This is a common question that dancers and music enthusiasts often debate. Some say that the music should come first because the dance is just a bunch of steps. Others find that the music is a necessary part of the experience, embedded in the dance itself. All these questions gave birth to neolonga and neotango, which eventually became two more controversial topics.
Who is Damian Esell? If you haven’t heard of his name before, now is the best time to become acquainted.
Let’s get to know Damian Esell as a living visual artist and tango legend!
Read MoreMilonga as a tango party can be large or small, formal or informal.
At a milonga, you'll usually find a mix of people called the “milongueros” — some who are there to dance and others who are there to listen to the music and watch the dancers.
Read MoreMilongas typically take place in tango clubs or studios, but they can also be held in other venues such as restaurants, bars, or even outdoors in parks.
If tango is like a stealthy panther, then milonga is its nimble parent.
Getting to know the milonga can be confusing as the term has three meanings: dance, music, and social tango.
The dance shows a faster side of tango. Yes, tango came from an even quicker dance! Think of it this way: you meet some families where the children clearly take after their parents but have their own quirks.
Milonga and tango are the same way; the tango has similar characteristics but is different enough to warrant its own recognition.
Let’s become acquainted with milonga, the origin of tango.
Read More"D’Arienzo pushes the beat, and Di Sarli the melody. Many orchestras can be placed, more or less conveniently, on an axis between these two poles. Troilo, who pushes the lyric, hints at another dimension, but we can say that he blends the two impulses, or moves between them, and leave it at that.
Pugliese destroys these notions of a simple classification of tango music into the rhythmic and the lyrical.
These two forces are present simultaneously in his music, it’s not that he’s “off the scale” — he’s not even on the scale in the first place."
Pugliese's tension and release in his tango are one of a kind. The way he builds and releases tension is what strikes listeners.
This can be heard and felt in his signature song, “La Yumba.” Pugliese gives a moment of respite when the beat grows too forceful and tense.
Read MoreDancing the tango can seem impossible for beginners if you don’t understand Argentine tango musicality. It’s true; dancing the Argentine tango isn’t just about the music, but the two will always be inseparable because music is integral to dance.
More often than not, when someone is just beginning to learn about tango, steps and figures tend to take center stage in lessons. However, the study of proper floor craft and etiquette on the dance floor is equally important. Tango Mentor makes a strong case for this with a simple explanation:
“Without learning floorcraft, any other skills you learn are useless. You can learn the most complicated and the most attractive moves, but if you can’t use them because you don’t have enough space, your efforts are in vain.”
Thus, to form the foundations of good tango dancing, one must make an effort to also perfect floor craft, which, in some tango communities, seem to be a forgotten skill altogether.
What exactly is floor craft, and how does one improve their skills?
Read MoreThe tango dance is famous all over the globe because of its passionate charm and playful dynamics. Nevertheless, the rise of this iconic partner dance would not be possible without matching tango music. This form of music is typically played with gusto by a tango orchestra.
People need to understand tango music to comprehend how the dance has made a major impact in cultural and artistic ways throughout its rich history that spans different countries.
Read on to learn what tango music is and what its history is. Find out what a tango orchestra is and which musical instruments are typically played by this ensemble. Get to know some of the most popular modern orchestras in the tango world that you need to hear.
Read MoreThe world knows many tango music classics. “Por una Cabeza,” “El Choclo,” and “La Cumparsita” are all tunes, along with other tango songs that are regularly played in tango shows and at milongas around the world. They are popular for a reason: they give dancers a great tango experience.
If there’s a list of tango songs that you shall not dance to, you’ll most likely find this title.
“Poema” teaches us that while we consider all tango songs as works of art, there are some that just make us question why they were created in the first place.
What’s even more fascinating is that this level of non-verbal communication isn’t just reserved for the pros. In fact, it’s in tango itself.
Tango, to some, is just one of the many dances out there. But to others, it’s a way of connecting, growing, and communicating with a partner.
One of the first things you learn about tango is that there’s a leader and a follower.
And while both the leader and follower have individual responsibilities, many tango dancers say that the leader has more.
The big question is… Is that true?
Read More…a tango DJ played “Plegaria” during a tango festival, and an old woman came up to him. With tears in her eyes, the old woman asked the DJ to never play this song again, explaining that she was a survivor of the Nazi concentration camps and that “Plegaria” was one of the songs that Nazi officers forced Jewish musicians to play. Being made aware of this, the tango DJ never played this song again.
In many tango circles, “Plegaria” has become known as the “tango you shall not dance.”
Read MoreIt allows you to be just you. It takes you in - in whatever mood you arrive. Tango does not care about whatever you are showing on the outside.
Tango does not care about whatever you are showing on the outside. Tango focuses internally - the outward expression such as your smile and joy can remain unexposed.
You can be happy without forcing yourself to show it to others.
Tango, unlike any other dances, requires focus and presence of mind. It is a dance that relies on improvisation and adaptability.
It’s like navigating through the final stages of business negotiations. You know what to expect, yet anything can happen.
Read MoreAt first, dance will control the dancers. Eventually, the dancers will know tango deeply until the dance becomes a part of them, and the dance will no longer hold them.
The same is true for Web3. With Web 1.0 and Web 2.0, we were controlled by centralized entities. After generations of learning, progressing, and building, we have now reached a point where we can create Web3.
Read MoreOne dancer who has written about tango is Hugo Mastrolorenzo, a tango dancer, teacher, and choreographer whose contributions to the genre extend beyond the dance floor.
One of his books, Tango Dance: In Search of the Method That Has Never Existed, has gained critical acclaim for diving into the fundamentals, technicalities, and contradictions surrounding the present method of teaching tango choreography. His other book, Tango Dance: The Origin of the Species, participated in the 64th International Book Fair of Frankfurt, Germany in 2012. He also wrote Tango Has Died on Stage, which reviewed traditional tango as opposed to the more modern, showy, and commercial style
Read MoreDaily challenges can cause a gradual buildup of frustration and other negative emotions in both partners.
This energy will eventually be released one way or another, which is why it is better to vent them in a positive way instead of a negative one.
Destructive channeling includes picking fights or spreading gossip about other people. In contrast, constructive energy channeling involves activities that can educate or entertain both partners.
Read MoreLearning tango is one of the positive ways that a couple can release their pent-up energy.
In making sound decisions, one can then say that intuition is equally important as applying logic to find the best approach to a situation.
The problem is that not all people have developed their intuitive skills, or they might not be confident enough in their gut feeling to follow it.
Although there are various ways to develop one’s intuitive skills, one unconventional yet effective method is by learning the Argentine tango.
Read MoreSome will likely try to avoid the yeta of “Adios Muchachos,” but all other songs by Gardel are best enjoyed while one is sitting down so as to ride through the wave of its emotions that have stood the test of time. Even those who may not be familiar with the language can understand the profundity in Gardel’s songs, which can transport them back to an era when heartbreak, exile, homesickness, romance, and other such themes comprised the meaning of life for most porteños.
Read MoreOften, when the topic of milongas arises, the discussion might typically revolve around one’s partner or the codigos that govern proper etiquette.
However, there is one aspect of the milonga that might not always be talked about but remains a crucial factor of what actually makes this event enjoyable: the music and the DJ.
But how do they do it? What are the tricks up a tango DJ’s sleeve that they can make everyone dance all night long without them feeling tired?
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