160  Association of Tango Teachers

Date: Wed, 22 Aug 2001 11:34:27 -0300
From: SMC Administracion <adm@SMCAR.COM.AR>
Subject: Association of Tango Teachers

Yesterday , at the Palais de Glace, Posadas 1725, Buenos Aires,
was officially presented in society , the Association.

I went to the ceremony , which was very emotive , since the place, Palais de
Glace , has long time roots with the history of Tango in Argentina. Also,
during these
days, a special exhibit about Enrique Santos Discepolo and his 100 th
anniversary is being
shown. Follow the notes of the event, I think it would be good to share this
fresh information
within the tango list.

" Official presentation of AMBCTA-Association of Tango Argentino dancers,
teachers, and choreographers" Palais de Glace, Posadas 1725
Tuesday 21th,August 2001-7 pm.

The event was lively, and it was nice to have the presentation within the
exhibit of 100th anniversary of Enrique Santos Discepolo, being shown at the
site.
There was a milonga portable floor in
the middle of the room , with recorded music ,
and plenty of people dancing, many well known Tango dancers, but also,
milongueros and milongueras that are usually
at the milonga venues around Buenos Aires.

The act was formally begun with the words of Jorge Firpo , Secretary of the
Association.
He said it was an historic moment , the presentation in society of the
association.
Also stressed the main purpose of the association: the unity of the workers
of tango danza.. He thanked to the already associated members for his spirit
of cooperation and work during this months of preparation. Also thanked to
the Secretaria de Cultura de la Nacion for their support to this event , and
also to the organizers of the 100 years of Discepolo wxhibit, who gently
allowed the Association to use the facilities for this presentation.
Last but not the least , Mr.Firpo ( after a whisper of Mr Rivarola in his
ear ) thanked "Pupe" , the lady caretaker of the House of the Association,
for being always waiting the members of the board to their meetings, with a
termic bottle and the "mate" ready , for their meetings.
Finally a special thanks was given to Jorge Manganelli, a former milonga
patron , and host for many of the members of the Association ,during the
90īs.

-*-
Afterwards, Mr, Firpo asked the audience to being a warm applause to the
personalities of tango danza present,
The first mention was for Carmencita Calderon, who received a standing
ovation , the lady was bright and happy as ever.
Also special thanks and applauses were given to many personalities of Tango
danza, such as "el Pibe Palermo", Nelly Balmaceda , and many dancers
present.
It was also presented the board of the Association : Mr.Carlos
Rivarola,Mr.Arquimbau,Mr.Dinzelbacher.Ms Aurora Lubiz, Ms Milena Plebs , Ms
Celia Blanco, Ms Maria del Carmen Rodriguez, Ms Maria Nieves Rego, Ms Elsa
Borquez ,Ms. Graciela Gonzalez and Mr. Orlando Dias. Mr Carlos Gavito was
not present due to a performance in Cordoba, and Mr, Mayoral and Ms Elsa
Maria were in France, but they were also mentioned as being actively
promoting the Association purposes.

Mr., Firpo thanked also the telegrams received with adhesions, from Mr.
Bergara Leumann, Norman Verlag, and Ana Maria Stekelman.

-*-*-
The microphone was then handed from Mr. Firpo to Mr,. Rivarola, as President
of the Association .

He commented about the necessity to have a place for dancers, teachers, and
choreographers, which could gathered them, and be a " safe haven" where
could comment their experiences and necessities .

His personal experience after 35 years of work in tango danza, was a lack
of union within dancers , and
also the lack of a house where to "cry" about their problems.
He also commented that there was a need for a decission, and after some
consultations, a group of fellow workers of Tango danza, decided to start
this project, based in their common friendship and trust , being companions
for many years.

Mr.Rivarola said that the project of the Association was a compresive one,
to include all the voices, even the ones that disagree . Since it was
necessary to leave aside the moans , and to make things, to be proactive
instead of reactive.And to take the past experiences as things to be taken
into account , to be
able not to do the same mistake again.


Mr.Rivarola commented then , the main purposes of the actual stage of
development of the association , being the main concern of the members of
the board , how to achieve the solution for this things:

1) To provide a medical assistance and coverage, both within Argentina , and
also abroad, as a medic insurance/cover to assist the members when needed

2) To attend the labouring conditions of the members, both domestic and
abroad, also making a proper coverage and follow up for the intelectual
properties of the choreographers, dancers, and teachers works.In this point,
Mr.Rivarola said it had been a mistake not to have protected the copyrights,
as the musicians and composers made from the first moment, with their
association (SADAIC).
But he says that the lawyers of the association were preparing the legal
coverage concerning this matter, and soon an announcement concerning the
copyrights for choreographers, dancers and teachers , would be released.

3) To seek for the excellence in the tango danza , through seminars and
workshops , not only by giving lessons , but also by calling to dancers,
choreographers and teachers, to share their knowledge and to teach how to
make an improvement in the tango danza.
Mr.Rivarola make a special point in saying that the Association was not
going to adopt or promote a one and only way to teach tango danza, but that
the stress was going to be done in the communication of teachers , dancers
and choreographers of differents styles of tango danza, to end with the
actual isolation which made impossible a true communication for an overall
improvement.


Finally, Mr Rivarola said the Association would acept any proposal made by
written statement addressed to any of the members of the board, and that
after an annalysis of the proposal, if it was founded solid enough, it will
be carried on, providing that the person presenting the proposal, stay
compromised and cooperate to have it carried forward.


Mr.Rivarola finally thanked all the people present for their support to this
presentation, and invited all the audience to end the ceremony with an open
milonga , and to have a nice dancing at the milonga floor everybody, from
the most skilled up to the recent learners, to share the tango danza spirit.

The milonga floor was instantly full of people dancing, a nice closing
indeed.


Alberto Gesualdi ( for B.A.Tango -Buenos Aires Tango & El Once Tango News)
Buenos Aires