milonga.us

Ask Aleandro

2011-12-05T13:49:00.002-06:00

Sr A,
Why do women say no when I ask them to dance?
Mr. N. D. Cline

Hola N. D.,
It depends.
Maybe you're asking women who are too young for you.
Young women want to dance with young men unless they're in Bs As.
Maybe you are asking women who are too good for you.
Good followers want to dance with good leaders.
Maybe you're not asking women at the right time.
Try to catch her eye when she's not eating, drinking, talking, resting, sleeping, tweeting or shopping for tango shoes.
Maybe you're asking women who just don't like you.
Don't waste your time.
Pour yourself a nice microbrew and enjoy listening to the music.

Gracias,
Sr A

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2011 HWT - STL

2011-12-03T03:26:00.032-06:00

HWT - Hot Winter Tango
STL - St Louis, Missouri

Meet me in St Louis, Louis.
Meet me at the tango fair.
Don't tell me the lights are shining
any place but there.

We will dance the hoochie coochie.
I will be your tootsie wootsie.
If you will meet me in St. Louis, Louis.
Meet me at the tango fair.

Kerry Mills and Andrew B. Sterling (1904)
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PC040796-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Festival Organizer: Shaun at http://www.gatewaytango.org/festival/index.html

Thursday 12/1
U Can Dance Studio
3570 Adie Rd
St Ann, MO 63074

Informal Milonga Upstairs
DJ: Mike

PC020580-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Dancecard: Diane from Austin, Jo from STL, Kay from Austin, Lauri from Pittsburgh, Pamela from CHI, Pamela from Eugene, OR, Sarah from Pittsburgh, Vickie from Portland
Delights: The Music
Regrets: The plywood floor

STL, MO - Dec 2011 - HWT - B+W, a set on Flickr.

Friday 12/2
trEats: IHOP

Afternoon Practilonga
DJ: Avik
Dancecard: Andrea from STL, Eva from Dallas, Lauri from Pittsburgh, Lorraine from Salt Lake City, Pamela from Eugene, OR, Sarah from Houston
Regrets: A cabeceo cockup

trEats: TGI Fridays

Welcome Milonga
DJ: Robin
The Show:
Christa y Jaimes and Cecilia y Fernando

PC040746-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

STL, MO - Dec 2011 - HWT Show, a set on Flickr.

Showtime

PC040742-3, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Dancecard: Brita from KC, MO, Eva from Dallas, Jan from Minneapolis, Jennifer from Champlain Urbana, Jennifer from Minneapolis, Lauri from Pittsburgh, Naomi from CHI, Sarah from Houston, Virginie from Tulsa, Vickie from Portland

STL, MO - Dec 2011 - HWT Color, a set on Flickr.

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Saturday 12/3
The Flowing Musicality Class
Christa y Jaimes
What did I learn from the class quiz?

1. Who is in charge on the dance floor?
a. The man.
b. The leader.
c. The man is clearly in charge. The woman is actually in charge.

2. What is the most popular orchestra?
a. D'Arienzo
b. Biagi
c. Disarli

3. What terms are the same?
a. Apilado, Club Style, Milonguero
b. Apilado, Close Embrace, Milonguero
c. Close Embrace, Club Style, Milonguero

4. Which of the following is true?
a. The East Coast connection is chest to chest.
b. The West Coast connection is belly to belly.
c. All of the above.
d. None of the above.

5. What is the best way to lean when you walk?
a. Forward and centered.
b. Forward and toward the center of the dance circle.
c. Forward and away from the center of the dance circle.

6. What is your favorite euro style?
a. Walk like the English, dress like the Germans, eat like the Italians and drink like the French.
b. Walk like the Germans, dress like the French, eat like the English and drink like the Italians.
c. Walk like the Italians, dress like the English, eat like the French and drink like the Germans.

For answers - Take their class.

Delights:
Being back led by Lauri and Sarah from Pittsburgh.

Regrets:
We charge partners. I get a woman with no connection and no interest in following. I ask her to follow me. She says that she's doing her part. I guess I should be following her. Why is she taking a milonguero musicality class if she has no connection and doesn't want to follow? Curious. After reflection I suspect that is the challenge of this no hands exercise. No hands is a special challenge for dancers who depend so much on their salon frame. But then we are all amazed by our instructors who perform a no hands colgado. Amazing!

Alternative Milonga
Dancecard:
Amy from Denver, Sarah from Houston, Virginie from Tulsa
Delights: Momo's rap

PC030702-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Regrets: It's freezing cold for a Floridian.

trEats :
Massa's Italian Restaurant
4120 N Lindbergh

PC030736-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

PC030741-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Late Night Milonga
DJ: Ramu
The Show:
Gustavo y Giselle and Nick y Diana

PC040750-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Dancecard:
Amy from Denver, Bobbi from Tulsa, Brita from KC, MO, Diane from Austin, Eva from Dallas, Irene from Gainesville, Kay from Austin, Lauri from Pittsburgh, Lorraine from Salt Lake City and Sarah from Pittsburgh.
trEats: Complimentary wine bar y empanadas
Regrets: It's a Hot Winter Tango Night

Sunday, Dec 4, 2011

trEats: Complimentary pizza y microbrew

Seminar on Tango Lyrics

Don Juan (El Taita Del Barrio)
Music: Ernesto Ponzio (1885-1934)
Lyrics: Ricardo J Podesta (as sung by Charlo and his orchestra, 1954)
Date: music 1898; lyrics 1910 (?)
Translation: John Turci-Escobar
First Line:
En el tango soy tan tura /
In the tango I'm so brave

Muchacho
Music: Edgardo Donato (1897-1963)
Lyrics: Celedonio Flores (1896-1947), as sung by Miguel Cane and the orchestra of Angel D'Agostino(1953)
Date: music 1936
Translation: John Turci-Escobar
First Line:
Muchacho que porque la suerte quiso /
Young man, because as luck would have it

Tinta Roja / Red Ink
Music: Sebastian Piana
Lyrics: Catulo Castillo (as sung by Roberto Goyeneche and the orchestra of Anibal Troilo, 1971)
Date: 1941
Translation: John Turci-Escobar
First Lines:
Paredon, / Street wall,
tinta roja en el gris / red ink on the gray
del ayer... / of yesterday...

Farewell Milonga
DJ: Lampis
The Show:
Cristina y Homer, Rebecca y Eric and Marika y Mauro
Dancecard:
Ann Marie from STL, Amy from Denver, Eva from Dallas, Kay from Austin, Lauri from Pittsburgh, Lorraine from Salt Lake City, Marina from Charleston, Pamela from Eugene, OR, Sarah from Houston, Sarah from Pittsburgh and Sylvia from Naples formerly from Berkeley and Germany.

STL, MO - Dec 2011 - HWT Sepia, a set on Flickr.

Monday, Dec 5, 2011

trEats :
The Pasta House
STL Airport

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The Pasta House

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Regrets: Could this be the last Hot Winter Tango?

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Tango in NOLA

2011-11-26T12:07:00.001-06:00

NOLA - New Orleans, Louisiana

Nov 26, 2011
Tango Ensueno
Corner of Tchoupitoulos & Felicity
Organizers: Kim and Missy
DJ: Kim
Dancecard: Kathy, Lorena, Missy and Vicki

Nov 27, 2011
Galvez Restaurant
914 N Peters St
Laura Cedillo, Owner and Chef
Organizers: Denise
DJ: Julio
Dancecard: Denise, Kathy, Ondina, Vicki

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Meet in the Middle

2011-09-13T16:23:00.004-05:00

Sun 9/11 - Travel from Pensacola to Memphis

Sittin in the shade of a Live Oak at a Gas Station in W Mobile eatin a pork sandwich. A Biker with his Babe pulls up and asks me for a jump. I put my sandwich down and jump her hog but I missed a foto op of her brodacious tatas.

Listen to Blues all the long way thru Mississippi until I get into range of 103.5 fm the old school r&b of Memphis, TN.

A good supper with Tom on Mud Island.

Tom just got back from Burning Man. He saw only one man older.

He suggests that I change the name of the blog, so I do.

Mon 9/12 - Travel from Memphis to Tulsa

Cross the Mississippi early. The river is full and wide.

Settle into a long sad day of Arkansas.

Take a break in Little Rock and buy a camera.

On to Ft Smith and Ark/lahoma.

Stop at the OK Welcome Station. Get hustled by a white OKIE in a red pick-up truck.

I give him dollars and that is something I never do but I liked his truck.

In the Middle, trucks are RED, tractors are GREEN and the sky is BLUE.

Finish the trip listening to J.J. Cale as a huge harvest moon rises into the sky.

Tue - 9/13 - Tulsa and Jenks

Cross the Arkansas River and spend the morning in Jenks.

Wed - 9/14 - Tulsa

Practica at Casa Tango with Karenna y Mark

Dancecard: Charlotte, Karenna, Linda y Maurine

Mark, the DJ, plays lots of nuevo.

The music isn't bad.

Just not traditional.

It sounds frantic.

No. It is frantic.

That's the way it is.

And that's the way it's danced.

Just like it sounds.

Thur - 9/15 - Tulsa Greek Festival

Fri - 9/16 - Travel from Tulsa to Mt Vernon, MO and Meet in the Middle

The Place is known as Murray's Vintage Venue
202 S Hickory, Mt Vernon, MO
The Event - The 8th International Argentine Tango Festival
The Hostess - Karen Whitesel
The Guest Instructors - Daniel Trenner from the USA and Gustavo y Maria from Argentina.

Sat - 9/17 - Meet in the Middle, Mt Vernon, MO

Sun - 9/18 - Travel from Mt Vernon to Tulsa

Mon - 9/19 - Travel from Tulsa to Memphis

Tues - 9/20 - Travel from Memphis to Pensacola

Ask Aleandro - Tango in the Milonghetto

2011-09-08T13:27:00.025-05:00

Sr. A,
I'm a Swing Dancer in The Swing City, The Heartland, USA.
Do you think the Argentine Tango will ever come to Swing City?
Ms Wannabe Dipped

Hola Ms Wannabe,

Here are the facts:

Our Tango is Argentine. Not From the USA.
Our Tango is Authentic. Not For Show.
Our Tango is Urban. Not Country.
Our Tango is Complex. Not Simple.
Our Tango is Sophisticated. Not Straight-Forward.
Our Tango is Subtle. Not Obvious.
Our Tango is Varied. Not Routine.
Our Tango is Improvised. Not Choreographed.
Our Tango is All About Feeling the Music. Not About Feeling Our Partners.
Our Tango requires Leaders AND Followers.

So let's rephrase your questions:

Can the Men in The Swing City learn to walk like the Argentines with attitude and drama?

Or do they all want to play like they're Dancing with The Stars?

Are they sensitive enough to listen to the music with feeling yet strong enough to lead with confidence?

Do they have the patience and perseverance to work hard for eight un-interrupted weeks to learn the basics of the dance and then continue learning going forward?

What kind of Man do you find in Swing City?

Real Men. Beer Drinking Men. Not Argentine Wine sipping men.

Bigger than life Men. Our Men don't walk like Argentine Men.

They Swagger like Texans.

And Texas Men are damn sure more Heartland than Florida Crackers.

Heartland Men Love the USA. And it's Patriotic to dance Swing.

Swing is how we celebrated our big WIN in WWII.

But it's hard to find an authentic Swing Dancer even in Swing City.

Wait.

What is an authentic Swing Dancer?

An authentic Swing Dancer is one who never had a Swing Dance lesson.

He's just like an authentic Milonguero.

He's been dancing Swing forever.

Not many left.

But I found one the other night in Swing City. He was 78.

So I ask him about Tango. This is what he said. I'll call it Milongehtto
just for grins.

MILONGEHTTO

Tango?
Go find a bar.
Turn off the lights.
When you turn on the lights,
stomp out all the roaches.
That's all there is to it.
If you can stomp roaches,
you can dance the Tango.
Tango is Stupid.
Tango Sucks.

Sr A could make some U$S in Swing City if he put that line on a tee shirt.

Even during the Second Great Depression.

But Sr A wonders if the 78 year old men in Swing City will ever grow up.

Maybe he meant American Tango? Not Argentine?

Anyway, it reminds me of a Short Play set in Texas where roaches had a bit part.

So Ms Wannabe, We have a high hill to climb here in Swing City. Even for Sr. A.

Don't know if Tango or culture or civility will ever come to Swing City.

The Guys just wanna have fun.

Bet you can't wait for them to dip you up-side-down.

P8123828-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Tango by the Bay, Fairhope, AL

2011-08-20T09:48:00.001-05:00

FH000002-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Guest Instructor: Nyron - Coaches om the importance of balance.

Local Instructor - Brent.

Notes: No one pays attention to the music when they practice as is their custom.

Dancecard: Kathy from Daphne, Ana from MS, Barbie from MS, Bonnie from Magnolia Springs, Connie from Pensacola, Lauren and Lydia.

Dancecard Notes:
First and last dance with Kathy who looks good in her new CIF shoes.
Very good dance with Ana. Bonnie steals a leg wrap.

Photo Notes:
Dancing with my camera. All is well. Then someone cuts the lights for dramatic effect and it's darker than the inside of a cow. Regret to say that the effect cuts my camera shoot short.

Milonga Notes: Because there are so many beginners, this milonga has the flavor of a practica. Lots of men coach the women. Each man tells the woman something different. No wonder they're confused. I resist as best I can. But I can't help myself. I coach Kathy that she should have a soft right hand and a firm left hand. Brent coaches her that he wants a firm right hand and a soft left hand. How can this be? Simple. It's OK. She is just dancing different dances. Enjoy them both. But understand that they are different.

Most of these folks are accomplished ballroom dancers who have tacked on Argentine Tango to their extensive repertoire. It shows. We see Mark's signature dip every other dance. Flying ganchos everywhere. Even some American Tango. Everyone having fun in their on way despite the dancing with the stars flair.

The Famous Tangos Played by Pancho

2011-08-03T16:14:00.007-05:00

Once in a while my scouting of thrift stores hits pay dirt as this week when I found four of the five tango 78 rpm records by Pancho's orchestra at Pensacola's Waterfront Mission Thrift Store.

The Famous
Tangos
Played by
Pancho
* * *
Decca
Records
Album No. 12
Popular Series

No. 1981 Side A - La Cumparsita by G.H. Matos Rodrigues

No. 1981 Side B - Mocosita by G.H. Matos Rodrigues

No. 1982 Side A - Adios Muchachos by Sanders

No. 1982 Side B - Tango Delle Rose by Schreier - Bottero

No. 1983 Side A - A Media Luz by F. Donato

No. 1983 Side B - Yira! Yira! by E. S. Discepolo

No. 1984 Side A - Inspiracion by N. E. Paulos

No. 1984 Side B - ?

No. 1985 Side A - Caminito by C. Peñalozza and J. D. Filiberto

No. 1985 Side B - Por Que? by Osvaldo Fresedo

So this list was what Pancho and Decca thought were the most famous tangos selected for export to the USA in the 1930s when 78 rpm was the standard.

But who the hell is Pancho? Cisco's sidekick?

Google finds a Francisco (Pancho) Lomuto y su Orquesta Tipica - 1927 to 1940 at http://www.eltangoysusinvitados.com/2008/07/orquesta-francisco-lomuto-1927-1940.html

Pancho's biography is at http://www.eltangoysusinvitados.com/2008/07/biografia-del-maestro-francisco-pancho.html

Found Side A of my missing record that is Inspiracion on youtube:

It takes two to Tango - if you're Argentines

2011-07-26T12:41:00.000-05:00

Chicago Tango Week

2011-07-10T16:37:00.005-05:00

Friday, July 1st, 2011
The Trip
Fly Airtran but end up at Chicago Midway.
There's a Blues Band playing in Baggage Claim.

DSCF3995, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

The CTA Orange/Blue line from Midway to O'Hare takes two hours; longer than my actual flight time from Pensacola.
Milonga, Westin - O'Hare Hotel, Rosemont, IL
Organizer: Shafqat Manzur, Maria Alferov and Gözde Çolak
DJ - Robin Thomas
Notes on the Music: The music starts too fast. Where's the fire? It finally settles down around 1 am. Too much tango cancion. Pugliese comes too early. No doubt he gives them what they want.
The Performers: Cecilia Gonzalez y Julio Balmaceda, Silvia Fuentes y Horacio Godoy, Claudia Codega y Esteban Moreno, Dana Frigoli y Adrian Ferreyra, Alejandra Hobert y Adrian Veredice
Dancecard: Cristina from Austin, Diana from Austin, Linda from Sparta, WI, Lou from Chicago, Pamela from Chicago, Margaret from Chicago and Mirtha from San Antonio.
Notes on the Dancers:
Vance from Austin has his table and his grand fan and his followers.
Linda is the best tango dancer in Sparta. Like me, she has to travel for her Tango. I'm glad to get to dance with her. When I leave, I kiss her on the cheek like the Argentines.
Lou is the tallest dancer in the room. She is the tallest. I am the oldest. When I start with her my dance is rough. I am rusty. But I warm up and we do better.
Such a joy to find Margaret and get to dance with her. She and I have danced before in Chicago many times. She is exquisite.
Got a good dance with Pamela. I comment to her about the diversity of styles on the dance floor. She says, "Everything from soup to nuts." We laugh. She corrects herself, "Everything from A to Z." But "soup to nuts" is better. A very good tanda for me but close to the end she says that I'm jabbing her in her back with my right thumb. Next dance I remove my hand completely. She says that was better.
Later I ask Margaret about our embrace. She likes it just fine.
When I dance with Mirtha I tell her that I think that she's courageous to come to this festival all by herself. Now she has danced tango in Chicago, Houston, Austin and Buenos Aires. Not bad for a starter.
I leave at 2:15 am.
Notes on my Photos: They have a projection of Chicago Tango Week words that reflect on the floor. The words are...

learn, dance, mingle, revel...
Chicago Tango Week 2011
June 30 - July 4
www.chicagotangoweek.org

As the dancers pass through this space the words reflect on them. I work on capturing these reflected images against the dancers. Nice effect.

P7023181-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

P7023230-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Regrets: Not dancing with Agape. Missing Celine.

Saturday, July 2nd, 2011
Incredible deep dish Chicago pizza stuffed with spinach for lunch at world famous Giordano's.
Milonga, Westin - O'Hare Hotel Rosemont, IL
DJ: Horacio

Notes on the Performances:
Oliver took off his jacket. You know that is a sign that something serious will follow. Then Luna y Oliver danced an incredible Milonga to the William Tell Overture. A good show. The Lone Ranger would have been proud. What a hard act to follow.

The only thing I can say about Cecilia y Julio is that Julio is having a little too much fun with her.

P7033320, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

P7023213, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Dancecard: Agape from Chicago, Ana from Chicago but formerly from Brasil, Anna from Chicago, Cathy from Titusville, FL, Diana from Austin, Linda from Sparta, WI, Mirtha from San Antonio, Monique from Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN and Rita from Chicago.
Notes on the Dancers:
Start with Anna, a newbie. I'd like to help her but I don't. She's not ready to dance the tango. I break two rules: 1st, dancing with someone before I've seen them dance. 2nd, coaching someone on the Milonga floor. My correct response would have been "gracias" after the first dance but I'm too damn nice.
I find Linda. I want to dance with her all night. Hell. I'd move to Wisconsin in the winter to dance with her.
Regrets: Dancing with Agape. Missing Celine.
Leave at 3:30 am.

Sunday, July 3rd, 2011
Return to Giordano's for a late lunch of shrimp y pasta.
Milonga, Westin - O'Hare Hotel Rosemont, IL
DJ: Esteban
Notes on the Music: Late. After the performances, he plays a tanda of salsa, then a tanda of rocnrol. Then he plays Pugliese. Perfecto!
Performers: Karina y Horacio, Dana y Adrian
Notes on the Performers:
The real show was watching the Argentines dance rocnrol.
Dancecard: Bonnie from Chicago, Claire from Champlain-Urbana, Linda from Sparta, WI, Katrina from Phoenix, Mirtha from San Antonio, Pamela from Chicago, Rita from Chicago, Tobby from Chicago
Notes on the Dancers:
When I dance with Mirtha we dance to tango cancion. I ask her what the words meant. She says that she wasn't paying attention. They play another. Afterwards she says that her translation would be, "I hold a flower for you in my chest cavity." Or maybe less literally as, "I hold a flower for you in my heart."
Dance a Milonga with Pamela. She says that it was nice.
Dance a Vals with Rita. She says that it was smooth. Suave.
When I dance with Linda I ask her why our dances are so good. She says because we have a good connection. Yes. It's all about the connection. I lead a leg wrap. I get nothing. I lead a volcado. I get a leg wrap. Tango is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get. She asks if I took the classes. I say no. I learn from watching the dancers. In the Milongas of Buenos Aires I never dance Milonga because I'm always watching the dancers. I watch them very carefully. Linda says that they are playing La Poema. I'm impressed that she knows her music. Listening to La Poema reminds me of Maurine.
Julio coaches his single axis turn in the corner by the table reserved for the Argentines.
Regrets: Not dancing with Carole. Missing Celine. Missing Maurine.
Leave at 3:40 am.

Monday, July 4th, 2011
Guerilla Milonga, Art Institute of Chicago, Michigan and Jackson
Dancecard:
Bonnie, Irene, Joy, Mary Catherine, Tobby, Victoria
Notes: The weather is beautiful. This afternoon Milonga is more like a practica with older men coaching beautiful young beginners.

P7043399, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

P7043447, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Regrets: The 4th of July fireworks.

P7043477, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Milonga, ARTango Center, 4203 North Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60613
DJ: Lung-Kuei

DSCF4031, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Dancecard:
Alla, Diana, Pamela and Tobby
Notes on the Dancers:
I ask one of the Dancers when she plans to return to dance in Buenos Aires. She says she has no plans to return to Buenos Aires. Then she shares her dirty little secret that she doesn't enjoy herself when she goes to Buenos Aires. She is a very good dancer. But Buenos Aires is so difficult, especially if you're a visitor. You have to be patient. You have to endure. Why go to Buenos Aires when you can stay right here in the USA and you don't have to be patient or endure anything. There is no Bull Shit in the USA. You can find good dances right here in Chicago. Why go to Buenos Aires?
Wait. I'm looking around the room. But I'm not finding any good dances. Why not? This Milonga has the best dancers of the entire weekend. So why don't I like it here? Why? Because this floor is like a constellation of stars. It's just like Buenos Aires.
What if you went to a Milonga and everyone on the floor was dancing like Julio Balmaceda? Even Carina is dancing like Julio. No. Carina is better. Everyone has taken Julio's classes. Everyone looks the same. My problem is that I don't want to dance like Julio. Sour grapes. No. Julio's dance is not my dance.
So why dance in Chicago? I'm not sure if all the Milongas are like this one. I found social dancers at all the other Milongas. But tonight the floor is full of stars. Rising stars and falling stars. I don't want to dance with the stars. And they don't want to dance with me.
It's just like Porteño y Bailarin in Buenos Aires; The only other Milonga where everyone dances like Julio.
But the music is good. It's fun to watch these acrobats perform their tricks. The asado is fantastic. It's worth coming for the music, the show and the meat. But not for the dance. Not tonight.
Regrets: Missing Celine.
Leave at 3:00 am.
Tobby drops me at the Blue Line.

DSCF4032, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Tango in Austin, Texas

2011-03-30T15:10:00.012-05:00

Friday

Dancecard: Cathy, Christine, Debbie from Cincinatti, Kay, Mari, Mirtha from San Antonio, Rachel, Sara from Austin, Sarah from Houston and Sharon from Denver.

Notes: Dance my first dance with Rachel. It's a Milonga. I don't normally like to dance Milonga for the first dance but for Rachel I make an exception. She tells me that Austin is a friendly "close embrace" tango community. Even so I dance "open" with Sharon. Sarah gives me the gift of an unsolicited leg wrap. It's always my pleasure to dance with her.

Saturday

Dancecard: Barbara, Cathy, Crystal, Gabrielle from Houston, Helen from Boerne, Laura, Maria, Rachel and Sara.

P3272031-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

FH000010, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

P3261893, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Notes: Arrive on Argentine time just to catch the last tanda of the orchestra. My first dance is Barbara's last. She is tired but that makes her dance pleasantly smooth. Dance open with Sara. Dance with Rachel. I want to dance with her for the rest of the night. Then I dance with Crystal. I want to dance with her for the rest of the night. Then I dance with Gabrielle. I want to dance with her for the rest of the night. Dance with Laura and, of course, I want to dance with her for the rest of the night. I tell her that I don't normally dance with instructors. But I made an exception to my rule. I ask her if we have danced before. She says yes but it was years ago. If you have the time you can look it up on this blog. I just have one question. When did Texas women get so damn good? Kudos to the local instructors in the great State of Texas!

P3271924-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

P3271993-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Sunday

Eat the asado solo because I don't have a date.

Dancecard: Alessandra, Bobbie from Tulsa, Cathy, Cecie from San Antonio, Crystal, Jennifer, Cristina, Megan, Rachel and Sara.

Notes: When I dance with Jennifer I invite her to Pensacola to do a woman's workshop in June. She can't. She has other plans. When I dance with Alessandra we try to remember when and where we've danced before. Cathy interupts us just like she owns me.

Regrets: Two declines: One woman just says no thank you. Another says no, not now because she's resting.

FH000005-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

DSCF2893-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

8th Trip To Bs As

2011-02-05T08:07:00.311-06:00

DEDICATION

To all the women I danced with on my eighth trip to Buenos Aires but especially for you.

Neil Liveakos

INTRODUCTION

The following posts on my blog Mala Junta / No hay luz / Aleandro at http://milonga.us covers my eighth trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina. On this trip I stayed about a month from Feb 5th to Mar 3rd, 2011. After a hot winter month in Buenos Aires I arrived home in Florida just in time to enjoy the coming of Spring and the celebration of St Patrick's Day. Enjoy!

Neil Liveakos

Thurs, Feb 3, 2011

FLY DELTA ONE HUNDRED TO BONUS SERIES

Fly from Pensacola to Atlanta and take the train to the International Concourse. On the way I hear the announcement that the next station is Concourse T as in Tango.

Screwed by Travelex at the airport on the exchange rate buying Argentine pesos.

The Delta Red Coat announces that were going to bonus series. Sounds good to me.

HAPPY HAPPY TANGO

On the plane I read Happy Tango, Sallycat´s Guide to Dancing in Buenos Aires.

My book report is set forth below.

We need a Brit to American Dictionary to break the slang barrier. Or maybe Sallycat wrote her guide esp for British tourists? In EEUU our Mums are flowers, our bums are homeless, our punters are pimps and our cock ups are snafus that is a wwii word that means ´situation normal all fouled up´except it is more explicity foul mouthed than that. The mala junta censor prevailed and we said fouled up instead of spelling it out as FU.

Also in EEUU in 2011 it is NOT politically correct to say boys and girls. The blacks bristle because boys is racist. Don´t forget the I am a Man march in Memphis. The feminist bristle because girls is sexist. I´m sure that Sallycat was not aware of our Colonial sensitivities and that boys and girls are such pejoratives. Perhaps in the next Edition Sally should go Argentine with Chicos y Chicas or Scotch with Lads and Lassies so as not to inadvertently offend her American friends, neighbors and fans. We don´t call MEN Boys. We don´t call WOMEN Girls. And we don´t call TROUSERS Pants. Only Girls and Sailors wear Pants.

The A to Zed alphabet soup is fine when you´re on point but a bit disjointed when reading her book cover to cover as I did on the plane. But who would want to read anything A to Zed? No doubt it is not intended to be read that way but rather consulted on an as required basis as a true and useful guidebook should be.
My favorite line is re the Love Hotels where Sallycat shares her sterling smart recommendation that is: Lovers, a trip to a love hotel can be FUN, Try it! It sounds better than a trip to the dentist. More at hotelesalojamiento.com.ar My photo assignment is to shoot the neon of hoteles de alojamineto.

Sallycat´s Happy Tango is a bit of girlie read for me. It´s a bit like Don´t worry, be happy. Honest Abe Lincoln said that people turn out to be about as happy as they want to be. But that was before mood altering drugs and Rxs. So my take away is quit yo bitchin´ and be happy.

Sallycat despises ´bottom feeders.´ Where I come from on the Great Gulf Coast we EAT bottom feeders. Out bottom feeders are Mullet and Catfish. They taste damn good unless they´ve been eating off a bottom that is all gooey and cock up with oil spilt from BP. If the bottom is cock up with oil then we slice up our bottom feeders and use them for fish bait. Feed the bottom feeders to the barracudas!

Just kidding. Mala Junta cares. Bottom Feeders want Happy Tango too. Just spread the Gracias gospel.

PS. Serially. BUY Sallycat´s book. It´s a Happy and informative read.

Had to pay the Argentines their reciprocity fee of 140 U$D.

Fri, Feb 4, 2011

LINA'S TANGO GUESTHOUSE

Arrive at Lina's Tango Guesthouse

Vacaciones... placer
buena energia para disfrutar...
encontrar una pasion...
soñar... bailar... reir...
y porque no, enamorase...

Holidays... pleasure...
good energy for having a good time...
find a passion...
dream... dance... laugh...
and why not, fall in love...

HOLA BUENOS AIRES

Esquina proxima el obelisco.

DSCF2017, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

It's a beautiful day in Buenos Aires. So I take a taxi to Plaza de San Martin. The driver asks me if I´m here for trabajo o placer. I say,

Trabajo con El Tango.

I´m just a working man.

When I step out of the Taxi I look the wrong way and almost get hit but another Taxi.

Lunch at Brioche Dore in El Ateneo on Florida.

This master bandoneonista is working the street.

DSCF2237, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

I walk to Ideal from Florida. On my way I trip but I don´t fall. I could have tripped and fallen or worse yet fallen thru the plate glass window. So I´ve been in BA just a few hours and had two close calls from the most frequent accidents that are:
1. Being hit by a car and
2. Falling down.
Be careful. Esp when you´ve had no sleep the night before.

EL ABRAZO A CONFITERIA IDEAL

Salon: Confiteria Ideal
Nombre: El Abrazo
Organizador: Zoraida y Diego
Direcion: Suipacha 384
Dancecard: Dyana, San Francisco, CA, USA
Notes:
I arrive early. It´s easy to spot the Americans and Europeans. The Porteñas wear dresses and tango shoes. The American women wear slacks. The American men wear Jeans and Tee shirts. One of the European women wears sandals. She gets demoted from her front row seat to the back when the Argentine Regulars arrive. I want to dance with her but she pays no attention to my cabaceo. The Argentine women see everything and miss nothing. I send my cabaceo over the right shoulder of the Argentine woman in the front row to the woman behind her. The woman in front turns around and looks behind her to see if she can see my target. Amazing.
The best dressed Milonguero of all wears a double breasted navy blue blazer and white trousers. The women would say that he is dressed "elegant sport." He looks to me like a commodore at a Florida yacht club regatta. When I was packing I decided at the last min not to bring my off white linen trousers so I don't look like no "elegante sport."

Supper at San Telmo Plaza.

Dance late at Lina´s with the Guests and Visitors.
Dancecard: Tanneke from Holland and Joanna a US Citizen born in Ireland living in Edmonton, CA. They wear their new dance shoes. I wish I had danced with them more but I was too damn tired from no sleep on the crowded flight.

Riet, Lina´s neighbor from Belgium watches. She punctuates her talk with Allez, Allez, Viola, Viola. If I had a peso for every Allez y Viola I`d be a rich man. We talk about El Tango.
Riet says,

El Tango is Libertad.

The photo below is Lina, Joanna y Tanneke dressed up for La Milonga.

DSCF2291, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Sat, Feb 5, 2011
Wake up too early. My body has not yet adjusted to Buenos Aires time. I walk San Telmo headed for El Bar Britanico. Pero el bar Britanico cerrado por vacaciones. Que truchos! Lunch around the corner at the very fine Restaurant Parrilla Lezama. This place is proxima La Parque Lazama, the birthplace of the Tango.

MILONGA DE LOS CONSAGRADOS A CENTRO REGION LEONESA

Salon: Centro Region Leonesa
Nombre: Milonda de Los Consagrados
Organizador: Daniel y M Rosich
Direcion: Humberto Primo 1462
Dancecard: Mary from Paris, FR, a vals with Adriana una porteña from San Cristobal, a milonga with Christine from FR, Juliet from Toronto, CA, Sunshine from Hong Kong, Mara una portena and Cherie my friend the USA expat.

Notes: Join Cherie y Ruben's fine table just by saying the special words "amigo de Cherie."
I waste most of my precious time and energy trying to catch the eye of a woman way cross the room. She flirts with me when she dances by me. Then she ignores me when I look her way. I've danced with her before but I never will again.
When I dance with Sunshine she`s afraid that she`ll get lipstick on my collar. She doesn´t even let her husband Keith wear shirts with collars because collars attrack lipstick.

To get my dance with Cherie I cabaceo Ruben and mouth permiso. Then Cherie fusses at me because I asked him instead of her. She is very good. I tell her so but not as a Milonguero who is lying to her.

You can find Cherie's blog here.

Maipu 444 is closed - cerado. It is the latest casualty of the economic situation here. Where will we dance on Tuesday nights?

Why do I come to Buenos Aires?
To enjoy the Cafe-Bars of San Telmo.
Supper at Bar Federal, San Telmo.

Sun, Feb 6, 2011

LA FEIRA DE SAO PEDRO TELMO

On Sundays I enjoy La Feira.

DSCF2358-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

El Mercado

Cafe Del Mercado.

DSCF2424-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

The fresh fruit stand in El Mercado.

DSCF2423-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

EL INDIO (PEDRO BENAVENTE)

El Indio's fans line up on the wall to watch the show.

DSCF2097-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

El Indio performs with his latest partner.

DSCF2185-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

DSCF2156-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

DSCF2159-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

DSCF2179-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

DSCF2206-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

DSCF2208-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

DSCF2220-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

DSCF2184-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

PLAZA DORREGO

A vendor in the square.

DSCF2438-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Sifonazo for sale.

DSCF2326-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Beads for sale.

DSCF2678-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

A necked doll for sale.

DSCF2080-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

No necked dolls allowed.

DSCF2079-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Mandinga: Milonga - Candombe sheet music for sale.
Letra de M. Battistella. Musica de Sebastian Piana.

DSCF2437-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

There are no drums in tango. Where are the drums? Candombe! Where are the drums? Across the river in Uruguay. Where are the drums? In the street.

DSCF2461-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Across the Plaza on La Esquina de Defensa y Humberto Primo we find the Plaza Dorrego Bar.

DSCF2702-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

UNA MIRADA A LOS DOS GUITARRISTAS

On this corner we find the best guitar music of all.

Do you see the guitars?

DSCF2699-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

How can anyone see the two guitars when Viviana is there?

Do you see Viviana?

MI AMOR SECRETO

DSCF2255-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

TRIO GOTICO MAS O MENOS

Ignacio lopez de Trio Gotico.

DSCF2268-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Gustavo Margulies de Trio Gotico.

DSCF2262-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Ignacio y Gustavo play Flamenco.

OSVALDO Y LAS CHICAS

On this corner we find the best guitar music of all and a little love triangle tango drama for the tourists with Viviana y Osvaldo y Pochi y Osvaldo.

DSCF2046-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

DSCF2060-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

DSCF2065-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

DSCF2446-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Corazon.

DSCF2071-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Colabore gracias.

DSCF2695-2, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

EL AFRONTE

Close by we find orquesta tipica el afronte.

DSCF2303-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

DSCF2476-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

DSCF2477-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

DSCF2478-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

DSCF2507-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

DSCF2517-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

DSCF2528-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

DSCF2539-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

DSCF2549-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

DSCF2709-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

DON ERNESTO Y LA BANDERA GRECO

Lunch at Don Ernesto, the fine parilla al carbon on Carlos Calvo 375.
His biggest flag is El Greco.

DSCF2006, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

He is an Amgio de Tom from Pensacola who is a retired AA Pilot who came to BA for fotos. Small world. So we have to FIND TOM AND JANE! Can you find Tom and Jane?

DSCF2007, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

LA MILONGA SUENO Y PORTENO A BOEDO TANGO

Salon: Boedo Tango
Nombre: Sueño y Porteño
At the entrance there is the photo below of this dancing couple.

DSCF2444, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

What do you see? I see Tango Negro. I see a "corte y quebrada." This is a notorious step that was banned in proper places.

NO CORTE Y QUEBRADA!

Check out the link at http://www.tangoatuncc.org/2010/09/07/tango-dance-history/.

Organizador: Julia ¨Pugliese¨ Doynel

DSCF2054, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Direcion: San Juan 3330
Dancecard: Reta from Tucson, Gladis from La Plata y Diana from San Francisco, CA.

Notes: Everyone on the floor is wearing black and white. The only red in this place is on the wall except one woman who is wearing red tango shoes and one man who is wearing a red tie plus one man who is a tourist wearing a red belt. A porteño would never wear a red belt.

Reta is sitting with Los Milongueros. She´s dancing very well. She is a new expat. She gives me her card. It says Tango Dancer. Really?

Dyana comes with her Boyfriend.

I leave early to go where I belong.

LA MILONGA DEL INDIO A PLAZA DORREGO

Salon: Plaza Dorrego
Nombre: Milonga del Indio
Organizador: Pedro Benavente (El Indio)
Direcion: Humberto Primo 451
Dancecard: Joanna living in Canada and an awkward dance with a tall Dane.
Notes: El Indio´s Milonga is a favorite but it is loud and I forgot my ear plugs. The Milonga is free. The energy level is high. El Indio plays the best music. The dancers are incredible.
He plays everything: tango, vals, milonga, candombe, cumbia, folklorico, salsa y rocnrol.

Joanna calls the rocnrol swing. It´s not swing. It´s our rocnrol. Our gift to the Argentines from Memphis, TN. The Argentines dance it better than we do. It`s what I danced when I was 15. I can still dance it even though I´ve never taken a swing class.

Regrets: El Indo´s Milonga competes with the loud sounds of the street drummers. That is such a shame.

Supper at Nefertti with Joanna y Riet.

The performers are The Tree Jazz Quartet.

The food is good but it is such a girlie place. When the coffee comes I excuse myself. If I were a gentleman I would have stayed and walked them back. But instead I go solo for helado dulce de leche.

Mon, Feb 7, 2011

Media Luna con Joanna.

DSCF2158, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Tweets from Joanna: Men are like Parking Spaces. Either taken or handicapped.

Lunch at Bar El Federal, San Telmo.

DSCF2016, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

LA MILONGA LUNES DE TANGO A CLUB GRICEL

Salon: Club Gricel
Nombre: Lunes de Tango
Organizador: V H Patrisso y Adriana Febbroni
Direcion: La Rioja 1180
Dancecard: Marianne, an Austrian living in Hamburg, Germany, Donna from NYC, Miami and Colorado when she´s not in Bs As, Sonia from Rio de Janero, Brasil, Juliet from Toronto, Canada, Andrea from Hamburg, Germany, Marisa una porteña, Anna from Rio de Janero, Brasil y Cristina una porteña.

Delights: The Gricel cortina is Elvis singing Don`t Be Cruel.

Notes:
I share a table with two milongueros and Bob from Falls Church, VA. Bob is making a list. His is longer than mine. He`s winning this silly game. Two milongueros and two obsessive compulsive list makers at the same table all dressed in black like for a funeral.

When I step out on the floor for my first dance a milonguero shoves me. It's my welcome to Buenos Aires shove.

Juliet joins the women`s table to our right. She claims that they are in her reserved seat. She`s bluffing. La Brasilliana defers and takes a back row seat because she is so nice. Juliet has honed her assertive skills to the point that none of the Porteñas want to tangle with her in a cat fight `casue they think she is loco. She is loco like one foxy lady playing their silly attitudinal games right back in their face. She is not loco. She is living la vida loco full speed ahead. There is no balance in her life. She is extreme. I've thought that only the French could out Argentine the Argentines but I think they have met their match with Juliet. She is fun to watch.

My Candombe with Donna is the best ever with an American woman. My best Candome, of course, is with Lina.

My tangos with Sonia are sweet and smooth. I hope to find her again.

For a while the floor gets too crowded to dance. It´s not very enjoyable. Then people leave and the dancing gets better.

Tues, Feb 8, 2011

Wake up again to the deafening jack hammers and howling dogs.

Can you find los hombres trabajando?

Hombres Trabajando, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Media Luna con Joanna.

DSCF2411, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Tweets from Joanna: The rain makes me sad.

Lunch at Ecuador.

Salon: Casa de Galicia

DSCF2074, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Nombre: Nuevo Chiqué - La Milonga del Corazón en las Casa de Galicia.
Organizador: Ruben y Marcela
Direcion: San Jose 224
Dancecard: Marianne, Juliet, Ines from Lyon, FR and Elizabeth from Poland.
Notes:
I get a terrible seat. In the back in the back row.

I catch Juliet with a cabeceo way cross the room. It´s true. You can do it. Even if you´re blind across 100 meters. The trick is that both people have to really want to dance with one another. Then it´s easy no matter where you sit.

I watch the Milonguero to my right as he does his cabaceo. He brought a book to read when he is not working. No one would bring a book to read at a Milonga in the US. Bs As is different. The people here are literate and there's lots of time between dances. So much time you could read a book. His smile is so big his whole face lights up. I tell him that I think that he has the best cabaceo in Bs As. I tell him that I want a foto of his cabaceo. He's not amused and I don´t get one.

I ask Elizabeth where she dances in Europe. She says that she doesn`t dance in Europe. Only in Buenos Aires where the tango is authentic. I tell her that some of my best dances in the United States are with the women of Chicago who are Polish Americans.

Supper at Niña Bonita

Order pollo `cause I can`t afford lomo. Can you believe it?

LA MILONGA PORTENO Y BALARIN

Milonga: Porteño y Balarin

Dancecard: Annie from Denmark

Notes: Sonia la bella Brasilliana is here but she's here with her new Argentine Milonguero... y porque no, enamorarse...

I have a major cabaceo cock up and slump off to los baños to sulk and lick my wounds. Then I leave of course.

Wed, Feb 9, 2011
Media Luna con Joanna.

The Frenchman Girard says: April is depressing in Canada.

Recommendations from Lina´s Mesa:

The film, ¨El Secreto de sus ojos.¨

The Japanese are dancing Flamenco.

Milonga: Tango Boedo

Dancecard: Vivianna, porteña, Dyana, Reta y Marianne.

Notes:

Marianne got the rose, but she danced with another. I got nada.

DSCF2055, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Reta is having a cat fight over her seat. She is upset.

I don´t arrive early but I get a good seat. Then I have this epiphany. I´ve always come early thinking logically like a dumb American that the early bird gets the worm. Wrong. Everything her is upsidedownandbackwards. The early bird gets the 5th row. Las Organizadoras are saving their best reserved seats for Los Milongueros who arrive late on Argentine time. My epiphany is that maybe if I arrive late too all the bad seats will be gone and they will give me a nice reserved front row seat. But I doubt it. I think that they will save their worst seats for me whenever I arrive.

But not tonight. Tonight to my amazement my seat is good. Gracias Julia.

DSCF2442, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

El Sueño de Julia

Una calida noche de verano
Cargada de pasion y enamorada
Tu Corazon latia en dos por cuatro
Y escudrinaba el sol la madrugada

Se contrajo tu entraña de papusa
Para parir un sueño que en sus rasgos
Lleva fundida la luz de tu mirada
con el mapa genetico del tango.

Lo llamaste porteño y fue de todos
Y lo vimos crecer, hacerse fuerte
Para algunos es simbolo de vida
Y a otros los aleja de la muerte.

Y se vistio de todos los colores
Fue gitano, oriental y futbolero
Con tal de ser crisol de las pasiones
Se puso flecos, ligas o sombreros.

Un anfitrion de almas que en la noche
acuden a la voz de un bandoneon
Y a cambio de la pena y la nostalgia
Se llevan una rosa y un bombon.

Asi es tu sueño Julia, y es el nuestro
Y en esta noche por vos quiero brindar
Despues siguimos todos to consejo:
¨Vamos a bailar que la vida se va!¨

Julia's Dream

A warm summer night
Loaded with amorous passion and
Your heart beats in two four
And the sun peaks up at daybreak.

Your heart contracted
To give birth to a dream
that fused the light of your glance
with the genetic map of the tango.

You called it porteño and it was for all
we saw it grow, become strong
For some it's a symbol of life
And to others of death.

And visitors of all colors
One was a gypsy, an Asian and a Football Player
And so it's a crucible of passions
one wears fringe, garters or fedoras.

A host of souls that at night
go to the voice of the bandoneon
And in exchange for the pain and nostalgia
take a rose and a chocolate.

It's your dream Julia,
and it's ours and tonight
I'd like to offer to you all
to follow this advice:
¨Let's dance so that life goes away!¨

Then she takes my foto. I´m so proud of myself. I tell Marianne. She says, no. You´re not so special. Julia takes fotos of everybody. Gracias por nada.

Tweets from Joanna: Someone told me that I´m single not because of my looks. I´m single because of my personality.

Muy linda pero salvaje. Guau!

Thur, Feb 10, 2011
Media Luna con Joanna, Ginger from New Jersey and Sophie y Girard from France.

Girard is a very interesting man. His English is perfect, even his slang. He knows English literature better than I do. We do show and tell: I show my Dear Georgie book by Sabat. He likes Sabat´s art that celebrates Borges. We talk about boring literature. Borges is famous but boring. Our famous but boring author is Faulkner.

I ask Girard what he has learned from his trip. He defers to Sophie because he has made so many trips but for Sophie it´s her time of discovery.

We talk of different countries. He was in Cuba after the revolution. Then it was like a new love affair. Now that love affair is long over. It didn´t turn out as expected. Maybe it´s the same with Argentina. Such beauty. Such potential. So many abundant resources. Such disappointment. So then, who is doing well? Chile? Uraguay? Brasil? Not Cuba except for cigars. Not Argentina except for el tango y futbol.

Lunch at Cafe-Bar Aconcagda on EEUU, San Telmo.

An artist works on a skecth in the Cafe.

000362790030-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Una porteña.

000362790032-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Milonga: Casa de Galicia
Nombre: Nuevo Chiqué - La Milonga del Corazón en las Casa de Galicia.
Organizador: Ruben y Marcela
Direcion: San Jose 224

Dancecard: Cherie.

Cherie y Ruben dance a tango vals.

Notes: Not a good night in Bs As. Cherie y Ruben coach me to no avail. My simple problem is that I only want to dance with women who won´t look at me. Only one minor, unnoticeable and forgiveable cabeceo cock up. Still, its fun being at Cherie y Ruben´s table.

DSCF2094, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Soledad Villamil is performing at Torquato Tasso. I want to go to hear her but I don't want to go solo and I don't have the money to go dos because it is so expensive. I buy her CD instead. Me gusto!

Fri, Feb 11, 2011
Media Luna con Joanna.

Brunch at La Briochet Doree in Abasto Mall.
Lunch at Dolce Caffee in Abasto Mall.
The photo below of fileteado or filete porteño is across the street from the Mall entrance a calles Carlos Gardel and Anchorena. The subject is Tango in La Boca. The artist is Elvio Gervasi.

DSCF2098, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Finally go to give my respects to Gardel and the others. I´ve come to Bs As now eight times and this is the first cigarette I´ve ever had with Gardel. Reta brings flowers for Gardel.

DSCF2117, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

000365750022, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

000365760002-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

000365750007-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

000365760014-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

000368840020-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

I take fotos. Then a serious looking grave digger comes up to me. He tells me that fotos are not permitted. He´s carrying a shovel. All I have is my camera. So I stop.

No Milonga. Pero. I sign up for a class with Carlos Cappello. But they fail to tell me that Carlos will not be teaching his class because he´s rehearsing for a show. I sign up for a class with Carlos but there is no Carlos. But that's the way it is in Bs As. Things are not as they appear. His assistant teaches the class and focuses on woman´s technique. That´s fine but not for me. I practice with a few women but don´t enjoy it. Why do I pay 30 pesos to dance with these women? When the young Asian woman tells me how I should be holding her that´s enough. Gracias! I leave before the class finishes. It reminds me why I don´t take classes in Bs As.

DSCF2135, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Supper at Bar El Federal, San Telmo.

Sat, Feb 12, 2011

Media Luna con Joanna.

Woke up to the jabbering of loud women. It's worse than the jack hammers.

I play my new tango cd by Soledad Villamil. The dogs begin to howl.

Thoughts on Fish and Cheese
Tweets from Joanna: Cheese is like sex. No cheese is better than bad cheese.
My reply: Pero. A bad day fishing is better than a good day at work.

Ginger brought me a fig. How nice. Better than a fig leaf.

Meet Julia y Brian from Germany who serve themselves a proper breakfast.

DSCF2144, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

So I ask Brian if Germany will carry Greece and Ireland and all the other European countries who have problems. He says: Sure. Don´t worry. Germany will carry Europe like China will carry the USA. No problema.

Carina y Luc, the Belgians, arrive.

000373280049, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Luc recognizes me after all these years.

MILONGA DE LOS CONSAGRADOS A CENTRO REGION LEONESA

Arrive before Cherie y Ruben and leave before they get here.

No dances.

¿Porque? Why did I leave so early? The answer is Milonga en La Boca.

LA MILONGA EN LA BOCA

Based on a tip from my friend Elisa, I head to La Boca to find La Ciudad al Aire Libre - Cultura para Respirar hosted by Buenos Aires Ciudad.

Los Grandes Milongas en la Boca con artistas como Amelita Balthar, Adriana Varela y Luis Salinas.

000365710028, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Quinteto Negro La Boca con Gustavo Ameri a Vuelta de Rocha en La Boca.

DSCF65470001, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Notes:

I dance with my camera.

Reta catches a dance with Nicolas ¨Tino¨ Diaz.
Tino es amigo de Guillermo Alio.

000365710016-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Donde esta le comme il faut?

000365720027, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

000365710048, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

After la milonga we all go for pizza at San Miguel Pizzeria a esquina Montes de Oca y Olavarria.
Muy bueno!

In la calle we find Las Murgas celebrating Carnival.

DSCF2172, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Sun, Feb 13, 2011

Tweets from Joanna: It`s only happened to me twice; A bird shitting on my head. They say it's good luck.

Back to La Boca.

DSCF2197, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Reta and I meet up with Guillermo in his studio.

DSCF2194, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Aurora Lubiz y Luciano Bastos perform a Vuelta de Rocha en La Boca.

DSCF2206, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

CABJ play but they lose. Get stuck in the traffic jam after the game.

Mon, Feb 14, 2011 - Sick.

Tues, Feb 15, 2011 - Sick.

Wed, Feb 16, 2011 - Sick.
I declare that I am well even though I´m not but I'm sick of being sick.
I go to La Milonga a Masion Dandi around the corner at Piedras 936 for an hour.
La Milonga is Bacana.
Oranizan: Cristal Yoo y Jorge Gonzalez
DJ: Tango Negro.
Find them on facebook at bacana2010.
Dancecard: Ginger from New Jersey
Notes:
This little milonga is just what the Doctor ordered.
I dance with Ginger but I don't touch her because I'm sick.
Return home after an hour to join the Belgians and a glass of their Argentine Brut.
Find them at http://www.tangopassion.be,
http://www.tangopassion.net y http://www.elgalloloco.be aka The Crazy Cock.
Find them on facebook at wij tangopassion

Joanna returns whining about dancing in Boedo. Carina encourages her by saying that she will have better luck if she looks good at la milonga. I discourage her by saying that she will have no luck no matter how good she looks. Then I remind her that its not her looks that are her problem. It's her personality. She gives me a one finger salute. Carina says you look the very best when you're necked. Necked as a Crazy Cock. I try to pry details from Joanna. She finally tells us:

I danced with one sweaty old tourist after another sweaty old tourist and none of them could dance.

I chide her against showing too much age bias. I can't imagine why she's so disappointed. She went to la milonga. She got dances. What is her problem?

We move on from Joanna's grief to a a fine camera equipment show-and-tell that quickly turns into a serious duel. It's good that we're only dueling with optical toys rather than blades, otherwise I'd be one dead Crazy Cock. Luc brings out his magnificent new monstrous Canon and I'm overwhelmed.

DSCF2403-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

I don't covet his wife. I covet his Canon. But then with equipment like this, he has NO EXCUSES. He has bought the biggest and the best. So he has to return with all the trophy pictures. Then I remember. Henri Cartier-Bresson had no monster Canon and I feel a little better. My philosphy is different: Travel light. Travel with good equipment but not so good that you would cry when the Argentine's steal it. Luc brings his best. I leave my best at home. Even so. His best here is better than mine at home. But why would you measure a man by the size of his camera?

My consolation prize is that my shoes are bigger than his.

Speaking of shoes, Carina has 34 pairs of Comme il Faut.

The truth is that there is a little bit of Imelda in each of us. Especially if you're from Buenos Aires or Paris or New York City or Brussels.

Che would not think that 34 pairs of shoes for only one woman is fair even though Imelda had 360 pairs. What wretched excess! Che would want to redistribute the wealth. Che would take the 34 pairs of Comme il Faut, cut each in half and give the pieces to 136 women. That would fair y equal. ¿Como no?

All that really matters for the cameraman is that you have more camreas than your woman has shoes. It's a rule.

Thur, Feb 17, 2011
Luc plays a Tango Vals. I make a rule. No Milonga before noon. Carina says it's already noon in Belgium. So I start the day with a vals with Joanna. This is the first time we have danced since the night I arrived. I want to dance with her without touching her but she doesn't want to play my game. She accepts the risk of dancing with a sweaty old tourist who is recovering from a cold. I promise her that I will take a shower before the weekend. We embrace. She doesn't like it. The Belgians jump in and pile on. She is instructing me. They are instructing me. I love it. I pay no attention to any of them. If they would stop and take a min to watch before they jump in maybe they would enjoy seeing tango that is a litte bit different than their own. Viva la difference!

Discover Fotopoesia de Mariana Copello at crisantelmo but I can't afford it. Pero el amor no es tragico.

DSCF2297, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Supper at Del Establo, Defensa, San Telmo.

Pero, no tango.

Fri, Feb 18, 2011

Tweets from Joanna: Last year in DC I discovered that I'm a modern art girl.

Milonga: Confiteria de Ideal
Dancecard: Sonia la bella Brasilliana y Julliet from Toronto, CA
Notes:
Sit with my cousin Merrill y Lee from Tupelo, MS
Start with a cabeceo cock up with Juliet. She doesn´t recognize me because I´ve cut my mustache.
Supper at Niña Bonita on Corrientes.

Sat, Feb 19, 2011
Tango Argentino en el Obelisco
Performers: El grupo del Claudio Segovia, Maria Nieves y Junior Cervila, Raul Lavie, Maria Graña, Pablo Agri, Gloria y Eduardo, Carlos Copello y Miguel Angeo Zotto

This is the night for the Tango stars to shine.

This concert is free. They close the street next to el obelisco and set up folding chairs for the masses. Fortunate to get a seat but it's a mile away from the stage. They mediate this problem with a good sound system and a giant screen. But it's way too far away to catch photos of the stars even though I waste a roll trying. Fortunately, the crowd is very well behaved.

After the show I feel crowded so I exit abruptly stage left. It seemed like the right thing to do at the time but not very chivalrous in retrospect. The truth is I don't give a shit about chivalry whem I'm having a panic attack. It's my only weakness.

Sun, Feb 20, 2011

Waiting for El Indio.

La rubia.

DSCF2330-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Las rubias con fileteado.

DSCF2328-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Warming up con la rubia.

DSCF2343-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Stretching.

DSCF2354-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

El Indio's braiding ritual.

DSCF2356-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

El Indio's blade.

DSCF2361-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

El Indio's tango show.

DSCF2379-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

El Indio dances chacarea.

DSCF2370-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

LA MILONGA DEL INDIO A PLAZA DORREGO

Dance with my camera trying to catch the last true Milonguero dancing with their beautiful young partners.

Negative0-33-34, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

000380050006, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

000380030026, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Back at Lina´s all the women are practicing their boleos in unison while I try to sleep. When I die and go to hell I will be surrounded by Flemish women practicing high boleos all night long.

Mon, Feb 21, 2011
Lunch with Riet at Bar El Federal. It's pure serendipity that we find one another.

Lina's Asado
Salvador cooks the Asado.

DSCF2590-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Why do I come to Buenos Aires? To enjoy Salvador's asado.

Dancecard: Joanna, Carina, Lina, Nicole y Ginger
Notes:
Lina's pista is full of the Flemish.
Luc is the DJ.

Luc and I are both taking so many fotos it's like a lightning storm. Lina's daughter says WTF with attitude. She is so indignant. I can't resist taking more fotos of her. Why do I come to Buenos Aires? To take fotos of Alejandra.

Joanna comes down from her balcony. She's cleaned up pretty good. She looks like Cinderella in a drop dead gorgeous dress.

DSCF2579-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Why do I come to Buenos Aires? To dance with the tall young tourists like Joanna.

Luc makes a toast and offers up the wine he received for his fine work designing a poster for The Pensacola Argentine Tango Society. Carina was his agent. This good work cost me a bottle of wine for each line of the poster: a wine a line. Bueno!

DSCF2292, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

I dance with Carina. She can't resist coaching me. She tells me that I'm holding my arm too low. I ignore her.

I dance with Joanna. I can't resist coaching her. I tell her that her embrace is too slack. She ignores me.

DSCF2669-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

So I dance with Lina whose embrace is just as it should be. Why do I come to Buenos Aires? To dance with Lina, the little woman with a big hug and a big heart.

DSCF2623-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

DSCF2616-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

DSCF2667-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

DSCF2675-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

DSCF2671-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

DSCF2582-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

DSCF2644-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Sr Aleandro,

I'm taking tango lessons in Buenos Aires. My teacher tells me I should hold my partner one way. Then I dance with a man and he wants me to hold him another way. What should I do? How should I hold my partner?

In a Quandry from Canada

Don't be in such a quandry. How do you hold your partner? The answer is that it depends. What are you dancing? Are you dancing Tango Salon o Estillo Milonguero?
What music is playing? Is the floor crowded? Do you like this man? It all depends on how you hold him. Don't give so much credence to your teachers. Six different teachers will tell you six different things. Know this. The tango hold is an embrace, a hug, un abrazo. Do you know how to hug? Of course you do. It is the same. How do you like your hugs? Light like a feather? Heavy like a weight on your shoulders? Give the hug that you would like to receive. If you are dancing Tango Salon you need firm hands to form a solid frame. If you are dancing close your right hand can be soft because you have a solid connection on the body. If you like the man then hold him so that he will remember you. Have the courage to hold him with conviction. Hold him like there is no tomorrow.

Gracias,
Sr A

Tues, Feb 22, 2011
No Milonga

Stop by the Starbucks at Callao y Viamonte for a mocha. That stop conjures up fond memories of my last visit to Buenos Aires with Maurine.

I'm headed to El Ateneo Grand Splendid at Callao y Santa Fe. The kitchen is closed. I have to settle for the only sandwich they are still serving plus a Quilmes. The good news is that in the cafe of this magnificent book shop a young bandoneonista plays for free.

Wed, Feb 23, 2011
Sueño y Porteño in Boedo.
Dancecard: Marianne, Sonia, Lynn from Minneapolis, MN and Juliet from Toronto, CA.

Notes:
As always I work hard for my dances with Marianne. I have to stand in line to get a dance with her.

Dance milonga con traspie with Sonia la bella Brasilliana. I give her my rose but she leaves with her Argentine Boyfriend. My only consolation is that she takes her rose with her. But I'm sure that she'll have to EXPLAIN this rose to her Boyfriend. Bueno.

Julia walks around the floor giving candy to the women who're not dancing. Instead of sharing this treat with a man - THEY EAT THE CANDY THEMSELVES. ¿Como no?

I don´t look Juliet`s way so she comes over and gets me. She has zero tolerance for the cabaceo bullshit. When we dance she says, ¨How come I didn't get a rose?¨ Then she says, ¨What happened to your lead?¨ I´m thinking that I must have left my lead the same place that I left my heart. She is so subtle. I beg her not to hurt me. I´m so thankful to have danced with her and lived to tell about it. Just to be sure I confirm that she carries a Canadian Passport. But I bet the Argentines think she is from EEUU.

Thur, Feb 24, 2011

Medialunas with The Flemish.
Lunch with Riet at Bar El Federal.

Milonga: Gricel
Dancecard: Ida una porteña, Patrice una porteña, La Bimba una porteña, Marianne, Juliet y Reta.
Notes: Got a terrible seat: 5th row back up against the wall behind a column. It couldn't be worse. The locals fight for their seats. But I sit where ever they put me because I´m such a nice docile tourist. But underneath my smile I´m fuming. My seat is so bad I think of leaving before I even start but I don't. I accept the hand I've been dealt like a stoic.
When I dance with Juliet she wants me to guess her costume. I can´t. She is so disappointed. She gives me hints. Come to find out it's Vietnamese. She asks me if I would want my son to marry a sweet and docile young woman. I don´t answer any of her probing questions. But on reflection I don´t think that ¨sweet and docile¨ describe any of the women in my family, except my daughter, of course.
I want to dance all night with Marianne but it´s impossible. The men are lined up around the block to dance with her.
Apologized to Reta for my unsportsmanlike conduct the night before when I stepped on her feelers. She accepts my dance but not my apology.
Wanted a dance with Sonia but she was smothered by her Argentine Boyfriend and unavailable.
All the dances with las porteñas are really good. Why? Because they dance. No, they don´t just dance. They DANCE!
Left early.

Fri, Feb 25, 2011

Medialunas with The Flemish.

Discover the artist Jorge Aranda.

Lunch with Riet at Bar El Federal.

Tweets from Joanna: Well, the portenos would frequently complain "mucho calor" and I would assure them "me gusta calor. Soy de Canada y mucho frio". How reassuring to come home to -25...as I told them it would be. :( Also, with all the dilapidated splendour and bad sidewalks of Buenos Aires, I think our roads are much worse

Sat, Feb 26, 2011

My Dad sends me a Western Union Money Transfer. Good for him. The only place in the whole city where Western Union works on Saturday is at Walmart. That's right sports fans: Arkansas (AR) comes to Argentina (AR). So I come to Walmart to get my money. Their location is Av de los Constituyentes 6020. It's way out in the suburbs. I take el subte to the end of Linea B. Then I walk thirty (30) blocks in a hot sun. Then I stand in a long line to get my money. But it's worth it. The layout of the Walmart is the same as in the US except there's a paralla in the food court along with Micky D of course.

DSCF2500, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

The Belgians give me cambio / change. Carina tells of the money changers on Florida hawking CAMBIO. Luc wants to offer her up for an exchange but that offer is just a joke because he is one lucky Crazy Cock to have her.

Supper with Barbara and friends at the Resaurante O Toxo, Belgrano 1825 at Belgrano y Entre Rios in Balvanera.
I love it. I'm like a Rooster with a bunch of hens: Barbara from Austin, Texas, Christine from Australia, Diana from London, Celine from Montreal, Mirtha una Cubana from San Antonio, Texas y Maria una porteña.

Sun, Feb 27, 2011
Lunch at Lazama.
The Belgians leave on their cruise. The Poles return.

DSCF2429, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Milonga at Ideal
Dancecard:
Angela from England, Barbara from Austin, Texas, Christine from Australia, Mirtha una Cubana from San Antonio, Texas and Celine from Montreal.
Notes:
First dance with Angela, a Brit.
Say hello to Susan y Gerardo. Don´t you love it when an Arizonan from the desert finds True Love in Buenos Aires.
Barbara arrives with her entourage. I´m playing Taxi Dancer with her and her friends. She fires her signature high boleo and I think she's going to hurt me. In Austin it would be nothing. Here it's like she's showing off. I´m not leading it and I´m not quite sure when she's going to fire it off but I love her anyway.
It's mucho calor y muy caliente in this Milonga.
I sweat. Celine prepires. If I were a true Milonguero and Gentleman I would offer her a clean silk handkerchief for her brow. Kleenex is effective but not quite the same.
Best dance of the night was a Milonga con traspie with Christine. I love her dance and I love her accent. I can't understand a word of Australian English.

I love watching the old Milongueros. One old man is so lucky to get a dance. When he dances by his table where his friends are sitting he gestures to them as he passes by with his trophy. It's like he's saying: "Look at me you suckers, I´m dancing and you're still sitting at your table looking across the room with no luck at all."

Milonga del Indio
Plaza Dorrego
Dance with my camera.
I try to catch Regina y Salvador.

000380030066, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

I try to catch Sonia y her Argentine Boyfriend.

000380050040-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Supper at Bar El Federal Solo

Mon, Feb 28, 2011

Lunch at Bar El Federal Solo.

Supper at Niña Bonita con Celine.
Milonga - Gricel.
Dancecard: Celine.

Tues, Mar 1, 2011

Salon: Casa de Galicia
Nombre: Nuevo Chique
Organizador: Ruben y Marcela
Direcion: San Jose 224
Dancecard: Barbara, Celine and Mirtha.
Supper at Don Ernesto con Celine.

Wed, Mar 2, 2011
Pizza for lunch at La Continental with Celine.
We stop by Zivals for my last chance to buy music.
Coffee at El Gato Negro with Celine.

DSCF2561, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Milonga - Salon Canning.
Dancecard: Celine.
Notes: Canning is crowded as usual. No room to dance except Milonguero. I'm enjoying a tango vals and trying hard to impress Celine. I'm too enthusiastic... too expansive and I accidentally bump the couple in front of us. It's a minor foul but he is totally indignant. He is Argentine. It's his floor and I'm a bungling tourist who doesn't know how to dance on a square. I appologize profusely and we narrowly avert an international incident. The rest of the night I am very careful. So much so that another Argentine Gentleman is impressed enough that I'm a tourist who isn't crashing into him that he calls me compañero. My good and clean dance on this crowded floor lets him enjoy his dance. This camaraderie between the men on the floor is the esscence of the tango that you only find on a crowded dance floor in Buenos Aires.

Supper at San Telmo Plaza with Celine.
Bothered by a rude and boorish Brit named Mathew.

Milonga - Dandi.
Dancecard: Celine.

DSCF2609-1, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Thur, Mar 3, 2011

Lunch at Bar El Federal con Riet.

Practice briefly with Gloria from Boulder.

Share Sallycat's Happy Tango with Tina, a beautiful new young guest from Belgium.

DSCF2550, a photo by milonguero on Flickr.

Tina leaves me a note in Happy Tango when she returns it to me.

Hey Neil,
Thanks a lot for all the tango information!
Have a safe trip back home and maybe we'll meet again, hopefully in Buenos Aires.

Tina

Last minute shopping for yerba maté y bombilla on Piedras, San Telmo.

So my eighth trip to Buenos Aires comes to a close with an authentic tango experience - a few pleasant days with a new tango partner who I may never see again. But before I leave she teaches me a little French phrase that I will always remember:

Je veux danser avec toi pour toujours.

Buenos Aires querido!

Mas

New Books
aires de buenos tangos, Fotográfias y seleccion de tangos: Eduardo Longoni, Editorial Losada, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Primera Edición: 2003

(argentina) fotográfia de Eduardo Gil, Ediciones Cuarto14, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2002

Buenos Aires baila tango, Guia de Milongas, by Gabriella Kogan, Debolsillo, 2008

Dulce Equis Negra, Once, número 11 - año 6, Edición: Marcos Adandía, Buenos Aires, Argentina, octubre / diciembre 2010

Georgie Dear by hermenegildo sábat, edición conmemorativa del centenario de borges, 2º Edición, 1999 Ediciones Nuevos Tiempos y Ediciones Biblioteca Nacional

Happy Tango, Sallycat's Guide to Dancing in Buenos Aires by Sally Blake, Pirotta Press Ltd, United Kingdom, 2010

New CD's

El Afronte, Orquesta Tipica, Intimo Puñal, 2010

Cuarteto Federico - Grela Volumen I, Tangos, Euro Records S.A., EU - 14036, 2011

Soledad Villamil, Morir de Amor, Sony Music, 2009

Trio Gotico (Guitarras) E.I. 124 C.D., Gemecs La Taba, 1993

Troilo Grela, Euro Records S.A. EU - 14033, 2010

ignacio lópez, el abrazo, colección guitarras del mundo 8, epsa music, 1997

Links

Feb 3 - For Mala Junta / No hay luz / Aleandro go to
http://milonga.us

Feb 3 - For Happy Tango, Sallycat´s Guide to Dancing in Buenos Aires go to
http://sallycatway.com/happytango/

Feb 3 - For Sally's Blog go to
http://sallycatway.com

Feb 3 - For love hotels / hoteles alojamiento go to
http://www.hotelesalojamiento.com.ar/

Feb 3 - For Lina's Tango Guesthouse go to
http://www.linatango.com

Feb 5 - For Cherie's Blog go to
http://tangocherie.blogspot.com

Feb 5 - For the cafe-bars of San Telmos go to
http://www.welcomesantelmo.com/guide/4/Bars

Feb 6 - For El Indio go to
http://milongadelindio.weebly.com/about-pedro-benavente.html

Feb 6 - For El Afronte go to
http://elafronte.com.ar

Feb 6 - For tango dance history go to
http://www.tangoatuncc.org/2010/09/07/tango-dance-history/

Feb 8 - For Porteño y Balarin go to
http://www.porteybailarin.com/

Feb 9 - For the film El Secreto de sus ojos go to http://www.elsecretodesusojos.com/

Feb 10 - For Torquato Tasso go to
http://torquatotasso.com.ar

Feb 11 - For fileteado go to
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fileteado

Feb 11 - For Elvio Gervasi go to
http://www.fileteadogervasi.blogspot.com/

Feb 12 - For La Ciudad al Aire Libre go to
http://www.airesbuenosaires.gob.ar/home11/web/es/biographies/show/v/artist/168.html

Feb 12 - For Buenos Aires Ciudad festivals go to
http://www.facebook.com/FestivalesGCBA

Feb 12 - For Quinteto Negro La Boca go to
http://www.quintetonegrolaboca.com.ar/

Feb 12 - For the tango art of Guillermo Alio go to
http://www.aliotango.com/

Feb 13 - For Las Murgas go to
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murga

Feb 13 - For Guillermo Alio in his studio go to
http://artea.com.ar/alio

Feb 13 - For CABJ go to
http://www.bocajuniors.com.ar/home/sitio

Feb 16 - For La Milonga Bacana a Dandi go to
http://www.facebook.com/bacana2010

Feb 16 - For the Belgians at Tango Passion go to
http://www.tangopassion.be
http://www.tangopassion.net

Feb 16 - El Gallo Loco a aka The Crazy Cock go to
http://www.elgalloloco.be">http://www.elgalloloco.be

Feb 17 - For Fotopoesia de Mariana Copello go to
http://unmarsinapuros.blogspot.com/

Feb 17 - For Crisantelmo go to
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Crisantelmo/75137603654?v=wall

Feb 21 - For the definition of un abrazo go to
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abrazo

Feb 22 - For El Ateneo Grand Splendid at Callao y Santa Fe go to
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Ateneo_Grand_Splendid

Feb 25 - For the artist Jorge Aranda go to
http://www.arandapinturas.com

Feb 26 - For the Resaurante O Toxo, Belgrano 1825 at Belgrano y Entre Rios in Balvanera go to
http://www.guiaoleo.com.ar/restaurantes/O-toxo-2004

For Parque Lazama go to
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lezama_Park

References
The referencee source of the Milonga detail information (Organizador y Direcion etc) comes from the indispensible Guia Trimestral / B.A. Tango / Buenos Aires Tango / Ano XVII - No 206 - Enero - Febrero y Marzo 2011. Director Propietario: Alberto Zeldin. Editor y redacto: Tito Palumbo.

About Neil

- Godfather of the Memphis Argentine Tango Society.
- Dancing Tango for over 12 years.
- Taught the Argentine tango in FL, AL, GA, NY, TN and WY.
- Eight trips to Buenos Aires.
- An American Milonguero.
- Student of Alicia, Brigitta, Cacho y Susana.
- Assistant to Horacio, Bs As Tango Academy, Atlanta.
- Performed at the Brooks Museum in Memphis and The Pensacola Museum of Art.
- Author of the notorious blog known as Mala Junta/No Hay Luz/Aleandro at http://milonga.us
- Dance and Travel Photographer with work in numerous juried shows in Atlanta and Pensacola.
- See Neil's photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/milongas
- Photos for sale at http://milonguero.imagekind.com

Michael Figart II on The Great Gulf Coast

2011-02-01T20:34:00.008-06:00

When Michael Figart II came to the Great Gulf Coast to work his tango magic last weekend he had no idea that he would be crossing the Alabama / Florida state line six times to spread the tango gospel in Pensacola, FL Fairhope, AL and Niceville, FL aka The Emerald Coast.

Michael introduced himself as a good ol' Texan who was into fishin', huntin' and guns. Then he discovered the Argentine Tango. Then he discovered that beautiful women smell better than dead deer.

But for me, a choice between Bambi and Bimba is a tough one.

Michael sent us his Moe Hansum tango to the blues video and we wanted to see more. My friend in Memphis watched it and told me that he's not even dancing on the beat. Come to find out; that's right. He's not dancing to the downbeat. He's dancing to the upbeat, like the jazz cats at the Savoy. What's so important is that he's dancing to SOME beat. He's dancing to what he hears and what he feels. It might be the downbeat of the bandoneon or the melody of the violins but he's dancing to the music with energy and conviction.

So what did you learn from Michael this weekend? I learned that the women should keep their hands on the headlights in a practice hold. No, really? I learned that hips are important for the men. Really? Stop. Wait. I thought the hips in tango were quiet. Show me your hip in salsa but show me corazon in tango. What we learned was if the man walks with his hips, then can walk more balanced and grounded just like Michael.

So we walked this weekend to the music. But what was different about that? The music we walked to was our music - the Blues. Low down Mississippi / Texas Blues. So what is different about that is that we know this music. It is ours. We don't have Milongas every week on the Great Gulf Coast but we have Blues Clubs on every corner. This Blues of ours is slower and longer than the tango. But it is the same because you can feel it. So we are all walkin' to the blues as we feel the music. Michael tells us that is the way to learn to walk and to lead. Play the music. Listen to the music. Walk to the music. Walk with conviction. Walk with energy. Walk so that you give the woman the dance she will remember... so that she will want more. Swoon!

It doesn't take two to tango. It takes only one. It takes the leader who hears the music and feels the music and walks to the music with conviction and strength. And it takes the follower moving together with him to the music like one; with the man dancing with the woman like he's wearing her like the shirt on his body.

Like Susana Miller says, "She follows a little bit late, but right on time."

Hey Everybody,

I finally have a video demonstrating 10 yrs of my work on tango, on youtube, and would be most appreciative if you'd take a look. I'm trying to get the view count up for one of my favorite local bands....this is me and partner dancing to live blues music by Moe Hansum, just last month.... yeah, I know it's not tango music, therefore, not real Argentine Tango, but I have a lot of fun dancing to live blues like this 2 or 3, sometimes 4 nights a week....hope you enjoy, and look forward to your feedback.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6J6JVS7_g3g

Regards,

Michael Figart II

Hot Winter Tango, St Louis, MO

2010-12-10T14:37:00.011-06:00

Introduction to the Hot Winter Tango in St Louis, MO at the U Can Dance Studio.

Christmas Lights 1
Originally uploaded by milonguero

If you can't be in Buenos Aires in Dec the next best place is the St Louis Hot Winter Tango Festival. Some of the best Tango Dancer in the country meet here the first weekend of Dec. One of the unique characteristics of this festival is the host's strict attention to "Gender Balance." The women aren't lined up waiting for a dance like in Denver. On the other hand if you don't get a dance in St Louis where the gender balance is perfect then maybe you should take up a different hobby like playing the saxaphone. Even with perfect gender balance, most folks have to work for their dances as well they should. I was very impressed with the music and very impressed with the general quality of the floorcraft. With few exceptions everyone was courteous on the floor. Men entering the crowded floor would look for permission from the leads already there. Amazing!

So what do you wear to the Hot Winter Tango Festival when there is no dress code?
Looking around the floor I see 70% dressed in black, 20% in red and 10% in colors. 50% of the men are in jeans. 30% in tee shirts. 25% pumas. 20% with tucked in shirts. The dress reflects the usual generational differences. 6 men in white shoes - all performers. 6 men with ponytails. One trip to the men's room I did a double take: I thought I was in the wrong place because the man standing at the urinal had such a beautiful ponytail. There was only one man who had the courage to wear a real suit with a beautiful black shirt and tie in the style of Greek mafioso. Only one gangsta with enuf swagger for his belt to hang so low it's under his butt. Only one woman with furry mitten tango shoes.

PC051341
Originally uploaded by milonguero

Thurs Dec 2, 2010
Informal Milonga
DJ: Mike
Dancecard:
LaElle from Memphis, Lisa from Boulder, Margaret from Memphis, Maurine from Tulsa, Rachel from St Louis
Delights: La musica.
Regrets: Too damn hot.
Notes: Arrive a few minutes before Silvina y Oliver's class ends. They are teaching the concepts of giro, molinetes, enrosques and lapices. Oliver makes the point that the worst thing a man can do at la milonga is tell his partner how to dance. A man in the class counters that it cuts both ways a la goose y gander.
Fri Dec 3, 2010
Debbie from Cincinatti, LaElle from Memphis, Lisa from Boulder, Margaret from Memphis, Maurine from Tulsa, Sarah from Houston, Vickie from Neosho, MO and Wendy from San Diego
Delights: La musica.

Sat Dec 4, 2010
Alternative Milonga
DJ: Kyla
Dancecard:
Maurine from Tulsa and Sarah from Houston
Regrets:
I can never tell when the damn cortina comes and no one else can either.

Hard Core Late Night Milonga
DJ: Ramu
Complimentary wine bar y empanadas.
Dancecard:
Debbie from Cincinatti, Jan from Minneapolis, LaElle from Memphis, Maurine from Tulsa, Vickie from Neosho, MO, Virginie from Tulsa, Wendy from San Diego
Delights: La musica. Regrets: No empanada.

Sun Dec 5, 2010
Farewell Milonga
DJ: Lampis
Complimentary beer and pizza.
Dancecard:
Andrea from St Louis, Debbie from Cincinatti, Eva from Philadelphia,Jan from Minneapolis, Maurine from Tulsa, Vickie from Neosho, MO, Virginie from Tulsa and Wendy from San Diego
Regrets:
Leaks and spills.

Tango by the Bay Milonga, Fairhope, AL

2010-11-13T11:35:00.004-06:00

Dancecard:
Anna from MS but formerlly from Guatemala, Barbara, Barbie, Bonnie, Kathy, Linda, Paula, Robin, and one other.
Notes:
Arrive a few minutes early. The dancers are finishing the class. They are practicing hard. The only problem is they are practicing their steps and THERE IS NO MUSIC! I want to shout out loud. I want to yell to everyone that you can't practice the Argentine Tango WITHOUT THE MUSIC. It's all about la musica. But I don't say a friggin' word 'cause I'm so damn nice.

Say hey to Barbie and Ben and give them my sincere congrats.
Best dances with Anna. Even so I feel that we are a bit off balance and that we may crash and burn at any minute. Aside from that detail our dances are strong.
Regrets: La musica is not as good as I've come to expect from Ben. It is not so much the selection as the fidelity. Maybe I'm just getting old but half the time I couldn't hear the music. At one point the music stops completely. I'm dancing with Anna. I say to Ben, "la musica por favor." But because my Spanish sucks I say it wrong. I say it like it is English. Anna corrects me: "mu" sounds like "moo" rather than "mew." OK. La moosica, por favor.

PB130877_1
Originally uploaded by milonguero

Ask Aleandro - From Alabama, USA

2010-11-13T11:12:00.003-06:00

Sr A,
I go to a Milonga. I find a nice woman. She is a beginner. We dance all night; maybe six tandas. I share my fine Spanish wine with her. We dance the last dance. After the last dance, I give her my card and ask her how I may be in touch. She says, I'm just here for the dance." What should I do?
A hard working man in Alabama

Dear HWM,
So sorry that you have nothing to show for all your hard work. Listen to me. Why waste your time with someone who doesn't know how to dance? She doesn't know that the Tango is the dance of seduction. She is not ready for the Tango. She is not ready to be seduced. Don't waste your time with her. She comes to la milonga to have fun. She is not serious. She doesn't understand how hard you are working. She doesn't understand how serious you are. She doesn't understand the rites and codes of la milonga. She doesn't understand that it is a mating ritual. She just wants to have fun. She is clueless. Leave her alone or she will think you are a creep. Work with las milongueras who understand la milonga. They may not be so easy for you. But they will appreciate all of your hard work. If you win the heart of a true milonguera, then all your hard work will be worth it.
Sr A

Milonga Bs As, Atlanta, GA

2010-10-30T12:17:00.004-05:00

DJ: Horacio
Dancecard: Ashley, Dale, Denise, Carol, Cheryl, Sharon and Zouzy.
Notes:
It's Halloween. But few wear masks.

DSCF1050
Originally uploaded by milonguero

Mickey says, "Every night of the milonga is different."
Is it different? It looks the same to me.
Zouzy still takes the money at the door. Ron and Horacio dress elegantly as always.

Ron
Originally uploaded by milonguero

Ron's announcements are too long as always. His jug wine is terrible as always. Horacio's cortina's are too long as always. But the music is the very best. The night ends too early as always. What is so different? Steve and Andre still sit together. The various Atlanta tango tribes sit in their respective corners as always. But what about the rest of the people. Where have all the Atlanta people gone?

Where is Barbara and her entourage? Where is Becky? Where is Berry? Bonnie Marie? David? Donna? Elsa? Where is Gabe? He's not dancing in the center of the floor? Where is Helen? Where is Jerrin? Kristin? Leslie y Danny? Where is Louise? Where is Maria? Where is Marian? Where is Martha? Where is Mary Jo? Where is Mavis? Milonga with Mavis was the best. Where is Meredith? Nilda y Conrad? Where is Pilar y Herman? Where is Pilar with her Spanish fan and Herman with his fine red wine? Where is Sherry? Where is Stephanie? Where is Ronda y Manuel? Where is Traci? Where have all the Atlanta people gone?

Regrets: Missed dancing with Jane. Clint picker her off just as I went for her. Missed the last dance with Mrs Waters.

Tango in Austin - Fall 2010

2010-10-24T15:37:00.035-05:00

Sat - 10/16
Travel from Pensacola, FL to Baton Rouge, LA.
Sun - 10/17

Travel from Baton Rouge, LA to Austin, TX.
Get my cajun boiled peanuts at the MS / LA line from the cajun boiled peanuts lady.

FH000002
Originally uploaded by milonguero

Settle into Barb's place while she is in DC visiting numero uno. The best part of her space is her pipi room that she decorates like a tango shrine. I like the sign below painted by Martinez, un Fileteado Porteño.

FH000030
Originally uploaded by milonguero

More inspiration on her refrigerator door:

The real tango has a mystical side.
From Carlos Saura in an interview for Nino Fenek Mikelidi

tapestry praXtilonga
2302 Western Trails, Austin, TX
7 to 9 pm
Dancecard: Cathy and Sara

FL000021-1
Originally uploaded by milonguero

Regrets: Arrive late because I have difficulty finding this place. Its my own fault.

Tues - 10/19
Texas French Bread Milonga
2900 Rio Grande St
Austin, TX 78705
Performance Notes: Glover Johns Gill performs. Glover likes to mess with your head by playing what I would call a medley: a miscellaneous collection stuck together unceremoniously. Can you imagine trying to transition your dance from tango to vals to milonga without having the chance to catch your breath. But what the hell, this is Austin, Texas the live Music Capital. We can play that Buenos Aires music anyway we want.
Glover plays forcefully. He plays with confidecne. He's good. But I can't help but feel like we're all riding on a horse drawn fire-engine charging off to a fire.
My prayer for Glover is for him to pick up a bandoneon.
8 to 10 pm
Dancecard: Bentley, Elif, Mary and Pat.
Notes: Dance with Elif. What does she want? She justs wants me to dance on the beat. What? You mean some Texas men don't dance on the beat? We dance to alternative music that I don't know. It sounds like the music is over so I stop. She tells me it isn't. She says, "You have to trust your coach." But that was a slip of the tongue. She quickly corrects herself to say, "You have to trust your co-partner." She says, "I trust you. I'm wearing open toed tango shoes." All you've got to do to please a Texas woman is dance on the beat and not step on her toes.
Don't worry. Trust me. I've done this before. Trust me. In all my years of dancing I may have stepped on a few toes, but I've never dropped anyone. Trust me. I dance on the beat.
Delights: Good bread.

Wed - 10/20
Nostalgic Tango Music Live
At El Sol y la Luna Restaurant
600 E 6th St
Austin, TX 78701

FH010008
Originally uploaded by milonguero

Regrets: I go to this place, fight for parking, but there is no Tango. They say they will have Flamenco Saturday night. Close. But no cigar.

Thur - 10/21
Esquina Passion Milonga
209 Pedernales St
Austin, TX
9 to 12 midnight
Dancecard:
Elaine, Megan, Mickey, Monica, Pat, Sara and Veronica.

Fri - 10/22/2010
SOCO = South Congress, Austin, TX

FH000033
Originally uploaded by milonguero

The Texas Ranger clerking at the SOCO Salvation Army Thrift Store.

FH010024
Originally uploaded by milonguero

Sat - 10/23

Do a short trip to Fredricksburg, TX.

FH010033
Originally uploaded by milonguero

Milonga del Campanario
209 Pedernales St
Austin, TX
9 to 12 midnight

PA240818
Originally uploaded by milonguero

PA230762
Originally uploaded by milonguero

PA230792
Originally uploaded by milonguero

Daniela Ruiz performs with the Austin Piazzolla Quintet, APQ.
Bravo!

PA240823
Originally uploaded by milonguero

PA230760
Originally uploaded by milonguero

PA230752
Originally uploaded by milonguero

Dancecard:
Cathy, Rachel, Sandy aka Alisandra, Sara
Notes: A very good dance with Alisandra. That's what happens when a Greek man dances with an Italian woman.

Sun - 10/24/10
tapestry praXtilonga
2302 Western Trails, Austin, TX
7 to 9 pm
DJ music by Fil Cruz, Jr. Dancecard:
Cathy, Loren, Marianne, Mary, Pat, Renata

FH000006
Originally uploaded by milonguero

Mon - 11/1/10
Dia de los muertos

We find it at la milonga.

PA240817
Originally uploaded by milonguero

We find it on the street.

FH000032
Originally uploaded by milonguero

Heartland Tango - Minneapolis, MN

2010-08-22T22:00:00.014-05:00

Thur, Aug 19, 2020

Earlybird Milonga
Four Seasons
DJ - Dave
Dancecard – Maurine from Tulsa, Janeen from Minneapolis, Lynne from Minneapolis
Delights – Dave’s Music, The Floor.
Fri, Aug 20, 2010

Afternoon Practilonga
Woman’s Club Lounge
DJ - Paul
Dancecard – Maurine from Tulsa, Kimberly, Suzanne Doyle
Regrets – The sticky floor.
Notes: Vance is playing with his man fan. Worse yet he is showing and sharing his man fan with Candi. Nebraska girls should be careful of Texas Men who show and share their man fan.

Candi y Vance - 4
Originally uploaded by milonguero

Evening Milonga at The Main Lounge of the Woman’s Club
DJ – Lung Kuei

P82102780001
Originally uploaded by milonguero

Mitra y Stefan - 5
Originally uploaded by milonguero

Dancecard – Maurine from Tulsa, Colleen from Minneapolis, Lynne from Minneapolis, Wendy from Minneapolis
Delights – Shooting photos of Sanae’s red tango shoes.

Sanae - 6
Originally uploaded by milonguero

Sat, Aug 21, 2010

Dinner / Show Milonga
Mandragora Tango performs at The Main Lounge of the Woman’s Club

Mandragora Tango - 1
Originally uploaded by milonguero

Dancecard – Maurine from Tulsa, Wendy from Minneapolis
Notes on the Show: The show was good if you like show. I even enjoyed the film Tango Noir that was funny and more campy than creepy. But I was so disappointed that the femme fatale was not the transvestite I had suspected her to be. My only regret was that the Dinner / Show consumed the whole night. Not much time left to dance.

Tova y Carlos - 6
Originally uploaded by milonguero

A Man in A Fedora
Originally uploaded by milonguero

Sun, Aug 22, 2010

Sunday Brunch at The Local, a fine Irish Pub at 931 Nicollet Mall, http://www.the-local.com
Afternoon Outdoor Milonga, Loring Park

Loring Park Milonga - 2
Photo by Kim Ballard at kimballard2 [at] frontiernet.net

Notes: Although this Milonga is billed as an “outdoor” they hold it indoors because it’s too damn hot outside.
DJ: Andrew from Houston
Dancecard: Mary from Minneapolis, Viktoria from Minneapolis, Wendy from Minneapolis, Ranja from Minnesapolis, Sabine at http://www.tangoandi.com
Notes: Discover Viktoria. She is Viktoria with a “k.” I am Neil with an eye, We dance very well together.

Viktoria y Neil
Photo by Kim Ballard at kimballard2 [at] frontiernet.net

Loring Park Milonga - 3
Photo by Kim Ballard at kimballard2 [at] frontiernet.net

Loring Park Milonga - !
Photo by Kim Ballard at kimballard2 [at] frontiernet.net

Sabine is the beautiful blonde Dutch Tango Instructor who dances with Andrew.
She asks me if I’m wearing suspenders. I confess that I am but they are well concealed under my shirt. Yes. The old man needs help keeping his trousers up. But why would she ask such a personal question on our first dance? Curiosity?
Supper Milonga with live music by Mandragora Tango at the Loring Pasta Bar, 327 14th Ave SE, 612.378.4849
Dancecard: Wendy
Notes: The world famous Loring Pasta Bar is not in the Loring Park neighborhood. It’s in Dinkytown near the University of MN. It was in Loring Park, but when they moved to Dinkytown they kept the old name.

Late Night Milonga
Social Dance
3742 23rd Ave S
DJ – Lung Kuei
Dancecard: Danced Milonga with Candi from Nebraska, Colleen from Minneapolis, Lois from Minneapolis, First and last dance with Wendy from Minneapolis
Delights – The Floor
Notes: Dancing with Lois is such a delight. It takes me back to when I was a younger man . . . back when I was dancing better . . . back to my prime. I discovered Lois years ago at the Denver Festival. Dancing with her is a joy.

DSCF04650001
Originally uploaded by milonguero

Ask Aleandro - From Minnesota, USA

2010-08-22T20:00:00.008-05:00

La Cumparsita aka Save the last dance for me.

Sr A,
I had a date for the Saturday Night Milonga in Minneapolis. I dance La Cumparsita with my date. Then they play an encore / un otra and some jerk comes and dances the dance after the last dance with my date. What do you think of that?
Feelers Hurt in Minnesota

Dear Feelers,
Don’t worry about it. This would be a really big deal if you were in Buenos Aires. But you’re not. You’re in Minneapolis. She probably didn’t even know that La Cumparsita is the last dance and that if she gives a shit about you there should be no encore with another. It’s not because she has no heart. Maybe it’s because she has no clue. Maybe it’s because she’s too nice. Heartland Women are too damn nice to say no to anyone. If someone asks them to dance, they say yes . . . Even if they end up dancing the last dance with someone who didn’t bring them . . . Even when he’s a jerk. So get over it. Be thankful that you had such a nice date for the Dinner / Show. All that matters is that she left with you, not with him.
Chau,
Sr A
Hat etiquette?

Ask Aleandro
I’m curious about hat etiquette at the milonga. When is it appropriate to wear your hat inside the milonga?
A Man in a Fedora
There are only three times wearing a hat inside the milonga is appropriate:
1. If your hat is part of your costume, then it’s OK. Alex can always wear his beret.
2. If you wear Pumas on your feet then you can wear anything on your head.
3. If your hat looks better than your head, then it’s OK.
Otherwise, check your hat at the door like they did back in the day when men were men and manners mattered.
Aleandro

What do I feel that is so hard under your clothes?

Sr A,
Why would a woman ask a gentleman what he’s wearing under his shirt?
Mr. Belt and Suspenders

Dear BS,
A woman can ask a man anything. Be delighted that she is interested and curious about what you wear under your clothes. But don’t even think about asking her anything like that. If you ask an Argentine woman what she’s wearing under her blouse she may slap you.
Chau,
Sr. A

2010-06-12T09:25:00.002-05:00

Vilma’s Class – Fairhope, AL

2010-06-05T12:40:00.003-05:00

Organizador: Ben
Dancecard – Beverly, Bonnie, Pamela, Traci, Vilma
Notes: Catch a ride with Traci. She’s a Dance Instructor. She teaches Country, Ballroom, Swing and Latin Dance. She wants to add Argentine Tango to her list. Her card says “For Love of Dance.” I wonder if she’s in it for love or for money. I admire her either way. I admire anyone who loves the dance and anyone who can make a living off the dance. Anyone who can do that must have grit and know how to hustle as well as know how to dance. She’s looking forward to her private lesson with Vilma. Traci is a gifted dancer. She is a quick study. Will she be ready to start teaching Argentine Tango on the Great Gulf Coast after her private lesson with Vilma? Why not? She brings her Baby. Mother and child do quite well under the circumstances. I think she is a Happy Baby because she gets her Mother’s milk.
We arrive in Fairhope early.
We’re so fortunate to get to watch the finish of the private lesson that Vilma gives to Larry. He doesn’t stay for the class. Classes are so pedestrian for him. He only does private lessons. Although I know Larry very well, this is the first time I’ve ever actually seen him. He slips away into the shadows before I get the chance to meet him mano-a-mano and look him in the eye and shake his hand and congratulate him on his success. It’s curious that he is so much smaller than I thought he would be, Even though he is a small man he carries a very big brass key. Strange that he would want to learn my Tango. If I were him I wouldn’t go near it. But it’s not my Tango. Anyone can learn the Tango. Even small men with big brass keys.

Vilma y Alejandro in Pensacola
Originally uploaded by milonguero

Tango at Emory University, Atlanta, GA

2010-05-17T16:46:00.002-05:00

Dear Neil,
Te adjunto unos videos de Emory,
Un abrazo grande
Horacio
Nostalgias? with vocalist Ronald Mendoza-de Jesús at http://www.youtube.com/emoryuniversity#p/u/1/pr9wCwNL7F8
Desde acqui at http://www.youtube.com/emoryuniversity#p/u/3/Fyyu2mwBuwM
La yumba? at http://www.youtube.com/emoryuniversity#p/u/5/0qGJBhgNcyk
Tango at Emory at http://www.youtube.com/emoryuniversity#p/u/6/oLAbU_tK49M

The Last Tango in Asheville

2010-05-01T12:12:00.030-05:00

Karen meets me at the door. When she meets me I’m a happy camper; a mellow Milonguero looking forward to a pleasant evening. So I give her a hug. But wait . . .

She's not here to greet me: it's an ambush. SHAZAM! She’s not here to give me a warm welcome. She’s here to give me a strong warning. She’s here to give me a Yellow Card. She objects to me taking pictures like I did the night before. She wants to protect her guests from me and my camera and my invasion of their privacy.

No privacy invaders allowed on the premises. No villainous paparazzi allowed, No notorious outlaw film shooters allowed. No working men allowed. No exceptions.

She takes me aside. We arm wrestle. She hits all my hot buttons. She gets me riled. No. She makes me mad as hell. I go fast from mellow to ballistic.

Her reinforcements arrive; Her gate bouncer comes over to see what the rukus is all about. He is bigger than I am. He intimidates me. But she doesn’t need his help.

We arm wrestle. But it’s no contest. She wins; of course. It’s her party. She calls the shots. She is the Boss Lady. She is an empowered Woman on a Mission from God. She is the Head Nanny In Charge.

But what about me? Does she care about me? What about our relationship? What about our friendship? If not as a friend, does she care about me as a Dancer? As a Visitor? As her Guest? As her Customer? Does she care whether I come or go? Does she care about whether I bring my partner and my friends to her Milonga. Does she care about my pictures? My Blog? Nope. I don’t think so. She doesn’t give a shit about me. She doesn’t care whether I’m in the building or not. No. I think that she is ready for me to leave.

You bets your money. You takes your chances. Dr. Bob says, “Be nice or leave,” We are not being very nice to one another. I have feelings too. I feel the negative energy. I follow Dr. Bob’s rule: Be nice, or leave. If you can't be nice, then you have to leave. I take all my marbles and my best camera and film and my favorite partner and I leave as fast as I can. In fact I leave before I even get there. I’m gone in a New York minute; gone forever. You can’t stay at a place like this after such a gut-wrenching incident. No. It’s not easy to recover from such an unpleasant and regrettable altercation.

What a Shame! I’m so surprised that Karen has turned her Milonga into a photo unfriendly place as it has never been so before. I’ve been to her festival many times. I love coming to Asheville. I’ve taken many photos. One year I even set-up a tri-pod in the corner. She knows that I take pictures. I have good pictures of her and Michael and even of her son. So it didn’t even occur to me to ask for her permission to take photos. I’ve always received a warm welcome. I’ve always enjoyed myself. In fact, I thought she was my friend. I’ve always been glad to see her. What a surprise to get her Yellow Card. I was totally blind-sided. I was totally disappointed. There’ve never been any complaints before.

But this year, all of a sudden, me and my camera are not welcomed: persona non grata. What has changed? Maybe it was the size of my camera that frightened everyone. I was shooting with a large fast lens because I was shooting in the dark without flash. Maybe it’s because I’m a fallen Angel. Maybe it’s because I’ve become so notorious.

I wonder if this a real controversy about “Invasion of Privacy” or is it thinly-veiled and well-orchestrated black ball bullshit? No. I’m just paranoid. I’m sensitive about getting a Yellow Card because I’ve gotten a Red Card before.

The last time I was carded I got my Red Card when I was banned forever from Milonga Evolution for the famous but absurd potty-gate scandal. So I danced my Last Milonga there. We are all so glad. I’m on their black list. They’re on mine. I wear my Red Card with pride like a Scarlet Letter.

That was when I changed the name of this Blog to Mala Junta. Think of me whenever you dance it. Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha.

What causes such fear and loathing? Is my big camera frightening? Is it my photo taking that you hate and fear? Is it my notorious Blog? Or do y’all just hate and fear me? I wonder?

I think the usual gossip mongering suspects got Karen’s ear. I told her so. I bet they complained to her. I think she listened to them. How ironic. They are the ones who are so concerned about my invasion of their privacy but I don’t even take pictures of them. I take pictures of my friends. I don’t take pictures of these assholes. Why would I do that? They know that I don’t take pictures of them. They just want trouble, And they got it. Their gossip mongering is insidious.

What do I regret? If I had known that Asheville had turned into a photo unfriendly place, I wouldn’t have come here. I wouldn’t have brought my best camera and my big fast lens. I wouldn’t have brought my favorite partner from Oklahoma. I wouldn’t have invited my friends from Memphis, TN. Who would be so stupid to spend four days on the road from Pensacola, Florida and hundreds of dollars on food and lodging in Asheville to come to an unfriendly place? Of course if I had any idea that I wouldn’t be welcomed here, I wouldn’t have come. I certainly wouldn’t have brought my camera. I regret that I paid good money for a Milonga that I didn’t attend. But that was my choice: It was only a Yellow Card. It wasn’t Red. I wasn’t fired. I quit.

I should have listened to my friend in Atlanta. When I told him that I was going to Asheville, he asked me why would I want to go there? I regret that I didn’t listen to him more carefully. He didn’t recommend Asheville. Now I know why. But now its too late.

Not all Tango Festivals are photo unfriendly. Karen’s festival was not photo unfriendly before this year. The Houston Tango festival is not photo unfriendly. You can take all the photos you want in Houston. You just can’t use flash because the organizers understand that flash distracts the dancers.

In Asheville and Atlanta the Official Photographers use flash. I don’t take photos of the Atlanta Tango Festival because I’m not welcomed there. Now Asheville is the same. Not to say that Asheville has fallen under the influence of Atlanta. Let’s just say that they have adopted similar policies.

Now that I am older, un ancien, I only have two passions: Tango and Photography. They are inter-related. I take them both very seriously. I try to do the best I can at both. I dance. I take pictures. That's what I do.

When I focus on you through my camera’s view-finder, it’s not because I want to hurt you. Believe me. That is certainly not my intent. If the picture takes, it’s because I want to celebrate your dance, not hurt you in anyway.

If you see a photo of yourself that you don’t like or that you don’t want to see on the web, tell me and I’ll delete it immediately. No problem.

If my photographs have inadvertently offended anyone or invaded anyone’s privacy, then I sincerely apologize. That is certainly not my intent. Please forgive me.

Mathew 6:12. From the Authorized King James Revised Standard Version of The Holy Bible

Forgive us our debts, as we have also forgiven our debtors.

The Evolutionists may replace the words “debts” and “debtors” with others they like.

The photo below is evidence from the night before at The Last Milonga in Asheville of the hurtful damage that I did.

FH0100260001
Originally uploaded by milonguero

I understand that my policy of asking forgiveness rather than permission comes with risk. I manage the risk as best I can.

If you want to worry, then worry about something important. Worry about how your tango shoes look at La Milonga. Don’t worry about my business policies or my risk. Don’t worry. Be happy.

Karen doesn’t have to agree with my business policies. I don’t have to agree with hers. She can host photo unfriendly events if she wishes. I don’t have to attend them. We can agree to disagree.

Karen will be happy to know that I won’t be back to Asheville because it’s not a photo friendly place. Her guests will be happy to know that I won’t be taking any pictures of them in Asheville. I won’t be invading anyone’s privacy. The usual suspects will whisper to one another in glee about their victory in putting me down. Karen will get good mileage off standing her ground, getting in my face and showing such grit. Her friends and in-crowd will applaud the way she threw me under the bus. Everyone is happy.

Thomas Wolfe wrote Look Homeward, Angel. So what is it about Asheville and its Angel and controversies about invasion of privacy? Thomas Wolfe, Asheville’s most famous citizen, couldn’t come home. Everyone thought that he had betrayed them by invading their privacy. He made them famous by showing them as they were, but not always in their best light; not always as they wanted to be shown. He shared their dirty laundry, and they hated him for it. You know what I mean?

There is a long history of art and literature butting heads with privacy concerns. What is more important to you? Being a Patron / Matron of the Arts or being a Privacy Nanny?

We report. You decide. Fair and balanced.

Look Away, Look Away, Dixieland.

El Indio's Milonga

2010-03-17T11:52:00.000-05:00

Milonga at Chateau Rouge, Baton Rouge, LA

2010-01-13T22:19:00.007-06:00

La Milonga: Chatueau Rouge
Buffet & Sushi Bar
9716 Airline Hwy
Baton Rouge, LA 70816
Between I-12 and Old Hammond Hwy
Organizador: Tango Lagniappe
DJ: Mario
Dancecard: Alice, Nancy y Carolyn - all from Baton Rouge.
Notes: Alice is a beautiful young redhead. We dance a good open set that I think we both enjoy.
Carolyn is formerly from Texas. After our dance I say that I'd like to come back for another. But she doesn't wait for me. She leaves abruptly. Curious.
I enjoy my dances with Nancy more than I think she does.

After our last dance I say to her sincerely, "Your adornements look good."

She counters with, "No they don't."

But they did look good. Curious.
I enjoy dancing with these Baton Rouge tangueras. I'd love to dance with them again. I wonder if I ever will. I wonder if my first dance in Baton Rouge is my last.
Delights: Elaine greets me warmly at the door and comps the cover charge 'cause its my first time there. What a nice gesture.
Mario's selections the first hour and a half are really good and the volume is perfect.
The floor is fantastic.
Regrets: Not dancing with Elaine.
No tandas or cortinas. Not our tango. Only three couples on the floor have the skill to dance to the alternative music selections of the last half hour. I'm not one of them.