3562 "If you can t see it, you can t dance it"
Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 02:00:05 +0000
From: Oleh Kovalchuke <oleh_k@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: "If you can t see it, you can t dance it"
So writes Rick. He has shot some 30 hours worth of video of milongueros
dancing at Buenos Aires milongas. Here are some snapshots from the videos
illustrating elements of milonguero style
(https://home.earthlink.net/~rmcgarreysprint014/PicBasics.htm#PicBasTop). At
the page dedicated to one of the milongueros, El Gallego (Jorge Garcia)
Rick mentions that Jorge used to be a boxer. That explains where his
peculiar, grounded yet light footwork comes from (I saw Jorge dancing many
times at Viejo Correo and El Beso, like any other milonguero's his style is
very unique).
Cheers, Oleh K.
https://TangoSpring.com
Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 00:35:57 -0500
From: Joe Grohens <grohens@UIUC.EDU>
Subject: Re: "If you can t see it, you can t dance it"
Bleeping great work Rick McGarrey. Thanks Oleh for posting this.
This is what writing about tango is about. What a useful way to study
the dance.
I note that every single one of these guys pictured in Rick's photos
use a v-frame.
So much for "buttons-to-buttons" as an essential property of
milonguero technique.
Joe
At 2:00 AM +0000 6/30/05, Oleh Kovalchuke wrote:
>So writes Rick. He has shot some 30 hours worth of video of milongueros
>dancing at Buenos Aires milongas. Here are some snapshots from the videos
>illustrating elements of milonguero style
>(https://home.earthlink.net/~rmcgarreysprint014/PicBasics.htm#PicBasTop). At
>the page dedicated to one of the milongueros, El Gallego (Jorge Garcia)
>Rick mentions that Jorge used to be a boxer. That explains where his
>peculiar, grounded yet light footwork comes from (I saw Jorge dancing many
>times at Viejo Correo and El Beso, like any other milonguero's his style is
>very unique).
>
>Cheers, Oleh K.
>https://TangoSpring.com
Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 02:00:05 +0000
From: Oleh Kovalchuke <oleh_k@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: "If you can t see it, you can t dance it"
So writes Rick. He has shot some 30 hours worth of video of milongueros
dancing at Buenos Aires milongas. Here are some snapshots from the videos
illustrating elements of milonguero style
(https://home.earthlink.net/~rmcgarreysprint014/PicBasics.htm#PicBasTop).
I took a look at these photos. It's interesting that in the very first
photo to demonstrate a straight walk, the feet of Tete are both turned in.
And even more interesting that Rick didn't bother to get the complete or
correct names of the men he photographed. Was he too shy to ask them? Or
didn't they know they were being photographed for his webpage? I can tell
you who they are. Rafael Barone, Gerard Gelle (from France), Blas Catraneu
and Graciela Lopez, Ricardo Vidort, Ismael Heljalil, Carlos Alberto
Rodriguez and Elena, Miguel Angel Balbi and Estella Maris Hassan, Elba
Biscay, Mario Alan "Alito" Santamaria, Oscar Hector Malagrino.
It's interesting that Rick writes the following on a page preceding the
photos:
I need to say here that filming social tango is very tricky. Milongas have
special meaning in the Argentine culture, and many people don’t want cameras
intruding. It’s a matter of respect and privacy, and in the traditional
milongas where the best dancers are, it can be viewed almost like taking
pictures at a church service. People want to enjoy the music undisturbed,
and some don’t want their presence noted for personal or professional
reasons. Cameras are prohibited in several milongas, and frowned upon in
many others, so before filming, we needed the permission of both the
organizers, and of the people being filmed.
Rick showed up a month ago at Alito's milonga. Without speaking to anyone,
he began filming dancers. I happened to be working at the door for Alito
and talked to Vilma who was dancing with Ruben Harymbat. She strongly
objected to being filmed, and Ruben said he didn't like it either. Rick
continued filming them. I went to the table to tell him that they didn't
want to be filmed unless they were asked and/or paid. He argued with me, so
I walked away. Then when Amanda Lucero (milonguera extraordinaire) arrived,
I told her that Rick was filming dancers. She said she wouldn't permit him
to film her unless he talked with her first. He didn't. I stepped between
Amanda and his camera. He pushed me out of the way and continued filming.
He never spoke to Alito nor any dancer about permission to film them. Two
years ago I arranged for him to talk with Amanda and film her dancing. He
paid her for the interview and filming in the milonga, but later discovered
he had recorded over the footage. He claimed that her permission two years
ago still held try on June 1, 2005 in Plaza Bohemia. It wasn't.
Rick claims he has 30 hours of footage of the milongueros. But I doubt any
of them gave permission or even know of its existence. Most are in another
world while they're dancing and don't notice Rick. All he has to do is wait
until they're gone, and he can sell a video without paying them a dime. In
the meantime, he's using them for his own purposes without making any
compensation whatsoever.
Janis Kenyon
Buenos Aires
Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 22:14:25 -0500
From: Lois Donnay <donnay@DONNAY.NET>
Subject: Re: "If you can t see it, you can t dance it"
Pictures can be deceiving. I've danced a bit in Bs.As, with these older
gentlemen, and I believe that the pictures don't tell the whole story. The
gentlemen there always keep me in front of them, which greatly helps in
their leading. V's happen as a natural occurrence in the dance, and usually
to emphasize something in the music. It's hard to explain but great to feel.
Every time I hear this discussion I think, I am so lucky to be a follower! I
so wish more of the guys on this list could have the experience of being led
by some of these great dancers.
Lois Donnay
Minneapolis, MN
>
> I note that every single one of these guys pictured in Rick's
> photos use a v-frame. So much for "buttons-to-buttons" as an
> essential property of milonguero technique.
>
> Joe
