"Dancing tango with Rebecca in San Francisco feels a lot like this city--she's beautiful to look at, I fall into a fog when we take each other into our close embrace, and then the last notes of each song slowly jar me out of my trance just like the Sunday night foghorns in the Pacific that wake me from my dreams..."
Over the past year and a half the only thing that has boomed more in SF than the price of gas is tango. When I switched to tango a year & 9 months ago there were usually a couple of tango events going on each night. I just took a quick look at TangoMango.org & in the Bay area today there are twelve tango events (classes, practicas and milongas). This boom was very evident Friday night as the tango community descended upon the De Young Museum for a great milonga organized by Terence Clarke and Beatrice Bowles (great job, Terry, Bea and the De Young team!).
I was hoping there would be enough dancers there to give the milonga a party feel. I need not have worried--the De Young was packed! The dance floor felt more like bumper cars at times, but it was well worth it. Not only was the De Young packed with tango dancers, but our milonga turned into a live work of art as the museum-goers lined two and three deep to watch everyone tango. Even the main stair case was packed with kids and adults watching in fun. I finished one tango and a lovely couple came up to my partner and me and said "you both look so happy!". Well, that's because we were. We encouraged the couple to try a tango, but they just wanted to watch.
And then it was time for an excellent tango performance by Nora Dinzelbacher and Ed Neale. It was during their performance I realized that the milonga felt like we were living inside a never-ending Russian stacking doll (you know, one of those Babooshka nesting things) because there was one work of art inside another. Here we were in the incomparable San Francisco and inside her the green forests of the Golden Gate Park and inside her the shocking copper beauty of the De Young Museum and inside her our joyful milonga where Nora and Ed were tangoing passionately in front of Richter's wild piece, Strontium (seen in the photo above).
Strontium, by the way, is a chemical element that can be combustible. Pretty much sums up Friday's milonga at the De Young.
Part 1 from J.K. Rowling's Commencement Speech at Harvard (June, 2008):
Part 2:
Yes, this is a tango blog, but please indulge me today, since I feel compelled to confess my new crush on J.K. Rowling. So, can we just consider today's post a cortina?
Let me start at the beginning. My Mom had an exchange student (Chi Hai) from Beijing live with her for a year back in 1998 when he was in high school. He quickly became part of our family and we've become good friends with his parents, too. Well, Chi Hai just graduated from business school, so we all went to his graduation earlier this month at Harvard.
The commencement speaker this year was J.K. Rowling, the famed author of the Harry Potter books. When I heard she was going to be speaking I thought to myself "Well, this should be fun. She'll tell a lot of Harry Potter jokes, talk about her success and give us a few of her favorite 'life lessons learned', all of which will be forgotten by days end."
Not quite.
I sensed something was different about J.K. as I watched her facial expressions and body language while she was being introduced (I can use her first name, can't I, given that I have a crush on her or is that presumptious?). She seemed genuinely nervous sitting there waiting her turn, but who wouldn't be given all eyes were on her and the pageantry of Harvard's graduation ceremonies. There were many men wearing top hats and tails, the school band came marching through playing joyfully, and school songs were sung. It was great fun for all of us in the audience. But now J.K. was supposed to stand up and say something memorable. Just as her introduction was nearly finished I caught another glimpse of J.K. and she looked anxious.
After Harvard's President (Drew Faust--a very impressive woman) finished introducing her, J.K. walked to the podium and said "The first thing I would like to say is 'thank you.' Not only has Harvard given me an extraordinary honour, but the weeks of fear and nausea I've experienced at the thought of giving this commencement address have made me lose weight. A win-win situation! Now all I have to do is take deep breaths, squint at the red banners and fool myself into believing I am at the world's best-educated Harry Potter convention." Her joke about 'fear and nausea" seemed quite sincere. And that was a very funny Harry Potter reference. I'm sure it's one of a dozen to come. So, now she'll start with the the predictable philosophy-lite given by most commencement speakers, right?
Wrong.
J.K. followed with the bravest, most personal and memorable commencement speech I've ever heard. In fact, it was one of the best speeches I've heard in my life. Her intellect, sense of humor, modesty and humanity were all on full display.
J.K. talked about the importance of failure in life, relieving poverty and the need to improve human rights worldwide. But what made it so powerful was that she talked about her personal experience of growing up poor and being poor again after her divorce. She said she was 'as poor as it is possible to be in modern Britain, without being homeless.'
Likewise, when she spoke about improving human rights, she didn't do it with platitudes, but by describing some of the horrors she heard personally while working for Amnesty International.
And towards the end when she could have coasted home to an easy ending, she instead threw down the gauntlet towards all of us:
"The great majority of you belong to the world's only remaining superpower. The way you vote, the way you live, the way you protest, the pressure you bring to bear on your government, has an impact way beyond your borders. That is your privilege, and your burden. If you choose to use your status and influence to raise your voice on behalf of those who have no voice; if you choose to identify not only with the powerful, but with the powerless; if you retain the ability to imagine yourself into the lives of those who do not have your advantages, then it will not only be your proud families who celebrate your existence, but thousands and millions of people whose reality you have helped transform for the better. We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imagine better."
The lioness finished and sat down to one of the longest standing ovations I've ever seen, all of which she received with great modesty, even surprise. But so often it's that way, isn't it? The brave don't realize they're being brave because they're just being who they are. All of which made J.K. even more irresistable and explains my crush.
I'm often wrong, but never in doubt. But I can't remember being more wrong about a person in the past five years. I don't know who her husband is, but he's a lucky man. And we were all lucky to hear J.K. speak for twenty shining minutes.
Guys, let's face it, we've got it good in the Bay area when it comes to tango. Most milongas we go to have more women than men, so it's easy for us to almost always have someone to dance with. And we're also lucky in that women here often ask us to dance, so an evening of tango can fly by for men with barely a break.
Many women have equally busy nights. But, unfortunately, sometimes some women don't and they might only have a couple of tandas (or, tango gods forbid--none). It's this situation I want to talk about.
To put it straight out there, men, if we see women sitting out tanda after tanda, we should make a point of asking them to dance. I've been as guilty of this as anyone--not really paying attention if certain women weren't being asked to dance because I was too wrapped up in my own tandas. At other times I've assumed that sooner or later a man would ask her to dance, only to realize later that wasn't happening.
Most men have been on the other side of this at times. I know I have and it's not fun. I did my undergrad at the University of Florida and our ratio was 52% men/48% women. As a result, it was tough at times getting dates (sure, some said it had to do with trivial factors like personality, but I found it so much easier to just blame it all on the bad ratio). And proof of that came for me the first time I spent the weekend at FSU for a football game. The ratio at FSU was the reverse--so there were 52% women. I still remember my shock when a woman come up to me at a bar and asked if she could buy me a drink. In all my years at UF that had never happened to me. I was so certain one of my friends put her up to it that I kept looking around the bar for one of my laughing friends.
But I digress.
The point I'm trying to make is how much I like it when women buy me drinks. No, no, sorry--lost my train of thought there. The point I'm trying to make is that ratios matter in life and in the Bay area tango scene that's particularly true.
So, guys, next time you see a woman sitting out numerous tandas, please ask her to dance. It's always fun making new friends and it makes milongas even better when everyone is tangoing. There are few downsides to tango, but not getting to tango much at a milonga is one of the biggest. And as many women friends have told me, all it takes is one or two good tandas to turn an average evening into a really fun one.
I am posing in this photo with Cheryl Burke from "Dancing With The Stars" because (see answer under my name): A. We just won the American Nationals for Argentine Tango B. Cheryl just accepted my marriage proposal C. I wasn't actually in this photo with Cheryl--I Photoshopped her in D. None of the above. I took Cheryl's first dance lesson at her club and had my photo taken with her for fun (BTW, she gave a great class & was very nice) Abrazos, Mark Answer: Obviously, D
Men, I implore you--learn from my mistakes and do not give women unsolicited advice, tips, or constructive criticism at milongas. Ever. Back before I switched to tango I used to give feedback to women often when I was at salsa clubs until finally one night my dance partner said to me "Mark, I just want to have fun. Can we just dance?"
I quickly recovered from her comment (it didn't take me more than 3 months). As difficult as it was to hear this, I knew instantly she was right. People go to dance to have fun, not be criticized by others. So, I stopped giving feedback to women that night and I've never done so at milongas. It's made milongas so much more enjoyable for my partners and me. Most of us want to get better at tango, but that's why we take classes, go to practicas & take privates. We don't go to milongas to get unsolicited feedback from other people. In fact, it's rude to do so. I've spoken to my female friends about this a lot and they rarely, if ever, ask for feedback. So, the vast majority of time men are simply offering it up on their own.
Why do men do this? In a phrase, it feels good.
It feels good to be the "expert", to "impart" one's knowledge to another person.
Why don't women like to hear the unsolicited feedback? It's for the same reason men don't like to hear "constructive criticism." In a phrase, it doesn't feel good!
Now, men, if you're raising objections at this point against my argument, then that probably means you give unsolicited feedback thinking it's wanted.
Trust me, it's not.
I was at a milonga this week and one guy gave feedback to every woman I saw him dance with. I could hear his pedantic style at one point because he finished a tanda next to my table. I was amazed by his partner's patience. He kept badgering her until she finally excused herself and walked away. The crazy thing is that of all the women I saw him dance with, most of them had better technique than the guy!
If you want to focus on improving tango, focus on your own--not others.
And if you want to make someone feel good, don't focus on yourself, but focus on your partner. Compliment her on one of her tango strengths. I've danced with countless women now and every single one, including absolute beginners, has at least 2 or 3 obvious strengths (connection, musicality, elegance, body movement, technique...). I'm definitely not suggesting you say anything gratuitous. But, men, if you feel an uncontrollable urge to give unsolicited feedback, don't point out one of her areas for improvement. Mention some of her true strengths, instead.
So sorry, friends, that I haven't posted in awhile.
I've been swamped launching a new website at work & traveling (graduations & baby showers). But I do have some tales to start telling this week about tango, the greatest soccer goal of my life, and the woman I have a crush on (hint: Harry Potter's creator).
Thank you, though, for your polite emails ranging from "So, got any posts in the works?" to "What the hell, Mark?!?"
I'm very happy to say that I just received Laila's Part 2. Take it away Laila...
Tango Fever, Part 2 From Laila
"The following Saturday morning, I enrolled in my first tango lesson.
The instructor, Nora Dinzelbacher, whose striking beauty was enhanced by glistening, long black hair, welcomed me to class. “First you must learn how to walk,” she told the class. Walk? I can do that. As Nora moved gracefully and with determination across the classroom dance floor, I attempted to model her. However, I soon realized that my walking was completely wrong and so were my shoes, which were flat and didn’t give me enough support in a forward lean. To walk properly in tango, one must stand tall, thrust the chest slightly forward, pull the hips and buttocks up and then push them out a bit and walk with the knees touching each other before each forward or backward step, as if they were fastened together with elastic bands.
So many challenges confronted me at once: standing, then walking correctly, dancing with my chest leaning forward and walking backwards in a straight line in high heels. Then I needed to learn how to dance with a partner - “breast to chest,” forming an A-frame so we could walk without knocking each others’ knees or kicking each other. With my torso pressed against my partner’s, often someone whose name I didn’t even know, I felt awkward, but sometimes comfortable, if the man and I had a good person-to-person and dance connection. When Nora reminded the men to tighten their embrace with their partners, it would cause some nervous giggling among some of the newcomers. Hands on hips, Nora would respond: “Don’t you like to embrace? Why do you think we Argentineans invented the tango?” Yes, I do like to be embraced. I do. I do.
To cope with the intricacies of learning the tango, I have adopted beginner’s mind. I have learned how to walk – and its importance. Oscar Mandagaran, a great tango dancer and instructor, explained that “When one man wants to compliment another man on his dancing, he says, ‘He walks well!”
After many months of listening to and dancing tango, I was bitten by the tango bug. For those of you unfamiliar with this condition, the melancholic chords of the bandoneon pierce the skin ever so gently, enter the bloodstream and then slowly, steadily seep into the heart where they make a home. When one person dances with another who has also been stung by this musical critter, the result can be a delightful affliction. Several years later, I now enjoy moving in a close embrace, especially if my partner took a shower and didn’t consume too much garlic prior to the milonga. And I’m more confident doing figures such as ochos, molinetes and ganchos without putting him “out of commission.” My initial awkwardness has evolved into some level of confidence and has rewarded me with an abundance of joy. When my partner and I dance as one to the music and I feel his perspiration on my cheek and his heartbeat, I know that there is a heaven after all.
A friend expressed surprise that I could not just pick up tango. “After all,” she said, “You’re a salsa dancer.” To that I replied, “Salsa is to tango what checkers is to chess; you don’t just learn the back and forth moves. You have to learn many facets and how they interconnect. And you need a lot of patience.” I could write so much more about my tango, but I hear the bandoneon calling and I feel a warm, inviting hand in mine – and a fever coming on."
Of all the things I love about tango, the most important for me is that I've been able to meet so many wonderful people. And out of all my new tango friends, one of the dearest to me is Laila. Laila and I have performed together (she's a much better dancer than me) and she's a joy to spend time with. So, I'm very happy Laila agreed to contribute to this tango blog to tell her story of how she came to tango.
Take it away Laila...
Tango Fever, Part One From Laila
"Finally, I can walk. I thought I could learn to walk correctly in just a few lessons. Then I realized it would take many more than that. Several years later, I’m able to walk like a tanguera, a tango dancer. And since I can walk like a tanguera, I should be able to dance like one. After all, tango is simply “walking to the music.” However, I discovered that the path from walking to tangoing is extensive, fraught with bumps and twists and tangles, challenges I gladly took on because of the flame that touched me one night at the theater.
The spark for my love affair with Argentine tango began several years ago. As a salsera and aficionada of Afro-Cuban dance music for many years, I thought no other musical genre could move me with such passion. But I began to hunger for something more – not to replace salsa but to add another musical genre to my dance palate. When I heard that Argentine tango was, like salsa, hot and spicy, I bought a ticket for Luis Brava’s theatrical production, Tango Argentino, when it toured San Francisco in the 1980’s. So riveting was the first dance number that I left my seat and watched the rest of the show standing in the wings. The steamy connections between the men and the women and their fiery, passionate moves mesmerized me. I was puzzled by the intricacies of the steps, danced to the complex sounds of two great Argentinean masters - Osvaldo Pugliese and Astor Piazzola, among others. How could a dancer, with her torso flush against her partner’s, kick her right leg back and up high, as if she were striking a match between her partner’s legs – right on beat with the music? How could a lead dancer lift his partner chest high and swing her over one of his legs where she would land and melt into a backbend over one of his thighs? The flames these tangueros generated permeated the theater. My dancing spirit lept onto the stage and joined the other dancers until the final chord of the bandoneon sounded. I left the theater artistically fulfilled -and hungry to learn to dance Argentine tango, which I thought as feasible as dancing salsa with Antonio Banderas on the moon.
Several years later, I saw The Tango Lesson, an independent film by Sally Potter, about a middle-aged, English woman and her interest in learning to dance the tango. Her success inspired this mid-life woman to start my tango quest. The very next afternoon, the man in line in front of me at the grocery store was wearing a Tango Argentino T-shirt and spoke English with an Italian-Spanish accent. Argentinean, I presumed. “Yes, I study tango with Nora at the Mission Cultural Center,” he told me.
The following Saturday morning, I enrolled in my first tango lesson."
Dear Tango Sisters and Brothers, I'm so sorry I got behind in responding to your awesome comments you've posted on this tango blog recently. I read every tango comment you make and was just waiting to find the time to respond.
Well, I'm finally caught up! I just spent the last 3 hours responding to every one of your comments.
If I inadvertently missed anyone, please let me know & I'll respond asap.
Lastly, I wanted to say how insightful/funny/poetic I find your comments. A number of you already have your own great tango blogs. But for those of you that don't, please start one!
Your tango voices are important & the more people we have blogging about tango, the more people we'll bring into our great passion, the more new friends we'll make, the more partners we'll have to dance with...
I'm taking the liberty tonight of posting a great comment that Ana de San Francisco left recently. She's got some great information below about Jennifer Bratt's new boutique and Ana's favorite tango shoe stores in Buenos Aires, etc.
So, thanks so much Ana for posting this comment! She gives some great insight & tips below, so take it away, Ana:
"Jennifer Bratt now has a Comme Il Faut boutique at her & Ney's http://www.tangovida.com/ studio on Russian Hill here in SF.
As for me, my new favorite is Lolo Gerard (on Anchorena 607 in BsAs). The quality of their materials, construction and design are outstanding, and they have plenty for the guys too.
Another favorite is P.H. (on Grito De Ascencio 3602 in BsAs). Their designs are becoming more fashion forward and they now have spikey stilettos a la CIF, but with a more traditional design, so more supportive than a strappy sandal, but you still get a very nice arch and a lot of footbed padding, typical of P.H.
And for the record I have 2 pairs of CIF, and 0 NeoTango...but many, many other pairs from others (Lolo Gerard, PH, Artesanal, Tango8, Victorio)...The thing with shoes is that everyone's feet is different, and so everyone will have a different opinion on which shoes are "best" -- and even that is subjective with more people giving weight to fit, style, stability, etc., and all colored with the dancer's own experience and skill level. So ... bottom line... to each his/her own...
As for CIFs, no doubt about it they are among the most beautiful shoes I own, but I rarely wear them because I have other shoes that are more comfortable and equally or more beautiful."
So, I'm sitting by myself waiting for the pre-milonga tango lesson to begin. There are 2 guys to my left & 2 women to my right--I don't know any of them. I knew men talked this way because it's the same type of conversation I have every week with my brother, Dad, & every other guy I can talk sports to.
But who knew women talked this way? (my internal dialogue is in parenthesis).
Dude 1: "Did you see LeBron last night?" Dude 2: "He was on fire!" (I'm a Celtics fan, but even I have to admit that's true)
Damn Sexy 1: "So, how's your week been?" Damn Sexy 2: "Ok, I went to dinner with Chris" (not his real name; cool--a peak into the unreadable mind of a woman coming up)
Dude 1: "Damn, 45 points in Boston & they still lose" Dude 2: "Yeah, but he can't carry the whole team by himself" (good point)
Damn Sexy 1: "Yeah, how'd that go?" Damn Sexy 2: "It was fine, the restaurant was good & he kissed me goodnight" (...and you would tell your girlfriend this because...?)
Dude 1: "That's true--I'm just saying if he had a little help they would've won that series" Dude 2: "But they wouldn't beat Detroit anyway" (this guy knows his basketball)
Damn Sexy 1: "Well, that's good, but you don't sound very excited." (I agree) Damn Sexy 2: "It's just that it was like a normal kiss. He didn't kiss me like he wanted to rip my clothes off" (Whoa! Do women really talk like this? I swear this was a quote. Obviously, she's saying she wanted him to kiss her like he was really passionate about her. When are they going to talk about last night's game?)
Dude 1: "You don't know that--they'd have a better chance than Boston" (b.s.) Dude 2: "That may be true, but I want to see Boston in the finals against L.A." (for sure)
Damn Sexy 1: "That's too bad. So, what are you going to do?" (this is starting to sound like a Venezuelan soap opera; not that I've ever seen one, but my Spanish teacher said they make Desparate Housewives look tame) Damn Sexy 2: "I don't know--he's a nice guy, but it's kind of like 'what's the point?'" (I resist the temptation to offer a solution, mainly because I don't have one)
Dude1: "How sweet would that be" Dude 2: "Real ol' school, minus Bird & Magic, but still awesome" (I'm dying to jump into this conversation, but the tango lesson is beginning)
Tonight we continue through the list of tango mistakes men make when leading and I don't know of any leader who has committed these sins more than me.
I was at a milonga recently enjoying a great tango with my partner when suddenly I felt a four inch heel land into my right heel. I bit my teeth in pain, turned around to see who had just fired their nail gun, but instead saw a petit milonguera. She immediately apologized and clearly felt terrible about the whole thing, but it wasn't her fault--she had no idea she was so close to me. Unfortunately, it happened because of her partner, since it's the leaders responsibility to keep her and everyone around them safe.
So, how did this happen?
Unfortunately, it was another example of a guy leading his partner like she's a bumper car.
From my experience, there are three types of leaders I see at milongas who lead their partner like this:
1. The "Tailgater": I'm sorry to say this is what I used to do because I would tail the couple ahead of me by too close of a margin. When I first started out I was so focused on trying to lead that I wouldn't notice how close I was getting to the couple in front of us. By combining my lack of awareness with some leaders who take steps backwards without knowing if someone is behind them, the only outcome was bumping into each other. Some of our brothers bounce around a milonga using his partner like she's a pinball in a machine. There are no points scored for leading one's partner into another couple, so please be aware of your space to avoid my mistakes.
2. The "Speed Racer": There's a guy I'm acquainted with whom I see at milongas. Good luck finding a nicer guy to talk to, but when he gets on to the dance floor he slices through crowds for no apparent reason. He flies through the crowds trying to squeeze through openings so small it reminds me of the motorcyclists here that drive on the white line through stopped traffic. Both seem to be racing, but to where?
3. The "Heel Spiker": This is the dangerous one of the three because at least the Tailgater is usually a guy leading a woman's back slowly into the back of another man or woman. But, unlike the Tailgater, the Heel Spiker is normally led quickly into another couple without warning. It's the surprise element that normally leads to the spiking.
None of these examples are the followers fault although, ironically, it's normally the woman who apologizes. No, these bumps & spikes are the responsibility of the leader.
I know how hard it can be to pay attention to spacing on what are often crowded floors--especially as a beginner. Please, brothers, avoid my earlier mistakes. Protect your follower and the other dancers around you by using the widest safety zone possible.
A slow week for me is when I only get in tango 3 times. A more normal week is 4 or 5 times a week.
But I used to go for tango even on nights when I was exhausted. So, how did that work out for me?...yeah, not too well. I finally stopped doing that when I was a beginner because I was so tired one night I was having trouble focusing.
My internal dialogue went something like this: "hmm, who can I tango with?; she looks nice & not too far above my level; great--she accepted; wow, she dances better than I realized; geez--she can really move her body; damn, she's sexy; ok, I've just repeated the only two moves I know eight times--what was that new one I just learned? was it a boleo to the right or left? I think it was to the right? no, it was to the left, or was that the gancho? why did everyone stop moving? or is a gancho that move I just learned or an Argentine cowboy? John Wayne--now there was a cowboy! Although Jimmy Stewart was better in "Destry Rides Again"; why are people walking off the floor?; I wonder who would've won in a fight between John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart? Yeah, sure the obvious choice is John Wayne, but I bet Jimmy Stewart would've kicked his ass. Hell, Stewart flew dangerous missions in World War II--now that was a guy with a backbone! it got real quiet in here all of a sudden; And that scene when Stewart danced into the pool with Donna Reed in "It's A Wonderful Life"--hilarious! I would've loved to have tangoed with Donna Reed. I wonder if she or Grace Kelly would've been a better tango dancer? Why is my partner is looking at me quizically? Damn it, the tango ended! How did I miss that? I've got to focus--no more drifting. 'Thanks for the dance--sorry I missed the ending'; ok, so Jimmy Stewart kicks John Wayne's ass, but would he have beaten Clint Eastwood? Clint was probably a faster draw, but if it's a barfight--I'd take Stewart again--he's just too fast; hmm, who can I dance with?; she looks nice and not too far above my level..."
Brothers, if you ever find yourself tangoing with a lovely woman and wondering if Jimmy Stewart would've kicked John Wayne's ass, it's time to go home.
And, yes, I committed this sin in my first year of tango, too. You know what it usually looks like--a guy is doing a fine job of leading his partner, nice salida, elegant backward ochos and then, bam!, he throws her like a ragdoll. She's jarred and continues with a look of dread; he's oblivious and continues with a look of anticipation planning his next big move.
Or so it normally goes. I was watching this very type of scene two Sundays ago--the guy wasn't being respectful of his partners body even though her discomfort was obvious. I honestly don't know if the guy had any idea how uncomfortable this was for her, but I had the feeling he didn't. Finally, he jarred her one too many times and she appropriately walked off the floor.
What an unfortunate and frustrating experience for her. She was there to have a great time and now she's having to worry for her safety and feeling the awkwardness of having to leave her partner on the dance floor. There were a lot of glancing looks as people tried figuring out what had just happened. Fortunately, I think the guy got it because during his next dance he didn't try any of his show moves and his boleos became more subtle.
Women, I will never try to excuse my own bad leading from the past (I'm sure many would question my use of the "past", but please throw me a bone). Nor will I try to excuse the lead of some of my brothers. But I will try to explain it.
Why do we sometimes lead moves as if our follow is a ragdoll?
Because too often we don't take enough classes to properly learn moves and we end up leading them badly. As a result of not having really learned the moves, we don't know strong our lead should be in the beginning.
When new leaders (and sometimes more experienced ones, too) start going to milongas, the confusion mounts because there's a lot to remember and we start hitting sensory overload (difficult dance to learn, sultry music, close embrace tangos, sexy women, great people, the chattering crowd, the flowing line of dance...). You add all this up and then combine it with the challenge of having to gauge how strong your lead should be for different moves and, unfortunately, most of us make mistakes in the beginning.
This is why, brothers, it's important when you're starting out to please practice your new moves in classes and practicas before surprising a women with them at a milonga. And if you're determined to try a new move, err on the side of leading the move too gently at first and only increase incrementally as necessary. What's the worst that can happen?...the move doesn't work, but at no risk to her. I can tell you it took me well over a year to get boleos down and I'm shocked now by how boleos are a simple transfer of weight. I lead them now with half the power, but they're twice as effective. Less is more.
So, brothers, lead her safely. If we're respectful of our partner, we'll have a new friend who will gladly dance with us at milongas for years to come. And what could be better than that?
Dear Friends, I'm sorry I wasn't able to post more recently, but over the past 2 weeks I've been swamped launching our new website at work (a few too many 1am calls to New Dehli) & I've had 3 tango performances with LiberTango.
Now I know what you're thinking: "But, Mark, I don't even go out tangoing until 1am, so, that's a lame excuse."
I'm fortunate to be on a tango performance team called LiberTango, led by the multi-talented Christy Cote and Darren Lees. Sunday night we performed at a Greek-American wedding at the beautiful Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Oakland Hills. I've performed about 25 times before (tango & salsa), but last night was my first time performing at a wedding.
It was great fun, mainly because there were a couple of hundred people there and, thankfully, they really got into the tango. The funny thing is we hung around after our tango performances to see if any folks at the reception needed any enouragment to dance to the band. That turned out to be completely unnecessary because Greek-Americans need about as much encouragement to dance as Latino's do. It was more of a sprint to see who could get to the dance floor first.
So, out of respect for the privacy of the families, I'm only posting a distant photo to give you a feeling for the room, which was great. We felt like we were tangoing inside a giant blue cumulus cloud. This photo was just before the band started playing & everyone packed the dance floor in two big circles for Greek dances. Awesome.
I can't remember the last time I saw people having so much fun at a wedding. God bless Greek-Americans.
Brothers, before I jump into today's blog, let me say that I've made every mistake in the tango book. So, when I offer feedback for us that I've heard from women, please don't think I'm saying I don't make the same mistakes--I've made them all.
Having said that, I have heard from women that they lose some of their tango love for us as leads when we think we're better than we really are and, as a result, try to lead moves at milongas that are above our heads.
Men, how do you know if you fall into this same category I was in for too long? Well, do you feel comfortable leading all of your steps? More importantly, when you're leading your more advanced steps does your partner have a look on her face of happiness or anxiety?
If she has a look of anxiety or frustration then you might need to bring some of your Forever Tango-inspired moves that you're doing at milongas back into practice sessions until your partner tells you they're ready for prime time. When I was in this same phase I was trying to squeeze every single one of my moves into every single tango--regardless of whether I knew how to lead them and ignoring the fact that some didn't fit the music. I was trying to create a great Argentinian guisos soup from my tango, but I kept dumping in too many half-baked ingredients so I ended up with my own "specialty"--an inedible tango broth that tasted more like a combination of Miso/pumpkin/chicken/beet & squid stew.
So, what did I do initially? The logical thing...I inwardly blamed my partners! Surely it wasn't my fault.
But try as I did, I still had this nagging suspicion that the problem was me, not her. Admitting that, though, was hard.
So, what was the tipping point for me when I finally realized it was me? It happened at a milonga at ODC one night. I'd seen a very nice senior woman tango before & was looking forward to dancing a full tanda with her. We started what I assumed would be the first of three or four tangos, but immediately after our first one ended she politely thanked me and walked away. "Hey!" I thought to myself as I watched her sit down, "I still have another 18 moves to show you!" And that was it--I knew then I had to change my ways. But how? Fortunately, I've had great teachers and when I asked them for how to improve my tango almost all of them basically said "less is more--don't try the advanced stuff at a milonga until you're sure you've got it down."
And so overnight I started leading moves that were half as difficult, but felt twice as fun for both my partner and me. The frustrated expressions of my partners slowly left. I started enjoying the basics more and my technique started progressing faster, too.
So, men--give it a try. Unless you're positive you've got all of your more advanced moves down, remove your most difficult 2 or 3 moves from your mental step list and don't break them out again until they're milonga-ready.
And if that doesn't work, then you can blame your partner!
That was a lame joke, obviously. Of all the possible explanations for our partners unhappy expressions, blaming our partner is the only thing that's never an option.
Recently I was in St Augustine, Florida visiting my Dad.
Funny thing about St. Augustine--great beaches, lousy tango.
At the end of my week there all I could think of was how strange it felt to not dance tango for 5 nights straight. My Dad's place is close to the beach, so instead of my flat in San Francisco where the fog rolls in from the Pacific, I smelled the salt drifting in from the Atlantic. After awhile I put on my iPod to listen to tango. I start to concentrate and finally I start to hear tango in the distance. I'm slowly drifting into a milonga. But wait-what's that noise? I've never heard that at a milonga. Maybe that's because my mental tanda is being crowded out by the croaking of American bullfrogs and the bellowing of the gators in the wetlands behind my Dad's place.
Yes, bellowing gators--as in the twelve footer in the pond behind my Dad's place.
I decide to try & find a milonga, so I get online. The closest tango is in Orlando--a good 2 hours away. I'm tempted, but is it worth the drive just to tango with Minnie Mouse? Not that I have anything against dancing with mice. Don't get me wrong because I'm not mousist--I'll tango with anyone or anything at this point. It's just that I've heard Minnie backleads.
I had a tango revelation at my last milonga. Our pre-milonga class ended & and for my first tanda I asked a stranger to tango. We took each other into a close embrace for 3 minutes and I realized how much I dislike the word "stranger" in tango. Why? Because synonyms for "strangers" ("foreigner, alien and outsider") are all words that describe exactly the opposite of how I felt during our tango.
Whether or not I've ever met a tanguera before isn't important. When I think of the tangueras I dance with, I think of "partner, cohort, compadre, crony, and my favorite--partner in crime."
I don't need to have met a tanguera before to already be connected to her through our shared passion for the world's most intimate dance.
Tonight at Cocomo's was very rich. We started off having an excellent class with Christy Cote & Darren Lees. They even performed afterwards! DJ Polo does a great job playing the music--he has a real talent for chosing creative tandas.
Please note that next Sunday is another milonga at Cocomos. The teachers will be Romina & Marcelo who are very smooth. Hope to see you there.
La Sonrisa del tango ("the smile of tango" in Spanish) is made up of those 3 neighborhoods in San Francisco where tango is so richly concentrated--the Mission, Portrero & SOMA. You can dance tango every night of the week in La Sonrisa at one of her 12 hotspots. And as you look at the map of these destinations you'll see it looks like a smile, which is where the name originated.
About Mark, Sappho and Victoria
Mark comes to Argentine tango after dancing salsa for six years and performing for three. So, he's coming from one highly passionate community into another. Mark performs tango in the SF Bay Area as a member of the LiberTango performance team, which is Directed by the fantastic Christy Cote and Darren Lees.
Sappho and Victoria, two wonderful tangueras, co-author this tango blog and have requested that their identities remain annonymous.
Please post a comment or send me an email. I'd love to hear from you: MarkAndersenSF [AT] gmail [DOT] com
If you have a tango confession, please add it in the "Comments" section under a post. But if you have any ideas on how to improve Confessions or if just want to say hello, I'd love to hear from you, so shoot me an email at: MarkAndersenSF [AT] gmail [DOT] com
Welcome Fellow Tango Fanatics!
Please post any tango confession you like as a comment...all I ask is that it be as supportive in spirit as you are of your partner when in your close embrace! And if you're here as a tango voyeur, that's great, too.
Dear Friends
I've been asked if I always reveal real names here. While every confession is true, some names have been changed to protect the sensuous.
Are you tangoing tonight? Check out this great calendar @ TangoMango.org
ACADEMIC BASIC: Another name for the 8-Count Basic, which is the the first figure usually taught to beginning students after the walking steps. See 8-Count Basic, Basico ABRAZO: The embrace; a hug; or dance position. ADELANTE: "Forward" ADORNO: Adornment; embellishment. See firulete AFICIONADO: An enthusiastic admirer or follower; a devotee or a fan of something, such as tango. AGUJAS: "Needles", An adornment for the man done with the working foot vertical with the toe into the floor while pivoting inside a molinete AL COSTADO: To the side. AMAGUE: a feint, an amague is used as an embellishment either led or done on one’s own, and may be used before taking a step APILADO STYLE: Piled on: As used in tango, the reference is to the way a jockey is "piled on" his horse, when racing—hugging the neck ARRASTRE: to drag (See Barrida) ARREPENTIDA: Repentant; To change one’s mind: A family of steps which allow a couple to back away from a collision or traffic jam in a minimal amount of space and on short notice. ATRAS: Backward BAILAR: To dance. BAILARIN: A professional or very accomplished dancer. BAILONGO: slang to describe a place where people dance, i.e. a milonga BALANCEO: A deep check and replace, See Cadencia BALDOSA: A walking box figure named after the black & white checkerboard tile floors which are common in Buenos Aires. See Cuadrado BARRIDA: A sweep; a sweeping motion: One partner’s foot sweeps the other’s foot and places it without losing contact. Barridas are done from either the outside or the inside of the foot of the receiving party. The technique is different for the inside and outside barridas. See Arrastre & Llevada BANDONEON: An accordion like musical instrument originally created to provide missionaries with portable pipe organ music for religious services in remote locales which has been adopted by tango musicians to create the mournful and soulful sound of modern tango music. BARRIO: A district or neighborhood BASICO: The basic pattern. There are several basic patterns, the most common of which is the 8-count basic BICICLETA: "Bicycle", A circular movement of the feet led by the man in the vertical plane with the couples feet pressed together as in a barrida BIEN PARADO: "Well stood" (literally), standing straight up. Elegantly and gallantly presented. See Pinta, Postura BOLEO: "To throw", a boleo may be executed either high or low. Keeping the knees together, with one leg back, swivel and return on the supporting leg with a whipping action of the working leg. Sometimes spelled Voleo. See Latigazo BRAZOS: "Arms" BUENOS AIRES (Bs As): tango mecca of the world CADENA: "The chain", an athletic and very theatrical turning figure which moves rapidly across the floor turning left or right, in which the couple alternate amagues (cuatros or ganchos). Another variation involves the man stepping outside left or right in crossed feet and leading the lady in a change of direction to keep her in front of him as he turns, alternately going around her and bringing her around him CADENCIA: A deep check and replace, usually led by the man as he steps forward left. Useful for avoiding collisions and making direction changes in small spaces. May also refer to a subtle shifting of weight from foot to foot in place and in time with the music done by the man before beginning a dance to give the lady the rhythm he intends to dance and to ensure that she will begin with him on the correct foot. See Balanceo CAIDA: Fall, A step in which the man steps backward, sinks on his supporting leg, and crosses his working leg in front without weight while leading the lady to step forward in outside position, sink on her supporting leg and cross her working leg behind without weight. Caida may be done to either side. CALESITA: Carousel; the merry-go-round: A figure in which the man places the lady on one foot with a lifting action of his frame and then dances around her while keeping her centered over, and pivoting on, her supporting leg CAMBIO: Change: as in cambio defrente, change of the front or face; or cambio parejas, change the couple (change partners) CAMINADA: The walking steps; a walking step. Caminando (Caminar) Valsiado — A crossing and walking step which the man initiates at 3 of the 8-count basic Caminar — To walk: The walk is similar to a natural walking step, but placing the ball of the foot first instead of the heel CANDOMBE: A type of dance originally danced by the descendants of slaves in the Rio de la Plata region and still performed in Montevideo, Uruguay. Music of African origin with a marked rhythm played on a "tamboril" (a kind of drum). It survives today as a rhythmic background to certain milongas, such as Azabache by Miguel Caló, Carnavalito by Lucio Demare, Estampa del 800 by Francisco Canaro and the very popular recordings by Juan Carlos Cacérès CANGREJO: The crab--A repetitive pattern of walking steps and or sacadas in which the man advances turned nearly sideways to his partner CANYENGUE: A very old style of tango from the 1900s to the 1940s. The music from this era had a faster or peppier 2/4 tempo so the dance had a rhythmic flavor similar to that of modern milonga. A very close embrace was used as well as some unique posture and footwork elements. The tango of the arrabal. Also see Stephen Brown's Styles of Argentine Tango CARANCANFUNFA: In the lingo of the compadritos, the dance of tango with interruptions (cortes) and also those who dance it that way in a very skillful manner CARICIAS: Caresses, A gentle stroking with the leg or shoe against some part of the partner's body. They can be subtle or extravagant. See adorno, firulete, & lustrada CAROUSEL: A term used for molinete con sacadas to the man’s left, the lady’s right, with ochos and or ocho cortado to exit CARPA: The tent, A figure created when the man leads the lady onto one foot as in, or at the end of, calesita and then steps back away from her, causing her to lean at an angle from her foot to his frame. See Inclinada, Puente CASTIGADA: "a punishment"--A lofting of the lady's working leg followed by flexing at the knee and caressing the working foot down the outside of the supporting leg. Often done as an adorno prior to stepping forward, as in parada or in ochos CHICHE: Small ornamental beats done around the supporting foot with the working foot in time with the music, either in front or in back as desired. See Adorno, Firulete CINTURA: Waist CLUB STYLE: See Milonguero Style. Also see Stephen Brown's Styles of Argentine Tango CODIGOS: "Codes", Refers to the codes of behavior and the techniques for finding a dance partner in the milongas in Buenos Aires. Civility, respectfulness, and consideration are the hallmark of the true and serious milonguero. See Cabeceo COLGADA: A spinning move executed by a couple at the end of an inside barrida in which both dancers lean out away from each other and spin rapidly until the man leads out with a back step COMPADRE: A responsible, brave, well behaved, and honorable man of the working class who dresses well and is very macho COMPADRITO: a hooligan; street punk; ruffian. They invented the tango COMPAS: Beat, as in the beat of the music. The walking count or impulse of each measure, the simplest element of each piece of music. See Ritmo CONFITERIA BAILABLE: A café-like establishment with a nice atmosphere where one can purchase refreshments and dance tango. A nice place to meet friends or a date for dancing. CONFITERIA STYLE: May refer to a smooth and simple Salon Style as in Tango Liso or to Milonguero Style CORRIDA: (also: corridita, a little run) from correr: to run. A short sequence of running steps CORRIDA GARABITO: A milonga step in which the couple alternately step through between each other, the man with his right leg and the lady mirroring with her left in espejo, then pivot to face each other as they step together. May be repeated as desired CORTE: Cut: In tango, corte means cutting the music either by syncopating, or by holding for several beats. May refer to a position in which the torso is erect over a flexed supporting leg with the working leg extended forward to a pointe with the knees together which the man assumes when touching the lady’s foot with his in parada. The lady moves to the same position from parada as the man closes over her working foot in mordida, and pivots on her supporting foot in this position whenever the man leads an outside barrida. May also refer to a variety of dramatic poses featuring erect posture, flexed supporting legs, and extended dance lines by both dancers, used as a finale. See Cuartas CORTINA: "Curtain", A brief musical interlude between tandas at a milonga CONTRAPASO: A step produced when you lock one foot behind the other. For instance right foot steps forward, left foot locks behind right. Now right foot steps forward again. This can be done in single or double time, in one instance or repetitively. Also see Rabona & Traspie CROSSED FEET: Occurs whenever the couple are stepping together on his and her right feet and then on his and her left feet, regardless of direction. The opposite of parallel feet CRUZADA: "to cross"; the cross: A cruzada occurs any time a foot is crossed in front of or in back of the other. The lady’s position at 5 of the 8-count basic. May also be called Trabada CUADRADO: A square; A box step: Used mostly in Milonga, Canyengue & Milonguero and Club-style tango. See Baldosa CUARTAS: "Poses", Dance lines struck and held as dramatic flourishes at the end of a song. Large dramatic ones are used for stage or fantasia dancing, smaller softer versions occasionally in Salon Style, and not used in Milonguero style at all. See Corte CUATRO: A figure created when the lady flicks her lower leg up the outside of the opposite leg, keeping her knees together, and briefly creating a numeral 4 in profile. This can be led with a sacada or with an arrested rotational lead like a boleo, or it can be used, at the lady’s discretion, in place of a gancho or as an adornment after a gancho. See Amague CUCHARITA: The spoon. A lifting of the lady’s foot with a gentle scooping motion by the man’s foot to the lady’s shoe, usually led during forward ochos to create a flicking motion of the lady’s leg CUERPO: "Body"; torso. A forward and backward rocking step done in time with the music and with or without chiches, which is useful for marking time or changing direction in a small space. This movement may be turned to the left or right, danced with either the left or right leg forward, and repeated as desired. See Hamaca CABECEO: traditional way to invite a woman to tango from a distance using eye contact & head movements CARICIAS ("caresses"): gentle rubs with the leg or shoe against your partner's body CLOSE EMBRACE: (a) most intimate way you can dance tango, (b) a hug with benefits CROSS SYSTEM: When a couple dance in an embrace facing each other, the man steps forward on his left, the lady steps backwards on her left foot, then the man steps forward on his right & the lady steps backwards on her right foot, regardless of direction. The opposite of parallel system. DEDO: Toe or finger DERECHA: Right (the opposite of left) DERECHO: Erect, straight, forward. See Postura DESPLAZAMIENTO: "Displacement", Displacing the partner’s leg or foot using one’s own leg or foot. See Sacada DI SARLI: a great tango composer known for his lush sounds & rhythms DIBUJO: "Drawing'; sketch: A dibujo is done by drawing circles or other small movements on the floor with one’s toe. See Firulete, Lapiz and Rulo 8-COUNT BASIC (Academic Basic) — The first figure usually taught to beginning students after the walking steps. See Basico. The 8-count basic includes elements which are used throughout the dance, although the complete figure itself is not much used for dancing socially. The name refers to counts in music, however, the man is not constrained to rigidly mark a step on each count or beat of the rhythm. He is free to hold or to syncopate, or cut the beat, as the music moves him or as space on the floor around him allows EJE: "Axis" or balance. See Postura Elevadas — Dancing without keeping the feet on the floor. This was the style before the turn of century when tango was danced on dirt surfaces in the patios of tenements, low-class taverns, and on the cobble stone streets. Once tango went uptown enough to actually be danced on floors (wood, tile, or marble) the dancers fell in love with the floor, thus we now refer to 'caressing the floor'. Characteristic of canyengue or orillero-style tango EMBUTIDO: "Filler" or inlay: a foot swinging behind other foot after an enrosque ENGANCHE: 'Hooking'; coupling; the little hook: Occurs when a partner wraps a leg around the other’s leg, or uses a foot to catch and hold the other’s foot or ankle ENROSQUE: to "coil" or twist: While the lady dances a molinete, the man pivots on his supporting foot, hooking or coiling the working leg behind or around in front of the supporting leg ENTRADA: "Entrance", Occurs when a dancer steps forward or otherwise enters the space between their partners legs without displacement ENTREGARME: "Surrender", To give oneself up to the leader’s lead ESPEJO: "Mirror", To mirror the movement of ones partner as in "ochos en espejo", a figure where the man and woman both do forward ochos at the same time FANFARRON: A rhythmic tapping or stomping of the foot in time with the music for dramatic and emotional effect. Boisterous behavior. See Golpecitos FIRULETE: An adornment; a decoration; an embellishment: Complicated or syncopated movements which the dancer uses to demonstrate their skill and to interpret the music. See Adorno and Lapiz FRENO: To stop and hold; brake Gancho — Hook: Occurs when a dancer hooks a leg sharply around and in contact with their partners leg by flexing the knee and releasing. May be performed to the inside or outside of either leg and by either partner GIRO: "Turn": A turning step or figure GOLPECITOS: Little toe taps: Rhythmic tapping done with a flat foot on the ball or underside of the toe as an adorno. See Fanfarron and Zapatazo GOLPES: Toe taps: With a tilted foot tap the floor with the toe and allow the lower leg to rebound keeping the knees together. See Picados and Punteo GUAPO: Handsome: A respectable and desirable man. A compadre HANANERA: A side-together stepping action entered with a side chassé, commonly used by the man as he leads backward ochos for the lady in crossed feet. An Afro-Cuban dance from the mid-19th century which contributed to tango HAMACA: Another term for Cunita INCLINADA: Tilt, tilting. See Carpa, Puente IZQUIERDA: Left (the opposite of right) JUNTA: "close", In Tango it is essential that the ankles and knees should come together or pass closely by each other between each step to create an elegant appearance, preserve balance, and to communicate clearly the completion of the step to one’s partner. This applies equally to the man and the lady. LAPIZ: "Pencil", Tracing of circular motions on the floor with the toe or inside edge of the working foot, while turning or waiting on the supporting foot. These may vary from small adornments done while marking time to large sweeping arcs which precede the lady as she moves around the man in molinete, Dibujo, Firulete and Rulo LATIGAZO: "Whipping", Describes a whipping action of the leg as in a boleo LATIGO: "The whip", also used to describe the whipping action of the leg in boleos to front or back, when led with energy and speed. See Latigazo and Boleo LENTO: "Slowly" LISO: Smooth, as in Tango Lisa, an early term for Tango de Salon LLEVADA: "to transport", a carry; to take with: Occurs when the man uses the upper thigh or foot to “carry” the lady’s leg to the next step. Barridas interspersed with walking steps in which the man takes the lady with him across the floor LUNFARDO: The Spanish/Italian slang of the Buenos Aires underworld which is common in tango lyrics and terminology LUSTRADA: to "shine" or polish; the shoe shine: A stroking of the man’s pant leg with a shoe. May be done by the lady or by the man to himself but is never done to the lady LA CUMPARSITA ("The little marching band"): one of tango's greatest songs; oftentimes the last tango played at a milonga LA SONRISA ("the smile"): an incredible concentration of a dozen tango hotspots in 3 San Francisco neighborhoods; tango personified as a woman MARCAR: "to plot a course"; guide: To lead. La marca is the lead MEDIA LUNA: "Half moon", A sweeping circular motion of the leg similar to a ronde in ballroom but always danced in contact with the floor, never lofted. Usually danced by the lady and often led with a sacada to the lady’s leg. May be used to bring the lady to an inside gancho MEDIA VUELTA: "Half turn", Usually done when the man’s right foot and the lady’s left foot are free. The man steps forward outside right (3 of 8-count basic), leading the lady to step back left and collect, then side right across his center, and forward left around him as he shifts weight first to his center, then onto his right foot as he then pivots on both feet ½ turn with his partner, the lady pivoting on her left foot. Media Vuelta is used by itself to change direction or maneuver on the dance floor and as an entrance to many combinations MILONGA: May refer to the music, written in 2/4 time, or to the dance which preceded the tango, or to the dance salon where people go to dance tango, or to a tango dance and party. MILONGUERO: (feminine: Milonguera) — Refers to those frequenting the milongas from the early 1900s to the present who were or are tango fanatics. A person whose life revolves around dancing tango and the philosophy of tango. A title given by other tango dancers to a man (woman) who has mastered the tango dance and embodies the essence of tango MILONGUERO CROSS: A step in which the man leads the lady to step side left around him, reverses before she completes the step, and leads her back into the cross. Also known as ochos cortados MILONGUERO STYLE: A term originally given by Europeans and some North Americans to the style of dancing in a very close embrace; also referred to as confiteria style, club style, apilado style, etc. Usually used in the very crowded clubs frequented by singles in the center of Buenos Aires. Milonguero Style is danced in a very close embrace with full upper body contact, the partners leaning into each other (but never hanging on each other) while using simple walking and turning steps. This style relies on music of the more rhythmic type as characterized by orquestas like those of D’Arienzo or Tanturi. Also see Stephen Brown's Styles of Argentine Tango MIRA: to look; see; observe; take notice: ¡Mira! Look at this MOLINETE: "Windmill"; wheel: A figure in which the lady dances a grapevine on a circumference around the man, stepping side-back-side-forward using forward and back ocho technique and footwork, as the man pivots at the center of the figure. This is a very common figure in tango which challenges both the man and the lady to maintain good posture, balance, and technique in order to perform it well. One of the central codes of tango MOLINETE CON SACADAS: An exciting and more complicated form of molinete in which the man steps into the lady’s space, displacing her leg with his, and pivots on a new center to face her as she continues around him. Many combinations are possible MORDIDA: to "bite"; the little bite: One partner’s foot is sandwiched or trapped between the other partner’s feet. If the other partner’s feet are also crossed it may be referred to as Reverse Mordida. Sometimes called Sandwiche or Sanguchito. MORDIDA ALTO: A variation of mordida in which a dancer catches a partners knee between both of their own MILONGA: (a) tango dance party, (b) the music tango is danced to, (c) a dance different from tango, played at milongas MILONGUERO/A: (a) person whose life revolves around dancing tango, (b) title given by other tango dancers to a man or woman who has mastered the tango dance MOLINETE: tango move where the woman revolves around the man (her moon to his sun) OCHO: "Eight" (plural: ochos); Figure eights: A crossing and pivoting figure from which the fan in American tango is derived. Executed as a walking step with flexed knees and feet together while pivoting, ochos may be danced either forward or backward and are so designated from the lady’s perspective. El Ocho is considered to be one of the oldest steps in tango along with caminada, the walking steps. It dates from the era when women wore floor length skirts with full petticoats and danced on dirt floors. Since the lady’s footwork could not be directly observed the quality of her dancing was judged by the figure she left behind in the dirt after she danced away OCHO CORTADO: "Cut eight", change of direction: Occurs when a molinete or an ocho-like movement is stopped and sent back upon itself. Typical in club-style tango where many such brakes are used to avoid collisions. Describes a movement done on either foot, pivoting forward of backward, and going either left or right OCHO DEFRENTE: "Ocho to the front", Forward ochos for the lady (i.e., crossing in front) OCHO PARA ATRAS: ocho to the back: Back ochos for the lady (i.e., crossing behind) OCHOS CORTADOS: Cut eights: A common figure in Milonguero-or Club-Style Tango which is designed to allow interpretation of rhythmic music while dancing in a confined space. See Milonguero Cross OCHOS EN ESPEJO: 0chos in the mirror: The man and the lady execute forward or back ochos simultaneously, mirroring each others movement ORILLERO: Outskirts; suburbs ORILLERO STYLE: The style of dance which is danced in the suburbs, characterized by the man doing many quick syncopated foot moves and even jumps. See Seguidillas. Also see Stephen Brown's Styles of Argentine Tango ORQUESTA: "Orchestra", A large tango band like those of the "Golden Age" of tango frequently referred to as "Orquesta Tipica" OTRA VEZ: Another time; repeat; do again OCHO CORTADO: "cut eight", a tango move using a change of direction, normally during a molinete or ocho-like movement PALANCA: Lever; leverage: Describes the subtle assisting of the lady by the leader during jumps or lifts in tango fantasia (stage tango) PARADA: From parar - to stop; a stop: The man stops the lady, usually as she steps crossing back in back ochos or molinete, with pressure inward at the lady’s back and at her balance hand and with a slight downward thrust, preventing further movement. When properly led the lady stops with her feet extended apart, front and back, and her weight centered. The man may extend his foot to touch her forward foot as an additional cue and element of style or he may pivot and step back to mirror her position (fallaway) PARALLEL FEET: The natural condition when a couple dance in an embrace facing each other, the man stepping on his left, the lady on her right foot, and then the man stepping on his right, the lady on her left foot, regardless of direction. The opposite of crossed feet PAREJAS: Couple: The two partners in a tango PASADA: Passing over. Occurs when the man has stopped the lady with foot contact and leads her to step forward over his extended foot. Used frequently at the end of molinete or after a mordida. The lady may, at her discretion, step over the man’s foot or trace her toe on the floor around its front. Pasada provides the most common opportunity for the lady to add adornos or firuletes of her own and a considerate leader will give the lady time to perform if she wishes PASO: A step PATADA: A kick PAUSA: Pause; wait: Hold a position or pose for two or more beats of music. See Titubeo PECHO: Chest PICADOS: A flicking upward of the heel when turning or stepping forward. Usually done as an advanced embellishment to ochos or when walking forward. See Golpes PIE: A foot PIERNA: A leg PINTA: Appearance; presentation: Includes clothes, grooming, posture, expression, and manner of speaking and relating to the world. See Bien Parado PISAR: to step PISO: Floor PISTA: The dance floor PLANEO: Pivot; glide: Occurs when the man steps forward onto a foot, usually his left, and pivots with the other leg trailing (gliding behind) as the lady dances an additional step or two around him. May also occur when the man stops the lady in mid stride with a slight downward lead and dances around her while pivoting her on the supporting leg as her extended leg either trails or leads. Can be done by either the man or the lady PORTEñO(feminine; Porteña) — An inhabitant of the port city of Buenos Aires POSTURA: Posture: Correct posture for tango is erect and elegant with the shoulders always over the hips and relaxed, and with the center carried forward toward the dance partner over the toes and balls of the feet. See Derecho and Eje PRACTICA: An informal practice session for tango dancers. PUENTE: "bridge"; See Carpa, Inclinada PUNTEO: Point; with the point; peck: Rhythmic toe taps to the floor done with the toe, or point, of the shoe while the foot is moving over the floor in a sweeping movement as in boleo or planeo. See Golpes PARALLEL SYSTEM: When a couple dance in an embrace facing each other, the man stepping on his left, the lady backwards on her right foot, and then the man stepping on his right, the lady backwards on her left foot, regardless of direction. The opposite of the crossed system POEMA: a classic tango song, perhaps the most bittersweet of them all PRACTICA: an informal practice session for tango dancers Quebrada — Break; broken: A position where the lady stands on one foot with the other foot hanging relaxed behind the supporting foot. Sometimes seen with the lady hanging with most of her weight against the man. Also a position in which the dancer’s upper body and hips are rotated in opposition to each other with the working leg flexed inward creating a broken dance line RABONA: A walking step with a syncopated cross. Done forward or backward the dancer steps on a beat, quickly closes the other foot in cruzada, and steps again on the next beat. Adapted from soccer. See Contrapaso and Traspie RESOLUCION: Resolution; tango close: An ending to a basic pattern similar to a half of a box step. 6, 7, and 8 of the 8-count basic RITMO: Rhythm: Refers to the more complex rhythmic structure of the music which includes the beat or compas as well as the more defining elements of the song. See Compas RODILLAS: Knees RONDA: (La ronda) Line of dance: Refers to the etiquette of dancing in the line of dance by moving counter clockwise around the dance floor, and using concentric lanes in the traffic to facilitate dancing in close proximity with one another. See Codigos RULO: A curl: Used frequently at the end of molinete when the man, executing a lapiz or firulete ahead of the lady, curls his foot in around the lady and extends it quickly to touch the her foot. An older term for lapiz SACADA: The most common term for a displacement of a leg or foot by the partner’s leg or foot. Occurs when a dancer places their foot or leg against a leg of their partner and transfers weight to their leg so that it moves into the space of and displaces the partner’s leg. See Desplazamiento SALIDA: From salir - to exit; to go out: The first steps of dancing a tango, or a tango pattern, derived from “¿Salimos a bailar?” {Shall we (go out to the dance floor and) dance?}. SALIDA DE GATO: Variation on the basico in which the man steps side left, forward right outside the lady, diagonal forward left, and crossing behind right with a lead for forward ochos for the lady. The lady is led to step side right, back left, diagonal back right, and crossing forward left, beginning ochos on her left foot. This figure enters ochos without using cruzada SALTITO: A little jump SANDWICHE: See Mordida SANGUCHITO: See Mordida SEGUIDILLAS: Tiny quick steps, usually seen in orillero style. May also be called corridas SEGUIR: To follow SENTADA: From sentar - to sit. A sitting action: A family of figures in which the lady creates the illusion of sitting in, or actually mounts, the man’s leg. Frequently used as a dramatic flourish at the end of a dance STORK: See Calesita. Not used often or much recommended but refers to a position of the lady where the working leg is held with the lower leg lifted and horizontal in a figure four, or cuatro, position SUAVE: Smooth, steady and gentle, soft, stylish. A major objective in tango SNYCOPATION: Syncopate; syncopated; syncopa: A musical term adopted by dancers and used in a way which is technically incorrect, musically, and leads to endless arguments between dancers and musicians. Musically it refers to an unexpected or unusual accenting of the beats in a measure such as the two and four beats of swing music rather than the more common accent on the one and three beats. Dancers have come to use the term to describe cutting the beat, or stepping on the half-beat SUBE Y BAJA: Literally, to go up and down: A milonga step in which the couple dance forward-together and back-together in outside right position with a pendulum action of the hips. See Ven y Va TANDA: A set of dance music, usually three to five songs, of the same dance in similar style, if not by the same orquesta. The tandas are separated by a brief interlude of non-tango music called a "cortina" (or curtain) during which couples select each other. It is customary to dance the entire tanda with the same partner unless the man is rude or very disappointing as a dance partner, in which case the lady may say gracias (thank you) and leave. See Codigos, Cortina. TANGO: Popular music from the Rio de la Plata region dating back to 1885-95, defined by a 2/4 rhythm until the 1920s when a 4/8 rhythm became common. A popular dance originating in the mid-19th century which descended from Candombe, Habanera, Milonga, and, according to some tango scholars, the Tango Andaluz. The exact origins of Tango are a historical mystery. Also see Susan August Brown's Argentine Tango: A Brief History TANGO DE SALON: An elegant and very social style of tango characterized by slow, measured, and smoothly executed moves. It includes all of the basic tango steps and figures plus sacadas, giros and boleos. The emphasis is on precision, smoothness, and elegant dance lines. The dancing couple do not embrace as closely as in older styles and the embrace is flexible, opening slightly to make room for various figures and closing again for support and poise TANGO FANTASIA: This is a hybrid tango, an combination of traditional tango steps, ballet, ballroom, gymnastics, ice-skating figures, etc. This is what most people see when they buy tickets for a tango show. The moves include all of the basic tango moves plus, ganchos, sacadas, boleos of every kind, sentadas, kicks, leaps, spins, lifts, and anything else that the choreographer and the performers think of. This style of dancing shows up occassionally at milongas, usually isn't well done & generally doesn't fit the spirit of most milongas, which is why it's normally not well-received TANGO LISO: Literally, tango smooth: A way of dancing tanog characterized by its lack of fancy figures or patterns. Only the most "basic" tango steps and figures, such as caminidas, ochos, molinets etc., are utilized. Boleos, ganchos, sacadas, sentadas and other fancy moves and acrobatics are not done. A very early term for Tango de Salon TANGUERO: (feminine; Tanguera) Refers to anyone who is deeply and seriously passionate about any part of tango, such as its history, music, lyrics, etc. In Argentina most tangueros are scholars of lunfardo, music, orchestrations, Gardel, etc. One can be a tanguero without being a milonguero and a milonguero without being a tanguero (very few milongueros would be referred to as tangueros). And of course, one can be an extremely good tango dancer without being either, such as stage dancers, who are quite disdained by real milongueros and tangueros, unless they go the extra distance and become milongueros by going to the milongas, and/or tangueros as well. An aficionado TIJERA: Scissor: A movement, usually danced by the man, in which an extended leg is withdrawn and crossed in front of the supporting leg without weight so that it remains free for the next step or movement. May also refer to a figure in which the man steps forward in outside position (left or right) caressing the outside of the lady’s leg with his leg (as in 3 of the 8-count basic), then crosses behind himself which pushes the lady’s leg to cross in front. May also refer to a jumping step from tango fantasia (stage tango) where the lady swings her legs up and over with the second leg going up as the first leg is coming down (frequently seen as an aerial entry to sentadas) TITUBEO: Hesitation. See Pausa TRABADA: Another term for cruzada TRASPIE: Cross foot; triple step: A walking step with a syncopated cross. Using two beats of music the dancer does step-cross-step beginning with either foot and moving in any direction. See Contrapaso and Rabona TRUCO: Literally, trick or stunt: May be used to describe fancy athletic movements in addition to lifts for stage or tango fantasia TANGO: the most passionate dance in the world TANGUERO/A: an afficionada of tango music, history, lyrics... Vals — Argentine waltz: Sometimes referred to as Vals Criollo, or Vals Cruzada, and danced to what is arguably the most beautiful dance music anywhere VEN Y VA: Come and go. See Sube y Baja Viborita — Viper; the little snake: A figure in which the man places his right leg between his partners legs and takes a sacada to first her left and then her right legs in succession using a back and forth slithering motion of the right leg and foot VOLCADA: to "tip-over" or capsize; a falling step: The leader causes the follower to tilt or lean forward and fall off her axis before he catches her again. The process produces a beautiful leg drop from her. The movement requires the support of a close embrace VOLEO: See Boleo VALS: "Waltz" in Spanish; along with tango & milongas, one of three types of music typically played at a milonga YUMBA: A phonetic expression that describes the powerful, dramatic, and driving musical accent of a moderate or even slow tempo which is characteristic of the music of Osvaldo Pugliese ZAPATAZO: Shoe taps: A dancer taps their own shoes together. See Adorno, Fanfarron, and Golpecitos ZARANDEO: A vigorous shake to and fro; a swing; a push to and fro; to strut about: In tango, it is the swinging back and forth, pivoting in place on one foot, marked to the lady in time with the music
Thanks to Ed Loomis for most of these definitions. Any mistakes are mine.
