My Tango Diaries

Coffee in the morning(ish) sun in Mocambo Cafe, Buenos Aires A word of warning, what's essential for me may not be essential for you, and vice versa. I took my purse (see the article in Thrifty Tanguera regarding " Frankenpurse " -  and a freebie backpack my husband got from a vendor. I checked no luggage so everything I brought needed to be really useful to justify taking up room in my bag. Here's what worked best for me. Clothing and Accessories Scottevest Women's Trenchcoat - This is part of why I didn't need to check a bag. A couple of months before I left I needed to replace my old rain coat. I found this one online, read the reviews, then after getting a 20% deal, decided to get it. (In black of course.) I had to waterproof it before I left (thankfully I realized it wasn't as water-resistant as advertized before I left for Buenos Aires.) Other than that little hiccup, the thing was great. Warm, but not too hot. It holds a lo...

Image courtesy of morguefile.com . The "Live and Learn" Post True to my trainer heart, I am doing what's called a "plus/delta" evaluation of my trip. What worked, what didn't, what I would take again - what I would leave behind. Hopefully this will be useful to others traveling to Buenos Aires (or anywhere internationally.)  Please let me know your thoughts and experiences. Here's what I really missed and should have taken with me (many of things of course are available at the market, and I did get them once I settled in - but I could have brought them from home easily enough, and for free.): A nail brush - it's such a simple thing but Buenos Aires can be a gritty, grimy place - especially where I was staying in Once . A nail brush works great on clothing, calloused feet, grungy finger nails etc.  I bought one at the market, but I have a few at home and I should have grabbed one. Perfume - I missed my perfume. Another thing that j...

Another picture from Alejandro Gée's Studio - more info and pictures here: http://tangoalejandrogee.com/ Understanding the Approach of Tango as a Therapeutic Technique "Tango is successful therapeutically because it provides connection, openness, awareness (awareness, is number one aspect) - connection with another in a contained environment." - Alejandro. When I sat down with Alejandro my last night in Buenos Aires, I had so many questions about how to approach tango students who either consciously approach learning tango as a form of therapy, or who, in the course of the class, treat learning tango as therapy unconsciously. For example, on several occasions I've seen a couple start a tango class only to engage in belittling or antagonistic behavior forcing the teacher to become (for the duration of the class anyway) a relationship counselor. (Or at the very least, a referee.) Issues come up whether we want them to or not when we make demands of our...

From Alejandro Gée's studio - more pictures and info from his website here: http://tangoalejandrogee.com/ The Lesson with Alejandro and Joujou - Technique and Posture (Note: My explanations of things I was told may not be accurate. They are what made sense to me at the time, and given the visual and tactile nature of the instruction, may not translate well to the written page. Whenever possible, I asked for clarification from Alejandro to get as accurate and clear an explanation as possible.) 1.) Sink into the standing knee first instead of stepping/falling straight back into the back step. (I've heard that before - not sure why I can't seem to remember to do that.) According to Alejandro, basically the sequence would be: 1. Sink the weight into the floor through the standing leg (here’s where the knee bends slightly in order to be able to push the weight of the body back in the next step), while straight,   free leg extends backwards   caressing t...

Not related to dancing, but this is the extraordinary view from Rubén and Cherie's terrace.  *sigh* Every newcomer to Buenos Aires tango should start with a lesson with Rubén and Cherie. If nothing else to avoid the pitfalls that beset unprepared dancers who visit the more crowded, traditional (and conservative) milongas in Buenos Aires. In addition to solid technique instruction, they also provide so much insight into the milonga culture - and to Buenos Aires more generally. I just wish I had time to have more lessons before I left! Review Rubén and Cherie and Preparing for the Milongas Even with the guidance and lessons I had with my teacher before reaching Buenos Aires, I would have had a rough time in the milongas had it not been for Rubén and Cherie.  A few hours after we got off the plane, my travel mate Janet and I walked the 20 blocks from where we were staying to Rubén and Cherie's apartment. Cherie said it was fine that my friend and I sat in...

El Arranque Milonga The "Milongueros" Warning: Blasphemy ahead. One note of warning about statements like "The milongueros do this" or "don't do that" or whatever. The milongueros are all different. Some of them are rebels. Some of them are very conservative. Some are shy and quiet - some are boisterous and gregarious. There is no one prototype milonguero. And as a tourista, how would I know a "real milonguero" from another 80+ year old dancer who started tango during the 90's and dances beautifully?  Now that I've danced with a dozen or so guys all fitting the description (old enough to have been dancing in the 40's and 50's) I'm very suspicious anytime someone says generically, "the milongueros do/don't [fill in the blank]." Maybe at that milonga, on that night, with that music, when he was in that mood, your milonguero did _______.  Maybe he does it (whatever it is) all the time....