer to think of them as a wilderness garden...
___________________________________________________________________________
Pablo Estigarribia on orchestra styles
Tango Tips and Tricks



Irene Yung and the embrace
The changing face of the BA milongas




Lucas Antonisse has a really interesting blog https://www.facebook.com/100003152698050/posts/1874085446039860/ 


Tango Cherie on hero worship...



Irene Yung standing up for non-contest tango


Because you can never have too much Ricardo Vidort...


Mari Johnson on kindness and tolerance: ‘And hope that when it is your time that you cannot dance as well as you would like to, when you will need patient, generous partners - and that time will come for all of us who stay in the dance long enough - that others will not judge you for your "lack of commitment" or potential to improve.’



 Read this and then ask yourself if you should put off visiting BA for another year...


Irene Young writing about non-tango things that made her tango better
A short clip about Gerardo Portalea



Here’s a tango video which is actually fun! Romantica Milonguera with ‘Besame Mucho’!



 More Ricardo Vidort clips via Tango Commuter


Tango and Chaos, Rick McGarry’s amazing website, is back online!

Another great post by Irene Yung, this time about the difference between the flingers and the milongueros. 

 It never hurts to re-post this collection of Ricardo Vidort links



Fabulous!
Mirta Tiseyra y Santiago Castro- Tango
 And milonga
A tribute to Ismael Heljalil who died this week.


Irene Yung being ABSOLUTELY NOT SHY about why cabaceo is important to her. 
Irene doesn’t do ‘shy’!
Milonga Codes from Buenos Aires
A couple of things to note -  
- inviting one’s friends to dance can be less formal than the cabeceo 
- the cabeceo is SUBTLE to protect the egos of leader and follower. If you are moving your body around to get confirmation then the organiser has set their lighting too low. 



What a band! 
If you’re wondering why no-one is dancing tango...they are going bananas! 
This was the opening song when I saw them live and the custom of not dancing to the opening song probably saved a few lives 😳😳😳😳😳
Los Reyes del Tango, La Juan D'Arienzo playing Huracan!


A nice post by Lucas Antonisse on the feeling of being at a BA milonga




Maybe you’re thinking of a long stay in BA? Here’s Stephen Twist on that https://stephentwist.blogspot.com/2018/03/buenos-aires-long-stay.html 

Another great perspective on travelling to BA, advice on teachers and travelling from Stephen Twist


 Oh no! Has Rick McGarry’s website closed down?


Stephen Twist on mindfulness and tango




Stephen Twist writing about the Mataderos fair/open air market

Has it really been 8 years since Tete moved on?



 Blas Catrenau and Myriam Pincen exhibition at La Nacional


Another ‘scholarly but worthy’ (difficult to read but ultimately worth the effort) piece from Tango Voice. 
Traditional close embrace versus stage dancers who teach. 
FIGHT! FIGHT!


Christine Denniston on traditional ways of learning to dance in Argentina


Aaaaah...Luminaris....where have you been all these years? ❤️

Stephen Twist on a night out at Canning



 A dancer with multiple sclerosis talks about kindness and tolerance 


A dating dictionary for Buenos Aires by Sasha Cagen

Don’t be shy, Irene, tell us how you feel! 😊
International first world tango problems 🤷‍♂️




Yikes! Janis’ advice regarding milonga changes in BA

Another great Stephen Twist blog on the BA lifestyle.  After several glasses of Shiraz I have to say that I’m feeling fairly Argentine, myself!



So cool...Almuerzo Milonguero part 1 - Lunch with the Milongueros
A great post from Irene Yung on The Way We Were


Tango is losing its role models. Another good post from Janis Kenyon


Irene Yung again, laying into ‘milonga -like tango, but faster!’


Janis Kenyon - doing the steps versus feeling the music and dancing for your partner



Stephen Twist waxing lyrical about Maldita Milonga in BA


An English travel writer learns tango in BA and embraces his inner Gardel


Ms Hedgehog’s thoughts on leading



Stephen Twist writing about Katrinski shoes


So cool! Osvaldo Cartery and his mate Ricardo Vidort



Cabeceo technique with Janis Kenyon 


Important news regarding closure of milongas in BA


Interviews, videos and recollections of Carlos Gavito via Tango Commuter



Melina Sedò on the art of finding the right teacher for YOU. 


Vio Saraza with some pithy comment on tango teachers



Here’s the always entertaining Irene Yung writing about the effects of visiting teachers on local dancers




Some really lovely dancing here by Ismael Heljalil and others



This almost unreadable article presents the case that travelling professional teachers, and the world tango championships, are spreading a style of dance unrelated to that in the BA milongas.
I agree.
If the article gets too tedious then just page down to the rather pithy comments section. 


I couldn’t have put it better myself


Ricardo Vidort and Anna Maria Ferrara, nice milonga!



I looked over some of my old blog posts and thought this was worth re-posting, questioning the need for endless lessons. 


Here’s a fun video of Tete doing role reversals with an unnamed lady





It never hurts to re-post wise words from Ricardo Vidort via Janis Kenyon


Loved it. 
Just loved it. 
Rosita Cove and Pocho (Roberto Rafael Carreras)


Awwwww…



 Karen Kaye on what to do if you’re not enjoying tango anymore



 After watching far too much choreo this week, even if it’s only a few seconds at a time, it’s nice to watch a bit of Ricardo Vidort

And here’s Ismael Heljalil dancing to No me extraña


Nice timing! Milva Bernardi y Juan Lencina


Oh no...



Tango dress advice from Irene Yung 


Fabulous. 
Alberto Dassieu and his wife, Pauline Spinoso, dancing to Pugliese. 
Courtesy of Tango Commuter



A tough post from Juan Carlos Copes, a tango legend
We danced to these guys in BA a month ago. La Juan D'Arienzo playing Loca. Oh yes!


Some interesting thoughts from Ms Hedgehog on tango bands of today




 Nestor Ray...what a dancer...



 When in Rome, do as the Romans do. 
When in Buenos Aires, do yourself a favour and contact Janis. She loves meeting new people and is one of the kindest, most helpful people that you'll meet. 


Still one of my favourite songs and performances. There's no choreo here, baby! 
Marcelo Varela  y Analia Vega at Canning, and we were there!


Osvaldo Pugliese and the boys playing 'La Yumba' from 1948
Advice for beginner leaders from Irene Yung


Janis Kenyon presents...Juan Topalian y Hayde Esther Malagrino, Horacio Julian Prestamo y Silvana Anfossi, Jorge Garcia y Cecilia Stier 


Thoughts on how to get more men into dancing



We had a great holiday in BA and even got asked to teach at Janis Kenyon's class. Janis is so kind and helpful to visitors!


Marcela Duran and Carlos Gavito - click on Tangocheries link, not the video itself


Deby Novitz- another night at the milonga




So apparently some tango teachers at festivals still teach endless sequences ie a memory test.  And people pay them for this.  


Everybody needs to go sometime...



Here's a second video from the proposal surprise milonga in Cuba St on 5 February.  There is a bit of sound dubbing when the volume wasn't loud enough from the boom box.
https://youtu.be/N_oRikga6gU


Romeo Chiche Ferramosca and Pocha
https://jantango.wordpress.com/2017/03/10/romeo-ferramosca-3/


Tango changing lives. Again. And again.
https://andreastangosite.com/2015/05/14/tango-at-a-golden-age/


Charlotte Wilson explores the tango of Astor Piazzolla
http://www.radionz.co.nz/concert/programmes/composeroftheweek/audio/201761740/astor-piazzolla-tango-nuevo



Amazing. Parkinson's disease and music...
https://www.facebook.com/edward.theologis/posts/10153492168731687


A bit disturbing...decline in milonga numbers in BA
https://jantango.wordpress.com/2017/03/01/are-the-milongas-declining-in-buenos-aires/


A fab connection exercise
https://www.facebook.com/michael.nadtochi/videos/10210883401020528/


Isabella Szymonowicz & Carlos Bicca via Janis Kenyon
https://jantango.wordpress.com/2017/02/15/carlos-biccai-5/


Ricardo Vidort and Alejandra Todaro. Quinteto Don Pancho (of Francisco Canaro)
https://youtu.be/6mOwvv3vyso


Alejandra Rogel Alberdi y Pedro Oscar Salias.
https://youtu.be/IjVTQmH2Fb4


Oscar Casas & Ana Miguel
https://youtu.be/0z0z0ycc_JY


Oscar Casas y Ana Miguel dancing to La colegiala
https://youtu.be/G0Ni1mMSGHo


Irene Yung lets rip on walking the talk!
http://ireneandmanyung.blogspot.co.nz/2017/02/but-thats-what-everybody-says.html


Pedro Salias y Alicia Marcela Piaggio
https://youtu.be/YNK4S3HlAZs


Maria Darritchon & Ricardo Viqueira dancing to Carnival de mi Barrio
https://youtu.be/ZyyfswPI8-s



Stephen Twist, writing about being the manager of a tango house in BA
https://stephentwist.blogspot.co.nz/2017/01/casa-luna-first-40-days.html


Ricardo Viqueira & María Darritchon dancing milonga. Ricardo is coming to the tango festival this year.
https://youtu.be/vxPKecLfw8g


Alicia Marcela Piaggio & Pedro Oscar Salias
https://youtu.be/e-CrzmlxoLg



Paola Tacchetti and El Chino Perico at Sunderland
https://youtu.be/YKxZSloI04g


Kelly and Facundo Posadas dancing candombe de salón
https://youtu.be/mJHS03V6AyM


Stella Baez & Ernesto Balmaceda
https://youtu.be/oPvJSqMH4os


Eduardo and Gloria Arquimbau talk about some of the highlights of their 60 year tango career.
http://lamilongadel126.blogspot.co.nz/2017/01/tango-argentino-1983-eduardo-y-gloria.html


An interesting interview with Cacho Dante
httpse://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuralwF3naU&sns=em


Current pricing for milongas in Buenos Aires. Isn't it time you dropped by there and helped out their economy? Don't think of it as a fab dance holiday, think of it as an act of altruism that you'll always remember!
https://jantango.wordpress.com/2017/01/03/inflation-in-the-milongas-2017/


Mad about shoes? Stephen Twist would like to chat!
http://stephentwist.blogspot.co.nz/2017/01/mad-about-shoes-katrinski.html
Here's the website
http://www.katrinski.com/flats


Horacio Julian Prestamo y Margot Nunes dancing a vals
https://youtu.be/0vWAioKRwEc


Ricardo Bellozo  Myriam Pincen
https://youtu.be/i5eGGgBitPg


Horacio Julian Prestamo and Sonia Peralta
https://youtu.be/mq9R-oE8oXU


Claudio Ruberti and Elina Roldan
https://youtu.be/I3bMIRmE6X0


Hernán Alvarez Prieto y Eladia Córdoba  - very cool 😊
https://vimeo.com/193014762


Myriam Pincen and Oscar Hector
https://youtu.be/ScVTJQ3bA1o


One of my favourite videos. Petroleo and Oscar Casas talking about how Petroleo earned a small fortune every night as a milonguero in the 30s, and how he spent it!
https://youtu.be/quHDYyqnJcE


Everybody carries their shoes in their carry-on luggage, don't they?
http://www.wsj.com/articles/stranded-at-the-airport-lets-tango-1481298715


Stephen Twist writes about his first milonga after arriving back in BA
http://stephentwist.blogspot.co.nz/2016/12/casa-luna-and-los-consagrados.html?m=1


Ricardo Viqueira and Roberta Erba dancing to Donato
https://youtu.be/Te2HcdaWviQ


A pretty cool interview with Pedro Sanchez by Monica Paz, followed by a demo
https://youtu.be/3N_r639QhYY


I don't know these guys but they look great. Luisa y Osvaldo
 https://vimeo.com/159079187


Julián Prestamo and partner
https://vimeo.com/162605611


Ways to get more dances, for men and women
http://tangonorthamerica.com/tango-talk/8-ways-to-get-asked-to-dance/


Hernán Alvarez Prieto and Eladia Córdoba dancing milonga to Saca Chispas
https://vimeo.com/193801511


Here's a documentary about Animal Troilo (alias Pichuco), $3.99USD to rent
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/pichucofilm


More than you probably ever wanted to know about being a tango DJ
http://www.tejastango.com/milongas_djsrole.html


 Here's a great article on improving tango scenes from 2012 by Elizabeth Wartluft of Portland. 
http://dancingsoul.typepad.com/dancing_soul/2012/12/last-two-nights-of-dancing.html


Here's an interesting link and discussion from Tango Wellington on the theme of growing tango here and in Uruguay. 


Adela Galeazzi y Pedro Salias grooving it up


Alicia Piaggio and Pedro Salias



Janis Kenyon talking about the changing face of tango in Buenos Aires

Tango Commuter with some comment about, and links to, Paul Bottomer's tango music and lyrics 'labour of love'.


Pedro Sanchez y Tina Ferrari - Hotel Victoria


Ricardo Viqueira & María Darritchon dancing vals


Ricardo Viqueira doing a demo after a class


Tallatango of Canberra giving advice on dancing in BA from 2013


Dancing the sandwich by Adela Galeazzi, Elba Biscay and Santiago Cantenys


Here's a vals double-demo by Adela Galeazzi/Roberto Fortunato and  Elba Biscay/ Santiago Cantenys



Fundamentals of a good milonga:
1. a floor that allows an easy pivot
2. Great music
3. Add dancers


Ricardo Viqueira e Francesca Romana Alfonsi dance to "Poema"


Pedro Sanchez y Tina Ferrari at Cachirulo, BsAs 3/28/09 - tango: Nobleza de Arrabal - Di Sarli



Here's another traditional milonga from BA courtesy of Norma Marin

And here's Tango Commuter in a post about Norma's posts


Maria Nieves celebrating her 82nd birthday with Pancho Martinez Pey


Here's a cool video for new dancers. Apart from the boleos, of course, but it's a demo and only an idiot would do one in reality (and they do, because they've been taught to do boleos in class).
The concept is called 'dancing on a tile' because many of the BA dance floors are tiled in 1 metre marble squares. Being able to dance on a tile is kind of like the first level of competence, so exercises like this help one to learn how to chest-connect all the way through giros, and then move up to expressing the music while dancing inside a tin of sardines. 😊
Going to festivals is a good way to experience the crush of BA dance floors, and it's the crush that is the pressure cooker that forces your development as a dancer.
Nothing beats dancing in BA and every newish dancer needs to go there as soon as possible. Why surf a wave pool in Pennsylvania when you can surf in Hawaii?


This is another cool sardine-tin exercise and as much as developing empathy about other dance couples as it is about dancing small. Dancing with control of momentum so that any contact is a brush rather than a crash.


This is pretty cool, a milonga by Gabriela Elias and Eduardo Perez to an electronica version of El Lloron by Natalia & The Electronic Tango Band.

Ricardo Viqueira y Eleonora Rivetti


From Stephen Twist, notes on keeping yourself safe in BA, or any big city.
Stephen's Facebook page provides info about staying at Fabrizio Forti's tango casa. https://www.facebook.com/groups/Chacabuco1181/


Adela Galeazzi  y Rino Biondi dancing Canyengue


Adela Galeazzi, Elba Biscay y Santiago Cantenys Tango
One big heart on six (?!) legs...?


Grim reading but provides thoughts on how to improve our local scenes.


Sacha Cagen on her first tangasm


Video clip from the tango festival welcome milonga


Peninsula Cho & Yasmin Karatuna


Oscar Casas dancing with his daughter, plus some other Dad/daughter couples. Just lovely.


Chan Park's documentary Tango Your Life is available online


Two very cool and fun guys dancing a vals, Özhan Araz & Utku Küley


Irene Yung on tango as a cure for too much introspection


Some great footage of Alberto Dassieu and partners


Faaaaantastic!
Leyendas del Tango Danza - a doco with pocket interviews with...just about everyone!

Irene Yung with another great column with interesting links, and advice on how not to be crap.



Here's a class act, Carole and Bernard Casasréales


Wow...
The definitive list of links about Ricardo Vidort.

Here are some interesting stories about the early days of Argentina, the Gauchos, and their link with tango


An interesting snippet from Tango Decoder about Charlo, Cadícamo and Carmen Miranda

Celia Blanco has died. She ran Lo de Celia milonga in BA for many years.

Here's a tribute to Celia by Deby Novitz


Here's an interesting trailer for 'Milongueros'


A revamped travellers guide to BA by Stephen Twist


Irene Yung on dancing with commitment and passion. Why would you do anything else?


Muma dancing with Ricardo Vidort


Irene Yung writes on the apparent need for FemBot legs in tango


'This Tango Bandleader Liked Short Skirts, Long Pants, Motorcycles and Chopin'
Alrighty!


Confiteria Ideál, one of our favourite venues, is closing this week and it's future is unclear. Here's a walk down memory lane in a clip from about 2001-2002.


This is just fab! Two tango bands, Los Reyes del Compas and La Juan D'Arienzo, playing together at the finale of Festival La Plata Baila Tango.


Irene Yung and the Using Your Follower as a Human Shield paradigm!


Deby Novitz commenting on the Obama tango video

Ernesto Rassi has added photos from the Wellington leg of Around the World in 80 Milongas


Jonathan Saavedra and Clarisa Aragón. This is one fun couple!
Vals
Milonga
Tango



Brace yourself ladies! It's Colin Firth in a suit! Dancing (kind of) tango!


More pithy commentary from Deby Novitz in Buenos Aires


Pretty cool milonga from Susana Ferrante and Dante Sanches
and here's a tango by them


Ms Hedgehog probably asking too much of another godawful tango show.


Courtesy of Tango Abrazo, here are Alberto Dassieu and Pauline dancing a Vals. Just great!


Peninsula Cho and Yasmin Karatuna dancing a Vals


Here's a post on La Glorieta, a wonderful outdoor milonga in BA in an old band rotunda


More things to do in BA with Millennium Dragon, this time with concerts and famous cafes


Irene Yung presents...Adela Galeassi and her son Gaston Pumar, Elba Biscay, Alberto Dassieu and Jorge Kero


Here are mother and son Adela Galeazzi and Gaston Pumar, courtesy of Irene Yung.
Very niiiiice!


Here's a report with video of the annual Canyengue festival in BA by Millennium Dragon of Vancouver Island


Amanda Lucero and Beto dancing a vals, via Deby Novitz


Here's a 2007 post by Deby Novitz looking back on the change in tango in BA since her arrival in 2000


The New Plymouth tango weekend made it to the papers! Well done!


Some background colour for travellers to BA from Millenium Dragon of Vancouver Island.


Milonga con traspie by El Puchu and Blanquita. So cool!


Sadly, the well-known DJ Felix Picherna has died. Here's a link to a memory of him by Janis Kenyon https://jantango.wordpress.com/2016/01/24/felix-picherna-2/ and here's a link to an interview with him that is very amusing


I'm occasionally at poorly-ventilated milongas and told by people, "Oh well, I'm sure that it's hotter than this in Buenos Aires!”
Er. Yes.
And no.
The greater choice of milongas per night in BA means that if they don't have air conditioning then they don't get customers, because dancing with partners that drip sweat is Just Awful.
If there's no or limited air conditioning then there had better be plenty of large electric fans!


Here's a great tango and milonga by Horacio Prestamo and Maria Marta Lopez Varela


Blanquita and El Puchu milonga to Se Dice de Mi.


Coca Cartery & Roberto Escudero milonga to "El Acomodo" by Edgardo Donato


El Puchu and Valeria Casa Ledo - Milonga to "Se Dice de Mí"


Well...here's a concept for the warmer weather...the Heidelberg naked milonga is still going!
http://www.so-tango.com/blog/miscellanea/myexperienceofattendinganudemilonga


A couple of Tete clips for Christmas, first the well known vals one
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dCqBW9wv3RE&feature=youtu.be
And a lesson with Silvia Ceriani about dancing salon tango, with a demo to di Sarli at the start
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=z21XZWqZ8vE


Celia Blanco runs Lo de Celia, one of the longest running milongas in BA. Here's an interview with her from September on Tango Angeles (it runs for 1 hour, 50 minutes)
http://ubnradio.com/lo-de-celia-dec-16-2015/
And here's the description
'Description: Celia Blanco’s friendly traditional milonga–Lo de Celia–is one of the best in the world. Beyond her famous milonga, Celia has also touched many people around the world through dancing, choreographing and teaching tango. JanTango of Tango Chamuyo joins Ronaldo and shares her own stories about Lo de Celia.'


Here's Mario Marzan demonstrating a number of pianist's styles. The fingering (keying?) is amazing.
https://www.facebook.com/bientanguero/videos/10204645344082217/


Here's an interesting article by Millennium Dragon of Vancouver Island who is in BA at the moment. The new government has removed the foreign exchange control on US dollars. 

Janis Kenyon wrote a series of posts on attorantes, Scurrilous Blackguards who lure women via great tango into lives of Compromise and Disappointment. All the posts are worth a read, here's the first

Interesting posts about Troilo's recordings by a true enthusiast



The great singer Alberto Podestá died on 9 December. Larissa found this link

I refreshed an article on cabeceo that I wrote a few years ago, after a conversation with a newbie this week.

There's a lot of interesting things here! Links to Muma's teaching trips to California, some good videos (with confused commentary) and a 2-hour audio interview with her. Muma taught with Ricardo Vidort for years.


Six reasons why you should not dance close embrace!
Watch out especially for number 6!
(At least one commenter took this seriously...)


Weeeell...its choreo...but it's FUN choreo! Esref Tekinalp and Vanessa Gauch Arabacioglu

The Greeks are turning to tango during hard times.

BA tango holiday suggestion #27
Live tango music at the planetarium in Palermo


Here's a nice article about tango therapy for alzheimers and Parkinson's patients.


Here's a smorgasbord of great dancing by Maria Darrichon and Ricardo Viqueira: tango, vals, milonga and canyengue.


Nice tango demo from Julieta Qüesta and Rauli Choque


Carlos Alberto Rodriguez and partner, a couple of happy groovers


Great thoughts from Tangoclay on building a tango scene

An interesting read from Mari Johnson about widening one's dance circle.


Awwwww....Ricardo Viqueira and Eleonora Rivetti
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVcUgEIHvuY&sns=em


Here are some thoughts from Melina Sedò on the development of the encuentro scene in Europe. Encuentros are tango gatherings outside of the usual festival structure eg no lessons. Local examples are Nelson Summer Tango, Vuelvo al Sur in Christchurch and Molino Rojo in Wellington.

Here's a post by Tango Commuter with some interesting commentary from a London perspective on some social tango clips.


Brilliant drone photography of Buenos Aires. Meeeemories! Thanks Agnes!


Here's a link to an interview with Ricardo Suarez who died last week. It's from 2010 when he was 86 and includes him dancing a milonga with Monica Paz. Thanks Adriana!



Some sad news. Osvaldo Cartery, husband of Coca, died yesterday October 9 2015.
https://jantango.wordpress.com/2015/10/09/osvaldo-cartery/


Muma Valino, one of Ricardo Vidort's dance partners, is giving lessons in 'a private home' (!) in California. The advertisement provides a range of very interesting links and many references to Ricardo's approach of 8 lessons to learn tango.
http://tangocommuter1.blogspot.com/2015/10/muma-in-ojai.html
The original link is here
http://quantumtango.net/workshops/current.htm


This looks great! A trailer for a new documentary about Alberto Podestà and Juan Carlos Godoy.
https://jantango.wordpress.com/2015/10/06/dos-glorias-del-tango/


Irene Yung on the personal and financial cost of tango. And being the Archbishop of Canterbury. 

Janis Kenyon's thoughts on dancers becoming teachers and the value (or not) of stage dancers teaching social dancing.


Here's an interesting interview by Vio with Sven Elze and Pedram Shahyah of Tango Kollektiv in Berlin regarding how they are growing tango. It's a very different take on tango which reflects our own experience there eg 'A lot of people only know Piazzola, they don’t know the depths of Pugliese.'
It's worth a read if you're interested in growing your local scene.
http://tangoforge.com/poptango/


Ney Melo's four favourite tango documentaries
http://neymelo.com/2015/09/25/the-4-greatest-tango-documentaries-on-youtube/


Irene Yung weighs in on the world championship, the wrong way to cabeceo/mirada, what makes a good follower, the zombie apocalypse, sleazy leaders...
http://ireneandmanyung.blogspot.co.nz/2015/09/winners-and-losers.html


Well,this is jolly interesting, a Wim Wenders-produced biopic about Maria Nieves and Juan Carlos Copes
https://vimeo.com/138545957?outro=1

Some interesting photos of the tango museum in BA and comment on a recent tango congress from Janis Kenyon
https://jantango.wordpress.com/2015/09/11/first-tango-congress-of-the-national-academy-of-tango-in-buenos-aires/

Irene Yung again, writing about Shoe Love
http://ireneandmanyung.blogspot.ca/2010/08/heartbreak-in-my-tango-shoes.html


I posted this link to the Tango and Chaos section on Ricardo Vidort a few years ago, but was reminded of it this week and thought I'd re-send it. It's a great read with video and this link is to the final page which has a very cool video of Ricardo dancing with Osvaldo Cartery, who he practiced tango with when they were teenagers.
http://www.tangoandchaos.org/chapt_5video/32ricardo.htm


For Spanish speakers, via Simbatango, Ignacio Varchausky is doing a series of seminars on the style of different tango orchestras, with audio links included. 


The tango world championship was on in BA over the past few days. The stage and salon contestants all look the same, as usual, but here are some seniors who look pretty cool.
Claudio Ruberti y Elina Roldan. Very niiiiice...
http://youtu.be/I3bMIRmE6X0

Ricardo Vidort's last interview
https://jantango.wordpress.com/2012/12/29/his-last-interview/
Awwww...Ricardo Viqueira and Maria Darrichon
http://www.airesdemilonga.com/es/home/todos-los-videos/viewvideo/1130/exhibiciones/ricardoviqueira-el-gran-maestro-en-un-vals-con-maria-darrichon

and again
http://www.airesdemilonga.com/es/home/todos-los-videos/viewvideo/1131/exhibiciones/ricardoviqueira-maria-darrichon-tangazo-bailado-como-un-gran-maestro


Horacio Prestamo and Maria Alejandra Riva
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXlF9jYOrxQ&sns=em


Portland Polly has worthwhile things to say about how we arrive at and grow in tango.
https://tangopolly.wordpress.com/2015/08/16/doors/


Irene Yung with a primer for how to run an Authentic Milonga, Just Like Argentina.
http://ireneandmanyung.blogspot.co.nz/2015/08/how-to-run-super-duper-authentic.html


Stories from the Golden Age by Miguel Angel Balbi
https://jantango.wordpress.com/2009/02/01/golden-age-of-the-milongas/
And more stories from the Golden Age
https://jantango.wordpress.com/2012/11/29/miguel-angel-balbi-4/

Origin of the milonga?
https://jantango.wordpress.com/2015/08/19/were-there-milongas-in-1943/


Claudio Ruberti y Elina Roldan. Very niiiiice...

Ricardo Vidort's last interview
Awwww...Ricardo Viqueira and Maria Darrichon

and again


Horacio Prestamo and Maria Alejandra Riva



Ricardo Viqueira dancing canyengue with yet another Unnamed Lady
http://www.airesdemilonga.com/es/home/todos-los-videos/viewvideo/1064/exhibiciones/ricardo-viqueira-el-gran-maestro-en-gran-canyengue 

Pedro Sanchez and Tina Ferrari
http://youtu.be/axM9KNhqzQw


Tina Ferrari and Pedro Sanchez. Very niiice. 


Hold me in your arms! (Not me. Janis!)


Tango on Paekakariki Radio



Quelle fromage! Tango doesn't represent Argentine culture! (Article from 1911)


Dancer ego syndrome. It's a killer. 


Ricardo Vidort y Liz Haight


Ana Maria Shapira y Rubén Harymbat. Ruben died recently. 


Are more tango lessons going to help you improve?



Here's a link to the free Queer Tango ebook
https://havmoeller.wordpress.com/2015/07/10/the-queer-tango-book/


Differing perspectives from Irene Yung
http://ireneandmanyung.blogspot.co.nz/2015/07/anti-chamuyo.html?m=1


Astor is on the wireless!
http://www.radionz.co.nz/concert/programmes/composeroftheweek/20150712


Here's a bandoneon  documentary to watch for:

Monty Python does Tango Brujo!


Another video of a typical milonga in BA by Norma Marin



Two very cool guys: Benjamin Layer and Alex Gastel in Berlin


Here's an excellent 50-minute interview with Nito and Elba, still teaching and performing in their 80s! Nito does most of the talking and he has interesting things to say about improvisation and 'the young people today'.



Tango Immigrant on romantic mood lighting versus cabeceo.


Don't be shy, Mari, just tell us how you feel! :-)


I really enjoyed this vals by Irene Yung and Roberto Segarra (94!)



Horacio Julian Prestamo and Margot Nunes dancing a great vals 


Now you're talkin', sunshine! Apps for your next trip to BA to make it soooo much easier!


The new music of tango. Oh. Great. But worth a read. 

Clara Köhler of Berlin wrote this short piece about dancing there. Beth and I danced there a couple of years ago and it's a nice memory for us. 


Here's a pretty cool video by Nany Peralta showing exercises to help train oneself to 'dance on a tile' ie dance well in a confined space as in a crowded Milonga. It's the Nany Peralta Workout Video!


And Ricardo Vidort. What a guy. Dancing with an unnamed but very good follower. 






If you feel like a bit of a read...here is a peer- reviewed paper investigating tango as an addiction. Oh come on, now, I can stop anytime that I want!


I found this quite moving. Mari Johnson from Austin, Texas writing about how precious tango has become for her since her debilitating illness. A key phrase is: 
'I never know if this will be the last time I embrace this human being in my arms. So I remind myself every time I dance:
  • Show the hell up.
  • Be present and stay there. '
That sounds like a philosophy for life. 


Here are Jorge Hualde and Nancy Niewiadomski, pretty cool!




Here's a call to leaders for better posture and "More chest!" but it doesn't mention that the same applies to followers. 

Here's another glimpse of a normal Buenos Aires Milonga from Norma Marin



El Flaco Dany Garcia... SUCH a cool guy! Here he is in Berlin with an unnamed partner. 


Ricardo Viqueira dancing canyengue with another unnamed partner (grrrr!)


The teachers Alonso with two of their students, Sergio Giraudo y Teresa Ichikawa 
Rather beautiful. 



Here is Isabella Szymonowicz dancing with Alberto Dassieu 


And here is Isabella Szymonowicz again dancing with Juan Carlos Pontoriero


A VERY cool article by Jens-Ingo, a Dutch tango DJ, about those 'doesn't that sound a bit like Chopin?'  moments at milongas.



I really enjoy these Millenium Dragon blogs about tango on or near Vancouver Island.

Here are Oscar Hector Malagrino and his sister Haydee Esther dancing to Di Sarli. Very niiice!


Here's a documentary about Juan Pablo Fredes, a bandoneon maker. (English subtitles)


Juan Carlos Caceres has died aged 79 in Paris. He gave us the great Tango Negro among other great candombes.


A wistful, appreciative blog on returning home from BA to rural Canada. 



Stephen Twist's Buenos Aires Survival Guide. It's great!


Here's a free e-book, an anthology of articles about Queer Tango.
http://queertangobook.org/


This sounds a little 'Happy happy, joy joy' but it's true. All of us are responsible for whether our tango scenes are growing or not. 

An amusing blog by Irene Yung on how to dance like a BA local? Or at least asking the question...


Sunday in Buenos Aires by Stephen Twist

Thoughts on public domain and copyright in tango music by Jens-Ingo, tango DJ

Another post by Jens-Ingo on the history of tango singers and styles

Tango starting up in Queenstown! Just a practica at the moment but from little acorns...


Aaah...this takes me back. The 4th anniversary of the Milonga Yira Yira gives a great look at the dance floor and table congestion at a popular BA Milonga. 


Another video of a normal BA Milonga by Norma Marin

Stephen Twist writes elegantly about De Querusa Practica in BA. 

Stephen Twist again, this time about Los Laureles


Tango Therapist on the virtues of understanding tango lyrics



Tete and Silvia 


Another typical Milonga in BA, courtesy of Norma


Oh well, we've had some nice comments over the years about this video, and another one this morning, so...here we are with La Colegiala



Golly! The perfect embrace...
http://simbatango.com/2015/02/14/the-perfect-embrace/


Great thoughts from Ricardo Vidort, via Janis Kenyon. 


Via Jane Austen and Julia Millen, rules for social dancing. 


Through interviews to musicians from different generations and styles, this documentary makes a musical tour through the work of one of the most fundamental characters in the history of Tango and Argentine music, Troilo.


I've had a few inquiries about this song, as I play it in my alternativa tandas.  It's the music video of Apoclyptica playing Nothing Else Matters by Metallica.
TURN IT UP!


Aaaah...Carlos Copello, a man after my own heart. "There are no tango styles, everyone dances their own style! Quit it with the bullshit like 'Villa Urquiza' style!"
A very entertaining hour-and-ten interview. Beth danced with him on our first trip to BA, ask her about it when you see her!




Alan Lee is the latest interviewee in Cheryl's interview series


Big night in La Boca, fireworks and tango on the river in Buenos Aires

Another video of a normal Milonga in BA from Norma Marin. 



Let's get huggalicious, baby!
https://jantango.wordpress.com/2015/01/18/how-to-give-a-great-hug/


There have been a number of articles on tango's therapeutic effects on Parkinson's. Here's one on helping with trauma for Gulf War veterans.
http://www.sanfrancisco.va.gov/SANFRANCISCO/features/Tango.asp


Secrets of the tango, by Samuel Beach Chester



There was some discussion about choreography versus lead/follow in performances over the past couple of days, in Welli and on the web. I wrote this up as a result.


Leopoldo Federico, a famous bandoneonista died this week. 


Some thoughts from Janis Kenyon on cabeceo



Here's a man with MS who still can dance!


Here's a snippet about lady leaders from Christine Denniston's excellent tango website. The link to her website is at the bottom.  
Christine's website is at



Latest in a number of articles about health benefits of tango, but this is much more specific and names researchers if you're interested in investigating this further.
Incidentally, I know of one tango group for Parkinson's patients in the Wellington region. Are there more?
The benefits of Argentine tango dancing
http://mariabuenosairesargentina.blogspot.co.nz/2014/12/the-benefits-of-argentine-tango-dancing.html?m=1


It's articles like these that remind me why I like dancing in Wellington as much as I do.
(The clips are very funny, though)
Will the real tangocynic please stand up? | Tango High and Low
http://tango-high-and-low.com/2014/12/07/will-the-real-tangocynic-please-stand-up/



I've been asked the same questions by leaders many times over the years so I thought I'd gather them into a blog post.
http://tangogeoff.blogspot.com/2014/12/advice-for-leaders.html


I've also been asked similar questions by followers over the years so I did the same with another blog post.
http://tangogeoff.blogspot.com/2014/12/advice-for-followers.html


Mass tango (ho ho!) in St Peter's Square for the Pope's birthday
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/17/pope-francis-birthday-tango-vatican?CMP=share_btn_fb
And video!
http://mobile.francetvinfo.fr/monde/vatican/pape-francois/video-vatican-des-centaines-de-danseurs-fetent-les-78-ans-du-pape-au-son-du-tango_775145.html#xtref=http://m.facebook.com


A tango lesson from 1927
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3Jv1hkB4aXA&list=PLfck7oPkEA0qWFphDeBCbCQm3GULtRSpp


Another nice video of a normal BA Milonga by Norma. No amazing repertoire, just nice social dancing.
http://youtu.be/wHWzfhmbWbw


Some amazing photos here of the numbers dancing in the street in BA for a recent festival
http://www.millenniumdragon.blogspot.com.ar/2014/12/tango-ever-alive-in-buenos-aires.html?m=1


Analia Vega and Marcelo Varela, two of my faves

Just what we needed to make our otherwise boring tango more interesting! Naked milongas!
Wait a minute...


Gimme that Ol' Time Religion, by Irene and Man Young



Tete and Silvia dancing a vals 


Felix Picherna talks tango history in a 1997 interview.  So many great stories!


Petroleo, Milena Plebs, Mingo Pugliese and Miguel Angel Zotto talk tango history. Petroleo says that he made 1500-2000 pesos/night as a tango star, enough to buy a house at the time!

Contrast this with...
Gerardo Portalea being interviewed in the mid 80s, when he was a tango star but his day job was cleaning tombs for tips!


Here's some great old photos of milonga venues from the early 20th century


Some basics advice for everybody from Miss Hedgehog


And finally, a clip from a typical BA Milonga from Norma




Interesting article for travellers about the blue currency market  in BA


Here's a profound post by Janis Kenyon, reproduced by Tango Commuter, about Ricardo Vidort. Ricardo taught people 8 lessons and then told them to go away and develop their own style. 
Exactly. 
There's a lot of overthinking and overselling of tango which gets in the way of learning the dance. If the top of the tango mountain appears to be moving away rather than getting closer, then it's time to look for different advice. 



Cheryl has been recording short chats with Welli dancers. Here is the one with Nada


Tango Commuter commenting on a nice video of Ricardo Vidort. 


Random Tango Bloke, the Angry Man of London tango...



Roxana, a Romanian dancer writes about life, business and tango



Tango Immigrant on how not dancing on every beat will set you free. Hear hear!


Tango Commuter with some insightful comment on footage from a normal BA Milonga. 


Here’s a written interview with (ahem) me about Wellington tango by Chris Watson.
On  a related note, does anyone have contacts in the Victoria Uni Business School...? 



Heather Whitehead and Jorge Uzunian. Very groovy. 




Here's what you get when a dance reviewer writes a piece on stage tango. Hilarious! I hesitate to link to it because it really is link bait but...it's too too awful and I can't resist!




Jennifer Brat on the Beginners' Crush. Speaking for myself as a beginner, dancing with good followers usually made me feel WONderful, not intimidated as Jennifer thinks.



Here's a clip of Helen 'La Vikinga' from Iceland and Coca of Buenos Aires dancing at Sunderland in BA.



Tango documentary from the late 80s, following Robert Duvall around BA and with some nice dancing in the milongas.


Janis Kenyon, taking no prisoners with her critique of the worst guide ever to tango in BA.

Here's one less thing to worry about: plans to produce bandoneons in Argentina!



 Marie and Lena, very nice.



Tango Commuter on Milonga problems, encuentros and supporting local milongas. Interesting that milongas pop up faster in London than there are dancers to sustain them! It sounds so familiar! :-)



Angelina of Sydney also on Milonga proliferation




Irene and Man Yung's rather amusing take on identifying sources of good advice in tango


Power-posing for more confidence at the Milonga.



I blogged this week on travel stories, mine and others, and finding one’s own way to becoming a good dancer.



An interesting article about Japanese tango singer Ranko Fujisawa



My apologies...this isn't really tango...but it's probably coming to a Tango Alternativa tanda near you soon! Postmodern Jukebox with Kate Davis, All About That Bass.



Angelina Of Sydney on "Is Sydney Tango snobby?" Well...yeah...


Set aside 49 minutes for this interview with famous DJ Felix Picherna. What a cool and funny guy!


'Fermin, Glories of Tango' is finally available to rent on Vimeo $7US), or at least I got to the payment part without being rejected on the basis of my country. It sounds very good!


Here's a very appreciative post by Tango Commuter about a YouTube channel showing barrio milongas in BA where people are relaxed and smile a lot.





Yet another health benefits study


One for the ladies. Or the men. Who am I to judge?



Here is Mario Marzán demonstrating a range of tango piano styles.



And here's an article on the habanera rhythm that underpins tango



Apart from the detail about connecting at the sternum (I used to think so, too) this post from Tango Commuter is spot on. The body mechanics of good tango are straightforward. Other approaches work, but not as well.


Cabeceo in London!


A very amusing post by Irene Yung about the challenges faced by dancing couples. Stay AWAY from the edged weapons!



Yet another study showing health benefits from tango.



Janis Kenyon on women asking men to dance in BA.
http://jantango.wordpress.com/2014/09/05/desperate-milongueras-2/
And
Ten Commandments of Milongueros



Finnish tango, a very different experience via Lady Leader



A different kind of tango holiday, tango cruises



An interesting comparison from TangoAddiction of Euro tango versus tango in BA.



Excellent article about Joaquin. Check out his musicality workshops further down the page in Christchurch in October



Some notes on musicality from TangoAddiction



An interesting discussion about Alexander technique with regard to tango.



How to recognize good tango versus bad tango (tongue in cheek)



Respecting one's partner...



Brilliant. A beginners guide to tango music.




Apparently it doesn't take '10 years to learn how to walk'. Jamie Lin of Hong Kong, 23.

And continuing a theme...


And to quote a local milonguera, "it's protocol in tango not to lead with your mouth, isn't it? So why do guys do just that?"

Milongas with the lights down




Here's an absolutely ripping live version of Nada Mas by Juan D'Arienzo and singer Mercedes Serrano!


Here's a thought-provoking piece from Terpsichoral Tangoaddict on the case against performing community service dances ie dancing with less popular dancers for the good of the tango scene in general, not because you have a burning desire to dance with that person. Many of the comments are quite elitist and, having travelled and danced in many countries with a wide variety of partners, I find them ironic in that unpopular dancers in one city would probably be very popular in other places.





Early tango music recordings



Let's go out and raise hell this weekend!



Is tango sophisticated? A great post by Janis Kenyon



Janis again on 'the quick getaway'



A 25-minute doco called My First Tango set in BA
http://vimeo.com/96989747
with background by Janis



Ricardo Viqueira and Roberta Erba




TangoPolly talks to my soooooul...
You know that you are a Tangoid when...
'You have danced yourself into a near-coma then languished in the morning-after tangover.'

And



Here's a link that I've sent out before but it's like a life buoy to a drowning man after wading through a number of dreadful YouTube demos this morning!
Thank god for Ricardo Viqueira and Maria Darritchon!

And here they are again



Larissa Merz of Auckland is importing Turquoise shoes.



Bev found this interesting article about a great way to improve one's tango. I agree with almost all of it.



Via Janis Kenyon, a trailer for a documentary on the life of bandoneonista Anibal Troilo




Cheryl blogged a few thoughts on her experience of the 2014 NZ Tango Festival.



A lot of well-known names in this clip from 2010, Noche de Milongueros



Irene and Man Yung have a few things that they'd like to get off their chests about YouTube demos. I absolutely agree.


Always a soft spot for a Tete and Silvia demo...


A bit of history about Carlos Gardel and a clip of him singing Soledad



Here's a clip from the legendary Milonga at Sunderland Club set in a gymnasium. Note the minute or so of conversation time before couples start dancing (!), the bright lights, the wide range in dance ability...so many things!



And here's a video from the mid 90s, a couple of years before I started. You'll see very similar things.



"Heeeyy...'ow YOU doin'.....?" A milonguero showing his version of the cabeceo.



And finally here's Ricardo Vidort, one of the legends, dancing with Liz Haight.




Here's an article about Enrique Discépolo



Kapka Kassabova, formerly of Auckland,  wrote a book titled 'Twelve Minutes of Love' a couple of years ago, based on her experiences in tango. I really enjoyed it and here is a site with excerpts from it, in case you'd like to try before you buy.




A German web clip about Finnish tango. It's hilarious!



Irene and Man Yung on the latest trends in BA



The 2005 documentary 'Astor Piazzolla: Tango Maestro' is now on YouTube.



Five good reasons to learn tango



I really like this couple, courtesy of Adriana!
Mirta Tiseyra y Chiche Ruberto
It has a veeeery cute shuffle in the last 3seconds of the song.
And here they are with a tango



This post is long, wordy and quite frankly a struggle. However I think it's very important as it has sparked excellent comments with which I agree wholeheartedly, particularly this bit:
‘Tango Estilo el Centro, the tango danced in the ‘downtown’ milongas of Buenos Aires is relatively simple but not necessarily easy. The core features of the dance are partner connection (embrace and coordinated movement through space), walking, connection with and interpretation of the music, and navigation (The Essence of Tango Argentino). One can be taught to focus on these aspects of the dance, most likely in only a few lessons, but improvement will occur in practice, not in more workshops. It is difficult for tango instructors to derive a living from teaching the core principles of tango. However, if they invent new features of the dance, as is done by instructors of Tango Nuevo, they may be able to make a living. So what a potential tango student encounters are the successful teachers who expand the boundaries of the dance (perhaps beyond recognition), not the experienced dancers in the milongas.’
I recommend reading the comments first.





Irene and Man Yung on Sunday night milongas and work-life balance


A frustrated milonguero from the UK writes about whores, dockers, travelling teachers and dancing for your partner


Janis Kenyon on different styles of tango



Here's the trailer for the movie ‘Glories of Tango’.




Plaza Bohemia, an open air Milonga in BA



Footage from the Fruto Dulce Milonga in BA.



Larissa from Auckland is now promoting Turquoise Shoes from Istanbul




A post by Janis Kenyon on inflation in BA and it's effect on the milongas. It's a reminder how affordable dancing is here in Wellington.


A multiple-couple demo with a singer from BA, very good.


A very interesting post by Tangocommuter about the movie 'El Ultimo Aplauso', a doco about El Chino's bar in BA. It includes a link to the movie on YouTube. It's in Spanish but without subtitles.


Here’s a page of tango humour



And here’s a video of a cello version of Metallica’s ‘Nothing Else Matters’. It’s not tango but the video is excellent and the music is so inspiring that we danced to it on Friday at Tararua. Twice!
The clip was sent to me by an old friend who ruefully admitted to me that he had finally been hooked by tango in New York.  His teachers performed a demo to this song on the Thursday, and we danced to it on Friday.  That’s social media for you!



Chasing the Embrace with Tango Sexism Part 2



How to organize a Milonga by Simba tango



Here's a thoughtful piece by Tango Commuter on a TV performance by Troilo.



I thought this was pretty cool, just a weekend of dancing on the Sunshine Coast but they threw in a flash mob video to help market it. They seem like a relaxed and friendly group.
Here's the site http://tangoscf.com/


Pablo Ziegler, Piazzolla's pianist, is coming to Wellington as part of the Jazz Festival, Friday 6 June.
Here are some links to him playing


Chasing the Embrace on sexism and the cabeceo.


Tango Commuter is also a big fan of Ricardo Suarez! Well done!




Yes, it's only choreography but it's great choreography!



One of the VidaMia girls on ignoring tango politics. Well done!



Ha! This brought back some memories, I can tell you! It's about avoiding letting one's inner Mr Fusspot ruin one's evening.




Hector Chidichimo and Stella Barba dancing at a Milonga



Wellington now has a tango history website




Silvia and Alfredo Alonso, two tangos and a Vals. Some of the best dancing that I've seen on YouTube for a while!



A plea for options for people who don't wish to watch demos at festivals. Personally I find them a good opportunity to catch up on emails, and get in some quality Facebook time, but some people would prefer to dance. What?



Irene and Man Yung on the subject of annoying things at milongas



An interesting take on gender balance versus social engagement at milongas





Tango history in photos



Apart from the advice to focus on tango world champions for examples of good dancing (what?!) there's some good advice here



Tango music- syncopation for beginners



There are some excellent thoughts here, on the linked blog and in the comments
And here are the websites referenced in the comments
And



Igor and Morticia are coming for workshops and private lessons!






Another interesting blog from the Vida Mia girls on holiday in BA.




Well, here's the real deal. Ricardo Vidort dancing with Anna Maria Ferrara. Apart from the late lead from his big tummy causing Anna Maria a few problems, they look great!



Here are a series of interesting posts from a couple of tourists in BA at the moment











An interesting read: 'Why tango dancers lose interest in improving their skill'



Deby Novitz blogging on life in BA. Part 1 of a multi-part story, disillusion with the BA tango dream, and more.

Here's Part 2

And part 3

And part 4, resolution!





A strangely amusing take on the approaching crisis in Argentina



A map of tango from 1914



Let's be careful out there! Shoe you care!



Here's a fascinating link about musical appreciation via Janis Kenyon.




Well worth a read…



Thoughts on performance tango versus social tango.



Julia is starting to blog on tango!


Growing tango in Sydney






An interview with TangoCherie regarding her leaving the USA to live in Argentina




Dancing at the La Glorieta rotunda in BA



Here's an open letter to dancers and teachers that Tete wrote in 2006. He's gone now. Have a read.





1914 headline- shock! Horror! Tango


Two movies to keep an eye on





An interesting post from 2007 by Deby Novak, an American who lives in BA, on the state of tango at the time.

And another one from today, where tango plays a much smaller role in her life




Nelly Omar, the great tango singer, died yesterday



This is interesting, a a Milonga receiving a national award for running for 10 years, plus the demo and where the audience applauds, plus the relationship between the music and the dancers in the general dancing at the end.




Ha! Perfect!



Ladies fashion corner...

Elizabeth Brinton

And TangoCherie again on what not to wear to milongas





Luisito Ferrari and Mirta Tiseyra



Alberto Dassieu died a couple of days ago. Here's a half hour interview with him from 2011 where he talks about how he learned to dance, musicality, stories from the old days. It's just great.



Two Guardian articles on tango in BA from Chris



Luisito Ferraris and Ricardo Vidort



Sally Catway wrote a very cool book for tango travelers to BA, and this is a celebration of its success



Here's an interesting read from Alberto Paz and Valorie Hart



Tango and Parkinson's disease


If you're going to BA and have a smartphone...

And here are the links



The birth of the bandoneon



Ricardo Vaqueira and Roberta Buoni


Here’s a special birthday…



Ruminations on the Sydney tango scene. Sound familiar?



Here's a hilarious bit of moral turpitude from Junior Cervila  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sK6GSfja3ho
I'm sorry, it all seemed a bit pretentious to me.


Dunedin has a new tango calendar



Another very typical scene from a milonga. Note the bright lighting so that cabaceo is able to be used…



If you're traveling to Argentina soon...



I sent this out a while ago but it's well worth another look: 'el Ultimo Bandoneom'




Oh noooooo! Maipu 444 was a tango venue in BA which I remember very fondly but it was shut down a couple of years ago. I hoped to hear that it had opened again but...




Elsa and Julio Duplaa, Ricardo Rojas, Coca and Osvaldo, El Chino Perico...
Brilliant, that's all.


Ricardo Suarez and partner dancing Milonga to Tango Negro by Juan Carlos Caceres. This is how I want to spend my retirement!




Maria Marta and Ricardo Karpen, very nice!



Ricardo Viqueira and Maria Darritchon dancing Milonga, I love this!




Advice on tango shoes for ladies (and some men, I guess)


Let's hear it for Mario Hector Camartino, 85 and dancing great, with Susy Tilbe



Two great posts about the need for kindness and friendliness in tango



Advice for dancing high heels that also applies for dancing in low heels and for men's shoes.



An article about dancing with one's body, not one's feet. Thank God!



An interesting commentary from a musicality workshop



The La Marshall  gay Milonga is one of our favorites in BA.





Sigh...I've trawled through so many disappointing videos this week that I thought I'd just repoint Gentle Readers to this one of my favorites.
Analia Vega and Marcelo Varela, April 2007
My favourite clip. We are just to the left, off camera.



Some interesting perspectives on BA from a Turkish dancer



Some more high heels amusement from Jose Garofalo, this time with Carlos Stasi



And, I don't usually do this, but this is quite the silliest Milonga demo that I've ever seen.





Some interesting tango quotes



A pretty cool movie trailer





Tango Dunedin has a new website with calendar. Hooray!



Weeeeell...it's choreo but it's a lot of fun! Ariadna Naveira & Fernando Sanchez






Fernando Iturrieta and Celia Blanco getting seriously involved with the music.



Some thoughts on tango teaching methods, inspired by an article by Tango Immigrant (linked)



Sebastian Arce's pride takes a dent




What not to do in BA




Foot care for tango dancers



Well, I found this interesting...



One too many women's technique classes. Is there room here for a partner...anytime...? Quite funny, though, it doesn't take itself too seriously.




Taxi!



The Tango Fuzz website has some interesting articles. Here's one of them.






Here's Tango Immigrant with some worthwhile thoughts on cabeceo and charity





And two comedic links that are very similar, but both from the leader's point of view. Why are there none from the follower's perspective? Should we make one?
Here's Chicho and Margot

And here's José Garofalo and Veronica Alvarenga



How's your Spanish? Here's a really interesting book and film via Janis Kenyon, 'de Milongas y Milonguer@s'



I just finished watching the movie by Chan Park, 'Tango Your Life'. It features a friend from Auckland that lives in BA now, Gyles Blaskett, and consists of many interviews with locals, tourists and transplants. It's well worth watching, and Nada and Sveta love it!. The preview is here

and the DVD is here



It reminded me of another labour of love by Rick McGarrey, the Tango and Chaos website, which Nada and Sveta hadn't seen. This is always worth a visit.  Be prepared to lose a few hours!


Analia Vega and Marcelo Varela, 'Poema'

And



And a bit of history, Miguel Balmaceda, father of Ernesto and Julio, dancing at Salon Canning in the 80s





Here's Christine Denniston's History of Tango site. Well worth a look.



Raúl Gauto y Liliane Pierrot. They're not stars... I just like watching them dance. Fluid and smooth, always together.





Chan Park's new DVD 'Tango Your Life' is released. Here's the trailer



Here's a bit of history: Graciela Gonzalez dancing with Pupy Costello in the 70s.



This week is the 99th anniversary of the birthday of Troilo, one of the greatest bandoneonistas.



Here's an interesting story of the early years in BA from Janis Kenyon



More typical local dancers in BA.



Some people tell me that there are too many Milongas in Welli for the number of dancers. Well....yerrrrs...but that means more choices for people for whom the choices of a year ago didn't quite work.
Anyway, here's a link describing how BA has the same situation.



Top 10 Reasons Every Nerdy Person Should Learn to Dance http://t.co/VdcxaZ9JfV



Here are two clips of El Chino Perico and Malena Rodriguez
http://youtu.be/KbH2S95_qOo



Ricardo Vidort and Myriam Pincen - Chique (Francisco Canaro)



Here's a video of Independencia 572 in Buenos Aires. Nothing serious, just a look and feel kind of video. The last time that we were there it had a plywood dancefloor which wasn't very nice, it's difficult to tell if it's been replaced.



Two from Janis Kenyon:
How is milonga danced in the milongas of Buenos Aires?

And
 How is vals danced in the milongas of Buenos Aires?





Well, this is handy! Here's advice from Janis Kenyon on booking tables at Milongas in BA, and also a link to Hoy Milonga, an online tango calendar that removes the need to sift through tango magazines searching for events when you're there.

The iPhone app is really useful!



Rowing through seemingly endless links and referrals searching for interesting links gets a bit discouraging. For instance:
Fabulous. Well, not really.



On the other hand, here are Tete and Silvia. Sigh.


And here they are again at Canning, with cameramen



Sing along with Ignacio Corsini to 'El Adios' (translation)



Here's a new tango documentary being released on DVD about the experiences of ladies traveling to BA for tango.



Next time that you're on the Quais de Seine...

It amuses me that they call their outdoor free milonga Guerrilla Tango as well!


I found this highly amusing!



Lyrics of the week
Sing along with Hector Maure with Juan D'Arienzo! I heard years ago that it drove Argentines crazy when tourists grinned when they danced because they obviously didn't understand the lyrics. This is a classic case of great music combined with a translation which, in English, sounds completely over the top. I never knew...



Here's an interesting article regarding UK tango and the difficulty of getting work permits for traveling teachers. There's also a very nice clip of Jorge Llado and Florencia Argento.


Beth and me dancing to Jason Mraz' 'I'm Yours' at the Wellington Childrens’ Hospital fundraiser.


An interesting article about the different textures and 'voices' in tango music.


An interview with Juan Carlos Copes




A guide to tango music stores



Here's a blog by Mari Johnson on frustrations arising from lack of developing one's tango.



This link takes you to Janis Kenyon’s blog about Carlos Alberto Azuate.  The link from there takes you to a video titled La Noche de Milongueros.  It’s not that its great dancing but I think it’s important as a reference for anyone interested in travelling to BA or the history of tango.



Some thoughts on the vast range of tango 'styles' by me



Here’s a video of Beth and me dancing at a fundraiser for the Wellington Children’s Hospital last night.





Here's Juan Topalian dancing with Franca, very tidy, dancing with her feet, splitting the rhythm between her feet and his own...very cool...



I saw this and thought of our local Welly tanguero, David Chittenden



Here's a 10-minute clip celebrating Ricardo Vidort, one of the legends, with a couple of demos at the end.



Here's an interesting blog post that I spotted yesterday. It appears to have caused some controversy in various dance scenes around the world, and was the subject of some discussion on Facebook.

What's most interesting to me is that it caused so much heat and yet still has very little relevance to my own experience dancing around the world.
So, just for the record, it's worth a read but I don't take it seriously at all, as with much of what I read on tango blogs. (You get bonus points if you can read to the end of the comments. It's pretty hard work.)


Excellent interview with ‘El Flaco’ Dany Garcia! He’s 77 and still travelling and teaching. Subtitles are available via the captions button on the youtube screen.



Here is one of Janis Kenyon's friends, Emilio Lopez Varela. He's quite a groover and a pleasure to watch dancing with Celia Blanco, organizer of the Lo de Celia milonga.



Here's an interesting snippet on how violinists achieve one of the characteristic sounds of tango, the chicharra



TangoTunes is now online, a digital tango music store



Interesting documentary about Federico and Hosanna of Sydney and their trip to BA in 2007 for the world tango championship. A central theme is the tension between choreography and 'how it looks' versus what they found in BA which was primarily about 'how it feels'.



There is soooooo much discussion online about importing all or some of the milonga customs from Argentina. Here is Melina Sedó's view of gender-separated seating.




Janis Kenyon has found another gem, an interview with Pepito Avellaneda. Click on the blue link within her article.


A short biography of Julio de Caro


And of his brother, Francisco de Caro


Here's another typical milonga, this time in Cordoba.



How about some old masters?
Here's Gerardo Portalea dancing with Marte

Osvaldo y Coca dancing at Sunderland. Yes, it doubles as a basketball court.



And here's Analia Vega and Marcelo Varela




Here's an interesting article about luck versus choices.


This post has some interesting things to say about tango festivals and celebrations.



Ricardo Viqueira and 'Fish' dancing on a table

And with Mirta Tiseyra dancing milonga


The well-known milonga Niño Bien is closing in Buenos Aires. Many Wellington dancers will have danced there over the years so it’s a little poignant.

Here's a comment from TangoCherie. The milonga is moving venues, not closing down.
The Region Leonesa is my very favorite tango hall, but the Nino Bien milonga has been for the past several years a tourist hangout, a place to see and be seen, but not to dance well. The milonga is moving nearby to Obelisco Tango on Entre Rios, and we wish them lots of success and good luck. It's a very positive sign that a new tango hall, open 7 days a week, is opening up in the "centro" area (actually Congreso.) Ruben and I will check it out, and continue to enjoy the gorgeous, elegant antique salon of Region Leonesa on Saturday afternoons at the Milonga de los Consagrados.

Aaaand for Tango Nuevo music lovers, Otros Aires' new album is now on iTunes




Some notes on sexual politics for women traveling to BA by Janis Kenyon



One of the more over-used phrases gets a worthwhile workout in this article. I'm not usually keen on the phrase, 'Thats not really tango.' It's often used by close embrace dancers who stagger around as badly as the people in these videos. The nice thing about a larger tango scene as in BA is that rather than worrying if something is or is not Real Tango is that one can just go to Some Other Milonga, or dance with Someone Else. In smaller scenes its easier for people to get wound up about it because there are fewer alternatives.



A couple more old clips from what appears to be a documentary starring Petroleo and Miguel Angel Zotto.



The Past in the Present: Hidden Places of Memory in Buenos Aires http://t.co/SYWMdfEXed


Worth a read, one woman's experience of BA.



Wow! Here's a bit of treasure! Petroleo, Mingo Pugliese, Miguel Angel Zotto and Milena Plebs talking about the early years of tango.



Loving Life at 90 - tango dancer, yogi, designer




Interesting interview with singer Alberto Podestá


Noelia Hurtado y Carlitos Espinoza


Juan D'arienzo Tango La Cumparsita.
Oh yeah!


Mari Johnson on shoe selection




Psychology of Tango clip, shot in Auckland a couple of years ago, featuring Sebastian Arrúa, Cecilia Trini, Stefan and Era and other Auckland dancers.


It's not tango but it's very very cool!




Mari Johnson on dancing barefoot.


Mari Johnson again on tango shoe selection and its impact on one's dancing


The three types of dancers that you need in your life in order to become the best that you can be: Someone better than you, someone equal to you, and someone not as good as you. Parallels from the world of mountain biking and...umm...Mixed Martial Arts?


TangoCherie on why you need a tango holiday in Buenos Aires. Exactamundo!



Some thoughts by Janis Kenyon on the decline of lead-follow and the rise of choreography being sold as lead-follow in tango.


And here is a similar article by TangoCherie talking about, oh dear God, Milonguero Nuevo.



Here is a view of the Nuevo Chique milonga in Buenos Aires



And here is El Beso milonga in BA







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