3321 Misc: Buenos aires and CITA 2005
Date: Fri, 25 Mar 2005 08:04:12 -0800
From: Stella <smling@MSN.COM>
Subject: Misc: Buenos aires and CITA 2005
Buenos Aires Trip, March 2005: CITA and Oscar Mandagaran
Two weeks in Buenos Aires always flies by much too quickly. The lady does not fail to charm even after more than a dozen visits, a part of my =
heart is always remains there, and even this last time I had so many things to do before leaving that my remise driver had to wait 15 minutes =
for me to finish packing. We rushed to the airport through rush hour Easter week everyone-off-to-take-their-holidays traffic, and I made it =
through horrendous lines for immigration, security, customs, and exit taxes just in time for boarding with not a minute to spare.
What I love most about Buenos Aires is the juxtaposition of the old, the young, and the proper mixed with the improper. Nostalgia mixed with =
mischief. Piropos (compliments) are an art form there. As I was eating my deliciously hot "papas soufflé" (puffed French fries which I =
haven't found anywhere else in the world yet) in the Palacio de las Papas Fritas, with its old world wood paneling, proper table linens, =
and starched waiters, I realized that I was eating in a restaurant that had been there for almost 100 years! Café Tortoni with its marvelous =
mix of marble, wood, and painted glass skylights is nearly 150 years old. They built buildings to last in those days. And in the newly =
refurbished Museo de Bellas Artes, the gray-haired guard came over, not to tell me I was standing too close to a painting, but to whisper =
mischievously in my ear "From where I was standing you looked like a young girl of 15 or 16 years in your short skirts." I retorted "And now =
that you're closer?" He laughed and said "Like a young girl of 25 or 26. And then he added, I like your legs." Oh those Portenos!
I had not been to CITA since the first two years in 1999 and 2000 when I was first beginning tango. At that time, it was an overwhelming but =
exhausting experience. I wondered what I would feel like this time going back. I found that some things never change: the extraordinary =
lack, one might almost say purposeful lack, of organization in some things. Performances that were supposed to start at 11 p.m. started at =
3:30 a.m. Not enough tables and chairs for all participants, not enough room, waiting to get into shows, the smoke from cigarettes being blown =
right into your face, the lines for service with only one office worker. Also in the first CITA's we were very lucky to be able to have live =
music from great orchestras every night. For the first time this didn't happen supposedly because of the recent fire tragedy in Buenos Aires. =
The teachers were still good, many of the same high excellent caliber as at the first CITA's. Robert Reis and his new partner Lucila Cionci were =
extraordinary, as were Chicho and his new partner Eugenia. One performance which I will never forget was created by Chicho and Eugenia =
dancing on stage to the music of a solitary bandoneon and at some moments only to the sounds of the breathing of the bandoneon mixed with =
human breathing. It was truly incredible, one of those things that you can experience only in person. However some of the older couples no =
longer made the grade and many of the younger couples just were not the world class one would expect from such a festival.
In order to gender balance there are assistants both male and female who attend the class and dance with the participants. In addition students =
are allowed to hire "taxi dancers." There are generally more female students so most of the taxi dancers are male. I am not sure how I like =
this development. I suppose that it is a fact of life that the male:female ratio has been reversed. When I first started coming to =
Buenos Aires I remember that it was such a dream to have more men than women. Because in order to feel truly feminine I think you have to feel =
that you are being cared for and sought after, rather than vice versa. I think this is inherent in the roots of tango, in the dance, in its =
history, and even in the way women are asked to dance in the milongas. A male taxi dancer is not congruent with the emotional resonance of the =
dance. Now it seems that the economic reality is that these young men need to make money some way, even through something they passionately =
love, their dancing. I had many discussions with both male and female assistants and "taxi dancers" about this, the pros and cons. In a way =
both the students and the "taxi dancers" feel used. But perhaps given the economy and the gender imbalance this is the best that can be done =
at this time. I'm not sure. I met many delightful students and assistants and had many wonderful dances in the classes, but I never =
hired any "taxi dancers" for myself, although I would agree to do this to help out some others. So is this a mixed moral message? Yes I guess =
it is.
We had some wonderful classes with Oscar Mandagaran, formerly star of Forever Tango. We went to his home for dinner and got to meet the 3 =
dogs, 1 cat, two children and his wife. After dinner he showed us the newspaper articles of his charity organization "Mission Tango Guri." He =
continues to have benefits in Japan where he works up to 6 months out of the year, and to donate funds to help the children in orphanages in his =
hometown of Missiones. Here in San Francisco we had two benefits for these children when he was here a couple of years ago. He showed photos =
of the wood burning stoves that he brought them, as well as shoes, clothing, medicine and food. He showed the cramped housing and poor =
conditions that the children were living in. He said that if he can obtain a visa he would love to come back and teach here in the US in the =
future.
There are some excellent practicas happening in Buenos Aires just now. The entrance is just a few pesos, the students are usually young and =
adept, style often tango nuevo, clothing casual. The three that seem to be the most popular just now are: Luciana Valle's practica on Monday 8 =
p.m. to midnight, at Cordoba 5064, Tuesdays 9 p.m. to midnight with Pablo Inza at Anchorena 647, and the TangoCool practica on Fridays with =
Guillermo Cerneaz and Paula Rampini 11 p.m. to 3 a.m., again on Cordoba 5064.
Because a number of milongas are still closed, the remaining open milongas are even more crowded than usual. El Beso, La Viruta, Canning, =
Nino Bien, Ideal, Sunderland, Club Espanol were all open.
Happy Dancing
Stella
Date: Mon, 3 Oct 2005 12:39:57 EDT
From: Richard deSousa <Mallpasso@AOL.COM>
Subject: CITA 2005
Hola Listeros:
I saw a milonga performance given by Julio Balmaceda and Corina de la Rosa at
the CITA 2005 exhibition on DVD and I'm wondering if anyone knows the name of
the song.
Gracias!
El Bandito de Tango
Date: Tue, 4 Oct 2005 12:17:04 -0600
From: Nina Pesochinsky <nina@EARTHNET.NET>
Subject: Re: CITA 2005
Hi, Richard and everyone,
Julio and Corina danced several performances during CITA. and I am not sure
if all of them were videotaped. There was a performance to a recorded
milonga at the hotel and I do not remember which one that was, since I have
not seen the CITA '05 DVD yet, although I could find out.
There was also a stage performance with guitarist Gregory Nisnevich at
Teatro Astral during the first performance concert. Gregory is a classical
guitar soloist with a long performance career and several recordings. That
music was Gregory's own arrangement of Abel Fleury's "Milongueo del Ayer"
and its fusion with an Argentine vals "La Partida". His recording of the
milonga should become available on CD soon. I will make sure to post to
the list when I learn that the CD is released. He also has a website
www.gren-music.com where the CD information will be posted.
Warm regards,
Nina
Nina Pesochinsky
720/434-4342
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Richard deSousa [mailto:Mallpasso@AOL.COM]
>Sent: Monday, October 03, 2005 10:40 AM
>To: TANGO-L@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
>Subject: [TANGO-L] CITA 2005
>
>
>Hola Listeros:
>
>I saw a milonga performance given by Julio Balmaceda and Corina de la Rosa
>at
>the CITA 2005 exhibition on DVD and I'm wondering if anyone knows the name
>of
>the song.
>
>Gracias!
>
>El Bandito de Tango
Nina Pesochinsky
Tangoneando Dance Company
Tango Maverick Enterprises
720/434-4342
Date: Tue, 4 Oct 2005 12:08:36 -0700
From: Yale Tango Club <yaletangoclub@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: CITA 2005
Hi Richard
If you can somehow email me a snippet of this milonga, I can identify it for you, and if not I, I know a hundred experts who will gladly show off their discographic expertise.
Tine
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Richard deSousa [mailto:Mallpasso@AOL.COM]
>Sent: Monday, October 03, 2005 10:40 AM
>To: TANGO-L@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
>Subject: [TANGO-L] CITA 2005
>
>
>Hola Listeros:
>
>I saw a milonga performance given by Julio Balmaceda and Corina de la Rosa
>at
>the CITA 2005 exhibition on DVD and I'm wondering if anyone knows the name
>of
>the song.
>
>Gracias!
>
>El Bandito de Tango
Nina Pesochinsky
Tangoneando Dance Company
Tango Maverick Enterprises
720/434-4342
************************
Tango Club at Yale
YaleTangoClub@yahoo.com
Check out our brand new website at www.yaletangoclub.org
To subscribe to our event emails, please email us or visit our website.
To unsubscribe, send us an email, or if you're in a hurry, do it yourself by sending an email to YaleTangoClub-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com. If it doesn't work, just let us know. We're nice people and we really don't want to aggravate anybody. Thanks!
Date: Tue, 4 Oct 2005 16:58:11 -0400
From: Martin Waxman <martin@WAXMAN.NET>
Subject: Re: CITA 2005
Since the CITA 2005 DVD is a flipper (recorded on both sides of a
single DVD), which side are we talking about -- A or B?
See:
<https://www.tangodynamics.com/beofco22020.html>
Marty
At 03:08 PM 10/4/2005, Yale Tango Club wrote:
>Hi Richard
>If you can somehow email me a snippet of this milonga, I can
>identify it for you, and if not I, I know a hundred experts who will
>gladly show off their discographic expertise.
>Tine
>
>
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: Richard deSousa [mailto:Mallpasso@AOL.COM]
> >Sent: Monday, October 03, 2005 10:40 AM
> >To: TANGO-L@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
> >Subject: [TANGO-L] CITA 2005
> >
> >
> >Hola Listeros:
> >
> >I saw a milonga performance given by Julio Balmaceda and Corina de la Rosa
> >at
> >the CITA 2005 exhibition on DVD and I'm wondering if anyone knows the name
> >of
> >the song.
> >
> >Gracias!
> >
> >El Bandito de Tango
>
>Nina Pesochinsky
>Tangoneando Dance Company
>Tango Maverick Enterprises
>720/434-4342
>
>
>
>************************
>Tango Club at Yale
>
>YaleTangoClub@yahoo.com
>Check out our brand new website at www.yaletangoclub.org
>
>To subscribe to our event emails, please email us or visit our website.
>To unsubscribe, send us an email, or if you're in a hurry, do it
>yourself by sending an email to
>YaleTangoClub-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com. If it doesn't work, just
>let us know. We're nice people and we really don't want to aggravate
>anybody. Thanks!
>
>
>
Date: Tue, 4 Oct 2005 16:58:48 -0400
From: Richard deSousa <mallpasso@AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: CITA 2005
Hi Nina:
I saw the two CITA DVD discs and there were four performances by Julio
and Corina. A tango danced to "Preparense," a vals danced to "Esquinas
Portenas," and two milongas - one danced to "Milongue de Ayer" (Gregory
Nisnevich, solo guitarist) and the second milonga which had no title to
the song. This milonga was played by a trio, I believe - a bandoneon,
a violin and a percussion instrument. I am trying to find the name of
this milonga.
Best,
Rich
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Tue, 4 Oct 2005 12:17:04 -0600
Subject: Re: [TANGO-L] CITA 2005
Hi, Richard and everyone,
Julio and Corina danced several performances during CITA. and I am not
sure
if all of them were videotaped. There was a performance to a recorded
milonga at the hotel and I do not remember which one that was, since I
have
not seen the CITA '05 DVD yet, although I could find out.
There was also a stage performance with guitarist Gregory Nisnevich at
Teatro Astral during the first performance concert. Gregory is a
classical
guitar soloist with a long performance career and several recordings.
That
music was Gregory's own arrangement of Abel Fleury's "Milongueo del
Ayer"
and its fusion with an Argentine vals "La Partida". His recording of
the
milonga should become available on CD soon. I will make sure to post
to
the list when I learn that the CD is released. He also has a website
www.gren-music.com where the CD information will be posted.
Warm regards,
Nina
Nina Pesochinsky
720/434-4342
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Richard deSousa [mailto:Mallpasso@AOL.COM]
>Sent: Monday, October 03, 2005 10:40 AM
>To: TANGO-L@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
>Subject: [TANGO-L] CITA 2005
>
>
>Hola Listeros:
>
>I saw a milonga performance given by Julio Balmaceda and Corina de la
Rosa
>at
>the CITA 2005 exhibition on DVD and I'm wondering if anyone knows the
name
>of
>the song.
>
>Gracias!
>
>El Bandito de Tango
Nina Pesochinsky
Tangoneando Dance Company
Tango Maverick Enterprises
720/434-4342
LISTSERV@MITVMA.MIT.EDU.
