Creepy Dudes At the Milonga

These guys run off followers and freak everyone out, yet followers still dance with them...why?

Don't dance with them!

If you suspect that people think that you are one (no one wants to dance with you, even though you have been dancing for years)...you just might be...Change your ways or Go Away, you are not welcome!

When Cabeceo Goes Wrong

There are those people out there who are aware of the practice of Cabeceo yet do not know the rules or purpose of the tradition.

Awhile back I was at a milonga and a woman there (that I had danced with previously) kept staring at me even though I had made it perfectly clear that I was not going to dance with her that evening by not returning her gaze. I was with a woman and really just wanted to dance a few tandas with her and a few of the better dancers in the room without actively seeking out partners (especially partners that are horrible to dance with). Her stare was unceasing and at the point of becoming stalking, eventually she changed seats and sat at a table directly in front of me about ten feet away and turned her head to directly stare at me (I could not avoid seeing her obnoxious eyes burning a hole in my brain).

After a time I just looked over at her and said "No!".

Still she continued...

The results of her actions are as follows...Her evening was ruined...my evening was ruined...my dates evening was ruined...the people at nearby tables thinks that I am some kind of snob...my relationship with the woman I was with was strained...I left the milonga early...this woman is bad mouthing me throughout the community...If she shows up at an event, I want to leave..I will never dance with this woman, ever.

I do dance with new dancers, and even with dancers that have been dancing for years and just don't get it, but I am not obligated to dance with rude women, nor will I.

The great thing about Cabeceo is that even if someone turns someone down it's not counted as a rejection nor is it personal because no one was forced to tell someone that they do not want to dance with the other, and further it remains between the two people involved and is not a permanent rejection...only temporary.

It makes no sense to want to share a sensual intimate dance with someone who is uninterested in doing the same with you.

Guaranteed Way to Get More Dances at a Milonga (The Paparazzi Method)

It's very simple really...Smile. Smile when you are dancing, smile when aren't, laugh at yourself, laugh at life.

Do this experiment for yourself...look up photos of people dancing online, facebook, whatever...look for people you don't know.... that you would like to dance with, most of the time they will be smiling...look for photos of people that are not dancing, often they will not be smiling. Smiling often just makes people more approachable!

We have all seen photographs of ourselves and if we aren't smiling, many times we will cringe at our own image and wonder why the photographer took such an unflattering image of us, guess what, it's our own fault for not putting our best forward as often as possible. Pretend that someone is just waiting to take secret photos of you while you are at the milonga (Tango Paparazzi), sell yourself to the public.  The paparazzi method I've described will also help you with other very important concepts in Tango as well, things like posture, step technique, etc...

Smiling can actually change your mood. So put a smile on, even if you don't feel like it, and pretty soon you'll be smiling for real.  (Fake It 'Til you Make It!)

When looking for a partner to cabeceo, this is very high on my list.  I'm sure I'm not the only one.  I want my partner to smile, it reflects well on my dancing ability.  And I've seen photos of people dancing and making almost painful facial expressions, no one wants to dance with a sourpuss.

I know, Tango is serious business, and some of the lyrics are well...depressing, but believe me it works.

You don't have to grin like the Cheshire cat, but you can!

Chamuyo?

What is Chamuyo? (pronounced; Shamooshow)

Roughly translated it is...well... Bullshit.

It is a bit of tradition in Tango that during cortinas (interludes between the songs of a tanda) or after every tanda, that you say something to you partner that enhances their experience. For example a compliment on their dancing or the way they look. I really like the idea that it is expected of everyone to make sure that you say something positive to the person that you are sharing this sensual experience with.

I really noticed this during my trip to BA...The women there went out of their way to try and compliment me...even though more often than not we did not speak the same language...Kind of cool!

Is this lying...or a bad thing, No... you can always find something nice to say to anyone if you look for the positive...It's just a way of being nice, and making it your responsibility to make sure that everyone has a pleasant experience.

Last weekend, after a tanda I received a fantastic compliment...The woman I was dancing with asked me where I had learned to dance, and I told her that I had mostly learned in Colorado from the local teachers and from the festival instructors that came through town... Her response was that I didn't dance like most of the Denver leaders...That I danced more like they do in Buenos Aires...Well this really made me feel fantastic, and for me was the highlight of the evening even though I had had many incredible tandas that night.

Was she Bullshitting me?? Who cares!

Stay Off the Paint, Fool!

While dancing at the recent Denver festival there was one leader at almost every Milonga I attended that really got my attention. This guy was a menace and I don't know who he is, or where he is from but he, single handedly, disturbed the entire dance floor every time he danced.

Obviously he was fairly new and I hold nothing against beginners (after all everyone is one for a time) but this guy didn't have a clue about floor craft. It's pretty clear that he was never told that if you are in a lane you will (for the most part) be (more or less) behind another couple on the dance floor. He was between lanes every single time that I saw him, and It took about five minutes to figure out that he was a hazard to shipping.

This leader was looking for a clear path and to him I think that meant look for empty space in front of you, WRONG.

The clear path indicates that you are between lanes. Someone on a motorcycle can move through street traffic pretty quick if they drive on the paint, but sooner or later they will be maimed or killed for their arrogance (if only the penalties were the same in Tango).

The Line of Dance!

From one of my favoite Milongas, Cachirulo, @444 Miapu, BAires.

(I would have added, please keep the line of dance moving)

DJ (notes)

Three or four songs per tanda (be consistent so people know what's happening if they're paying attention)I've been at milongas where the DJ played Four or five songs per tanda and in my opinion it was too many (It's too long for someone that may be sitting out and it may be too long to dance with someone whom is not the ideal partner

Cortinas should be something "undanceable" and maybe something to guide the spirit of the people for example if people are acting down, a cortina that makes people laugh might be good... repetition is a good thing when it comes to cortinas

One idea for cortinas is to have a certain cortina to play before Vals, a different cortina to play before milongas, another for tangos, etc...

tango, tango, vals, tango, tango, milonga, tango, tango, alternative, tango, tango, vals, tango, tango, milonga, tango, tango, tropical (salsa), tango, tango,... is a good format

cortinas should not be anything that is going to be danced to during the evening, for example salsa or alternative

Try not to mix different artists during the same tanda

save one of your best tandas for about an hour before the scheduled end time to draw people into staying a little longer and keep the vibe going (moods are contagious)

remember as the DJ you are the heart, soul, and life of the party and if you aren't putting off good energy the quality of the milonga will suffer

try to stay within the same time period with regard to the feeling within a tanda (don't mix early canaro with later canaro)

it's good to start a tanda of a particular artist with a song that is typical of that artist so that it is easy for someone to identify the artist

the best song of the tanda should be either second or last in the order so that the end of the tanda is not a let down

a cortina should be played before an announcement of a performance to give people time to be seated

if people aren't dancing to a tanda make note of it so that changes can be made before the next milonga

play lists are nice to give to people if they ask for them but not always necessary

be prepared to answer questions regarding the music that you are playing, as a DJ you are a source of information

be prepared to deal with requests if possible

if a tanda is going particularly well it is OK to throw in an extra song if it fits the vibe of the tanda and will enhance the pleasure for everyone

after a performance a tanda of music similar to what was used during the performance might be a good way to keep the energy going

as for breaking the rules, I've heard tandas that were different versions of the same song that were vastly different from each other played as one tanda it was kind of cool

Stick with familiar tunes, there are about 200 songs that are played in the milongas in BsAs try to use these, don't play a lot of obscure stuff or people may not dance and will leave

I always thought it would be cool to have one of those LED signs and put the name of the artist and song that were playing so people could educate themselves if they were so inclined

as for adjustments to volume and types of music being played try and please most of the people (you cannot please them all)

remember that the spirit of the evening may change and that the music should guide what is happening (if the crowd starts dancing more open and bigger the music should go with the crowd) and encourage people to dance/stay longer

milongas are good to wake people up a little if they start to sag especially during very long or all night milongas

mix the music you play up a little, I've been to milongas where everyone knew what the next two tanda would be because the DJ was so predictable. never use the exact playlist for two milongas in a row

ask for feedback from people (if your are prepared to respond) solicit through emails facebook etc...

DJ "contests" are not a good idea and sort of ruin the feel of a milonga I've seen it at least three times

If people are looking at you funny like, WTF are you doing?, you may want to change what you are doing

It's cool to throw one or two tandas of swing or something like that in during the night but only two songs for these sets (it is still a milonga and that is what people came for)

Movement in Vals and Tango.

I like progressive movement along the line of dance in tango, and I really like it to move when dancing Vals. It gives the sensation of flying to paraphrase Tete Rusconi.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCqBW9wv3RE

What I don't like is when the line of dance stops during a Vals and all you can do as a leader is do gyros left and right, it kills the feeling.

Please try to keep the rhonda moving, especially during Vals "The Flying Dance".

If you don't I, for one will make use of "available space" like it or not. I can navigate around other leaders without banging into them. I would rather get behind a couple and follow them, but if the leader in front of me is in his own world (that is to say not dancing with the music or the crowd) he is only making himself and his partner a road hazard for those people who are at the Milonga to dance.

Dancing tango is a lot like driving on the freeway. Think of the really old driver who drives extremely slow and never gets in an accident but can't understand why there are accidents happening all around them all of the time. (Hint: they are the cause, not the solution.)

Standing in one spot IS NOT DANCING.

Now having said that, if everyone in the room hardly moves along the line of dance and I am the only one who wants to move now I am the one who is the pain in the a$$!

Why can't we compromise and keep the line moving, if someone wants to keep it simple they can enjoy the freedom and connection of just walking, But if the line of dance doesn't move there is no opportunity to walk at all (and walking is after all, the "Main Attraction" of the dance).

Stay in Your Lane A--hole!

A guy In Boulder bumped in to me twice on Saturday, once he was trying to pass me on my right(I prefer to dance in the outside lane if it is moving), once he was trying to pass me on my left.

The floor wasn't even that crowded.

What a dick!

I can't go faster than the guy in front of me Dipshit, and there is no way you can fit in half a lane without colliding with someone.

Why would anyone dance with someone like that?

Observations of Buenos Aires Tango 3

1. Afternoon Milongas, I found the afternoon Milongas very disappointing. The quality of dancing at these events was generally poor compared to the late night Milongas.

2. Plaza Bohemia, Maipu 444, I really enjoyed this venue and attended two different Milongas here three different nights during my two week visit (Cachirulo twice, and
Shusheta once). I have noticed that when you return to a Milonga more than once you are greeted and recognized by the hosts and the dancers, this is a very good feeling when you are a stranger in a strange land. As I was leaving Shusheta the hostess grabbed me as I was going down the stairs and insisted that I dance with her (she is very short and very round), she also invited me to attend another milonga that she was hosting at a different venue, I didn't go but I certainly enjoyed the hospitality.
I was seated in the same spot both times I attended Cachirulo, at first I thought it was a poor location but as it turned out it may have been one of the best seats in the house for Cabeseo, I was directly behind a large number of women and could see most of the other followers in the place (also right beside the entrance to the ladies room, every follower in the room knew exactly where I was sitting).

The only bad thing about the place was the quality of service by the two young waitresses whom were far more interested in texting people than waiting on tables (seems that poor work ethic is a problem no matter where you go).

3. A note on Buenos Aires Women, There seem to be more beautiful women per square inch in Buenos Aires than in any other place I've ever been, a trophy wife walking down the street on every block, people in general are far less prone to obesity than they are in the United States.

Observations of Buenos Aires Tango 1

1. I had absolutely no trouble getting dances at any time using cabeseo.

2. The venues here are much smaller and not as crowded as I have been led to believe.

3. The tango I learned in the states works very well here, I am very pleased with the fact that I can lead any follower here with ease, and I have received numerous compliments on my dancing.

4. The tango danced in most places here is very simple and straight forward, of course the Nuevo venues are the exceptions.

5. Argentine followers compared to followers where I come from are much heavier (feeling) and far more off balance and axis, I would place all but a few of them that I danced with in the intermediate category at best.

6. Navigation on the dance floor is far superior to navigation in the states.

7. I went to every Milonga on this trip by myself and did not reserve my seat, from what I saw it would have made almost no difference (from the stand point of a solitary leader).

8. The performances I witnessed at both Practica X and TangoCool were possibly the best I've seen and I don't even know who the dancers were.

9. The best all around Milonga that I attended here was El Beso. The level of dance there was far better than anywhere else that I went. I saw several well known milongueros there and was very impressed with the way things were done overall.

10. The worst Milonga I attended was Gricel, very poor dancers, poor selection of music, dark with a funky feel to the place. When I got here the hostess tried to seat me way back in a corner of the room even though there were empty tables everywhere (this was late in the course of the Milonga)I insisted on a better seat and she gave in. I did meet a very nice woman from Ireland there that I have been running into all over town ever since that night so it wasn't a total loss!

11. I also attended a Milonga called Viejo Correo, this was a very good and interesting experience. Everyone there was at least 70 years old, excepting my self, the place is deep and narrow. Everyone there was Argentine excepting myself as well. Seating was strictly segregated, with the men on one side of the room and the women on the the other with only enough room for a passage between the opposing tables (about three deep on each side). Couples were seated on the other side of the dance floor completely isolated. It felt very odd and sort of like a junior high school dance. Everyone there that I talked to or danced with was extremely nice, even though I felt like I was under a microscope the entire time I was there I would not have missed that experience for the world. I was not that impressed with the quality of dancing there but it was a genuine insight into the way milongas may have been back in the fortys and fifties.

12. Getting around the city is not that difficult as the cabs are everywhere and very affordable compared to any other spot I have ever used taxi service. The subway is also very efficient and dirt cheap, about $0.30 a ride. I used Manuel Tienda Leon to get from the airport into town it cost about $45 AR (about $12 US).

13. It is worth while learning at least some Spanish before coming here, most of the locals do not speak English beyond the very basics. You should at least learn how to tell the cab drivers where to go and know how much money to give them.

14. Use the ATMS for currency exchange, they are all over the place.

15. The most annoying thing that I have encountered here are the people trying to hand out ads on every corner (if you have ever been to Las Vegas you know what I am talking about) next time I'll bring my taser (just kidding, sort of).

16. Don't let anyone fool you, the food here sucks! especially if you like vegetables, these people don't have a clue. Find a large supermarket and cook your own food.

More later!

Thoughts on Floorcraft

Lane width does vary according to the volume of dancers on the floor. Good floor craft requires that a leader follow the couple in front of him (Provided that said leader is following the line of dance) without passing or changing lanes. What is so hard about that?

As for "tailgaters" once you have vacated your space it is no longer yours, it now belongs to the couple behind you. Tango is a progressive dance (along the line of dance). If you are having trouble with people behind you being in your way, you are going the wrong way.

If everyone on the floor followed these simple principals, floor craft would be easy. Just keep moving along the line of dance taking care to follow the couple in front of you (even turns can progress along the line if the leader has the proper skills). This is why some clubs will not allow corte's, they stop the progression of the dance. When it is very crowded it is the only way to move more than a few feet during a tanda (think about it, if one person stops, everyone stops).

Passing, changing lanes, and leading your follower into space that is behind you are three things that lead to most collisions during the milonga. If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.

I would also add that if your dancing requires that you dance a sequence that you need to work on your improvisation skills (these skills are what made Tango what it is, a dance that can be changed in a fraction of a second).

I have visited areas where there is complete ignorance about floor craft, in these milongas it is often a free for all (Total chaos) this is the direct fault of "instructors" and shows everyone the skill level of those "instructors".

Teaching at Milongas

Just don't do it!

Ever.

Tango Epiphanies 4

Good tandas only happen when both partners want to dance with each other, this is why cabeseo is so great.

Couples at Milongas

Am I the only one that has been taught that a woman seated with a man is of limits for Cabeseo until the male half of the couple dances with another woman?

Personally I feel that maintaining as much of the culture, etiquette, and tradition in the milonga as possible helps to keep the feeling as it should be in tango, that is, it brings a small piece of Argentina, and the culture of tango to where ever you happen to be dancing thus making it a more genuine experience.

Having said that, the one thing that I would personally do away with is the tradition of seating single men and women apart from one another, luckily I have seen that only once in the country where I dance. (I hated it but, I guess like the other traditions and tango music itself, it is an acquired taste.) The only purpose for it that I can see for it is that it would eliminate "babysitting", there is nothing worse than asking a lady to dance when a man is camped out next to her.

The Dead Zone

You know what it is, it's that place where you sit in a milonga where cabeseo is almost doomed to failure. Usually its back in a corner or up against the wall in the back or at a table full of couples or poor dancers.

Birthday Dance

Saturday was my Birthday (Scorpio, imagine that) and I was at a milonga in a small town that I regularly attend each month.

I was treated to the traditional birthday dance, most of the women there lined up for a few seconds of dancing with me.

One after another...

I was in heaven during that tanda!

Thank you all!