Tonight’s tango itinerary was the Thursday intermediate lesson with Luis and Natalia, and then … a dilemma! It was the monthly Tango Space drinks, which I always enjoy, but also Tango Terra.
It wasn’t feasible to do both, so a decision needed to be made …
Continue reading A really fun lesson, and a great evening socialising
Why does no-one ever believe me when I say I’m only staying for the first hour of a milonga?
Today was the final Tango Space workshop of the year, a one-hour one billed as lessons Pablo and Anne had learned from their students, followed by Prosecco and mince pies – then the monthly Browns milonga …
Continue reading They make long hours at this time of the year
As I mentioned last time, I’m no longer writing full blog posts for milongas, just a few snippets of things that stand out.
The first of which is what definitely counts as my best ever reaction from a new follower …
Continue reading Los Angelitos, and my best ever reaction from a new follower
My third and final private was another with Laura, and it was an absolutely amazing one! Half of it was devoted to technique, the other half to more simple tools for use in crowded milongas and to give me more options for expressing the music.
We worked on the first step of the walk, aiming to get a vertical diagonal feel to it – pushing down into the floor with the standing foot while creating a rising sensation in the chest. Laura also had me try the Argentine style position with my left hand …
Continue reading An amazing private, a lovely dinner and two last milongas
Steph’s original plan had been to attend a performance at La Catedral (above) at 9pm, eating there before dancing in the Milonga from 11pm.
I’d be back not long after eight, so the plan did seem feasible. However, a certain person was still lazing around in bed when it was time to leave, so we instead headed there for 11pm …
Continue reading La Catedral and El Tacuari: not much dancing, but there was applause
Steph claims I don’t understand the concept of holidays. There is some truth to this. With my background in business travel with extremely limited time off, I’m used to making the most of the time, so there isn’t much lazing around. I’ve always taken the view that you can do that with greater comfort, convenience and economy at home.
However, this morning was a relaxed one. We did nothing more than visit the two tango shoe shops directly opposite the hotel …
A couple of my Ms had both suggested I try a new school: Tango y Nada Mas. They run three classes, all on a Monday evening: fundamentals, improver/technique and intermediate/advanced – followed by a one-hour practica.
The plan was to try the improver/technique class, have a drink with M while we sat out the intermediate/advanced one, and then do the practica. This, it turned out, was a very sound plan …
Continue reading Trying Tango y Nada Mas for the first time; a lesson in levels
I’ve long said what I really wanted from intermediate classes was not additional vocabulary, but work on technique within my existing vocabulary. Quality, not quantity, of movement.
Tonight’s* Tango Space class seemed to be promising exactly that …
Continue reading Feeling at home in the Thursday intermediate class
Tonight was the monthly Tango Space drinks, when students and teachers get together to drink wine, talk tango and– Well, ok, we pretty much just drink wine and talk tango.
The pub plays a pretty eclectic selection of music, but I’d never before heard any tango music. On this occasion, however, it was playing something that sounded like a pretty convincing impression of a milonga …
Continue reading When dancing in a pub is an achievement rather than an embarrassment
Tuesday was the second improver class of the week, with more calesitas. I really like the balance of the Monday and Tuesday classes: the Monday one is always more complex but introduces me to new things, while the Tuesday one is simpler and focuses more on technique.
Tonight, we both entered and exited the calesita via ochos. You could exit with either a front or back ocho. The back seemed to work best when I had enough momentum, while the front was plan B for when things were slower …
