2008-04-04
2008-04-03
Casa de Tango (Tango Show?): El Metro (it's the same people as La Esquina de Carlos Gardel)
So I went to a tango show on an artist invite the other night. It's the newest show in town and probably one of the most expensive (not sure) and it's by the same people who run La esquina de Carlos Gardel. Anyway, as far as Tango shows go here in Buenos Aires, it's definitely the best I've seen and probably the best I will see. It had an amazing variety of registers and flavors and even the music... well, it made me appreciate Tango singing in a totally new way. They even did funny (pícaro), extravagant, and this amazing theater tricks that have been around for a while like redoing the entire stage with what is basically a completely different structure every few songs.
The place is beautiful, the service was great, there were hot women welcoming you in the lobby and hot empanadas as part of the deal. Good empanadas, too.
Our friend from Forever Tango says that "no tiene una línea [conductora]" (it doesn't have a unifying thread), which is probably true. So it's artistically void, but compared to TV it's pretty nice. Anyway, most of the tourists who come in those white vans will not be disappointed (and most of them would be dazzled with less). I highly recommend it, I just wish that I knew its name. Something like Porteño something or other. It's in the theater called Metro on 9 de julio (Cerrito, I think), but when I figure out the name I'll put it here [name here]. Check it out if you're just visiting and want to see some amazing tango.
Having some amazing breakthroughs in my Tango, more to come... thanks for reading!
The place is beautiful, the service was great, there were hot women welcoming you in the lobby and hot empanadas as part of the deal. Good empanadas, too.
Our friend from Forever Tango says that "no tiene una línea [conductora]" (it doesn't have a unifying thread), which is probably true. So it's artistically void, but compared to TV it's pretty nice. Anyway, most of the tourists who come in those white vans will not be disappointed (and most of them would be dazzled with less). I highly recommend it, I just wish that I knew its name. Something like Porteño something or other. It's in the theater called Metro on 9 de julio (Cerrito, I think), but when I figure out the name I'll put it here [name here]. Check it out if you're just visiting and want to see some amazing tango.
Having some amazing breakthroughs in my Tango, more to come... thanks for reading!
2008-03-29
Tango Nuevo Moderno and Tango Salón, Classes Privadas, DNI, José and Viky
This week was kind of a full tango week although I'm still not going to the milongas regularly because I'm working with technology (sometimes related to "the bottom line" and sometimes... less related).
On Wednesday I went to my private with Cecilia Gonzalez and I tried something out that worked out very nicely. I didn't talk. Cecilia knows me and knows that I ask tons of questions, and before we used to get into long discussions during the classes... now that's fun, but I'm really studying with her to learn to dance (although hanging out with her is awesome too). So I tried a new consigna this week: just shutting up and letting her ask, answer, and basically run the class. We worked on two things. First, how to lead from my lats (and not my arms) which is really the engine behind leading with your torso. Secondly, when one of my legs is bent, the other is straight. This is a general rule that actually works quite well to define quite a bit of tango movement. In fact, if you pause a great tanguero, you'll see that he's almost NEVER got both of his knees bent. Anyway, great class and I feel that if I can get some of this stuff into my body I'll be on the road to decent tango dancing.
Since I had my class with Cecilia at 2pm, I headed over to DNI for the 16.30 class. Pablo and Dana are in Switzerland so Chris and Carolina gave the class. It still pains me to promote Tango Moderno and in that class we did a soltada (opening of the embrace) which is particularly bullshit, but what can I say? The classes at DNI are great. The women dance well, the men are retards, and the teachers really understand body movement. Just to demonstrate: Chris was saying that you have to "traer a la mujer con el dorsal" (bring the woman with your lat) which is basically misinterpreted by all the men to mean that your arm has to move. But that's not right. So I asked Chris what the relationship is between that and what Cecilia says, which is, "traer a la mujer con tu homóplato" (bring the woman with your, um, I can't even find it in the translating dictionaries). And Chris says, first off, that it's not called the homóplato anymore but rather the escápula which would be the scapula in English. Secondly, it's the dorsal (lat) that moves the scapula so you should be thinking about that.
What's my point?
So I'll be heading back to classes with Jose and Viky, especially since I have scheduling problems with the Balmaceda brothers' classes.
Oh, an about-the-blog (meta) note: I saw an amiga who I know from Maxi and Maricel on the bus the other day, and she says, "vos tenés un blog? Sé que sos vos" and in fact, it was me.... so you know, fame hasn't afected me yet, but maybe soon! Thanks for reading and thanks for your support! And besos para vos Paula...
On Wednesday I went to my private with Cecilia Gonzalez and I tried something out that worked out very nicely. I didn't talk. Cecilia knows me and knows that I ask tons of questions, and before we used to get into long discussions during the classes... now that's fun, but I'm really studying with her to learn to dance (although hanging out with her is awesome too). So I tried a new consigna this week: just shutting up and letting her ask, answer, and basically run the class. We worked on two things. First, how to lead from my lats (and not my arms) which is really the engine behind leading with your torso. Secondly, when one of my legs is bent, the other is straight. This is a general rule that actually works quite well to define quite a bit of tango movement. In fact, if you pause a great tanguero, you'll see that he's almost NEVER got both of his knees bent. Anyway, great class and I feel that if I can get some of this stuff into my body I'll be on the road to decent tango dancing.
Since I had my class with Cecilia at 2pm, I headed over to DNI for the 16.30 class. Pablo and Dana are in Switzerland so Chris and Carolina gave the class. It still pains me to promote Tango Moderno and in that class we did a soltada (opening of the embrace) which is particularly bullshit, but what can I say? The classes at DNI are great. The women dance well, the men are retards, and the teachers really understand body movement. Just to demonstrate: Chris was saying that you have to "traer a la mujer con el dorsal" (bring the woman with your lat) which is basically misinterpreted by all the men to mean that your arm has to move. But that's not right. So I asked Chris what the relationship is between that and what Cecilia says, which is, "traer a la mujer con tu homóplato" (bring the woman with your, um, I can't even find it in the translating dictionaries). And Chris says, first off, that it's not called the homóplato anymore but rather the escápula which would be the scapula in English. Secondly, it's the dorsal (lat) that moves the scapula so you should be thinking about that.
What's my point?
- That in DNI they are teaching modern bullshit and I don't know anybody who is not amazing who should be worrying about soltadas and all that crap.
- On the other hand, there is 100% convergence between DNI Modern and Tango Salón. Which is why Jose and Viky (http://nuevotangosalon.blogspot.com) claim to be doing tango salón (and have worked with Pablo and Dana and try to dance like them).
- DNI Tango and Jose and Viky and some other people are really working with some form of Tango Escenario (stage tango) but with everything improvised. I think the Chicho guys are dancing something totally different which looks horrible, but these guys are basically compatible with Tango Salón.
- If you are paying attention to the right things -- lead, caminata, and embrace -- you can study in a place like DNI (or Grisel at 19.00 on Saturdays) with no problem.
So I'll be heading back to classes with Jose and Viky, especially since I have scheduling problems with the Balmaceda brothers' classes.
Oh, an about-the-blog (meta) note: I saw an amiga who I know from Maxi and Maricel on the bus the other day, and she says, "vos tenés un blog? Sé que sos vos" and in fact, it was me.... so you know, fame hasn't afected me yet, but maybe soon! Thanks for reading and thanks for your support! And besos para vos Paula...
2008-03-10
Fabian and Virginia, Tango Salón
Tonight's class with Fabian and Virginia was great. It's expensive (20 pesos) for Argentina, but it's a 3-hour class so it's all good. And the classes are good and getting better as they learn to teach better. Here's the link:
http://fabianyvirginia.blogspot.com/2008/03/clases-grupales-privadas-y-practica.html
Oh, the floor sucks and is very slippery but yet with rubber it's too sticky, so be careful.
http://fabianyvirginia.blogspot.com/2008/03/clases-grupales-privadas-y-practica.html
Oh, the floor sucks and is very slippery but yet with rubber it's too sticky, so be careful.
2008-03-09
Classes in Tango Salón
Thanks for questions about classes in Tango Salón. I don't feel that the world of Tango Salón includes a lot of people who can actually teach, or perhaps I haven't met them. The big "hits" are Sunderland with Carlitos Perez on Mondays and Wednesdays from 20-22, but it's more of a practica than anything (although a great one, where they make you walk for 15 minutes at the beginning of the class which is good practice). One of the greatest dancers of Tango Salón is Fabian Peralta (his annoying Flash site at http://www.fabianperalta.com.ar/ing/ but man does he teach well), who teaches on Mondays at 20.00 (3 hours) and on Saturdays at 18.00 in Escuela Carlos Copello... the classes are okay, though Fabian does not know how to teach in the least (though he seems to be improving... part of the problem is that it's all so easy for him). However, with Fabian like with anybody else, when you see that they're not helping you as you want to, you have to take the initiative and ask, and ask again, and bother them with your questions (even when you don't have any).
On the only slightly more moderny side, check out classes with Jose and Viky (http://www.nuevotangosalon.blogspot.com/), who teach really well (which is probably the hallmark of the moderny people). Jose and Viky are trying to do something between salón and moderno, and the result is... like DNI, basically.
I have to ask Cecilia when she teaches group classes with Gustavo and I'll put those up here too. They teach well.
Thanks for your readership and comments!
On the only slightly more moderny side, check out classes with Jose and Viky (http://www.nuevotangosalon.blogspot.com/), who teach really well (which is probably the hallmark of the moderny people). Jose and Viky are trying to do something between salón and moderno, and the result is... like DNI, basically.
I have to ask Cecilia when she teaches group classes with Gustavo and I'll put those up here too. They teach well.
Thanks for your readership and comments!
2008-02-20
DNI Midday on Saturday, Tan Piola on Saturday, PracticaX on Tuesday
Thanks to B for the anonymous comment about my blog! I'm glad people are out there and enjoying it.
I haven't been that active recently, but two things are of note: the first is that on Friday I had a class with Cecilia Gonzalez, who is doing some of the organization of Lady's Tango Week (she works with Johana Copes) and the class was great. Then after we walked down to where Lady's Tango Week is being held, where we hung out with Miguel "Negro" Romero, who is one of the organizers of Tan Piola (you have to live in Argentina for a long time to care who you hung out with and what important thing they do, I think). Anyway, nice guy, but the point is that I was going to go to Tan Piola on Saturday night anyway.
DNI at Midday on Saturday
I love Hector and Silvina and the class was pretty cool, but the women were either dancing with other women (just one), or dancing with their boyfriends (I know, I should say dance partners, but that just wasn't the base) or they just weren't that good. But whatever, classes go up and down: DNI is generally better in terms of demographic than other places.
Tan Piola on Saturday Night
Was amazing. It was expensive--20 pesos--but there were three couples who danced: Alejandra Mantinian y Gabriel Missé, Guillermina Quiroga y Roberto Reis (el cachorro to everybody here) and Maricel Giocomini y Maximiliano Cristiani (www.maxiymaricel.com). Maxi and Maricel were my first Tango teachers, so that was cool, and I really liked Gabriel Missé and Guillermina Quiroga. They would make a great couple, I think, although Alejandra Mantinian and El Cachorro were great too. Anyway, it was hard to tell because I watched everything from above and that changes your perspective (hopefully I'll put a photo in here soon). The point is that the show was amazing: they did three sets in which each couple danced one "number." These are probably some of the best/most-well-liked people in Tango no-moderno, and it was a sight to behold.
PracticaX Tuesday
Information exchange in Argentina is folkloric as usual, so people got confused and went to PracticaX last night when in fact the show they wanted to see is next week. It was amazing: great people, great vibe, and a decent amount of space. Now that I've been doing Tango for over a year, I also know a ton of people, which is fun. Although my cynical side cannot accept it, I really like PracticaX.
Daniel Rosenstark
www.DVDs4theSAT.com
SAT tutoring you can rewind
I haven't been that active recently, but two things are of note: the first is that on Friday I had a class with Cecilia Gonzalez, who is doing some of the organization of Lady's Tango Week (she works with Johana Copes) and the class was great. Then after we walked down to where Lady's Tango Week is being held, where we hung out with Miguel "Negro" Romero, who is one of the organizers of Tan Piola (you have to live in Argentina for a long time to care who you hung out with and what important thing they do, I think). Anyway, nice guy, but the point is that I was going to go to Tan Piola on Saturday night anyway.
DNI at Midday on Saturday
I love Hector and Silvina and the class was pretty cool, but the women were either dancing with other women (just one), or dancing with their boyfriends (I know, I should say dance partners, but that just wasn't the base) or they just weren't that good. But whatever, classes go up and down: DNI is generally better in terms of demographic than other places.
Tan Piola on Saturday Night
Was amazing. It was expensive--20 pesos--but there were three couples who danced: Alejandra Mantinian y Gabriel Missé, Guillermina Quiroga y Roberto Reis (el cachorro to everybody here) and Maricel Giocomini y Maximiliano Cristiani (www.maxiymaricel.com). Maxi and Maricel were my first Tango teachers, so that was cool, and I really liked Gabriel Missé and Guillermina Quiroga. They would make a great couple, I think, although Alejandra Mantinian and El Cachorro were great too. Anyway, it was hard to tell because I watched everything from above and that changes your perspective (hopefully I'll put a photo in here soon). The point is that the show was amazing: they did three sets in which each couple danced one "number." These are probably some of the best/most-well-liked people in Tango no-moderno, and it was a sight to behold.
PracticaX Tuesday
Information exchange in Argentina is folkloric as usual, so people got confused and went to PracticaX last night when in fact the show they wanted to see is next week. It was amazing: great people, great vibe, and a decent amount of space. Now that I've been doing Tango for over a year, I also know a ton of people, which is fun. Although my cynical side cannot accept it, I really like PracticaX.
Daniel Rosenstark
www.DVDs4theSAT.com
SAT tutoring you can rewind
2008-02-14
Tango at Canning on Thurdsay Midday?
It's been a crazy tango ride recently. I've been faithfully attending Practica X on Tuesdays, and I've been at Malcom a few times (www.tangocool.com) and I've made it to the Viruta a bunch of times too. PracticaX is probably the coolest scene in the entire world in Tango, in my opinion, because it's a relaxed atmosphere where there are some of the best dancers in the world (and some of the worst).
The places I'm studying at the most are DNI, which I still like, Copello, and... oh yeah, I started studying privately with the BEST private teacher in Buenos Aires for my taste, Cecilia Gonzalez ("no la famosa, la otra") who is turning my tango around (slowly but surely... if you want to get in touch with her, send me a comment here and I'll respond to you personally).
Adrian and Yanina's course on Wednesday nights in Copello on Milonga (at 21.00) is great, but I can't study much in Copello because of some historical issues (basically they fired everyone and then all the bonos expired). Ah, if I manage it I want to get to Grisel on Saturday's to study with Alejandro y Marisol (man, if my chica would come with me it'd be amazing).
On Monday nights at 19.30 I'm at Tango Brujo in the body movement class or whatever it's called. It's a great class to get your movement together. Cecilia (not my private teacher), who teaches the class with Santiago (go for his English if nothing else), also teaches on Thurdsays at Canning at 15.30 and then they have a free práctica. The práctica is BRILLIANT, although there were only 8 people in total... but I got to dance a lot, and got to meet the other teacher, Magdalena, who is brilliant. I'll probably go to the class next week and not just the práctica, but it would be better with a partner.
Anyway, I know you're out there so if anybody has any questions or aspects of Tango here in Buenos Aires they want me to investigate/talk about (or both), I'd be glad to.
In the meantime, if I don't write much... I'm promoting my brother's product DVDs4theSAT, which is a full-length SAT Test Prep Course on DVDs for use in your DVD player (computer not required). He's probably one of the best SAT tutors in the country (I mean, the US), and he put a lot of love into it. It's a great product and I hope to get it to make big money so I can dedicate myself to being a rent-a-tango-partner :).
The places I'm studying at the most are DNI, which I still like, Copello, and... oh yeah, I started studying privately with the BEST private teacher in Buenos Aires for my taste, Cecilia Gonzalez ("no la famosa, la otra") who is turning my tango around (slowly but surely... if you want to get in touch with her, send me a comment here and I'll respond to you personally).
Adrian and Yanina's course on Wednesday nights in Copello on Milonga (at 21.00) is great, but I can't study much in Copello because of some historical issues (basically they fired everyone and then all the bonos expired). Ah, if I manage it I want to get to Grisel on Saturday's to study with Alejandro y Marisol (man, if my chica would come with me it'd be amazing).
On Monday nights at 19.30 I'm at Tango Brujo in the body movement class or whatever it's called. It's a great class to get your movement together. Cecilia (not my private teacher), who teaches the class with Santiago (go for his English if nothing else), also teaches on Thurdsays at Canning at 15.30 and then they have a free práctica. The práctica is BRILLIANT, although there were only 8 people in total... but I got to dance a lot, and got to meet the other teacher, Magdalena, who is brilliant. I'll probably go to the class next week and not just the práctica, but it would be better with a partner.
Anyway, I know you're out there so if anybody has any questions or aspects of Tango here in Buenos Aires they want me to investigate/talk about (or both), I'd be glad to.
In the meantime, if I don't write much... I'm promoting my brother's product DVDs4theSAT, which is a full-length SAT Test Prep Course on DVDs for use in your DVD player (computer not required). He's probably one of the best SAT tutors in the country (I mean, the US), and he put a lot of love into it. It's a great product and I hope to get it to make big money so I can dedicate myself to being a rent-a-tango-partner :).
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)