5539 Villa Urquiza style
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2008 11:03:17 -0700
From: "Oleh Kovalchuke" <tangospring@gmail.com>
Subject: [Tango-L] Villa Urquiza style
To: tango-l@mit.edu
<e5c6fa070802041003m5ee46e42wa4db0a8cc17f70fb@mail.gmail.com>
I have heard the term "Villa Urquiza style" first time about four
years ago. Ever since I have puzzled what does it mean. Can someone
describe the defining features?
Here are three examples labeled Villa Urquiza style from YouTube:
Javier and Andrea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HFUj0Y_DzE
Alberto and Elba: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orgGazxNz64
Jorge and La Turca: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucLFoUHcp-g
What do these couples have in common? Is it embrace? Steps?
Embelishments? Musicality?
How is it different from this style, labelled Tango Milonguero:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvYZTC27S1I ?
Or this "milonguero style" by the same Alberto Dassieu:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpljPVhW6Gs .
--
Oleh Kovalchuke
https://www.tangospring.com/
Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 11:16:18 -0700
From: Nina Pesochinsky <nina@earthnet.net>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Villa Urquiza style
To: tango-l@mit.edu
format="flowed"
Hi, Oleh,
Villa Urquiza is well represented by Sunderland. It is not so much
about a "style" with obvious elements, but more about the dancers who
were from that barrio and made some mark on tango with their own way
of dancing and their identification with Villa Urquiza. To this day,
there are dancers that pride themselves for being from Villa Urquiza
and for dancing regularly in the milongas there.
Sunderland is a great place to explore that.
Nina
Quoting Oleh Kovalchuke <tangospring@gmail.com>:
> I have heard the term "Villa Urquiza style" first time about four
> years ago. Ever since I have puzzled what does it mean. Can someone
> describe the defining features?
>
> Here are three examples labeled Villa Urquiza style from YouTube:
>
> Javier and Andrea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HFUj0Y_DzE
> Alberto and Elba: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orgGazxNz64
> Jorge and La Turca: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucLFoUHcp-g
>
> What do these couples have in common? Is it embrace? Steps?
> Embelishments? Musicality?
>
> How is it different from this style, labelled Tango Milonguero:
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvYZTC27S1I ?
> Or this "milonguero style" by the same Alberto Dassieu:
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpljPVhW6Gs .
>
> --
> Oleh Kovalchuke
> https://www.tangospring.com/
>
https://www.earthnet.net Boulder's Premier Datacenter
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2008 15:16:51 -0700
From: "Oleh Kovalchuke" <tangospring@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Villa Urquiza style
To: tango-l@mit.edu
<e5c6fa070802041416x4751f944n291f46bdc3680b7b@mail.gmail.com>
Hi, Nina,
"...It is not so much about a "style" with obvious elements, but more
about the dancers who were from that barrio and made some mark on
tango with their own way of dancing and their identification with
Villa Urquiza... ."
"Their own way of dancing" implies distinct style. Hence the question
is: "What is this Villa Urquiza stye?"
"Sunderland is a great place to explore that."
I like "Milonga Del Mundo" as well - the mood is more genial and Mario
plays better music there than at Ni?o Bien. However from my own
observations at that milonga and from the clips below I do not see a
distinct style.
Clips from Sunderland:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9v6ysmuj0FE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_2xPvJSry4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi1N22L5h9w - with very idiocyncratic
style of the guy in the stiped shirt in this clip
Compare to Maipu 444:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uHU3Oksj2A
or to Lo De Celia:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJqWjjKWWX8
--
Oleh Kovalchuke
https://www.tangospring.com/
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2008 14:45:06 -0800 (PST)
From: Dubravko Kakarigi <dubravko_2005@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Villa Urquiza style
To: tango-l@mit.edu
Take a look at:
Origins of Villa Urquiza Style - Finito, Portalea, Balmaceda
Also:
Tango Villa Urquiza
Ramiro Gigliotti Villa Urquiza Style Tango
and make of it what you can and/or wish.
...dubravko
===================================
seek, appreciate, and create beauty
this life is not a rehearsal
===================================
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2008 15:02:47 -0800 (PST)
From: Dubravko Kakarigi <dubravko_2005@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Villa Urquiza style
To: tango-l@mit.edu
I just realized that Tango-L only lets simple text through. Sorry about that.
Here are the links:
Origins of Villa Urquiza Style - Finito, Portalea, Balmaceda
https://youtube.com/watch?v×HmCGjYRYE
Tango Villa Urquiza
https://youtube.com/watch?v=LGTQ6pBYRsk
Ramiro Gigliotti Villa Urquiza Style Tango
https://youtube.com/watch?v=aXU9nojcFQo
===================================
seek, appreciate, and create beauty
this life is not a rehearsal
===================================
----- Original Message ----
Sent: Monday, February 4, 2008 5:45:06 PM
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Villa Urquiza style
Take a look at:
Origins of Villa Urquiza Style - Finito, Portalea, Balmaceda
Also:
Tango Villa Urquiza
Ramiro Gigliotti Villa Urquiza Style Tango
and make of it what you can and/or wish.
...dubravko
===================================
seek, appreciate, and create beauty
this life is not a rehearsal
===================================
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2008 16:16:19 -0700
From: "Oleh Kovalchuke" <tangospring@gmail.com>
Subject: [Tango-L] Villa Urquiza style article
To: tango-l@mit.edu
<e5c6fa070802041516l3e0907cct3e3631ddaa8c50a1@mail.gmail.com>
"X" has sent me the article below by Victor Hernandez.
For reference here is El Chino Perico referred to in the article (the
clip is from 1989):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TGHe4dJSbI
and from the same video Oscar "Pichi" Callegari:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eqj-YABBIzA
These four dancers do have a distinct style, which includes open frame
with resulting upright posture. Due to the open frame the style allows
various saccadas in the turns. I think, it would be fair then to call
the historical Villa Urquiza style a variation of open frame dancing.
I have not seen this style in the social dancing at Sunderland, when I
was there couple years ago. It is, of course, fairly common style in
varios tango performances these days.
Thanks, Oleh Kovalchuke
https://www.tangospring.com/
------------------------
The "estilo Villa Urquiza" (the "Villa Urquiza"
style).
To understand what it follows, it will help to
visualize Buenos Aires for what it is: a gigantic
metropolis of mind-bogling proportions and daunting
distances. A puzzle of immigrants, cultures, languages
and communities. When Alberto Castillo sings his
trademark vals hit "Cien barrios" (one hundred
neighborhoods) he is describing exactly "that Buenos
Aires": one hundred "cities", one hundred faces, one
hundred accents, one hundred personalities.
Even in today's world of cars, subways and technology,
it is not infrequent for thousands of portenos to be
born, live, work and die within the borders of his or
her "barrio" and greet each other - immediately after
their names - with their "barrio" co-ordinates. That
information is good enough for the speakers to "set"
and "clarify" with whom they are interacting.
If this is true today, imagine, one hundred years ago,
or even fifty, the "adventure" - and often the risks -
associated with moving from one barrio to another
(from Matadero to Avellaneda, from San Telmo to
Devoto) to live, work, very often to support your
local soccer team, or, to hear a particular tango
orchestra recital or to see first-hand how "good" were
the footwork of legendary and rival "milongueros"
names.
Tango is a culture. In its deep ethnological sense is
the ultimate culture: from the people, by the people,
to the people. It is the real story, in music, lyrics,
movements and emotions, of those arriving by boat (and
by the scores) to La Boca and then moving, with fists
and knives, fast and painfully, to the "barrios" and
"villas" of the metropolis'periphery. Only "el
centro", the rich downtown, was (for a long while,
anyways) off-limits. This is the background to
understand why and how the many different "styles"
were born.
Without risking much, for the debate rages since the
beginning of time, it is safe to group the basic Tango
styles into six families (no, the so-called Tango
"Nuevo", does not qualify for the seventh one under
the parameters of this commentary. Sorry), each easily
sub-divided, to the trained eye, in more categories
depending again on when, where and by whom, they were
danced.
Thus, "Canyengue", "Liso", "Orillero", "Salon (or the
family clubs)", "Apilado" and "Escenario (or show)"
came to see the light at different times - and often
co-existing with each other. Of course all were Tango,
all embracing, all silent conversation, all emotional
confession, and yet, all different. Each had a reason,
a story, a logic of its own and - very importantly - a
few names of legendary proportions, names pronounced
in whispers and quasi-religious awe.
At the end of the day, as with everything touching
mankind, it was the convergence of necessity and
serendipity plus the magic touch of individual genius
which gave birth to those styles.
The "Canyengue" in times of tight dresses, tight
skirts
and other complicated fashion "diktats" forced a style
of small steps, bent knees and side close body
contact.
Eventually, fashion relented, allowing with the
"Liso" style a more "easy", more "open" and "walking"
style. One must always keep contact with the floor
("Liso" means "ironed", "straight", often "closing"
and with little fantasy). It was an acceptable and
"serious" style.
The "orilleros" (inhabitants of the "orillas", the
edges) had other ideas. Not only space was not a
problem in the big warehouses ("almacenes") where they
danced, but neither were the fixed "rules" of
downtown. The feet started to move away from the floor
in all kind of new tricks and steps, at times in a
rain of pyrotechnics. Some of those improvised
movements, eventually refined, will compose the basis
for many of the circus-like stuff of today's
"Escenario" or "Show" style.
However, none of the above, was allowed or tolerated
in the "family clubs" (small all-purpose venues kept
by the barrios' associations, each with a respectable
dance floor) and where a combination of tango-loving
and rigid social and moral codes imposed a "distance"
between dancers - usually closely watched by family
members - in retrospective, a blessing in disguise,
for that "distance", that "space" is going to allow,
when practiced by the individual genius of the moment,
a whole new array of possibilities. One can safely say
that the Tango moves and rules that we admire in
today's Masters were all taken from the "Salon" style
of those "barrios": Devoto, Avellaneda, Matadero,
Saavedra...
There was, though, one very particular "barrio" among
so many, which concerns our story today for the "salon
style" it developed was something incredibly unique.
This barrio is situated north of Buenos Aires
(actually northwest), very far from El Puerto, San
Telmo or La Boca. It extends itself on both sides of
General Urquiza. During the last fifty years, the
finest tango dancers and milongueros that Buenos Aires
has ever produced, were trained in this area.
Historic family clubs like "Sunderland" or "Sin Rumbo"
had their addresses there and benefited from the
genius of "Milonguita", the legendary dancer who never
went up on a stage ("It is not worthy of a real
milonguero") but left his legacy to names like Gerardo
Portalea, EL Turco Jose, "Finito" Ramon Rivera,
"Lampazo" Jose Vazquez, Miguel Balmaceda and of course
"Virulazo", the one and only, who came to New York
with Tango Argentino. Many of them are now gone but
the "Milonguita'style", today known as "Villa Urquiza"
remains with its firm, straight, elegant way of
delivering the foot in long steps, caressing "el piso"
simply and continuously but explosing suddenly, if
need be, in a display of complex figures that the
"open" space between dancers allows. Never losing
embrace, never losing contact.
>>From now on, when you hear the expression "los viejos
milongueros" you know now what they are talking about!
Not long ago, the very respectable Buenos Aires
newspaper "El Clarin" published an interview with
somebody named Ricardo Ponce. Not many "milongueros"
know Mr. Ponce by his real name nor by his day job (as
a bureaucrat at the Ministry of Finance). But just say
his "night" nickname ("El Chino Perico") and I can
guarantee you that you will get some reaction, respect
and admiration.
For El Chino Perico - a legend in his own - is one of
the last masters milongueros. This living bridge
connects today through the Villa Urquiza style
("Milonguita" was his idol and teacher) a whole new
generation of contemporary names perhaps more
"familiar" nowdays. Names like Miguel Angel and
Osvaldo Zotto, Ricardo Herera or Sebastian Misse.
Oh!. We forgot. "Apilado"?. That is the "close, close"
embrace, small steps, conveniently developed in the
crowded "Cafes del Centro" (the downtown cafes and
restaurants with usually an upper floor to dance)
which, thanks to an unfortunate misconception
attributed to Susana Miller has come to be known as
"Milonguero" style. But as Maria Cieri says "you
should not call that style "milonguero" because the
real milongueros avoided until very recently those
places - like Almagro - filled with rich Daddy's sons
looking for easy pick ups. Call it "apilado", call it
"confiteria", call it whatever, but, please, do not
call it "milonguero"!
Viva Villa Urquiza!
> Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2008 11:03:17 -0700
> From: tangospring@gmail.com
> To: tango-l@mit.edu
> Subject: [Tango-L] Villa Urquiza style
>
> I have heard the term "Villa Urquiza style" first time about four
> years ago. Ever since I have puzzled what does it mean. Can someone
> describe the defining features?
>
> Here are three examples labeled Villa Urquiza style from YouTube:
>
> Javier and Andrea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HFUj0Y_DzE
> Alberto and Elba: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orgGazxNz64
> Jorge and La Turca: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucLFoUHcp-g
>
> What do these couples have in common? Is it embrace? Steps?
> Embelishments? Musicality?
>
> How is it different from this style, labelled Tango Milonguero:
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvYZTC27S1I ?
> Or this "milonguero style" by the same Alberto Dassieu:
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpljPVhW6Gs .
>
> --
> Oleh Kovalchuke
> https://www.tangospring.com/
________________________________
