Los Angelitos is normally my dream milonga. Lots of slow music, and plenty of followers who enjoy it as much as I do. This past Sunday, however, was a relative disappointment.
But the Tango gods made it up to me by giving me my usual Los Angelitos experience at the Tuesday Tango Space milonga instead. This is usually a really good experience, but generally doesn’t hit the heights of LA; tonight it did …
Continue reading Tonight the Tango Space milonga was my Little Angel
Today was a rather a mixed day. Started well, went downhill and looked like it wasn’t going to get any better, but was rescued in the end.
It began with the unofficial practica, which we’re currently hosting at home while the numbers permit. There were eight of us today, which was a full house. This included Steph, who joined us as a leader …
Continue reading A mixed day, but began and ended on a high note, so calling it good
Yeah, this is another lengthy blog post. You know the drill: grab a cup of tea or glass of wine before reading …
Some might argue that a 2-hour practica, 90-minute group class and 3-hour milonga is a touch enthusiastic. Indeed, an unkind person might be tempted to suggest this has shades of a return to The Crazy Days.
Especially as I was doing all of this instead of going to a friend’s birthday party, but then she is a tango teacher so is understanding of the early-stage addiction to all things tango …
Continue reading A really useful hiphop-free practica, and a crowded but fantastic milonga
When Fede said my dancing on Sunday was my best yet, he was referring to my posture and technique. Behind this was a single secret he’d been trying to share with me for some considerable time: do one thing at a time.
With a back ocho, for example, lead a side-step first. No more than that. Don’t enter the side-step deciding in advance that it’s going to be a back ocho, as that will lead to me blending the two, compromising my posture in the process …
Continue reading Six-point-three lovely tandas, and my one-year appraisal
Ok, this one, too, might sound a bit like a return to The Crazy Days, with a practica, group class and milonga all in one evening – but it’s not as bad as it sounds.
Tonight’s Tuesday milonga was temporarily relocated to O’Neill’s this week due to redecoration at the normal venue. As there was no separate room for lessons, they were offering an all-levels class which sounded like it might be fun (‘Tango Secrets’). Plus the milonga was likely to be crowded given the smaller space, so I thought the pre-class practica might be a good plan if I hoped to do any walking …
Today was a little like going back in time to my crazy days of tango, when I signed up for every class and workshop on offer, peaking at seven classes and a milonga in one week.
Today was a two-hour practica, a 90-minute intermediate class and a milonga …
I had to work late, meaning I would – shock! – not make it there for the start of the Tuesday Tango Space milonga.
Steph teases me about wanting to be at milongas when they start (she’s very French about these things), but I like to be there early for one of two reasons. One, I love to walk, and at most milongas the floor will be at its emptiest at the start. Two, at the Tuesday milonga, most people there have already done a class so many only stay for the first hour of the milonga – so that’s the main window of opportunity when it comes to dancing with my fellow students …
