1419  Argentine Tango Changes - Petroleo

Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2003 11:46:06 -0400
From: Sergio <Cachafaz@ADELPHIA.NET>
Subject: Argentine Tango Changes - Petroleo

Daniel says in his very well written note about Canyengue:

"CANYENGUE is mostly suitable for early tango music.
ORQUESTA TIPICA VICTOR is one of them along
with Francisco LOMUTO, FILIBERTO, Roberto FIRPO."

The early tango music was written in 2x4 notation, this was changed to 4x4
by De Caro and others during the 20s. By the end of that decade the tango
had become slower, calm, more melancholic but many people were still
dancing the same choreography that had developed to adjust to the 2x4
notation.

Some prominent dancers noted that it was frequently difficult to dance the
steps to the music. They started to modify and creaate figures to adjust to
the new tango rhythm.

Carlos Alberto Estevez (Petroleo) is known as the great 'Renovator of the
40s.' He attempted modifications that were initially resisted by his
contemporaries but that added such a beauty to the dance that became
impossible to ignore them.

He was born in 1912, lived in the neighborhood of Villa Devoto and worked as
a bank clerk for 36 years. He danced frequently in the clubs of Villa
Urquiza, the area were I grew up. Some of those clubs are still open and
hold regular milongas for those of us that prefer the classical salon style.
(Sin Rumbo, Sunderland).

Carlos Estevez learnt the secrets of the early tango from 'El Negro
Navarro', an experienced dancer from the 1890s.
He changed in one decade the way tango salon was danced.
Under his influence the posture became more erect, more elegant; he invented
'el contrafrente' y los giros with sacadas, he added boleos.
He also is said to have modified Ganchos, arrastres and utilized piques.
Tango became different and better.

He spent his nights at the Nelson Club with his friend Salvador Sciana alias
'El Negro Lavandina' practicing. They excelled at creating new steps and
modernizing the old ones. Petroleo, this was his nick name, a reference to
the fact that he liked to drink red wine in excess, selected the figures
that allowed a more harmonious interpretation of the music by the dancers.
The style became elegant, calm and always in tune with the musical tempo.
His favorite orchestra was Carlos Di Sarli.

He was a bridge between the old and the new form of dancing.

He, the same as many milongueros liked women, red wine, horse races and
dancing. He said ' You have to live your dreams'.
He went to the races on a daily bases. After retirement he sold his house
and continued going to the races.

He died at age 83 in May, 1995