"Twelve minutes of love" a tango story by Kapka Kassabova -you may have heard this book being reviewed last week on Radio 3 and also Radio 4 "Excess baggage".When I heard the title, I must admit I wondered what I'd be in for - we all know what tango is about, don't we? From time to time, when we start a new course of classes or just a one-off workshop, we like to ask everyone in the group to say just one word or phrase perhaps, about what tango means to them. "Passion, music, shoes, dressing up, connection, frustration, tension, strictly!., Vincent & Flavia, embrace, hugs, desire, longing, and LOVE" ..have all featured and we survey each other joined in this pleasing awareness we share something special. The book is good, I think surprisingly honest and not as cliched as people may imagine. At the start of my read, I couldn't help but think " she is young and single and so of course, free to be able to pursue a globally stretching tango addiction without constraint (other than money..)" ..A little envy perhaps, bubbled up secretly, but then as Kapka told of her complex and painful relationships that she experienced through tango, I began to see the other side of things. This book can do two things, either fire up your desire to really throw yourself into tango fever wholeheartedly, or even perhaps warn you off it altogether! A choice to be made by all of us who teeter on the brink of tango obsession. Well done Kapka! Great tango truths .. and I still teeter.
Showing posts with label milongas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label milongas. Show all posts
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
Friday, 24 September 2010
local or international connection..
Busy busy busy..even our "local" tango scene has revved up over the last year or so. Now it's difficult to plan bigger events such as workshops and milongas for fear of clashing with another group nearby (when I say "local" I mean probably within an hour's drive )...
However.....our last really special tango splurge was a few weeks ago now, with our much awaited for and greatly appreciated Korey Ireland and his partner Adeline Schieferstein, (it took a year of planning to arrange..) and yet its taken me till now to sit down a minute and reflect.
I accept no one wants to read endless waffle, but still I need to remind ourselves of a few points of the weekend we so much enjoyed and benefitted from here in the wilds of Worcestershire, England, not Buenos Aires that is..!!
We read a lot of conflicting comments on the web from tango purists, tango "fascists" ..and then those who really want to be in the spotlight literally- on the stage, legs flashing everywhere, epitomised by TV's "Strictly..."
Our mission here in gentle Worcestershire is to promote salon tango, or social tango, the non aggressive, elegant, subtle form of tango danced more typically in the milongas of Buenos Aires. From the outside this may not look so dramatic as some styles, but then, the feeling runs deeper, so nerve-tinglingly deep in close embrace but perhaps "just walking" that I know which style I prefer to share with someone else..
So looking back on that weekend of workshops we shared with Korey and Adeline, it's the memory of that gentle presence that prevails, discreet, moving and intense...
the focus on the connection, the relationship between each other, and the MUSIC, said it all.
We were treated on the Saturday night to a live and spontaneous musical set with Korey on his bandoneon, Cliff on guitar, Xenia violin and Peter Okell-Walker also guitar...
"Brilliant. "...The floor was filled with joyful dancers..a dream indeed.
We will carry on this mission here in Malvern, to try to develop tango for all people, for enjoyment, spiritually and emotionally, it has to be salon (or social) tango...
Incidentally, our "local do, although primarily intended for the tango regulars from here and nearby, in fact brought visitors from far and wide including, Huddersfield, Southampton, Wales, Bristol, and New Zealand! Great to make these lovely warm tango connections ...
looking forward to continuing with this ..more similar workshops and weekends hopefully coming up ....
Sunday, 18 April 2010
starving in Buenos Aires
At last I return to my blog while here in Buenos Aires! What a place, it has absorbed me and challenged me ever since my arrival.
Now, the incredible force of nature, via the volcanic eruption in Iceland has resulted in me having to stay longer, well, who I am to argue?
Some nights in milongas feel surreal, sitting in dance halls that probably haven't changed since the 1940's. Some of the milongueros seem likewise, although mostly these older men are charming and so kind, perhaps glad to take a younger woman around the floor. I''ve been glad of their attention as usually their dancing is steady, straightforward and musical, a gentle way to start an evening perhaps, before encountering the young, strong and more daring style of the newer generations.
Friends from home text me and comment that I must be getting "so good" while I'm here, that would be great, although tango here doesn't seem like that, it humbles you, as it really seems to be in their bones. I have worked on my technique mostly and difficult those classes have been. I would like to return home an improved follower, as to share the tango at its best is my real desire.
Now, for the first time since I arrived here, its pouring with rain, and there is quite a storm rumbling overhead.
Hopefully, I will be able to get out tonight to a milonga though...I feel starved if I miss a night's tango!
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