194  Report on Reno

Date: Sat, 8 Sep 2001 02:36:40 -0500
From: joe grohens <joe@WOLFRAM.COM>
Subject: Report on Reno

Dear list,

Carlota and I just returned from the Tango Get-Away in Reno, where we had a
wonderful time.

First (for you skimmers), I need to say to those of you around the U.S. who
have a chance to meet and study with GLORIA AND EDUARDO, and to see them
dance: DON'T MISS THEM. Man, they are the goods. They don't come to the
States very often. I am very, very thankful that I had the opportunity.

The Reno weekend was a big friendly party from beginning to end, filled
with non-stop intensity. We came away with a lot to chew on from classes,
and nothing but pleasurable memories.

Friday night we arrived, checked in, and then went downstairs to register.
A little distance behind the table Gloria and Eduardo were standing and
chatting with people as they arrived. I had never met them before, but I
instantly recognized who they were, and they turned, smiled and said hello.
I was amused by how normal they looked ... Eduardo w/o fedora, studious
looking in his big black-frame glasses. Gloria, what a beautiful face and
charming smile. On video they seem so much larger than life. Here they
were, just friendly people.

A milonga was already in progress in the registration room, and Alberto and
Valorie were both dancing (Pablo and Beatriz, the third teaching couple,
had a delayed flight and arrived much later). Carlota and I immediately hit
the dance floor, and thus began a weekend of some of the most warm and
fun-filled tango dancing we've ever experienced.

Saturday through Monday were classes, classes, classes. Students were
divided into three rooms, and the teachers rotated to these different
rooms. Class size was reasonable, and the dancing level of everyone in our
class was pretty uniform. The teachers taught the same material to each
room, so everyone learned the same material. We were able to make
personal-use-only videotapes of the classes (which was a good thing because
I didn't have my usual time afterwards to write notes).

Alberto and Valorie worked with us on rhythm, double-time steps, and
changes of direction. A strong emphasis on concepts. Music was typically
D'Arienzo school, and on the third day, Di Sarli (I think). Their material
fed into the other teachers' lessons seemlessly.

Pablo and Beatriz, who I had not heard of before, presented in three
sessions a simple and beautiful salon style sequence, emphasizing partner
connection. In style they remind me a bit of Guillermo and Fernanda. As
examples of quality of movement they were superb. This is the kind of thing
that you imbibe by being around it, and it's not really part of the
teaching. I am surprised to find, now that I am home, that I have retained
an unconscious impression from them that affects how I hear and dance to
the music. I realize now, how important it is to be near tango dancers of
this level ... to see their movement in different circumstances, to soak it
up. It gives you an internal idea of how to dance. A model.

Eduardo and Gloria taught one class each in milonga ("a la tango"), vals
crusado, and tango club style. At the beginning of each class, Eduardo
would give a little preamble about the history and context of each dance
style before he put on the music. We lined up behind him and Gloria for a
warm-up with the steps to be used in the class. Eduardo clapped his hands,
we walked, and from then on we were immersed in rhythm and tempo. Their
classes really roll along, filled with mirth and energy. A brief
explanation, a demonstration, then everybody tries it. There was nothing
fancy about the movement vocabulary. And not a lot of talk from Eduardo and
Gloria -- some crucial points were explained, but mostly the pedagogy felt
like "come dance with us, we'll show you". I may be a little star struck by
this couple, but I have to report that they just exude the essence of
tango. Music pours out of their bodies, and they make you a part of it. He
whistles, he sings along, he claps his hands. Their foot taps have the most
contagious rhythm. Many times I fought back tears in these classes. I can't
explain why, they were just moving.

Seeing Eduardo and Gloria dance in class was inspiring and awesome, yet it
felt approachable. They always got a round of applause from the class, even
when they only did six steps. Seeing them dance in performance at the
Saturday night milonga was overpowering. Mastery, roots, skill,
compositional balance, projection, drama, comedy, timing, simultaneous
spontaneity and control, everything. I have two new heros and they are
Eduardo and Gloria.

Milongas on Saturday and Sunday evening, with two excellent buffet dinners,
and the most amazing live music, gave everyone a chance to enjoy
themselves. I think I learned as much from dancing in the evenings as
during the classes. And the musicians were unbelievable. They got many
ovations after their numbers. I think often tango groups today play more
from a musician's point of view more than from a dancer's point of view.
This band was a dance band, and I'd as soon dance to them as _any_
recording. Really.

My praise and gratitude go to the organizers, Alberto and Valorie, for
their good judgement, hard work, and unstinting generosity, which gave us
an outstanding weekend of great fun and also great depth. And I want to
thank all the women I had the privilege to dance with in classes as well as
in the evenings; you were all so wonderful.

My last three words: GLORIA AND EDUARDO!

Joe