1824 Feelings and tango
Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2003 10:53:14 -0400
From: Sergio <cachafaz@ADELPHIA.NET>
Subject: Feelings and tango
This last weekend we had a very interesting workshop "Tango Milonguero
Style" organized by Timmy Tango in Cleveland.
The visiting instructor was Cacho Dante who flew from Buenos Aires for the
occasion.
The event had many interesting aspects but I want to discuss a particular
experience.
It is well known that one of the characteristics that sets tango apart from
the other ballroom dances is the "feeling component".
At certain moment of the workshop Cacho invited the men to form an external
circle and the ladies to gather in the center.
The men closed their eyes. The ladies chose a male partner by placing
themselves in front of him. Using a tango embrace they were to make an
interpretation of the music with motion of the upper body only, without
moving the feet.
Robert Hauk (one of two DJs) who came from Portland played "Leonora's Love
Theme" by Astor Piazzolla.
I kept my eyes closed. Some long instants went by; since I was there in my
character of translator, most people already had a partner and there were
more men than women, I decided that nobody was going to embrace me. :( .I
kept my eyes closed... all of a sudden somebody came, got close to me,
embraced me softly and tenderly, and started to move with the music. This
particular composition was very beautiful, and the lady had an extraordinary
way of moving her torso in perfect synchronism with the beat and the
melody. After a moment of surprise I started to move my upper chest
corresponding to her vibrations.
The more I answered her moves the more she expressed her feelings of the
music.
At certain moment an immense feeling of tenderness invaded my whole body and
spirit, I felt some tears running on my cheeks, this only lasted some short
sublime moments.
The music stopped. We kept our eyes closed, the ladies went away back to the
center.
Cacho asked as to express what had happened. I was the first to share my
experience. I said that I had had one of the most thrilling sensations of
my life.
Several women on the other hand , expressed that the men had been
irresponsive or even antagonistic.
Cacho explained that this is common as men try to resist surrendering to
women and to their leads but that with training this changes rapidly.
The circle was broken and we continued to discuss our respective
experiences. Cacho joined Robert and me, he said that this type of
exercise can be done only with groups that are sensitive and receptive. "I
avoid using it with 'very mental' groups as it certainly would fail".
-he continued - " the most important part of this comes next, you will
see" - ...The music was began and everyone started to dance. The mood was
totally different, it was like magic, everyone was highly concentrated in
his partner, the music and the space. I noticed the expression of intense
satisfaction on Cachos's face, his eyes glassy with emotion.
There was an "old milonguero" in the group, I do not know his name. I had
observed him before because he had very good sense of the music and danced
with a lot of feeling.- - I thought he looked like one of those old
milongueros from Buenos Aires - He came close to me and said : "you know -
sometimes when I listen to tango music or I see couples dancing tango, tears
run on my cheeks, I thought this must be a sign that I am getting too old,
but now I know that it is not so....
The good part of tango is that these intense emotions can be enjoyed at any
age.
Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2003 11:48:47 -0400
From: Tanguero Chino <tanguerochino@NETSCAPE.NET>
Subject: Re: Feelings and tango
Sergio <cachafaz@ADELPHIA.NET> wrote:
>At certain moment an immense feeling of tenderness invaded my whole body
>and spirit, I felt some tears running on my cheeks, this only lasted some
>short sublime moments.
>The music stopped. We kept our eyes closed, the ladies went away back to
>the center.
That described the most wonderful "thing" that one can get from Tango - the emotional connection. It finds us, and catches us by surprise. But if we set out looking for it, it always eludes us.
>-he continued - " the most important part of this comes next, you will
>see" - ...The music was began and everyone started to dance. The mood was
>totally different, it was like magic, everyone was highly concentrated in
>his partner, the music and the space.
I did not think that emotional connection is something that can be taught. I guess it still was not taught in this instance. But the exercise does allow the ones with an open mind to experience the two-way communication so necessary for the emotional connection.
I am interested in hearing what the women said about having the lead in this excersize. What did they get out of this?
TC
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Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2003 08:45:59 -0700
From: Carlos Rojas <crojas@HACIENDACDC.ORG>
Subject: Re: Feelings and tango
Sergio,
Thank you for sharing this experience, sounds to me that Cleveland got a
good shot of tango, I bet that the dance level in Cleveland is going to
go way up.
By the way we are very lucky to have Robert Hauk in Portland, he is a
great milonguero (dancer, teacher and my favor DJ), he is one of the
reasons why Portland dance level is so good (in my opinion). And of
course Cacho Dante is god in my book.
Please remember what this experience suggest: dancing tango steps is
not the same as dancing tango.
Abrazos
Carlos Rojas
Portland, OR
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2003 6:53 AM
To: TANGO-L@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: [TANGO-L] Feelings and tango
This last weekend we had a very interesting workshop "Tango Milonguero
Style" organized by Timmy Tango in Cleveland.
The visiting instructor was Cacho Dante who flew from Buenos Aires for
the
occasion.
The event had many interesting aspects but I want to discuss a
particular
experience.
It is well known that one of the characteristics that sets tango apart
from
the other ballroom dances is the "feeling component".
At certain moment of the workshop Cacho invited the men to form an
external
circle and the ladies to gather in the center.
The men closed their eyes. The ladies chose a male partner by placing
themselves in front of him. Using a tango embrace they were to make an
interpretation of the music with motion of the upper body only, without
moving the feet.
Robert Hauk (one of two DJs) who came from Portland played "Leonora's
Love
Theme" by Astor Piazzolla.
I kept my eyes closed. Some long instants went by; since I was there in
my
character of translator, most people already had a partner and there
were
more men than women, I decided that nobody was going to embrace me. :(
.I
kept my eyes closed... all of a sudden somebody came, got close to me,
embraced me softly and tenderly, and started to move with the music.
This
particular composition was very beautiful, and the lady had an
extraordinary
way of moving her torso in perfect synchronism with the beat and the
melody. After a moment of surprise I started to move my upper chest
corresponding to her vibrations.
The more I answered her moves the more she expressed her feelings of the
music.
At certain moment an immense feeling of tenderness invaded my whole body
and
spirit, I felt some tears running on my cheeks, this only lasted some
short
sublime moments.
The music stopped. We kept our eyes closed, the ladies went away back to
the
center.
Cacho asked as to express what had happened. I was the first to share my
experience. I said that I had had one of the most thrilling sensations
of
my life.
Several women on the other hand , expressed that the men had been
irresponsive or even antagonistic.
Cacho explained that this is common as men try to resist surrendering to
women and to their leads but that with training this changes rapidly.
The circle was broken and we continued to discuss our respective
experiences. Cacho joined Robert and me, he said that this type of
exercise can be done only with groups that are sensitive and
receptive. "I
avoid using it with 'very mental' groups as it certainly would fail".
-he continued - " the most important part of this comes next, you will
see" - ...The music was began and everyone started to dance. The mood
was
totally different, it was like magic, everyone was highly concentrated
in
his partner, the music and the space. I noticed the expression of
intense
satisfaction on Cachos's face, his eyes glassy with emotion.
There was an "old milonguero" in the group, I do not know his name. I
had
observed him before because he had very good sense of the music and
danced
with a lot of feeling.- - I thought he looked like one of those old
milongueros from Buenos Aires - He came close to me and said : "you
know -
sometimes when I listen to tango music or I see couples dancing tango,
tears
run on my cheeks, I thought this must be a sign that I am getting too
old,
but now I know that it is not so....
The good part of tango is that these intense emotions can be enjoyed at
any
age.
Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2003 12:09:45 -0400
From: the pulpo pereyra <hpereyra@NYC.RR.COM>
Subject: Re: Feelings and tango
"Tango is a sad feeling that can be danced"
Enrique Santos Discepolo
the pulpo
www.thezvimigdal.com
info@thezvimigdal.com
Date: Thu, 25 Sep 2003 00:16:34 -0800
From: Dan Boccia <redfox@ALASKA.NET>
Subject: Re: Feelings and tango
Sergio, I also want to thank you for sharing this important experience.
Perhaps now a few people on this list may be persuaded in my
long-standing belief that a good instructor can indeed teach
"connection". I've experienced similar classes, one almost identical by
the way it was described, others equally compelling but with a different
angle, by both European and American instructors. These same
instructors also teach "musicality" and other infinitely important
concepts that many people on this list seem to think are "unteachable"
or overly difficult to teach. I'm glad some light is being shed on
these fundamental elements of the dance.
And thank you Carlos, for this very welcome statement, which I agree
with 100%:
>dancing tango steps is not the same as dancing tango.
Grateful for the return to interesting reading -
Dan Boccia
Anchorage, AK
