Tangodurians

Tango often feels like a loop, as though you keep revisiting things over and over and over again, except continually through a new lens, through new insights, through new understandings. It's like having the tools to pass a level at a rudimentary level at the first go, then once you've covered the breadth of the landscape, going over the level again, this time with a deeper level of sophistication, ever shaping and shaping and crafting and toying with new ideas and refining that skill on the pottery wheel. Is something ever shiny enough? Probably not, it's a continuous and continual process.  An area I would want to explore is the concept of a conversation. Dance is a conversation, we have good conversations, bad conversations, moments of silence and moments where you can't get the words out of your head or mouth fast enough. With each partner you see this range of what is being said, sometimes we even dabble in other languages, if you're at that level.  ...

Too bad didn't mange to sign up in time for their lessons. I have figured out what it is about her dancing though, it's the fact that you can almost count the beat and rhythm with her movements. Given the fact that Tango's often a melodic dance, I might be wrong in the fact that Mandria is in particular, a track which is highly rhythmic and uncompromisingly so, thus requiring more rhythmic play. But even on mute, you can almost hear the melody and rhythm just be looking at the footwork. Amazing stuff.

It's been delightful to realise that I've actually reached a new plateau in Tango and it's a good one. It's the one where I'm completely stable, completely on my axis and completely in-tune to what my partner is doing. It's the one where I know the music more and I know how to emote better. It's also the one where I'm starting to kick and slice myself less with stray moves. Not sure where the transition happened though, perhaps by practicing more and finding newer connections? Perhaps on a physical front by being more grounded in my moves and having greater spatial awareness? Whatever it is, hope it stays! Less questions, more acceptance.

This years tango fest was...curious, in the sense that it was a funny mix of people who were not from the region and decided to show up, as well as quite lacking in regional representation. But above all, it was kinda fun, and yet again I find myself miles away from the seriously nervous dancer I was 3 years back and even quite recently last year. I don't know what it is but I've found my feet I guess? This grounding that I need to not be nervous and to interpret the music and not care about what everyone else around me is thinking. Eons ago wise words were shared with me on the dance floor of Vitosh Guesthouse by J. "Don't bother with them, they're all too concerned with themselves anyway". Some things come back from the past and hit you hard when you realise exactly what was meant. Had a couple of dream tandas, beautiful waltzes where my partner exclaimed "you're flying!" and proceeded to try and lift a very panicked me. If I could respond...

  Apenas suspiró tu encanto, apenas floreció tu amor, perfume de ilusión dejaste en mi pesar, recuerdo de una noche y nada más. Mi ensueño se quedó en la dicha y nunca te diré adiós, un beso de pasión, partiste sin amar y el claro de tu ausencia tan mortal. Cuando te veo pasar indiferente de amor, la risa es pobre disfraz de mi tristeza, después te alejas y ya mi pensamiento revive tus palabras y la noche del encuentro. Dijiste "siempre serás para mi vida el amor", palabras de tu emoción que ya murieron. Flor de un día, tu perfume, siempre embriaga a mi corazón. Y todo no fue más que un beso, encanto que plasmó mi amor. Después al despertar, la vida sin color es mezcla de dulzura y de dolor. En vano llamaré tu nombre ya nunca escucharé tu voz distancia de los dos, camino sin final, y el sueño que no espeja en tu mirar.   Just sighed your charm,  flourished just your love,  illusion perfume left on my ...

Tango is like a scent, that unexplainable entry that hits the very core of memory, yet unformed, tangible, oh so tangible edges, but forever just a feeling. Like a memory that has just slipped your net and you wait for serendipity to find it again. It might attack when...you're driving home late at night without too much on your mind, or in a darkened club high on life. Sometimes when I see certain pictures of a certain classroom, all I can wonder is...was it just a dream?

Posting up Julio Bassan and Carolina Mueller's tango vid from Triangulo suddenly got the passion going for Tango again. Amidst the pain of moving and job search and saying goodbye to a loved one and packing and oh the CHAOS I definitely lost the spark. But just listening to a good piece, or watching the musicality and gorgeousness of some of the dancers, I realize that this Tango journey is FAR FAR FAR from over. If anything, it gives me a reason to visit any city in the world and check out their Tango scene. This is way exciting. I think I'm gna try Hong Kong next =). It's funny, Tango reminds me of the time when you're being picked for teams. Not even in the sporting field, but in peer groups. You naturally gravitate to a certain bunch of people and for the rest of your schooling life you're almost pigeonholed into that role. Sometimes waiting for someone to ask you to dance is just nerve-wrecking. Milongas always seem to feel like I'm warming up an engine, ...

Possibly the best milonga ever ever. Hah, F, are you satisfied I dragged you along now =)? It gets easier as you know more people, just because dancing with familiar faces is something you automatically do. Managed a first time dance with Orang Musik who was teaching me how to step to the Milonga music, fun stuff! Very relaxed, wasn't awkward laughing at the bumper cars simulation our knees seemed to be doing. I noticed something, previously with the other dances I was skimming the floor but with the Milonga I realized I had to react to the music, which meant bop, bop, bop, quick feet, light steps and go with the flow. Orang musik commented, once I had translated the thought into action, that I was moving much better after and he was able to swing me around and change the momentum and direction. Definitely a +. Had the most amazing tanda ever! ever ever ever! with orang rambut putih. God, it was amazing, I've never done such fancy stuff in close embrace and been able to do ...