Feeling

Today my yoga teacher, Debbie Spencer, told us lots of things that yoga was not. Such as standing on you head, getting into incredible poses and so on. What yoga is about is feeling the pose that you are in.

Of course that got me thinking that tango is not about learning dozens of fancy steps, not about whirling round the floor taking up too much space, not about showing off to whoever may be watching, not about doing your steps without regard to your partner and so on. What tango is about is achieving a connection with your partner that transcends the physical and allows you, as a couple, to appreciate and react to the music.

My one day of fame 18 March 2016

As a precursor of this one day, the Evening Post photographer came to the Bramcote Memorial Hall for the practica which Ling and Jon organise. Ling was good enough to dance with me for a little bit of video and many photos which appeared in the paper on the 18th. The purpose of all this was to publicise the novel that my good friend Cheryl Booton has written. The book "Tango, with Love" is most certainly not a biography but I had related to her many events that had happened to me and she has stretched the truth into a charming love story. Many real characters do appear in the book, sometime with their real names and sometimes with alternative names.

The article in the paper can be traced at the Nottingham Post web site by searching for my name and separately searching for tango.

Radio Nottingham had contacted me, following the press release that Nadine had sent to the West Bridgford Wire. I was newsworthy on three counts, being old, having danced with Flavia and being in a book. Well, I was really scared at the prospect and felt very nervous all morning (lunch was postponed!) and turned up at 2pm as directed. Going into the studio, I relaxed and was able to talk to Paul Robbey who was really good at interviewing and keeping me relaxed in the process. I was able to forget about the thousands of listeners (hundreds? Two that I know of!). It all went very well and I had good feed back from friends and Paul and Sara, the producer at Radio Nottngham.

If you missed it, you can go to their website, find Verity's programme and work back to 18 March and drag to about 2h 10 mins into the programme and have a listen!

A Brief History of T.....

Regina and I put our heads together and came up with a brief history of tango for inclusion in the book "Tango, with Love" which hopefully is on your shopping list. As is the author's right it was cut down considerably but I like what we wrote and so present it here.

We should consider every day lost, on which we have not danced at least once"

Friedrich Nietzsche

Argentina's industrial and agricultural expansion at the start of the 20th Century brought about an enormous influx of mostly male Europeans, particularly Italian, French and Spanish. The resultant mix with native and African cultures and the inherent desire to dance , produced the tango that we recognise today. Initially, overtly erotic dancing flourished in the brothels, but gradually tango developed outside the brothels and became more respectable.

Tango was a dance that started with the working classes and as such was subject to political pressures from right wing fascist governments in Argentina, and was forced underground for a period.  One of its most famous musicians, Osvaldo Pugliese , was sent to prison several times for supplying music that the people wanted. As tango became widespread and popular in Europe, particularly Paris, it subsequently became accepted by the middle class in Buenos Aires.

What sets Argentine tango apart from all other dances is the close embrace with partners heart to heart contact. Partners seek a connection beyond the physical. The lead-follow of this dance is not domination- submission but more suggestion -response. The dance is improvised. Set sequences are not danced. When two people connect and respond to the music, tango reaches its zenith.

There are different styles of tango, that have evolved with time along with different styles of music. Many traditionalists will dance only to the Golden Age (1935-55) music, with these classic tango dancers proud of the culture and rules (codigos). A different style of dancing, Nuevo Tango, accompanies the new music. This style, with its innovative approach, adopts an open embrace with many kicks, flicks , ganchos and boleos. However the improvised nature of tango is maintained, as opposed to Show Tango with its choreography and dramatic poses to please the onlookers.

The culture of Argentine tango is strong and the beginner needs to be determined in order to penetrate the mystique and be accepted.

UNESCO declared the tango that developed in Buenos Aires and Montevideo an ' intangible cultural heritage of the world'.

It is not simply a dance.

Cabaceo

I have debated the cabaceo many times with many people. I think it is powerful, in particular it empowers women, and it is discreet.
Why is there this reluctance to use eye contact? We use eye contact all the time, every day. I was walking yesterday and 90% of people I passed, made eye contact and smiled and sometimes we exchanged comments. A few people kept their heads down and silently went by. Sadly, I wondered what bothered them. I make eye contact with other drivers to make certain they have seen me and that we will stick to the legal rights of way. In a crowded street I make eye contact to be certain I won't bump into anyone, and I angle my chest as I do with a tango partner to indicate direction. I use my eyes to allow people through a door I may be holding. When I was much younger, I would make eye contact with beautiful girls so they knew I recognised their beauty!
So why this fear of the cabaceo, why the need to have someone standing over you to ask you to dance. If I was a woman I would not have the courage to say no to such an approach. And yet we all have every right to choose our partner. The cabaceo is NOT a one way process. Women must sit up straight, look like they want to dance, have their glasses on if need be and look for men that are also looking around. When eyes meet do not let those eyes go and you will be rewarded with many dances with the partners you want. When you catch the eyes of somebody you really do not want to dance with, you just turn you head away and he is dismissed for ever! Who has the power?

A tango debate on Facebook. February 2016

Views about tango were expressed on the White Rose Tango Facebook page. Some were wanting milongas to be run like jive or salsa freestyles, others hated the cabaceo and wanted women to be allowed to ask men to dance. I could not help myself I had to respond:-

Tango is not salsa, it is not jive. I need a tanda, I am building a relationship. We embrace (in yoga terms, heart chakras in contact). I cherish and protect her. I give to her and expect to receive, as I want a connection beyond the physical. We move to the music. I do not just step on the beat but look for something in the music that I enjoy and move to that. If she hears that, we are on the right track. We pause, we breathe together. Tango is pure love, with its highs and lows. Salsa is a one night stand.

Sometimes my partner is nervous, shaking or rigid, I must relax her and make her feel safe. I must make her look good but that is not my sole purpose. She may just take from me and give nothing, then there is no hope. Life is laid bare, on the dance floor.

I want the same process with familiar partners (do men EVER take women for granted!?)

In Buenos Aires milongas are crowded (even though there are at least 20 to choose from every night). Sometime men sit one side, women the other side, of the floor. It would be physically impossible to cross to be close to invite for a dance. Hence the cabaceo. Even if I approach a woman to invite her to dance, I make eye contact. I do not speak to the top of someone's head.

Having said all that, of course we should not slavishly follow Buenos Aires. Tango is an art form and should develop. Imitate, assimilate, innovate.

Tango Gardens 5 March 2016

We hurried away from the Peacock Theatre and headed for Tango Gardens, so called because it is set alongside a garden with children's play area. You have to dance a few ochos to be allowed through the gates to prove you are a dancer and not just wanting to watch children. I exaggerate, showing dance shoes did the trick!
Thank you Tango Gardens, you saved the day! What a lovely friendly place to dance the early evening away. Crowded with dancers respectful of the numbers. Many lovely dances with the cosmopolitan group that gathers at Londons milongas.
Dinner with Proseco.
Train journey with Proseco.
A great day out with great companions, shame about the show!

Immortal Tango 5 March 2016

Regina, Nancy and I decided to have a day in London. The train journey was enjoyable because we talked so much. After a quick lunch we headed for the Peacock Theatre and the matinee performance of Immortal Tango. On dear! Can I say anything good about this show? Well, they are professional dancers and musicians. Their postures, lines, abilities are to be admired but where was tango. Ballet with boleos is not tango. Pointe work, however elegant is not tango, nor is jive or gymnastics.
The three of us were feeling guilty, each wondering if it was just ourselves that were so disappointed, when the interval came and we were unanimous in condemnation of the show. The couple in front of us turned around to express similar views. And so it went on, some ridiculous costumes,embarrassing comedy, weird choice of music.
There was nothing expressing tango, past,present and certainly not future.
What was horrific was that in the finale, people stood to applaud. The audience was in raptures. Does bums on seats justify this awful presentation.
The sow has been strongly criticised by professional reviewers (The Times,The Stage) and by Mshedgehog's blog!