Monthly Archives: August 2019

Milonga, Tango

From a crazy number of lessons to a crazy number of milongas …

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tango

There are those who might question my commitment to the left side of my ‘fewer classes, more dance’ equation. And technically it is true that I’ve been doing four group lessons a week, with Juan Martin and Steffie – but that ends soon, and the plan after that is just one lesson a week.

But I don’t think anyone can query the right-hand side of the equation. Tonight was my fourth milonga in as many nights. I was feeling tired, but hadn’t been able to make the last couple of Tuesday milongas – my father visiting one week, and a night kayak trip the other – so didn’t want to miss a third one. I will, though, keep the blog post brief so I can get to bed …

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Milonga, Progress update, Tango

A giromaniac is born, and a whole new tango world opens up

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giromaniac

I am officially now a giromaniac.

After a false start a couple of months ago, I’m finally able to fluidly lead giros and contra-giros in a milonga. I cannot tell you how happy that makes me feel! Partly just the relief of finally getting there after so long, but mostly because it completely transforms my dance and the crowded milonga experience …

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Milonga, Outdoors, Progress update, Tango

Tango on the Thames tangasms, with giros and counter-giros – and accidental ganchos

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Tango on the Thames

As with Spitalfields, I’d first seen Tango on the Thames long before I danced; stood and watched for a while, and thought of it as one of those delightfully eccentric English things done by people who aren’t me.

It was an incredibly hot day, 32C ambient, and more in the sun. We estimated when the sun would have dropped beneath the building line and turned up at around 7.15pm, which was perfect timing …

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Private lesson, Tango

A rough-and-ready close-embrace giro (and a bonus clockwise one)

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giros

Today’s private with Fede and Julia was resuming work on the giro, and discovering that my difficulties with it are only partly technique-related; a significant part of my problem has been over-thinking it. (You’re amazed, right?)

We started, as ever, with a warm-up dance – and both said that fewer lessons and more dance is clearly paying off …

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Milonga, Tango

Taking a chance at a new-to-me milonga: Sans Souci

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sans-souci

The previous blog post was a long one; this is short, just a fun time at a new-to-me milonga.

Last time I danced at St Columba’s Church in Chelsea, it was in the huge basement room with hundreds of people at the Romantica Milonguera live performance. Tonight, it was the more modest (but lovely) ground floor room for Dante’s milonga, Sans Souci …

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Group class, Practica, Tango

A lesson too far, but one new turn and three old thoughts

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tea

My temporary tango routine continues with the Wednesday and Sunday Juan Martin and Steffie classes.

I thought this blog post would be short, as I was hardly able to do anything in last night’s intermediate class. But I turned out to be very, very wrong about that. So grab a cup of tea and make yourself comfortable …

Continue reading A lesson too far, but one new turn and three old thoughts →

Group class, Milonga, Tango

Rebounds, barridas, sacadas, planeos – and a very busy time at a milonga

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dance

I enjoyed my first taste of barridas, so was looking forward to another class on these with Juan Martin and Steffi. I had been warned that leaders often over-use them. A well-executed barrida once or twice in a tanda can feel lovely, I was told, but not more than that.

Like seasoning, then: just the right amount really adds to the dish, but too much can make it inedible …

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Group class, Practica, Tango

The art of circular dancing feels tantalisingly close

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circular dance

Let’s start with the bad news: the topics of tonight’s classes with Juan Martin & Steffi sounded perfect, but I didn’t feel that what they actually taught was a particularly good match for the promise.

The beginner/improver class was supposed to be on ‘the fundamentals of the embrace,’ while the intermediate one was billed as ‘figures in close embrace for crowded milongas’ …

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Following, Group class, Milonga, Tango

Improvisation, initiation, following, accessible Pugliese and the perfect ending to a milonga

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infinity

I decided last time that Juan Martin and Steffi’s classes are so good that I had to take full advantage of their limited time in London, despite my determination to do fewer classes and more milongas. The classes do at least double as a way to get to know followers for the Los Angelitos milonga which follows, so I can kind of claim they are in the spirit of dancing more.

Today’s classes were again advertised as technique-focused, with ‘pivots and communication’ the theme, though interestingly that turned out to be more true of the beginner/improver class than the intermediate one …

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Group class, Practica, Tango

Two absolutely fantastic group classes with Juan Martin Carrara & Stefania Colina

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Juan Martin Carrara & Stefania Colina

Given the unusual nature of what I’m seeking as my next step, it’s no surprise than the standard Tanguito classes didn’t seem an especially good match. That’s not a commentary on the quality of the teaching; it’s commentary on the gap between what most schools offer and what I actually want.

However, for a four week period, something rather different is happening at Tanguito. Namely, visiting teachers Juan Martin Carrara & Stefania Colina are taking over – and they were amazing …

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