When it comes to learning the dance, the contemporary tango dancer is faced with two big questions. Which teacher dances the best style and who teaches the best.
For the question of style, the main problem is that tango being a free form and social dance, does not have a fixed and correct style. Everyone dances their own style.
Javier Rodriguez explained to me not so long ago, up till the early 1990s, there were not many tango schools. He just learnt the basic 8 steps from his dad, who was the former organizer of Club Sunderland and then just danced. The level of dancing was much higher than today and the tango community were very selective. He recounts one time when he first started out, an old milonguero (hardcore guy dancer) cornered him in the toilet and told him, "You will never learn how to dance tango!" Javier was terrified but he continued to dance. Slowly the old milongueros accepted his sincerity and Javier recalls the countless nights, many of them will stay back late when the milonga ends at 5am in the morning to demonstrate and teach him steps. The milongueras (hardcore lady dancers) who were excellent dancers would give him tips as he danced with them in the milongas. Javier told me, "They just wanted to weed out the trash so that only the people who really loves tango stays. But once you are accepted, they embrace you like their son."
So this was how the beginner dancers used to learn. By the passing of knowledge from the old guard. The schools were the milonga itself, private lessons were free and priceless, after the milonga.
Marite, Javier's good friend, and an excellent milonguera and teacher told me, "I had to sit and watch in El Beso for a year. Before the men were given the green light by the milongueras, to dance with me." Marite started tango more than 10 years ago, when the codes were still very strict. She and Javier explained to me, due to the military junta and the popularization of rock and roll and swing in the 70s, there was a lack of transmission of knowledge from the older generation. Javier Rodriguez, Andrea Misse, Geraldine Rojas and Marite were amongst the few younger generation who started tango when the last of the old guard like were still around. Learning the traditional tango essence from the very roots.
During early 2000s, there emerged two main schools of structured tango teaching, tango milongeuro by Cacho Dante and then popularized by Susana Miller; another one nuevo school; started by Fabian Salas, Pablo Veron, Gustavo Naviera and Chicho Frumboli. Since then tango as a teaching industry exploded and various styles and definitions started to appear.
The good thing is that people now have lots of choices, and tango as a dance would not die out as the older generation goes away. But the hard thing for the dancer then is to identify which school does he want to learn from.
I would leave the discussion of the merits of each style to another day. Also, there had not been any proper categorization of the terminology yet; its not like there was a Council of Buenos Aires for the canonization of the tango terms. But for discussion purposes lets generalize the tango schools to 1. Tango Salon, 2.Tango Milonguero, 3. Tango Nuevo.
Tango salon actually was the original term to describe social argentine tango. 'Salon' comes from the term dance salon; the floor where tango is danced. During the old times tango salon did not mean any particular style. It was just a general term to describe and differenciate social dancing and show tango (tango fantasy). At the dance salons, on the social dancefloor different milongueros dance their own styles and had their own favourite and distinct figures.
Nowadays, tango salon is used to describe the classic traditional tango with long steps and more expressive figures with the feet. The embrace is more loose and the dancers may open up to do more complex figures. Some of the characteristical salon figures are lapiz, enrosques and long smooth walks.
Classic tango de salon style: 20% of women looking to the right with the man.
But I(Tom Stermitz) am fairly short, so for me, the "look the same direction" is just not functional. It cuts of half of my vision. It also feels more asymmetric, which makes my back hurt.
Tango milonguero are characterised by the close embrace, 'apilado' style, using figures such as ocho cortardo and short walks to play with the rhythm of the music. Apilado is spanish for piled up; because in that embrace the dancers look like they are leaning, piling up on each other by the chest. But actually the term 'milonguero' was coined by Cacho Dante and Susana Miller. Essentially tango milonguero was tango salon, just that this particular style was evident in the more crowded milongas in the center of Buenos Aires. Due to the crowded floor, the dancers had to huddle up in a tighter embrace and use shorter steps. But the point is, if one were to go 20 years back, there would not be tango milonguero, nuevo... etc. Only tango salon where some people hug tighter and some opened up the embrace during the dance.
Nowadays, tango milonguero is a very good starting point for learning the real essence of social tango because as the milongas of Buenos Aires are getting more and more crowded. This style lets you dance, navigate and express to the music even at the most crowded milongas. Also tango milonguero focus on expressing the music with simple, technically non demanding steps and communicating feelings with the body intimately. As such, the social essence of traditional tango is very clearly and rapidly conveyed to the students.
milonguero style: 80% of women looking over the man's shoulder or woman's nose pressed into the leader's cheek
Women with their butt sticking up and arched lower back, the draping of the woman's left arm down across the shoulder of the man with elbow pointed at the ceiling are another new style
Tango nuevo (nuevo means 'new' in spanish) was a brainchild of Fabian Salas, Pablo Veron, Gustavo Naviera and Chicho Frumboli. They wanted to analysed the movement of tango, the leading and following part and came out with a very structured and logical way to explain tango.
Since then tango nuevo has evolved into a very movement based type of dance and technically demanding. The current schools added a lot of modern dance elements into it. Its characterized by a very elastic kind of energy between the two dancers with long big boleos and colgadas.
For my first few months here I tried many teachers. I experienced a bit of salon and nuevo style but I concentrated mainly on the milonguero style. After I met Javier in November 06, I began to dance a more salon style, some call it Villa Urquiza style. I shall share with you some of the good experiences I had with the following teachers.
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Tango Milonguero
Old Milongueros
Dancing with old milongueros is a special experience. They use almost the same set of steps all the time, but each milonoguero has his own timing, accent and energy. That makes each of them different and unique. And also, they use few patterns again and again in one dance, depends on the music, these few patterns feel different from time to time. If you (a follower) are ready to go into his musical world and dance the way he suggests, you would never feel bored to do only few patterns in a dance. Because each pattern, or even each step (I really mean a step) is “tailored” to the music, the way to do the pattern or to make a step is unique in that particular moment.
If you think that old milongeuros dance few patterns all the time because they only know that few patterns, then you’re wrong and you miss the point. Old milongueros definitely know much more than that, but they treat some patterns like a “special weapon”, they only use it at the right moment of the music (or maybe also with the right person who can react and appreciate it). And because they respect the dance floor, they reframe their dance according to the condition of the dance floor. Not every patterns is good for a packed dance floor. For them, dancing is to enjoy the music and to have good time together with a woman. Dancing is not about showing off their skills. And definitely it’s not about creating troubles to other people (traffic jam or hurting people) on the dance floor.
I was chatting with Rosana Devesa in a milonga few days ago. She said the old milongueros might not be technically “perfect” (here perfect means “not up to your ideal”), but each of them has his unique way of using his body, guiding the lady and interpreting the music. Then later she continued to say, nowadays there are 3 big schools of milonguero style, namely Ana Maria Schapira, Cacho Dante and Susana Miller. But in reality, there are much more variety than that. Rosana is right. In the world of milonguero style, there are still a lot to be discovered and recognized.
나이든 밀롱게로들과 추는 것은 특별한 경험이다.
그들은 항상 거의 같은 묶음의 스텝을 쓰지만 각각의 밀롱게로는 그만의 타이밍과 리듬의 강박, 에너지를 갖고 있다.
그것은 그들을 각 개인마다 구별되고 독특하게 한다.
그리고 또한 그들은 거의 없다시피한 약간의 스텝(패턴)을 한곡을 추면서 음악에 맞춰서 반복해서 사용한다.
이런 거의 드문 패턴들은 매 순간마다 다르게 느낌을 준다.
팔로워로서 그의 음악적 세계와 춤추는 방식의 제안에 빠져들 준비가 되어있다면,
거의 패턴을 쓰지 않는다고 해서 절대 지루함을 느끼지 못할 것이다.
각각의 패턴이나 스텝은(그냥 걷는 걸 말하는 거다)은 "맞춤 옷"처럼 음악에 맞고,
패턴을 구사하거나 걸음을 걷는 것은 그 순간에 독특하게 이루어지기 때문이다.
오래된 밀롱게로들이 춤추면서 거의 패턴을 쓰지 않는 것은 그들이 그만 알아서라고 생각한다면,
당신은 중요한 점을 놓치고 잘못 생각하는 것이다.
나이든 밀롱게로들은 그들이 하는 것보다 더 정확히 알고 있지만,
어떤 패턴들은 특별한 무기로 남겨두고 음악에 정확히 맞는 순간에만
(혹은 팔로워로서 제대로 리드를 받아 소화하고 즐겁게 받아들일 만한 사람하고 출 때만) 사용한다.
그리고 그들은 댄스플로워를 배려하기 때문이기도 한데,
그들은 댄스플로워의 상황에 따라 자신의 춤을 재구성한다.
모든 패턴이 꽉찬 댄스플로워에서 사용하기에 적합한것은 아니다.
그들에게 있어서 춤추는 것은 음악을 즐기고 여자와 함께 좋은 시간을 보내는 것이다.
춤추는 것은 그들의 기술을 보여주는 것이 아니다.
그리고 절대로 댄스 플로워에서 (지체를 발생시키거나,다른 사람을 다치게 하는것으로 ) 다른 사람들과 문제를 일으키는 것이 아니다.
며칠전 Rosana Devesa 와 밀롱가에서 애기를 했다.
그녀는 나이든 밀롱게로들은 기술적으로 완벽(여기서 완벽은 당신이 이상(땅고 대회 심사 기준)적으로 생각하는 것에 부합한다는 뜻)하지 못할지도 모르지만
각각은 자신의 몸을 쓰는 것과, 여성을 안내하고 음악을 해석하는 독특한 방식을 갖고 있다고 했다.
그리고 계속해서 근래에는 Maria Schapira, Cacho Dante, Susana Miller 의 삼대 밀롱게로 스타일 학교가 있는데,
사실은 그것보다 더 많은 다양함이 있다고 했다.
Rosana 가 맞다. 밀롱게로 스타일의 세계에는 여전히 발견하고 알아야 할 것이 많다.(Xen 번역)
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Xen_http://blog.daum.net/ajaxx/12551063
당신은 어떻게 땅게라를 안는가?
혹은 당신이 여자라면 어떻게 땅게로를 안는가?
혹시 수줍은 시골처녀 처럼 몸을 움츠리고 상대에게 안기거나,
혹은 거칠거나 소심하게 '팔로' 그녀를 안지 않는가.
그렇다면 당신의 아브라소는 불편할 것이다.
'기지개를 펴듯'이 가슴을 열고 그/그녀의 '품안으로' 들어가라.
팔을 써서 끌어안지 말고, 품안으로 들어가라.
팔은 그저 상대의 몸을, 등을 감싸는 울타리에 불과하다.
그후엔 두 사람의 가슴뼈가 붙어있다고 생각하면 커넥션과 미묘한 리드들을 주고받을 수 있다.
편하면서 강한 아브라소는 팔로 이루어지는 것이 아니라
가슴뼈가 얼마나 밀착되어 있는 가에 의해 결정된다.
걸을 때 실제적인 다리는 고관절부터 시작한다.
하지만 관념적인 다리는 명치 아래 부터 시작한다.
걸음은 어떠한가?
중심이 없는 다리를 뻗어서 착지를 시키고 몸을 이동시키는가?-추상적인 연습 스텝
중심을 갖고 있는 다리로 땅을 밀어서 그 반동으로 몸을 앞으로 미는가?-빙고.
서있을 때의 에너지 라인은 허리를 기준으로
상체는 물을 채운 듯 크게 만들어서 릴렉스 시킨 후 하늘로 향하고,
하체는 발이 땅에 붙은 듯이 아래로 향한 상태를 유지해야 한다.
이때 주의할 것은 하체를 땅에 붙이되 관절은 릴렉스하게.
그러나 무릎은 언제든 굽힐 수 있으나 굽히지 않고,
고관절은 중심에서 벗어나지 않도록 유지한다.
걷기 시작하면 무게중심이 있는 발의 중심은 한 차례 지하 깊은 곳을 지긋이 누르고
그 반동으로 얻은 추진력을 다음과 같은 순서로 상체의 흉곽으로 전달한다.
엄지 발가락과 둘째 발가락 사이 -> 발목 -> 무릎의 안쪽 -> 고관절의 안쪽 ->배꼽->명치 -> 흉곽
그러면 몸은 앞으로 나아갈 것이다.
동시에 가슴뼈가 상대방의 가슴뼈를 밀면서 상대방의 가슴뼈에 도달한 에너지는
흉곽->명치->배꼽->고관절의 안쪽->무릎의 안쪽->발목-> 첫째와 둘째 발가락사이->발의 중심을 통해 바닥(지상)으로 향하게 된다.
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Cacho Dante and Rosana Devesa (English speaking)
They are my principle teachers. Cacho have been dancing and teaching tango for a long time. He is a super fine milonguero and maestro. His students include Susana Miller, Ana Maria Schapira, etc. He is now teaching with Rosana. Rosana complements him perfectly because of her knowledge of body dynamics; she also teaches body meditation.
Their classes focus on the leading with body, musicality and navigation on the dancefloor. Cacho breaks down all the subtlety of the lead in a very logical manner, hence allowing his students to create their own way of dancing and their own way of expressing to the music.
Besides being very dedicated teachers, they are very warm and nice and their classes have a very warm family vibe.
Tete and Silvia (English speaking)
When you see Tete in motion you can feel the spirit and essence of tango; you can also feel his incredible internal energy and rhythm. The way he dances belies his age. Together with Cacho, Flaco Dany; Tete is one of the few old milongueros still around.
His classes is full of energy. Like a lot genius, he is eccentric and very passionate in his teaching; he would not hesitate to stare at you and give you a piece of his mind. Often, when he did not like what he saw in my dance, he would come near and exclaim, "Sin miedo! Mas cadencia!! Mas swing!!! (No fear! more groove!)."
Silvia helps translate and clarify some of the concepts Tete explains. She is very nice and also a deejay on Cannings monday nights.
I really feel that if one makes it all the way to Buenos Aires, one should really take from age old milongueros such as him. You cannot find them anywhere else in the world. The represent all the things that made true tango what it is. Even if it is just to see him in action, hear his words, even if one cannot understand just yet, one day it will all make sense if you press on.
Susana Miller and Maria Plazaola (English speaking)
Susana Miller was the one who popularized 'tango milonguero'. Her class is popular and well attended. Together with Maria Plazaola, the former partner of Gavito(까를로스 가비또(http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~tango/Articles/Gavito.pdf
, they teach the milonguero close embrace style.
Her class begins with individual techniques, then some double time walks, playing with the beat. Then she will teach a figure. It is a good place to learn new figures to express the music.
She is pays a lot of individual attention to the students and is very strict with her students, like all good teachers.
Ana Maria Schapira (English speaking)
Ana Maria Schapira used to teach together with Susana Miller. Later she would start her own school. She teaches in a similar way and similar concepts and techniques as Susana Miller. Also another good place to learn new figures to express the music.
She has a warm personality and is very patient to her students.
Jorge Firpo (English speaking)
Jorge teaches tango milonguero, tango salon and milonga. He is relatively young compared to the old milongueros. But he grew up in the milongas with his dad and then later on moved on to dancing stage tango, folklore and other classical dance professionally. As such he knows the essence of tango and is able to explain it clearly in terms with the aid of contemporary dance explanations.
He also gives a very good technique for men class which is essential for all who wishes to improve their dance.
Here are also some of the teachers who teach the milonguero style I took from, and enjoyed learning from them.
Jorge Firpo - Clase Tango Milonguero December 12, 2006, 10:55 PM Jorge Firpo - Demo de lo enseñado en la clase de Tango Milonguero - Tango: El Olivo Video: gentileza de Gérard D. que nos filmó. Buenos Aires - sep 2006 - Escuela Arg. de Tango http://www.malena-tango.com/
Gabriela Elias (English speaking, Milonga con traspie)
Muma (Milonga con traspie)
El Pibe Sarandi (Milonga con traspie)
El Pibe makes it look so easy with his relaxed style and Elina's fast and light footwork is incomparable and a pleasure to watch....El Pibe Sarandi Gare du Nord Basilea...tango milonga El Pibe Sarandi Improvisation Gare du Nord Basilea...tango milonga El Pibe Sarandi Ricardo Maceiras "el Pibe Sarandi" y Veronica Lorenzoni bailan en Niño Bien...Tango Milonga Niño Bien Pibe Sarandi Veronica |
Milongon.Pinar de Rpcha.2005...pibe sarandi soledad chaves tango Ricardo Maceiras "el Pibe Sarandi" y Veronica Lorenzoni bailan en Niño Bien...Tango Milonga Niño Bien Pibe Sarandi Veronica Milonga. Pinar de Rocha. 2005...milonga pibe sarandi soledad chaves Bailan un Tango en Pinar de Rocha. 2005...tango pibe sarandi soledad chaves |
, una milonguita que se ha transformado en el caballito de batalla, Parque Patricios...Fernando nayla tango Bologna italia bailarines parque patricios milonga pibe sarandi maestro |
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1) the Urquiza style(the musicality and the quality of the movement at Sunderland Club, a couple that advances with long steps, touching the floor as if they are wearing gloves on their feet )-Salon
2) the Almagro style(Susana Miller & Cacho Dante, milonguero/a, closely embraced and whose short steps adjust synchronously to the beat very similar to the typical style of the downtown night clubs of the 40's ) -Apilado and
3) the Naveira style(all the imaginable variety of figures) -Nuevo as WELL AS
4) Antonio Todaro style(elite with technical formation, that alternates between the social dancing at the milongas and the professional stage performances)-Todaro ,
as the fans know them, - implying a neighborhood, a club and a teacher.
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Tango Salon
Javier Rodriguez and Andrea Misse (English speaking)
To me he is the best dancer in the world. With the elegance of classic tango, the incredible speed in his feet, the way he listens to music, his understanding of the very core of the philosophy of tango, the way he allows the lady to have her own say in the dance and making them look beautiful and his ability to transmit so much energy into the dance yet remain as calm as still water. Together with Andrea Misse, they are breathtaking to watch.
As a teacher he is colourful, animated, and flamboyant; his classes are full of energy. He told me, "If I were to explain, lift your chest up, pull down your shoulder blades and tightened your abs muscles. The students will have a hard time getting it. As compared to saying, put out your tits as if you are walking down a nude beach with your new breast implants. The ladies will get it immediately." With the deep respect he has for tango, he transmit his knowledge with all his passion and tries to teach the students the way he thinks tango deserves.
Andrea Misse translates whatever Javier says into english. She often turns deep red when Javier asked her to translate exactly what he says. She dances beautifully, has impeccable technique and most importantly, is her amazing speed with fluidity. Their partnership is relatively new, less than 2 years and everytime I see them dance, Andrea gets more and more expressive. The last time I saw them dance at El Beso I could almost hear them talking and laughing with their feet.
She is beautiful and warm and gives a lot of individual attention to the students. She is very approachable and explains to the students in a very clear and concise manner.
They travel around the world and are in high demand. It is very hard to get to them but I had all the luck in the world to be in Buenos Aires learning from them in the few months they are back in their homeland.
El Flaco Dany
Dany is one of the best milonga dancers in the world in my opinion. Matched only by Javier. He is elegant and has amazing speed.
Teaching wise he is a very dedicated teacher. He really gives you a lot of attention if you are struggling. I have seen him spend half an hour on a couple. It feels to me like he takes it personally to make sure you know what he taught.
You have to understand spanish to get the maximum out of him. But nonetheless he's class is one of those where you have to try just because he is so good at how he dances and he is essentially; tango.
Julio Balmaceda and Corina De La Rosa (English speaking)
World famous dancers. They are amazing to watch dancing vals, due to the power and smoothness in their 'giros' (turns). Julio and Corina has amazing energy in classes, their classes are fun and they always have beautiful and amazing figures to teach. Usually their classes have an more than 30 people.
They dance a style of tango salon, with a little bit mix of nuevo elements.
Here are some other teachers of tango salon style which I had good experiences learning from.
Gabriel Misse and Alejandra Martinan (Stage, salon; english speaking)
Fernando Galera and Vilma Vega (Salon, english speaking)
Jorge Dispari and Maria La Turca (Salon, Villa Urquiza style)
Gustavo Chidichimon (Milonga con traspie)
Andres Laza Moreno 'Bichy' (Salon, Villa Urquiza style)
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Tango Nuevo
Gustavo Naveira and Giselle Anne (English speaking)
Probably no one teaches the original tango nuevo as well as Gustavo Naveira and Giselle Anne. I took some of their classes and they have broken the lead of tango into very clear and logical elements. He also explains very well the elements of the music.
I've seen them dance. To me their tango is danced with the 'nuevo' concepts, but retains the feeling of the classic salon. That is what I like about them as compared to other tango nuevo dancers.
Honestly my knowledge of tango nuevo is very limited. But I would strongly recommend any nuevo enthusiasts to learn nuevo from the originator himself.
The other two main tango nuevo schools in Buenos Aires are DNI Studios and Tango Brujo.
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Conclusion
Cacho Dante summed it up very nicely when I once asked him what was the true essence of tango. He replied, "Dancing for the lady, dancing to the music and dancing with the other people surrounding you on the dance floor." I think whichever style you prefer, in the end if your aim is to learn the true essence of social tango then you have to ask yourself these questions;
Is the dance that you are learning, a dance where your partners feels comfortable and connected when he or she dances with you? Can you express the tango music with your dance, I'm not talking about electronic tango; rather the traditional tango music that comes from such a long time ago? Are you learning to dance in such a way that you are in harmony with the dancers dancing in front of you, behind you and around you; they are not dancing with fear that you would crash into them anytime?
If you are in Buenos Aires, in the roots of tango, then look for the roots, stick yourself amongst them. Learn from the roots and experience what true tango is all about; not just a series of body movements; but a whole lifestyle philosphy.
첫댓글 서있을 때의 에너지 라인은 허리를 기준으로
상체는 물을 채운 듯 크게 만들어서 릴렉스 시킨 후 하늘로 향하고,
하체는 발이 땅에 붙은 듯이 아래로 향한 상태를 유지해야 한다.
이때 주의할 것은 하체를 땅에 붙이되 관절은 릴렉스하게.
그러나 무릎은 언제든 굽힐 수 있으나 굽히지 않고,
고관절은 중심에서 벗어나지 않도록 유지한다.
어렵다.. ㅋ
나는 읽는데 눈이 빠질것 같았오...ㅜ,ㅜ