Meet in the Middle 2011

The Argentine Tango found me twice. The first time was during a visit to Tulsa’s Dia de Muertos festival in November 2006. As I wondered around bumping into dancing skeletons and people with faces painted like mimes from hell, I walked into one of the art galleries where, as fate would have it, there was a demonstration of Tango being done by the local community. As I watched, I found myself standing next to a, some might say, slightly vertically challenged lady. We chatted a bit, and I even walked around the floor with her. This person turned out to be the one and only Karenna Angelica Lamonica, of Casa Tango. I took a card, left the gallery, and never thought about that meeting again. More accurately, I didn’t think about that meeting again until August 2007. That’s when I walked into Casa Tango for an eight week basic Tango session. This was Tango’s second attempt to ensnare another helpless victim. And this time it worked.

Daniel speaking on the language of default expectations

In September during the classes I began to hear about some sort of Tango event called Meet in the Middle happening that month. While it sounded like a lot of fun, I just didn’t feel that with my limited experience I would get much out of it, and I was only three weeks from my first of two hip replacements, which would hopefully move me out of the Walk Like a Zombie Tango division. The hip replacements worked and since then I have attended three MitM’s, in 2009, 10, and 11.

Tango is alive and well in Tulsa, and here's the proof!

This year Tulsa had around 35 dancers attend this great event. Meet in the Middle is a three day Tango festival held in Mt. Vernon, MO., which is about 40 miles or so east of Joplin, just off of I-40. Mt. Vernon is a classic small town of about 4000 folks. As their website says “small enough to know your neighbors, yet large enough to hold events such as Apple Butter Makin’ Days”. Kinda says it all, doesn’t it. As in all previous years the event was held at Murray’s Vintage Venue, a great old two story building built in 1893, now owned and restored by event director Karen Whitesell, who also runs a stained glass business on Murray’s first floor. The second floor, with it’s high ceiling, warm tones of dark and light brown and yellow’s, and a copper colored ceiling, is perfect for an intimate and elegant milonga for about 100 dancers.

And a few more dancers from around the country.

Karen has kind of a funny way to do crowed control. Basically she just feeds you until your too stuffed to move, so that way there’s usually room on the floor anytime you need to dance! Kidding aside, Karen does provide excellent catered meals throughout the weekend, snacks, and of course, the famous ice cream truck visits on Saturday and Sunday. All of this dinning is made very enjoyable by keeping a relaxed time table for the workshops and activities.

Karen and Gustavo share a moment.

So there’s time for workshops and activities? Why yes, yes there is. First up, Gustavo Benzecry Saba and Maria Olivera, of BsAs. Gustavo has a very methodical and clean approach to presenting class material. They walk out the basic rhythm of the figure, then divide the class and look at the details of the material, then combine the class for practice and refinement. Basically, just what any good teacher does with a variation here and there. This year Gustavo and Maria also did a video presentation of their new DVD that combines Tango terminology with short video clips.

The reason for the classes? The milongas!

This was my first time to do workshops with Daniel Trenner of Northampton, MA. Daniel is something of an acquired taste. He has a very extensive background in academic style dancing as well as Tango, and has developed a very personal way of teaching dance. In this post I will simply say that reactions to his material and teaching style was very divisive, no middle ground to be sure. This is not to say anything bad or good about the classes, but just a general reaction by the students to the concepts he presented, and his approach to teaching a class. Just so you don’t think I’m trying to duck out here, I will say that I’m more convinced than ever that each social dance follows the same technical conventions (and this idea is the cornerstone of my teaching philosophy), and I felt that Daniel’s classes made understanding the simplicity of the techniques more challenging than need be. Hmm, how tactful. I will save a more thorough discussion of what I thought about the ideas presented in those classes for a future post, where I can spend more time explaining my thoughts on the matter. Daniel also had a nice video presentation called  Tango: History and Mythology, & Tango: Characters from its modern revival. The videos were great to watch just to see the look and approach to Tango over the past few decades.

And a practica or two just to get ready.

New this year was a beginners Tango boot camp taught by Janey Smith of Kansas City, and assisted by Eli Leserowitz of New York. About eight to ten classes were held over the two day event and finished up with a short demo by the students Sunday night. While I was not able to look in on those classes, judging from the student demo, the boot camp was major success.

Classes, practicas, and milongas, oh my!

So this was my third MitM, and it has rained on two of those occasions. The first time was a is there any space on the ark for one more type of rain, a downpour that lasted well into the evening. This last MitM was a softer rain but steady and just as effective at messing up the outdoor fun. Each year MitM is held in conjunction with the Not so Square Art Festival, which, of course, is set up in the town square over the weekend, and two of those times I watched the artist scramble to load up and head home after having just set up. This also made it difficult to do our street dance demos that is a part of MitM. But Karen always manages to keep things moving and make the best of a soggy situation. BTW, the rain does not keep the ice cream truck away, or the dancers from lining up for our free treats. Choco Taco for the win!

The building, the room, the dancers, and...the embrace.

So there you have it. Another great MitM, and I’m looking forward to next year already. For me personally the Milonga Traspie classes with Gustavo was worth the price of admission. That and being able to steal a move or two off of the video that I shot of their demos. – Chau!

OKTango 2011 – Feel the Energy

It was a couple of years or so after I started dancing (mid 1980’s) that I did my first dance competition. It was also at this time that national level western dance competitions started to take off. In those days there was only a couple of divisions for the competitors in any dance. I remember that some events had dozens of heats for any one dance, and it literally took many hours to finish the preliminaries. To be called back as one of the top 12 for the finials was a major achievement.

The work begins

Humble beginnings

The shadow knows!

Why yes...I AM the director

But I'm the boss!

This was some of the best times of my life! We would compete all day doing four to six different dances in heats, maybe do (or teach) a workshop or two, have dinner, dance until the hotel forced us out of the ballroom (and into the lobby) at 2 or 3 AM or later, and start all over again at 8 or 9 the next morning with floor tryouts. And I don’t mean just dance fun. There would be games, pool parties, skits, and other distractions that everyone looked forward to, demanded even. My partner at that time could clear a tray of Rattlesnakes (whisky, brandy, sweet and sour mix, served in a shot glass) in short order and we still could take home some shiny new hardware at the Sunday awards. She couldn’t understand  how I got by on iced tea alone…I told her she partied enough for the two of us!

THE SHOES!

The shoes in action

Guerrilla tango loaded and ready

At the ballpark

Jeramy And Adriana - Bricks? no problem!

Stillness surrounded by noise

And then it all changed, as Hemingway said, slowly, then all at once. You see, folks began to take this competition thing very serious. There were bigger and better prizes to be had, and the prestige of being a big fish in a small pond. Two distinct groups began to appear. The fun people and the serious competition people. Around 10 or 11 PM the serious folks headed for bed and the fun folks stayed up till who knows when. Sure there was some crossover, and the events still put on a good show. But more and more time was needed for the competition part, which cut down or removed the time for the fun parts.

Tango with style

And a smile

Now I know what a fascinator is

Leaving no trace

Moving on to the Mayo

By the time I did most of what I wanted to do competing in the early 1990’s events had dozens of different categories, pro-am (the only thing that saved western dance events from going under), teams, age groups, rule books that looked like phone books, certifications, and, well you get the picture. Much of what I loved about all of this became very very hard to find.

We take over the lobby

Ah, air conditioning at last

Birds eye view

Preparing to move out

The Tango effect

What was hard to find? It was the intangible part, something that comes with people but can’t be bought, sold, or traded. It’s the thing that can make or break an event for you almost as soon as you arrive. Simple…I mean energy. Some call it a vibe or a feel. Performers talk about how an audience feels, the feedback, the energy or lack of it. A really good DJ can adjust the energy of a crowded dance floor to keep a party going until dawn.

New location, same drill

Tango at the river - Blue Rose Cafe

The paparazzi were everywhere

Sunset Tango

Let's pack it up

And this brings me OKTango 2011. Bout damn time you say. So, long story short (too late?) I felt this years event had a great vibe, a laid back but steady energy, and for me the best feel of the three events so far. People seemed to be in no real rush to get to anything, but were always on time for everything. Classes were taught with a lazy eye to the clock, and I never felt short changed from a teacher suddenly trying to squeeze too much into too little. I think part of this was due to the time frame selected for the classes; 75 minutes with a 15 minute break in between, and only occasionally two classes in a row. The schedule was changed this year to having one class at a time in each of the two rooms, and worked great. It was easy to hear the instructors, get on and off the floor, and move smoothly from one class to another. And the lighter class load meant more free time to relax and do important stuff like…socialize, or grab an ice-cream off the truck each day!

Back to the VFW

Need help with your barrida's? Who you gonna call...

Hazel and Luis demonstrating the finer points of Tango

Hazel perfecting the ocho

Tonya taking her students to the next level

The instructors this year were Jeramy Bede and his partner Adriana Ruis Pena from Dallas/Mexico City, Hazel Lopez & Luis Angle from Oklahoma City, and Tulsa’s own Tony Smith. The classes were done in a track format so that each instructor handled a specific level of dance from the basics to strong intermediate. Topics covered Tango, Vals, and Milonga, with emphasis given to the embrace, walk, contra-body, and other fundamental techniques. I found the classes on Tango Ritmico and Milonga Traspie interesting as always. Jeramy’s classes were well presented with a casual pacing, clear and precise instruction, and all this with a partner who was only visiting for a short time to the Dallas area, but is an accomplished Tango dancer, and proved to be very helpful for everyone to watch.

Tonya demonstrates her secret "melting" technique

Jeramy And Adriana breaking it down

Jeramy and Adriana

The class hard at work

Tonya teaches her famous "las palmas" technique

Again this year there was a great Friday night dinner arranged and provided by Dr. Divina and friends from the Tulsa Filipino community, which meant two things: sticky rice and fried egg rolls. Well, that and a few more things like salads, briskets, fruit, and desserts. It’s good to have an all included weekend pass. With the Tulsa VFW having two large rooms available, it was easy to accommodate the dinner, guests, and the addition of a smoothie/coffee bar on the dinning room side. This second room also was the location for the all important Comme il Faut Tango shoes brought from Austin by Laura Pellegrino and her husband Tomas. Talk about a religious experience, just watch someone buying these shoes. See the difference, didn’t think so!

This cake doesn't stand a chance

The fishnet part of Fedora's - Fishnets - and Fascenators

Greg and Rita's special Lindy Hop styling

The milonga begins

And continues into the night

guerrilla or guerilla  (ɡəˈrɪlə) – n  - 1. a member of an irregular usually politically motivated armed force that combats stronger regular forces, such as the army or police (hmm…that’s not us)
b. (as modifier): guerrilla warfare (hmm…that’s not us)
c. (as modifier): guerrilla TANGO! (that’s us!)

New this year was the Guerrilla Tango bus trip. On Friday evening OKT loaded up about 30 dancers and headed to our first stop of three, which was the ONEOK Field, home of the Tulsa Drillers. We tossed some corn meal on the sidewalk (which kept blowing away), plugged in the PA, and danced a few Tangos for the surprised onlookers who thought they were going to a ballgame, but instead got a little taste of culture. Jumping back on the bus we were off to the Mayo Hotel, a classic Tulsa art deco style building from 1925. While we didn’t have a large audience, the smooth floor and air conditioning was very welcome. And speaking of a vibe, and energy, considering how much great Tango music came out of Buenos Aries in the 1920’s, and then to be dancing in a place like the Mayo, I can’t help but think that doing Tango might have felt and looked a little like this back in the day. Next back on the bus and off the the Blue Rose Cafe. This was a really nice spot that featured an outdoor setting with a great view of the Arkansas river. There were a number of people sitting or passing by that took advantage of the free show during the evening sunset. While it turned out to be warmer than we had hoped, everyone did a fantastic job at keeping the energy up and taking Tango to the streets. And that’s how we roll!

Laura And Tomas - The Austin Connection

A nice reaction

And a nice reaction of a different kind

Tango in black

Of course there would be no Tango without the milonga. For my readers who may not be familiar with Tango customs, a milonga is a Tango dance party. It’s also a dance and style of music, but more about that some other time. OKT has a Friday night and Saturday night milonga. What sets the Saturday night milonga apart is the inclusion of live music. This year we were very proud to have Tia Juby, cello, and Amy Cottingham, piano, of Tulsa play for us. Besides doing a top notch professional job and having an extensive play-list, I can’t say enough about the importance of having local musicians be involved with Tango. This gives the Tulsa Tango community the freedom and options needed to produce events with a local flavor, without having to “import” talent from out of the area. Bravo Tia and Amy!

Tia and Amy when they are not dancing

The reason for the music

Amy brings a Tango to life

A beautiful finish to a beautiful evening

The Saturday night milonga included dance demonstrations by our instructors.Tonya danced the tango with two of her students, featuring a great mash-up of traditional and contemporary styles from classic Tango to Hip Hop. Hazel and Luis did a Tango that had a sharpness and energy (there it is again) that seemed to me to have moved them to a new level as a partnership. Jeramy and Adriana did what I consider to be a very elegant and heartfelt dance for our audience. A touch of flash, but very emotional with a clear connection between the two of them. As a side note I would like to thank Jeramy for doing a small figure during that demo that I absolutely love, and will use all the time. It’s not stealing, I’m only borrowing, I’ll give it back when I’m done

Sunday at last and it's all smiles

Jeramy says thanks for a wonderful time

Well there you have it. milongas, guerrilla Tango, dinner, classes, live music, demos, shoes, and maybe for me most importantly, about 80 people from many different places that took me back a few years to help me rediscover some of that lost energy, that special vibe, that makes me want to keep going and doing and learning and dancing. In short, what life’s all about. – Hasta que nos encontremos.

PS – Again Allen and Cathy and Hazel did a wonderful job bringing energy and life to another OKTango. Also a quick shout out to “The Committee” – Fred & Jessica, Cindy, Bobbie, Monica, Danny, Justin, Jim, Greg and Rita and yours truly – Many many thanks for adding to my ever growing pile of great memories of Tango.

PPS – OKTango DVD’s are available for $20 each and included a wrap-up of all 18 workshops, 4 demonstration dances and a guerrilla Tango slide-show. Just send me an email for payment options.

Spring Cleaning 2011

Well, it’s not quite spring yet, especially with the remnants of an all time record snow lying on the ground in Tulsa (and more to come as I write this) but close enough for me. So bear with me while I flip the cushions, shake out the rug, and nuke this slice of two day old pizza I just found under the paper.

So looking to see what I swept under this rug I find…the Hanger Dance! If you love old school swing and dance music, 40′s dress, WWII aircraft, and supporting a great organization, then put the Big Band Hanger Dance on your calendar in 2011. The Hanger Dance and Wings Over Tulsa both benefit the Commemorative Air Force, a non-profit organization, dedicated to the restoration and flying of World War II aircraft, with the help of members of all ages and skill levels.

Greg and Rita inspire the group to take their first step in swing dancing

A big room and a big stage for the 18 piece Sounds of Music big band

Swing dance classes are provided, as usual, by the hep cats and kittens from TOSS, the Oklahoma Swing Syndicate, a Lindy Hop dance club in Tulsa. They take 150 – 200 visitors through the basics in about and hour to prepare them for the big dance. The music was handled by the 18 piece Sounds of Music big band. Throughout the evening there were ceremonies, presentations, and a silent auction, but mostly swing dancing.

TOSS members show everyone how it's done!

This event pulls between 700 – 900 people each year, so mark your calendar for November 2011 and keep an eye out for this great evening of dance, music, food, and friends.

Can't swing? No problem, just follow the leaders!

Ok, what’s hiding under the couch cushions. three pennies, a candy wrapper, last months phone bill (can you hear me now…nope) and hmm..whats this, Hot Winter Tango! During the weekend of December 2 – 6, 2010 a group of Tulsa tango dancers headed to St Louis for the Gateway Tango Festival, also called Hot Winter Tango. There were more than 20 classes available to attendees spread out over the five day event. The main classes were scheduled Friday through Sunday. With careful attention to gender balance registration was limited to 75 leads and 75 follows, meaning the event usually sells out well before the date of the event.

A moment of time often repeated but never duplicated - Tango

The event director, Shaun Sellers, did a great job balancing classes, demos, milongas, practicas, and a constant flow of snacks (complimentary wine and empanadas Saturday night) and drink throughout the weekend. As a charter member of the night owl club, I was pumped to find that the Friday night dance was from 10 PM till 2:30 AM, and Saturday from 10 PM  till 4 AM!

A cabeceo acknowleged, an embrace enclosed

Late start times for the milongas meant that we could take extended breaks through the day to keep our energy up, and had plenty of time, three hours, for a very casual dinner before cleaning up and heading back to the studio. Another nice feature of the schedule was the inclusion of guided practicas both Saturday and Sunday, and a great alternative practica hosted by Homer Ladas of San Francisco.

Lost in the moment, and content to be so

Classes covered many different topics (except interestingly, at least to me, Vals, but that’s a minor point) and were handled by teachers from both near and far. Teachers this year were: Silvina Valz & Oliver Kolker (Buenos Aires & NYC), Cristina & Homer Ladas (San Francisco), Karina Colmeiro & Felipe Martinez (Buenos Aires & San Francisco), Marika Landry & Mauro Peralta (Montreal & Buenos Aires), Rebecca Rorick Smith & Eric Lindgren (Boston),
Andrea Ducane (Minneapolis).

A moment of trust and expolration, of sound and of...silence

This was a great Tango event, and I hope it continues for many years to come. If your looking for a laid back atmosphere, a smaller event with experienced dancers, and great classes and activities, be sure to check out HWT.

Oh, and two more words: WHITE CASTLES! Nuff said

Well now that that’s done, time to move on to all that stuff piled in the corner. A lost t-shirt, three socks – none matching. And hey, I wondered where I left those unopened Christmas cards. And this:

Time to say goodbye, the Tango way

While it was a great party, it was bittersweet. This was a farewell party for Tulsa tanguera Miryan Jimenez, heading home to Madrid, Spain, and Paul Haines on a three month visit to Spain. The turnout was great with about 40 dancers and friends from Tulsa and Arkansas showing up for the dancing and bringing all the food for this special occasion.

The guest of honor - Miryan Jimenez

Miryan was great to dance with. Always up for the moment with a very unpretentious attitude. She would giggle now and then if you tried something a bit different than what she was used to, and of course I loved that, even trying things just to see what kind of reaction I would get, but don’t tell her that.

Food, friends, and Tango, I seem to use these words a lot, wonder why

Danceres doing what they do best...I'll let you decide

Time for the toast, cake cutting, and a last tanda or two, at least in Tulsa for a while. Good luck Miryan, and remember, “El tango te espera”

Funny how many happy memories start and end with cake

Whew, the end is in sight. I’ve cleaned, swept, washed, and stacked. Time to celebrate. And that’s just what I did for New Years Eve.  Nothing too fancy, just a nice size group of dancers, at a party put on by the new owners of Feel the Beat dance studio. There were classes, a wine tasting, plenty of snacks, and a breakfast at midnight. Not a bad way to start 2011.

STAY SAFE, TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER, DANCE AS OFTEN AS YOU CAN

Walt

Out of the Nest…at Last!

For the first ever performance of TangoMotion, it was the perfect night. It was the third Saturday of the month, November 20th actually, and that means it was time once again for the VFW Milonga. I wondered how the attendance would be, since it tends to drift a bit up and down, but tonight was a good night, around 35 dancers, mostly from Tulsa, and some good friends from Arkansas. The weather was good, and we had a nice class lead by Tulsa’s Casa Tango, aka Karenna and Mark. But maybe the most important thing, all of the team members dancing that night had arrived.

It’s a funny thing really, that it takes so much work just to put three and a half minutes on the floor. I started this Tango experiment back in March. I had coached many competition teams over the years, but had been out of the business since about 1998. I started to get the itch to try something new, and very very different than what I was used to, a casual performance team for Argentine Tango.

No competition, no two to four nights a week of three hour practices. No fancy satin and sequin costumes (well, not yet anyway). And no expensive dance  shoes…hmm…scratch that last remark. Just a one night a week, two hour affair, off the rack cloths, and matching footwear to be determined. But even with that there were many challenges. At first the team membership was open for anyone to try, even if they had never seen Argentine Tango. There were a few who started and found that it was just a bit to much to take on at that time. It changed a mind or two as the realization sat in that we really were going to do public performances. And some just wanted to check it out, and found it just wasn’t their thing.

And then sometimes it goes like this: We set a date for our first show, one three and a half minute song. A long story short, some had to miss because of a conflict with the date. An unexpected loss of team members. A really unexpected fall and broken wrist. All this, as you would expect,  lead to a general loss of confidence that this was the right time to dance.

So now it’s a few weeks later. We’re still a bit short handed. There’s still a conflict on the date for some, and the wrist is still on the mend. But…but, confidence is pretty high. The team members arrive, do a couple tandas, and we even have room to do a walk-through in an adjacent room. A few minutes later I announce to the milonga for the first time ever, the first ever appearance of TangoMotion.

The routine goes off nicely. Sure, there’s the missed step here and there, the quick adjustment of a lost position, the nervousness  of those who’s only performance is a song or two in the shower before work, but the show was the real deal, and the team rose to the occasion.

But here’s the thing; most of my team members have never competed (or wanted to), never danced in public except socially. Never had to memorize a routine or smile on que. Never had to attend set practice times, or help, or be helped to learn a dance figure. Just regular folks who want to enjoy themselves and the camaraderie of being part of a team.

And that’s what makes it magic. Regular people creating memories and experiences for themselves. Stepping out, taking a chance, and putting themselves on the line. So now were off and running, out of the nest. It’s time to put a Milonga routine together, and then the Vals, and a few other things.

So to my team: Te doy gracias por el regalo. What gift? Two really, friendship, and opportunity.

Now go practice those ochos!

Here’s some video frames from the performance:

The soon to be famous IPod opening!

Be sure to start with the right foot...

Not on the toe, next to the toe

 

Prepare to change partners...

And...SWITCH!

Hold it togeather for a few more seconds...

Strike a pose, and exit gracefully!

Meet in the Middle 2010

It appeared for a while that MITM 2009 would be the first, and last, time I would have to attend this wonderful weekend. I remember seeing the email that announced the end of this event. I was like Darth Vader at the end of Star Wars Episode III – NOOOOOooooo…..! Well, maybe not exactly like that, but kinda. Then, much to my (and a lot of folks) surprise, a few months later, a new email arrived; MITM was on for 2010! Relief, and something to do the weekend of September 10 – 12th.

Karen making the rounds.

The Hall - Soon to be filled with Tango, as usual.

On the morning of September 10th I threw a few things in a bag, brushed most of my teeth, washed whats left of my hair, and took my weekly shower. You can tell this was going to be a big weekend for me. My ride arrived, we gassed up and hit the road for the 142 mile trip from Tulsa to Mt. Vernon, MO, the location of Murray’s Vintage Venue, and our Tango festival.

The first meal of the weekend is prepard - and I'm the only one here...

The first dessert's of the weekend - and I'm still the only one here....

Hmm, where did all these people come from? Darn!

There's always one...

This would be MITM number seven, and my second. MITM is a gathering of some 70 to 100 people each year to celebrate all things Tango. It’s a weekend filled with dancing, classes, food, shopping, art, and ice cream. The details change a bit from year to year, but the spirit remains the same; an intimate dance, in an intimate setting, and fun people to be with.

Tonya and Alberto do the Macar...I mean Chacarera.

The Not So Close Embrace Tango.

That's more like it...

Karen Whitesell does a real street Chacarera.

The first star of this show is the setting. Murray’s Vintage Venue was built in 1893, and restored in 2000. A two story brick building with tall ceilings, a beautiful hardwood floor, chandeliers, and a warm golden late night ambiance that is made to order for Tango dancers. A perfect location for our milonga’s, practica’s, workshops, and dining.

Tonya and Alberto turning Americans into Portenos...is that legal?

Practice, rest, talk, or just hang out...all part of a great weekend.

You know that thing about the shoes? Someone didn't get the memo!

Next up was our instructors for the weekend, Tonya Smith and partner Alberto Perone. Tonya Smith enjoys bouncing back and fourth between the US and Buenos Aires, Argentina. She is a choreographer, teacher and dancer of Argentine Tango. She has studied with maestros Juan Carlos Copas, Carlos Gavito, Osvaldo Zotto and Gustavo Naviera.

Karen's famous ice cream truck has arrived!

A unique solution to which shoe to buy...one of each!

Karen making sure everyone's happy - what else

Paul - "Nice jacket"...Chas - "Nice vest"...

Alice and Brent

Karenna and Paul

Master milonguero, Alberto (It’s Eeaassy) Perone of Buenos Aires, Argentina, studied with Antonio Todaro exclusively.  (Antonio Todaro taught Miguel Zotto, who taught his brother, Osvaldo Zotto.) Alberto has attended Club Gricel’s Monday night Milonga in Buenos Aires for 15 years and is known for his playful walk. He has been given the nickname “El Tiburón,” translated as “The Shark.” Tonya and Alberto taught classes in Tango, Vals, and Milonga, and the Argentine folk dance, the Chacarera, and managed to entertain with a couple of great demo’s.

Tonya and Alberto

Tonya, need a seat? No thanks, have one...

Everybody, Tango!

If you ever wonder why people love Tango...I have no words.

Sunset Tango

And now the extras. No Tango event would be complete without a vendor for that most magical of things. The thing that is sometimes made of glass, sometimes sparkles like red rubies, and sometimes makes a good home for a lot of kids. But in this case, makes for the hottest footwear on any dance floor, Tango shoes. Chas and Gaia brought a great selection of women’s Comme il Faut shoes, and even a few shoes for the guy’s, those new style shoes with the interchangeable soles, sweet. In between taking care of business, they managed to get in a couple of speciality workshops over the weekend, as well as teach a few private lessons and do a couple of demo’s.

The paparazzi were everywhere!

This little piggy went to market, this little piggy stayed home,...

But dancers can’t live on shoes alone (so I hear) and that’s where event director Karen Whitesell works her own brand of magic. You see, besides taking care of all the details for the weekend, she also makes sure everyone stays well fed. We had some of the best catered food I’ve had at any dance event. Pasta, salads, prime rib, desserts, and those pesky vegetables. Snacks, dinners, and a Sunday brunch were part of the ticket. And just when you figured that was it, around late-night out comes the ice cream and cake. And of course what would MITM be without the daily ice-cream truck? Well, still a great event, but it would be missed

No more dancers, no more floor.

If I click my heels three times...

A big part of this weekend is outside as well as inside. And this year the weather was in full cooperation (thanks Karen). last year the Not So Square Arts Festival was rained out from a storm that went all day and night on Saturday. No so this year. Warm, sunny, and dry meant that all outdoor activities were on. Artist and vendors were stationed around the town square, and shared the spotlight with local musicians, writers, and others. The dancing was left to the MITM crowed. Tonya taught the Chacarea, demo’s were danced by Tonya and Alberto, Chas and Gaia, Alice and Brent, Karenna and Paul, and a couple songs were handled by a group dance. Just about a perfect afternoon.

It's Saturday, and time for dinner number 2

Why are all those people looking at me??

Time to dance off dinner, and get ready for...

Ice cream, cake, and root beer floats! (when was the last time...)

Keeping the tandas flowing.

And last but not least, the social dancing. With a more relaxed schedule this year, there was more time to practice and work on the things we learned in the workshops, or just share tips, tricks, and ideas picked up from our Tango travels. For some (a lot) It also meant a chance to relax and and come back for the evening milongas refreshed and ready for a full night of Tango.

The way every evening should end...

We get a moment to say thanks to Karen...

...and goodbye till next time (when we do it again?)

So there you have it, just a brief look at this wonderful weekend. What I left out in words I think will be handled much better in pictures. No word yet about next year, but it’s early. As soon as I know, you will know. In the meantime I can just about guarantee that there’s a Tango class, dance, or festival near you. Don’t know who to ask? Easy, just look for someone with the coolest  walk you’ve ever seen, and say hi.

W

p.s. Here’s a link to Murray’s: http://www.karens-murrays.info/murrays_vintage_venue.htm

Two Birds with One Stone

Q: What do cinema and lamb have in common?
A: Tango, of course

I better explain myself, as usual.

Part One: The Cinema – On Friday, June 25th the Circle Cinema (http://www.circlecinema.com) showed “The Secret in Their Eyes”. It was the 2009 Academy Award Winner for Best Foreign Language Film from Argentina. The management wanted to add a touch of Buenos Aires to the proceedings and asked the Tulsa Tango community if we could bring some Tango dancers and dance in the lobby for about an hour leading up to the movie. While most of us need very little encouragement to get out and dance our Tango, a chance to show off a little in public was even better. As the dancers arrived we took to the floor to do our part to entertain the audience. After three or four songs, Tonya Smith and Alberto Perone did a solo performance. We did this combination for the hour, fielding questions from the audience, and enjoying the hor d’oeuvres supplied by the Circle.

Allen Ambler and Cindy Finley start things off

Tango dancers doing what they love

Tonya Smith and Alberto Perone, and attitude to spare!

It was a lot of fun to give folks a taste of Tango, and see how accessible it really is, since most people only know the synthetic version so common on certain TV shows…nuff said

Part Two: The Lamb – or, The Thrill of the Grill – Fast forward to Saturday, July 24th, time for an Argentine Parrilla. Not only does Alberto Perone do a mean Tango, he also has no problems firing up the coals. And starting about noon on that Saturday, that’s just what he did. With Karenna and Mark of Casa Tango supplying the location, and our good friend Eduardo Mora using his connections to supply a freshly butchered lamb, it was game time. Oh, and not just a small cut of lamb, but the whole thing. Under the watchful eye of maestro Alberto, over the next several hours, the lamb was grilled to perfección.

Around 7 PM the lamb was off the grill, sliced and diced, and ready to serve. As the guests (almost 40, at one point) started to arrive, so did the rest of the food. Tonya Smith with a great cucumber salad, others with pickled beats and eggs, green beans, fruit and veggies, cakes, Vin with her fancy pineapple, Bart, sneaking in some ice cream at the last moment, and let’s see there was something else…ah yes, Sebastian Lantos with a fantastic Chimicurri. (My first, BTW. I was told it went on the meat, but after one taste, it ended up on everything).

Of course this was Casa Tango, so to work off all that food, the milonga went on past midnight. Local dancers, dancers from Fayetteville, guests and visitors filled the evening with food, drink, music, talk, and Tango.

An evening like this is part of what makes Tango so special to it’s dancers. Most social dances can be done just by going down the street to a nightclub or a bar. You can easily find pop, rock, jazz, country, salsa, and swing music somewhere to take care of your needs. But Tango, well, there’s just not a lot of Tango bands playing in Tulsa (yet). So we make our own fun, and fun it is. So don’t let the lack of a public venue keep you from trying this amazing dance. In Tulsa you can do Tango almost every night of the week. And when we’re not dancing…fire up the grill.

Alberto, El Maestro at work

Here, catch...

Off the grill, and on the plate

Let's see...room for one small dish right here...

The multi purpose dance floor

When the host is happy...everyone is happy

Shoe's? Those are for amateurs...

Until next time, que aproveche!

OKTango II – The Sequel

Addition as of  July 19th – At the time of the original post I did not have the name for the guitarist that accompanied Jorge Heilpern at the Saturday milonga. This was Tulsa guitarist Lon de Ada. Many thanks to Lon for coming in and making OKTango a memorable event.

While it sure doesn’t seem like it, there have been some movie sequels that equaled or bettered the original. Aliens? Sure. The Empire Strikes Back? Of course. And one of my favorites, The Bride of Frankenstein (Son was pretty good too). And now I can add another item to the list, OKTango II, the Sequel.

OKT I (read about it in a previous post) proved that a moderate sized town with a small but dedicated Tango community could not only host a great event, but produce one that people would want to come back to. And come back they did. OKT II almost doubled last years pre-registration, and the Saturday night milonga attendance almost made it to the century mark.

This sequel officially kicked off Friday June 18th, 2010, around 2 PM. That’s when staff and volunteers began showing up at the Tulsa VFW Post 577, to transform a big empty room into a festive and intimate dance hall with a great floor. Tables arranged, chairs added, curtains hung, and lights placed, all made that much more easy with some surprise help from a youth group meeting next door.

From such humble beginnings...

The curtains that will soon be doing double duty

And they called this a break...who am I to argue

Susan and Tim do the untangle Tango

Six years of college...

Of course all this activity represents only about half of the set up to be done. Besides the heavy lifting, there’s all of the smaller but important details to handle. There was the recorded music to be tweaked for the Friday and Saturday night milongas, expertly handled by Allen Ambler and Luis Angel. Event T-shirts (new this year) to be laid out. Registration tables and materials set up. And let’s see, there was something else…oh yeah…Tango Shoes! Laura Pellegrino, from Austin Texas, a singer, Tango dancer and teacher, and for some most importantly, a distributor of Comme Il Faut shoes, of BsAs. You wouldn’t believe how many boxes of shoes you can fit in a compact car!

Luis makes last minute adjustments to the evening's playlist

Betty takes care of the registration area, and high tech T-shirt folding

Comme Il Faut and a credit card...

Priceless!

Ready at last...let em' in!

And, as if all this wasn’t enough, in a second adjacent room, preparations were being made for a new addition the this years festivities, a full dinner for all three day pass holders. Tulsa tanguera, musician, and…part time caterer, Dr. Divina, brought some friends, a taste of her homeland, the Philippines, and a ton of food, to Friday night dinner. Just two words: sticky rice…nuff said.

Aurora lays out the goods, and the goodies, for OKTango

Chocolate and Tango...the start of a good song?

If this keeps up, we're gonna need a bigger room

Workshops – Workshops – Workshops

Did I mention that we had a truckload of workshops?  25 hours worth to be exact, but who’s counting. The event was laid out in three tracks to accommodate as many different level of dancer as possible. This is where the double duty curtains come in. By dividing the main floor in half, and using the adjacent room, OKTango was able to run three workshops at a time. Three tracks, three sets of teachers. From Oklahoma City came event co-director Hazel Lopez, assisted by Luis Angel, in OKC by way of Argentina. Back in Tulsa again (and from time to time) Tonya Smith and her partner Alberto Peron, also from Argentina. And returning to this area from Houston Texas, by way of Argentina (is there a pattern here?) Martin Pelaez and his wife Natia. Each set of teachers brought an amazing level of experience to each class, while maintaining their own unique perspective, so vital to the experience of Tango.

When Alberto speaks, everyone listens…to Tonya Well, Alberto is still picking up this weird language called English. But that was hardly noticed with Alberto’s enthusiasm and Tonya’s expertise. Their classes covered some key elements of a true milonguero style of Tango. Tonya exhibits a smooth grounded dynamic style that fits amazingly well with Alberto, who likes to shine with intricate footwork and playful gesture. They topped off the weekend with a fun class on the folk dance, the Chacarera . The pictures say it all.

Tonya and Alberto kicking off the long weekend

Tonya said follower's technique, I said chorus line...hmm

The Chacarera in action

Taking care of the basic dancers were Hazel and Luis. With her professional ballet training and other influences such as Flemenco dancing, Hazel brings a refined and studied feel to Tango. Exhibiting elegant lines and crisp leg work, she shows the kind of control in her dancing most can only dream of. This works well with Luis, who is able to maintain a strong and competent base that shows his command of the dance and his ability to show his partner in an exciting and entertaining light.

Hazel and Luis teach the Bus Stop...just kidding, or....

Luis and Karenna grow tired of the paparazzi, the price of fame

Hazel's top secret Tango technique found out at last

Those who felt up to the challenge were well served by Martin and Natia. Martin takes a very contemporary and fluid approach to Tango, allowing for a more personal interpretation of technique, without the demand that there’s only one way to learn. Working perfectly with this approach is Natia, who’s strong background in International Latin dancing gives her a polished and unforced look that comes from solid dance technique. And, speaking as one of the lucky participants of all eight of their classes (and then some), I take away three thing: Peevots – Pee Position – Stop Sandwich. Well…you shoulda been there, I told ya.

Martin and Natia going over the finer points of Tango

No, this is not Pee Position, that comes later...

Martin and Natia cooling off with the gang

And if you think it was all work and no play, then you must have missed two great dance parties complete with teacher demo’s, raffle’s, snacks, and like last year, live music on Saturday night.

The live portion was handled by Florida musician Jorge Heilpern doing vocals and guitar. This gave a nice contrast to the great music selection’s picked by Allen and Luis between sets. Classic, golden age, nuevo, and neo Tango could be danced to. And, due to popular demand (sorta), even a touch of Swing and Salsa. That’s what happens when the sleepy heads go home and the real party starts

But you don’t need me to tell you of this, when the pictures say it all. Here’s a candid look at OKTango 2010, from the inside:

Saturday night tandas to live music with Jorge and Lon

The rush begins

Tonya picks us a winner for the free dinners

Karen Whitesell announces Meet in the Middle 2010

Oklahoma City well represented, fun folks having a fun time

Hazel and Jorge doing a slow Tango...oops...hmm, well...nvm

The cabaceo at work

Tulsa teachers Jenny and Bart share the floor

Hannah and Justin in a Salsa state of mind

Susan wonders who would leave a cake just lying around...

This was only the first batch

Hazel and Cindy, and two very sparkly dresses...woah!

Can you believe THIS guy won the $200 Comme Il Faut shoes!

OKTango committee members Bobbie and Susan take a break

Tony, Janette, (CTR) Karenna (L), Mark (R), and...that guy that won the SHOES, Get em!

Event director Allen and wife Cathy wonder if it really is the shoes

So there you have it. Three days, 25 workshops, food, live music, dancing, vendors, and more. More proof that sometimes the sequel really is as good or better than the first.

A quick personal shout out to “the committee”, thanks for a great time! Allen, Cathy, Hazel, Danny, Bobbie, Cindy, Bill, Susan and Vin

P.S. Event DVD’s include a review of all workshops taught and all teacher exhibitions and may be purchased by mail for $20 each, shipping and handling included. Mail to:

Walt Warner
2210 S 130th E Ave
Tulsa, OK 74134

Now For Something Completely Different

Hola!

So, no ranting or raving this time. No how to do it, how it’s done, how it shoulda coulda woulda. I’ll skip the blah blah… blah…blah blah blah…for now. Basically, I’m just to lazy to write up a post atm BUT, fellow tangueros and tangueras, and friends of all dance, a treat. Below will be found links to some of my favorite Tango discoveries. Little bits of internet gold, dug up by dancers, for dancers. Check em out, and, if you have some of your own, be sure to post them in the comments.

First up, a documentary about a woman, a bandoneon, and a great musician looking to give something back.

http://www.linktv.org/video/4898/doc-debut-el-ultimo-bandonen

And this documentary, a kind of Buena Vista Social Club, but for Tango instead of Cuban music.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1185589/

Next, a story of friendship, romance, and Tango. I found a better story here in 13 minutes than in a dozen Hollywood retreads. A personal favorite!

http://shortsbay.com/film/tanghi-argentini

Moving on.  Tango movies. Here’s three to get you started.

1) Tango – http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120274/

From the Back Cover:

Flamboyant. Colorful. Sensual. This is the seductive world of the TANGO, stunningly brought to life by acclaimed director Carlos Saura (“Flamenco”), Grammy-winning composer Lalo Schifrin (TV’s “Mission: Impossible”) and Oscar-winning cinematographer Vittorio Storaro. Set against the backdrop of a director’s passionate love affair with his art and the beautiful young woman who captures his heart, Tango is “a mesmerizing experience, a smoky lush blend of muted light and color, of intoxicating dance and the richest tango music you could ever imagine.” – Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times.

2) Assassination Tango – http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0283897/

Oscar winner* Robert Duvall writes, directs and stars in this “fascinating” (Roger Ebert) tale of dancing, deception and deadly passion on the sizzling streets of Argentina. Starring Ruben Blades, Kathy Baker and Luciana Pedraza, Assassination Tango is “part gritty crime thriller, part dance-driven romance, part evocative character study” (The Hollywood Reporter). Veteran hit man John J. (Duvall) has just received the toughest assignment of his career: Travel to Buenos Aires, take down a corrupt general and be back in America in less than three days. But when the hit is unexpectedly delayed, John finds himself prowling the city’s intoxicating tango clubs only to be seduced by a sultry dancer (Pedraza), tempted by the tango and betrayed by a lethal conspiracy. *1983: Actor, Tender Mercies

3) The Tango Lesson – http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120275/

From Amazon.com:

Sally Potter’s self-reflective film stars Potter (an actress and the director of Orlando), more or less as herself, learning to tango from master dancer Pablo Veron and considering making a film called The Tango Lesson. The film that we happen to be watching, however, is concerned largely with the delicious conflict between the politics of tango–the need for one partner, typically the woman, to yield to the other–and the expectations of the filmmaker to do things on her own terms. Can Potter simultaneously surrender and control for the duration of this circular project? The question is made more complicated by Veron’s desire to be in one of Potter’s films–in other words, to follow her lead. Potter may not be Veron’s equal on the dance floor, but that isn’t the point of this interesting movie and its provocative, internal debate.

Maybe all this watching has inspired you to try some Tango for yourself…in the safety of your own home

Easy, head for http://www.youtube.com/, and search for Dario’s Tango Guide. There’s so much Tango on Youtube that it’s easy to think all Tango is for the stage. Dario’s tube’s provide clean and simple descriptions from the first step, through more challenging material.

More interested in the music than the dance? (call me, I’ll help you fix that). Maybe a nice book to relax with.

Try this one http://www.tangovoices.com/. Comes complete with a CD of all the songs presented in the book.

From the Dancing Times:

This beautifully presented and illustrated large format paperback contains Argentine Tango songs…excellent and entertaining book.

In the shameless self promotion dept.

Here you will find my photographic prints for sale. Only two subjects  at the moment. Bell’s Amusement Park, and…yep, Tango.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/waltwarner

Well, that’s about it for now. Some reading, some watching, a little listening, and a bit of looking. Enjoy!

Noche Del Tango – OSU Stillwater 2010

Some of my favorite shows of all time have been about things like science and history. Shows like Cosmos, A History of Britain, NOVA, and these days even MythBusters. Way back in 1979 there was a great show called “Connections”, with a couple of followup series in the 90′s. It was hosted by the science historian James Burke. Mr. Burke looked at history from the standpoint of interconnected events, rather than a linear view of history.

So here we have two seemingly unrelated things. One, Tango. Two, Stillwater Oklahoma. Now, I’m not James Burke, so I won’t be coming up with any meaningful insights. So here’s the poor man’s connections: Big Bang, earth, one cell, bunch of cells, George the shy stegosaurus, Fred Flintstone (did you think Betty was hot?), Charles Darwin, Rudolph Valentino, Tango, People who dance Tango, People who dance Tango in Stillwater. Deep!

People like who? Well, like these people…

The Tulsa Gang (minus one photographer)

And what goes well with Tango? Seafood, of course! After a nice dinner at the Stillwater Red Lobster, we headed to the OSU Student Union to hook up with another 10 -12 Tulsa Tango dancers, who had already hooked up with around 50 – 60 OSU students and guests, many which belong to the school’s Latin dance club.

Tulsa dancers hook up with friends from OSU, OKC, and other places.

Hazel Lopez of OKC and owner of IDance Studio kicked off the evening with a Tango class, putting everyone in the mood for an evening of Tango. Not only Tango, but Tango to live music. The Just Desserts provided the tandas for the night, with djayed music in between. We were also treated to a Tango demonstration by Hazel Lopez and Allen Ambler of Tulsa.

Hazel Lopez and Allen Ambler during their Tango Demonstration

After getting in  about three hours of Tango, it was time to head back home. Even though it was a cool, drizzly night, the Tulsa Tango scene was well represented. If you couldn’t make it this year, then keep the event in mind for next year. Also keep in mind that you don’t have to wait that long for a great Tango event, with OKTango coming up in June!

The world was dancing.
Paris had succumbed to
the mad rhythm of the
Argentine tango.
– The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921)

Te veo

Walt

Gravity – Friend or Foe?

“Gravity. It Isn’t Just a Good Idea. It’s the Law.”
Gerry Mooney – Tulsa, OK. 1977

As if…As if we dancers don’t have enough things to worry about, along comes GRAVITY! Actually, from what I’ve read, gravity has been around for a long long time (time’s that thing that keeps everything from happening all at once). But you didn’t come here for a lecture on physics, and I’m no physicist (but I know what…matters…sorry, I couldn’t pass up a great old Popeye joke).

Ok, time to get heavy When we talk about gravity, we have to talk about balance. It’s our ability to fend off the unwanted effects of gravity that help define us as dancers. While gaining expert command of balance can be a lifelong challenge, the effects of bad balance are easy and immediate: Feet way to far apart, poor shapes and lines through the body, constant shaking while on a single leg, and, maybe worst of all, pulling our partner off balance.

Webster’s dictionary has many definitions for balance, but the one dancers would be interested in (barring any unrecorded checks) would be : stability produced by even distribution of weight on each side of the vertical axis. When we are on balance we can be said to be in a state of bodily equilibrium. Being on balance means that the constant tug and pull of gravity is held at bay by the use of our skills as a dancer.

Most of us have pretty good balance skills to start with. We can walk in a straight line down a hall, climb stairs with or without grocery sacks in hand, or jog in sand along a beach. But these activities generally don’t require the kind of precision that a well executed step combination requires on a dance floor.

So to go with our physics, a little physiology, or, how the body tries to help you with your balance, even when your determined not to listen!  First up is in the inner ear, the auditory system. This little mechanism tries to keep us level. Second is a group of sensory nerves called proprioceptors, (means “sense of self”) located in the muscles, tendons, and joints. This is where you get feedback on your body’s position in a 3-dimensional space. And last is the visual system, which sends signals from the eyes to the brain about your body’s position.

All this geek speak, and still nothing to take home and use. Time to fix that.

The Big Two

First, know exactly why and where you are supposed to step during a given movement. That means lots of slow and deliberate practice of foot placement in a pattern, using the five to eight basic foot positions. This is done in solo fashion, using what is sometimes called the absolute form, that is, properly executed steps done without a partner. When you have your partner then you will be using what is called the adjusted form. Adjusted because of the constant flow of balance and position corrections needed when in contact with another person.

Next, work them abs! That’s “core” for all you fitness fans. Core strength refers to the muscles of your abs and back and their ability to support your spine and keep your body stable and balanced. Strong arms and legs will create instability if your core is weak.

Exercises (oh, that word)

Just a few basic exercises to put a practical spin on all this theory stuff.

1) Stand on one foot, barefoot on a hard surface, knees unlocked. Your weight is between the heel and ball, equally, with more weight on the inside of the foot. Practice standing on one foot at a time, in a variety of positions. Move slowly, quickly, or even FREEZE in a position. Do this for one minute per foot. Try to be aware of the position of your mid-foot.

2) Stand barefoot with both feet touching. Roll up to the balls of your feet and balance there. Once you have your balance perfect… close your eyes. Does it feel the same? Hmm..thought not Now your feeling the use (or loss) of the visual system. Basically, we lose our visual references. This leads to perhaps the most often used line in dance teacher history…DON’T LOOK DOWN! Remember, where the nose goes, so go the toes.

3) Ok, this is tough one. Stand barefoot on your right foot, between the ball and heel. Pick up your heel (that is, shift your weight onto the ball of the foot) and turn to the left, around a quarter turn, then stop yourself by lowering the right heel. Try four times to the left (one full turn), stopping balanced with the weight between the ball and heel each time. Then try the same thing going to the right, THEN, do all of this with the other foot As quarter turns get easy, try half, three quarter, then full turns as described above.

4) Try to balance on the ball of one foot and stay there. Use a fingertip on a wall or chair if you need it. Try a few seconds to start with and add more time as the exercise gets easier to do. See how long you can balance on the ball of one foot without help. Of course do this with the other leg as well.

5) A partner exercise. Use a full water bottle or a light medicine ball and play catch while balancing on one foot. When it gets easy (hey, it could happen), stand on just the ball of the foot and play catch.

And what about the core?

There are hundreds of books, classes, and trainers out there that can help with your core conditioning. And while this subject is beyond the scope of this post, I did want to leave you with a quick one: A favorite among pirates when not pillaging and plundering…the PLANK

(From exercise.about.com) The plank exercise ranked number 10 in the ACE study and is a great way to build endurance in both the abs and back, as well as the stabilizer muscles.

1. Lie face down on mat resting on the forearms, palms flat on the floor.
2. Push off the floor, raising up onto toes and resting on the elbows.
3. Keep your back flat, in a straight line from head to heels.
4. Tilt your pelvis and contract your abdominals to prevent your rear end from sticking up in the air or sagging in the middle.
5. Hold for 20 to 60 seconds, lower and repeat for 3-5 reps.

If this is difficult for you, try this modified plank: Rest your knees on the ground while doing the above steps.

And now a disclaimer: Please understand that this post just touched on a few of the most basic concepts of balance. You can receive advanced degrees in various forms of movement therapie and systems. Balance has as much (and more) to do with breathing, energy, emotion and awareness as any technique mentioned in this post. The mastery of balance is not needed to enjoy a lifetime of dancing. But you do need a level of proficiency that will let you do the kind of dancing you want to do. And that may take a bit of work, but you already know that

“There’s no secret to balance. You just have to feel the waves”
Frank Herbert

Now get out there and buff the boards – Walt