Inside the Embrace

Index of Archived Topics
 

Videos de Milongas, Buenos Aires
2 February 2012 — Stephen Brown

Carlos Neuman records social dancing and performances at milongas in Buenos Aires and posts the videos online at milongasbuenosaires.blogspot.com.
 

Andrea Missé
2 January 2012 — Stephen and Susan Brown

Sad news.  The tango world lost one of its finest people today when Andrea Missé died in an automobile accident on a two-lane highway in Argentina.  A guest in our home and one of our teachers, we will always remember Andrea for her artistry and the many dimensions of her spirit.
 
 
 

Technique
16 December 2011 — Stephen Brown

"Technique is necessary to start with, but it is also necessary at some stage for the technique to fall away."  Chögyam Trungpa
 

Without the Music
8 December 2011 — Stephen Brown

"Without the music there is no dance, no tango, no teacher, no student.  A true teacher can only transmit the teaching the music has left him."  Tete (Pedro Rusconi)
 

Awaken
6 November 2011 — Stephen Brown

"Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart.  Those who look outside, dream.  Those who look inside, awaken."  Carl Gustav Jung
 

Gloria y Eduardo: 50 Años con el Tango
3 July 2011 — Stephen Brown

Always considered among the best dancers of their generation, Gloria and Eduardo are celebrating more than 50 years in tango.  Marking the beginning of their careers in 1960, Gloria and Eduardo performed throughout the world; appeared as featured dancers with the Francisco Canaro, Osvaldo Fresedo and Florindo Sassone orchestras; appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show; and were among the original cast members of the now legendary stage show Tango Argentino.  They always maintained their social dance skills and are among the renowned teachers in tango's revival in the 1990s.

Their website, gloriayeduardo.com, contains many fantastic images from throughout their lengthy careers in tango.  To see their extensive collection of photographs, notices and other images, go to their website, gloriayeduardo.com, then click on Fotos.  The first set of images, Galeria 1, will begin showing automatically.  To see the second set of images, select Galeria 2.  It also shows automatically.
 

Mastering Technique
15 June 2011 — Stephen Brown

"The only reason for mastering technique is to make sure the body does not prevent the soul from expressing itself."  La Meri
 

Tradition
30 May 2011 — Stephen Brown

"Tradition is not the glorification of the ashes but the passing on of the fire."  Gustav Mahler
 

Buying Tango Shoes in Buenos Aires
30 May 2011 — Stephen Brown

For tango dancers visiting Buenos Aires, buying new tango shoes is often a must.  My updated list of the stores in Buenos Aires that specialize in tango shoes is available at Where to Buy Tango Shoes in Buenos Aires.
 

Myths About Dancing Tango
1 May 2011 — Stephen Brown

Over at Tango and Chaos, Rick McGarrey considers three myths about tango he wishes would go away.

Myth 1: "If it's crowded I dance milonguero style tango, but later in the evening, I like to dance other styles."

Rick: "I don't know any social dancers who wait for the floor to clear so they can dance some other kind of tango.  I've never seen it happen in Buenos Aires.  I also don't know any good social dancers who say they dance 'milonguero style tango'—or, for that matter, who say they dance any 'style' of tango."

Myth 2: "We dance alternative tango in a milonga with no problems.  We control our dancing, and when there's space, we get more creative."

Rick: "Translation: 'If I didn't kick you, I didn't bother you.'  This is the rationale of people who do what they want in milongas.  They may not bother anyone when it's early and there's no one on the floor, but as it begins to get more crowded, whether they know it or not, they do bother other dancers.  As far as academic dancing being more creative, I've heard this argument—but to me, it looks mostly like choreography from workshops."

Myth 3: "There is no room in tango for prejudice, discrimination, or closed minds.  Milongas should be open to everyone."

Rick: "Prejudice and discrimination apply to things like race and religion—not to the way someone decides to dance.  You can't go into a chess club and insist on playing dominoes.  And a beginning basketball player can't expect to walk into a gym and join a pick-up game with college and pro level players.  To dance in a milonga you need a certain level of competence, and you need to respect the codigos."

The Continuing Conflict Over Tango Styles
17 April 2011 — Stephen Brown

In the late 1800s and early 1900s tango split into two styles.  One style, known as "tango liso" was danced in tango salons (indoors).  Limited by space, tango liso was characterized by care to follow the line of dance, smooth movements, a lack of double-time steps and the use of relatively simple elements that would not disrupt the line of dance.  The other style, known as "tango orillero" was danced in the streets of poor outlying tenements in Buenos Aires.  Not confined by space, orillero was a rougher style with more highly rhythmic movements that did not show respect for a line of dance.

Although the two styles had similar origins in canyengue, the class distinctions between the styles created rivalry.  Because tango had its origins in working class neighborhoods and orillero seemed closer to canyengue, the more refined tango liso was denounced by some as inauthentic.  In return, tango orillero was dismissed as only suitable for individuals of dubious backgrounds.

By the 1940s and early 50s, tango had evolved into a multiplicity of styles.  Tango liso gradually evolved into what many now call estilo Villa Urquiza, a name that reflects its onetime prominence in a northern neighborhood of Buenos Aires known as Villa Urquiza.  It was also likely that the Villa Urquiza style was known as "tango de salon" at one time.  Such a name would recognize that the style was danced in most of the salons throughout Buenos Aires, and it would distinguish the style from orillero, which evolved in the streets.

Orillero-style dancers gradually moved from the streets to small indoor clubs.  They took their rhythmic sensibilities with them, but modified the dance to fit smaller spaces.  As a result, the club and milonguero styles of tango emerged.  The club and milonguero styles are substantially similar to each other, mostly reflecting a continuum of personal differences, with club-style tango sharing some of the characteristics of the Villa Urquiza style of tango.  (See Styles of Argentine Tango.)

Although the Villa Urquiza, club and milonguero styles of tango were all eventually recognized as tango de salon, the rivalry between styles remained.  Refined women refused to dance in the neighborhood clubs where club or milonguero styles of tango were danced, or even to use the double-time steps that characterizes the two styles.  Those dancing club and milonguero tango saw themselves as dancing a style of tango that had a straight-line history to the origins of tango without the contamination of middle-class pretensions.

In the late 1940s and early 50s, some of the better dancers of estilo Villa Urquiza also began to develop their skills for tango exhibitions.  In doing so, they created tango fantasia, a style that builds on estilo Villa Urquiza but uses embellishments more extensively and adds dramatic poses, ganchos and high boleos, all of which have their roots in some part of tango's history.  The creation of tango stage productions led to the development of tango escenario, which integrated fantasia with elements from ballet and other dance forms.

Tango was mostly dormant from the late 1950s through the mid-1980s.  The tango salons were closed, and the Villa Urquiza style that may have once dominated tango in Buenos Aires was danced mostly by older couples at family gatherings.  Some milongueros continued to dance club and milonguero style tango at clubs de barrios, but the Argentine government cracked down on the milonguero life style.  Tango stage shows continued to be produced with fantasia as the dominant form in the more authentic shows.

The stage show Tango Argentino created a revival of interest in tango in the late 1980s and early 1990s, first in Europe and then North America.  An enthralled public wanted to learn what they saw in Tango Argentino, which was mostly fantasia.  The stage dancers, many of whom had limited backgrounds in the social forms of tango, began teaching what they knew to dancers in Europe and North America, mostly as memorized figures.

Perhaps trying to emphasize the refined social roots of their dance, the Argentine stage dancers frequently identified what they taught as tango de salon, which was translated to salon-style tango in English.  This identification created confusion in many tango communities where the term salon-style tango became most closely associated with fantasia and to some extent Villa Urquiza.  In Buenos Aires, tango de salon remained associated with all social styles of tango dancing.  The common style shared by the two different labels was estilo Villa Urquiza, once the dominant form of tango in Buenos Aires.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, milongueros who specialized in the club and milonguero styles of tango reemerged from the clubs de barrio.  At the same time, many foreigners began visiting Buenos Aires to dance tango.  As the two styles met on crowded dance floors, serious conflicts arose.

The conflict between the salon-style tango danced by the foreigners and the tango de salon danced by the milongueros was to some extent practical.  The memorized figures with exhibition elements didn't work in crowded venues where the milongueros danced.  The densely packed floor demanded improvisational and navigational skills which the visitors lacked.  The conditions also required the use of only those dance elements that could be executed safely with others close by, which the visitors didn't understand.

The conflict also had its roots in the social split that occurred in tango's early years.  The origin of the milonguero/club style was in orillero, while the origin of the style danced by most foreigners was in tango liso.  Many milongueros denounced what the foreigners called salon-style tango as inauthentic stage tango that was poorly danced and unsuitable for use in crowded milongas.

As tango's popularity grew, a new round of teachers emerged in the mid-1990s and early 2000s who taught tango in the styles of the milongueros.  The emergence of this group of teachers created a practical and philosophical split in many tango communities.  The milonguero-style instructors emphasized learning tango in small rhythmic elements that could be combined improvisationally.  The salon-style instructors emphasized refined movements and memorized figures.

Nuevo tango also emerged in the 1990s.  As it was originally conceived, nuevo tango was largely a pedagogic approach to tango that emphasized a structural analysis of the Villa Urquiza, fantasia and orillero styles of tango through which the connections between tango's elements could be explored and new combinations and step patterns could be found.  Some of the dancers exploring tango's possibilities gradually developed nuevo tango into a style that is danced in an open, loose or elastic embrace with a very upright posture and a great emphasis on the dancers maintaining their own axes.  Although the vocabulary was strictly tango, some of the combinations were fresh and unusual.

By the early 2000s, tango seemed to be splitting into three distinct styles that were very different when taken to their extremes.  These styles included a milonguero/club style that emphasized a close embrace, small rhythmic movements and improvisation; a fantasia-centered style, mostly known as salon-style tango outside Buenos Aires, that emphasized quality of movement and was frequently taught as memorized figures; and a nuevo style that often employed a loose embrace and emphasized the exploration of movements through the development of a structural understanding of tango's possibilities.  Although each of the styles draws deeply on tango's history, practical and philosophical conflicts emerged as each style was taken to its extreme.  (See Taking Tango Styles to Extremes.)

Aside from polarizing comments made by the adherents in each of the three stylistic groups, several other factors have added to the appearance that tango has broken into three distinct styles.  Estilo Villa Urquiza, which links the various styles through it commonalities, never recovered from tango's dormancy to regain the prominence it enjoyed in the 1940s and early 50s.  Other styles eclipsed Villa Urquiza, and it began to disappear as an older generation of porteños died.  As a result, many dancers have difficulty seeing how the diverging styles are part of tango's whole.

In addition, the differing methods for teaching each of the styles has accentuated the differences between the styles.  The many dancers whose learning is incomplete within each style have substantially different limitations in their dancing, and those limitations have been interpreted as part of each style.  Incomplete learning in milonguero/club tango typically results in dancers who plod along to the music without much quality of movement, sense of form or inventiveness.  Incomplete learning in salon-style tango typically results in dancers who execute memorized patterns without rhythm or the ability to navigate.  Incomplete learning in the nuevo style typically results in dancers who spin out of control without much rhythm as they explore tango's possibilities.  (See On Style and Styles (4), Incomplete Education and Approaches to Learning and Authenticity.)

The overall appearance in the tango world is of three seemingly conflicting styles of tango that are pulling apart because there is no central gravity strong enough to hold them together.

Carlos Gavito: I Wanted to Dance
28 August 2010 — Stephen Brown

Recently published by Abrazos Books, I Wanted to Dance is an account of the life of the late Carlos Gavito, whose personal journey took him around the world to more than 90 countries and led him back to his native Buenos Aires.  It is also the story of how he evolved from a rock 'n' roll dancer to tango dancer and teacher with a unique and personal style.

Originally written by Ricardo Plazaola, I Wanted to Dance is the English-language version of Yo Quería Bailar and was translated by Karen Simon, a Montreal/Buenos Aires translator and tango teacher.

For more information, see abrazosbooks.com
 

El Ultimo Bandoneón
7 August 2010 — Stephen Brown

Marina Gayotos makes a living playing the bandoneon on buses and at various pick-up gigs.  When she auditions for the tango master Rodolfo Mederos, he informs her that though she has talent, her bandoneón is too far gone to play.  But if she can find a better bandoneón, she can play in his tango orchestra.  This leads Marina to go on a quest for another instrument, one that takes her to instrument makers, dancers and an array of memorable characters from the tango world, all while searching for "the last bandoneón."

El Ultimo Bandoneón is an 80 minute film in Spanish with English subtitles that can be watched online.  It is part of Doc-Debut, a series on Link TV highlighting unique international documentary films.
 

Hit and Run Milonga Through Christo's Gates
28 February 2005 — Stephen Brown

The last day that Christo's Gates were to stand in Central Park (Sunday, February 27), New York City tango dancers met at Bethesda Fountain at 1 p.m. to hold a hit and run milonga through the Gates.  Festooned in shiny blue scarves, the dancers performed to recorded tango music played on a boom box and speakers pulled through the Gates on a small luggage cart.

One of the organizers, Lucille Krasne, offered the following guidelines for successful hit and run milongas: "free or cheap space, open to public, little or no red tape, interesting environment.  And run or tango away quickly when chased by cops."  Busted by a park ranger for playing amplified music sans permit, the milonga came to an end after about two hours of dancing, but not before everyone involved had a wonderful time.

On Tango-L, Jennifer Bratt wrote, "[The Gates] made the bleak winter landscape of Central Park come alive, not just with vibrant color, but with crowds and crowds of people from NYC and from all over the world.  The pathways were crowded with all sorts of characters (the least strange of which were the tango dancers with blue scarves); and everywhere total strangers were talking to each other about the Gates, the sunny day, whatever."  To more see pictures of the hit and run milonga, see Jennifer Bratt's webpage Tango through Christo's GATES in Central Park, NYC.
 

2012 Archive
    Videos de Milongas, Buenos Aires, 2 February 2012
    Andrea Missé, 2 January 2012

2011 Archive
    Technique, 16 December 2011
    Without the Music, 8 December 2011
    Let's Step on the Ground, 7 December 2011
    Awaken, 6 November 2011
    Proof, 7 October 2011
    Gloria y Eduardo: 50 Años con el Tango, 3 July 2011
    Mastering Technique, 15 June 2011
    Tradition, 30 May 2011
    Buying Tango Shoes in Buenos Aires, 30 May 2011
    Tango de Salon or Tango Milonguero?, 29 May 2011
    Myths About Dancing Tango, 1 May 2011
    The Continuing Conflict Over Tango Styles, 17 April 2011
    Nuevo Milonguero, 13 April 2011
    The Dancer's Expression, 9 March 2011
    Happy New Year, 1 January 2011

2010 Archive
    Carlos Gavito: I Wanted to Dance, 28 August 2010
    El Ultimo Bandoneón, 7 August 2010
    Viva Las Vegas, 26 July 2010
    Principles, Not Rules, 25 April 2010
    TangoZapa, 1 January 2010

2009 Archive
    Pursuing Happiness, 28 December 2009
    Improvising, 28 December 2009
    The Commonplace and the Remarkable, 28 December 2009
    Keeping It in Neutral, 20 April 2009

2008 Archive
    How We Are Together, 7 November 2008
    Egotism or Cluelessness?, 26 October 2008
    Wanting What You Want, 26 October 2008
    Unskilled and Unaware, 4 October 2008
    Who Holds the Key?, 7 September 2008
    Remembering, 2 September 2008
    Professionalism and Creativity, 1 September 2008
    Chasing the Steps, 18 May 2008
    Everyday Goals, 8 May 2008
    So Much More, 6 May 2008
    Taking Control of One's Own Development, 2 May 2008
    Some Thoughts about Leading, 30 April 2008
    Gender Imbalance in Tango, 24 April 2008
    It Takes Two Minds to Tango, 23 April 2008
    Being Original, 22 April 2008
    Exploring Movement, 22 April 2008
    Kinesthetic Sense, 21 April 2008
    Troileana, 14 April 2008
    Close-Embrace-Style Tango at a Crossroads?, 12 April 2008
    On Style and Nuevo Tango, 4 April 2008
    Seduced by Tango, 25 March 2008
    Argentine Nights, 18 March 2008
    Improvising, 7 March 2008
    To Dance Tango, 21 February 2008
    Why He Did It, 06 February 2008

2007 Archive
    Blogging: Truth or Truthiness?, 26 November 2007
    What Is a Master?, 17 November 2007
    Orquesta Color Tango in Dallas (2), 2 October 2007
    Orquesta Color Tango in Dallas, 20 September 2007
    All Things, 24 August 2007
    Staying Alive, 23 August 2007
    Education, 22 August 2007
    Finding Our Own Tango, 6 August 2007
    Tango Is Simple, 1 August 2007
    Who We Were Meant To Be, 1 August 2007
    The Woman's Role in Tango (2), 1 August 2007
    On Perfection and Heaven, 31 July 2007
    Practicing for Effective Dancing, 31 July 2007
    The Woman's Role in Tango, 26 July 2007
    The Embrace and Tango, 24 July 2007
    Open or Close Embrace?, 24 July 2007
    Tango Festivals and Approaches to Learning, 23 July 2007
    Learning the Structure of Tango, 23 July 2007
    The Structure of Tango, 20 July 2007
    Approaches to Learning and Authenticity, 19 July 2007
    Authenticity, 19 July 2007
    StepMeisters Abound, 16 July 2007
    Invierno Porteño, 5 June 2007
    Tamango on YouTube, 26 February 2007
    Otoño Porteño, 12 February 2007
    Where to Buy Tango Shoes in Buenos Aires, 12, February 2007
    Illegal File Sharing Doesn't Affect CD Sales, 12, February 2007
    The Greatest Ideas, 25 January 2007
    Headlines and the Human Body, 24 January 2007

2006 Archive
    On Differing Styles and Overtraining, 17 November 2006
    Changes in the Tango Scene, 9 November 2006
    Bridge to the Tango Videos To Be Discontinued, 6 November 2006
    What the Bleep is Tango?, 9 October 2006
    An Interview with Roberto Alvarez of Color Tango, 8 September 2006
    Dancing, 31 August 2006
    Argentine Tango: The Way You Dance It, 16 June 2006
    Finding Self-Expression and Freedom in Argentine Tango, 16 June 2006
    North American Tango Festival Update, 14 June 2006
    Evolution, 8 June 2006
    Becoming an Expert, 6 March 2006
    Destiny, 14 February, 2006
    Knowledge and Wisdom, 1 February 2006
    Tango Workers or Dancers?, 10 January 2006
    North American Tango Festival Update, 1 January 2006

2005 Archive
    Are Disagreeable People Entertaining?, 30 December 2005
    Will Your Dreams Come True in Buenos Aires?, 21 December 2005
    North American Tango Festival Update, 1 December 2005
    Dancing Tango Boosts Brain Function, 21 November 2005
    Familiarity Breeds Comfort, 21 November 2005
    The Music Is Essential 21 November 2005
    Dancing to the Classics, 21 November 2005
    Is Argentine Tango Changing?, 21 November 2005
    The Joys of Simple Tango, 9 November 2005
    Finding the Best Style of Tango, 2 November 2005
    North American Tango Festival Update, 1 September 2005
    Developing Skills for Social Dancing, 12 August 2005
    On Style and Styles (4), 12 August 2005
    The Dance, 10 August 2005
    On Style and Styles (3), 10 August 2005
    On Style and Styles (2), 9 August 2005
    On Style and Styles, 8 August 2005
    Seduction or Imposition? (3), 27 July 2005
    Seduction or Imposition? (2), 27 July 2005
    Seduction or Imposition?, 26 July 2005
    Hidden Tango Conversations, 25 July 2005
    Finding Connection (4), 25 July 2005
    Finding Connection (3), 22 July 2005
    Finding Connection (2), 22 July 2005
    Finding Connection, 21 July 2005
    Incomplete Education, 19 June 2005
    The Invitation to Dance in Buenos Aires, 11 May 2005
    Resolving Problems, 11 May 2005
    Tango to Evora (Alternative Tango), 19 April 2005
    Why We Dance Tango, 16 March 2005
    Hit and Run Milonga Through Christo's Gates, 28 February 2005
    Tango: The Spirit of Argentina, 25 February 2005
    Cultural Values and Styles of Argentine Tango, 20 February 2005
    Tango Is (Fill in the Blank), 10 February 2005
    Asfalto, 4 February 2005
    Roles and Relationships in Argentine Tango, 1 February 2005
    North American Tango Festival Season Underway, 31 January 2005
    Milongas in Buenos Aires Reopening, 28 January 2005
    Being A Follower on Axis in All Styles, 18 January 2005
    Dancing to the Music (4), 1 January 2005

2004 Archive
    Dancing to the Music (3), 30 December 2004
    Dancing to the Music (2), 20 December 2004
    Dancing to the Music, 17 November 2004
    El Arranque on Tango Fusion and Other Approaches, 10 November 2004
    A Tango Festival during Thanksgiving in Austin, TX, 27 October 2004
    Robert Duvall in Dallas, 27 October 2004
    How Am I Not Myself?, 26 October 2004
    Some Tango-Fusion Music to Consider, 12 October 2004
    Bravery, 17 September 2004
    Becoming a Good Tango Dancer (4), 9 September 2004
    Becoming a Good Tango Dancer (3), 8 September 2004
    Beginners Taught by Masters, 7 September 2004
    Some CDs for Learning About Tango Music, 23 August 2004
    La Yumba, 20 August 2004
    Argentine Tango Survey, 17 August 2004
    The Road Not Taken, 12 August 2004
    Becoming a Good Tango Dancer (2), 9 August 2004
    Becoming a Good Tango Dancer, 6 August 2004
    Excellent Teachers, 16 July 2004
    Art as an Expression of Oneself, 16 July 2004
    Tango Terminology, 15 July 2004
    What's New?, 22 June 2004
    To Embrace, 13 June 2004
    Shall We Dance?, 10 June 2004
    Denver TangoFest Recap, 9 June 2004
    Techno Tango, 3 June 2004
    Denver TangoFest Photos, 3 June 2004
    No Right or Wrong in Tango, 3 June 2004
    Stretching Exercises for Tango Dancers (2), 2 June 2004
    Intelligent Dancing, 2 June 2004
    Stretching Exercises for Tango Dancers, 1 June 2004
    Tango Takes to the Air in Colorado, 1 June 2004
    Leading and Following, 28 May 2004
    More on Dancing at Tango Festivals (3), 28 May 2004
    Tango Animation Online, 26 May 2004
    More on Dancing at Tango Festivals (2), 25 May 2004
    More on Dancing at Tango Festivals, 25 May 2004
    Inside the Dream: Celebrating Women Who Dance Tango, 24 May 2004
    Inside the Dream, 24 May 2004
    Dancing at Tango Festivals, 23 May 2004
    The Summer Tango Festival Season Is Upon Us, 23 May 2004
    The Best Teachers, 23 May 2004
    Cliquishness at Milongas, 19 May 2004
    Lao-Tzu on Leadership, 19 May 2004
    Teaching the Inner Essences of Tango, 18 May 2004
    What About Leading?, 18 May 2004
    The Gift of Tango, 17 May 2004
    Following Doesn't Describe the Role, 17 May 2004
    Why Biased Views Are Self Perpetuating, 15 May 2004
    Ultimate Partnering, 14 May 2004
    On Seeking Heaven Rather than Perfection, 14 May 2004
    American, Argentine and International Tango, 14 May 2004
    What Appeals to Today's Tango Dancer, 13 May 2004
    Dancing with Grace, 13 May 2004
    Yin and Yang of Tango, 13 May 2004
    Developing Ease, 13 May 2004
    Dancing in the Music, 13 May 2004
    Dancing on the Beat, 13 May 2004
    Open Architecture and Tango, 13 May 2004
    On Language and Tango, 13 May 2004
    Developing Mastery, 13 May 2004
    Developing Their Own Style, 13 May 2004
    A Tender Embrace, 13 May 2004
    Open Embrace, Soft Embrace, 12 May 2004
    Intensifying the Experience of Tango, 11 May 2004
    Why Goldern Age Music Still Dominates Milongas, 5 May 2004
    The Meeting of Two Personalities, 3 May 2004
    Approaches to Teaching and Learning Tango, 30 April 2004
    Taking Tango Styles to Extremes, 24 April 2004
    Rhuummmp and Ric Tic, 23 April 2004
    Dancing Tango in Tight Spaces, 13 April 2004
    Partitioning the Dance Floor to Accomodate Different Styles, 12 April 2004
    The Sweet Zone of Tango Rhapsody, 11 April 2004
    Nostalgia for the Bohemian Ideal, 6 April 2004
    Tango Chooses You, 5 April 2004