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Tango Miami
- Teo Bartek

Miami is a Tango Lovers Dream

Roberto Maiola's Friday night Milonga at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Coral Gables is a Tango lovers dream. The lights are low, the mood is one of relaxed excitement. The room is filled with experienced tango dancers, including local Tango professionals. Despite the size of the large room, there is a feeling of intimacy, like a private place where couples feel the music and merge with each other unreservedly in a Tango trance. The first time I attended Roberto's Friday Milonga something special happened. After a few hours of dancing, the barriers, which usually exist between people, seemed to fall away. The mood of the Tango took over completely. There was a feeling of excitement in the room as men changed partners dancing with woman after woman. 

After a while it didn't seem to matter who you were dancing with because this delicious feeling of intimacy was shared by all the dancers. I danced with so many different partners that after a while the differences between the women seemed to disappear. It was as if I was dancing with ONE WOMAN. Marsha told me that the same thing happened to her. She came alive and danced like she had never danced before, and did things she was never taught. It didn't matter who was leading her. The differences between the men vanished as if they were all ONE MAN. To us it was as if there was a universal spirit of One Tango Man and One Tango Woman on the dance floor that played their roles through all the dancers. Dancing long periods of tango after tango, with no interruptions, switching partners had put us in a Tango Trance.

When we left the Milonga that night at about 2am we were excited and didn't want to go to sleep. We joined some of our friends from Tampa and some new friends from Miami for a late night snack at a local diner. The women from Tampa were walking on air, thrilled with the excitement of what had just taken place. The men and women's hearts were so open at the Milonga that night that it was a thoroughly delicious and satisfying experience. We all agreed that we wanted more experiences like this and were even more hooked on Tango than before. Kristen from Tampa said that for her Tango had everything she wanted in life. And we all agreed.

The food served at Roberto's Milonga was prepared lovingly by local Tangueras. There was good variety, meat dishes, vegetable dishes, salads, and desserts. We give our thanks and appreciation to the Miami Tango women who provided the excellent repast. The music was delightful and the entertainment included breath-taking exhibitions by Roberto and Yolanda, Victor and Desiree from Tampa and other local Tango professionals. The cost, which included food and entertainment, was only $10. The second time there, like the first, Roberto couldn't have made us feel more welcomed. Men take note. On our second visit there were an abundance of very good women dancers. Male dancers will have the opportunity to enjoy dancing with a variety of talented female partners.

The Saturday after New Years day we attended Randy Pitman's Milonga at the Polish American Hall in Coral Gables. This is a spacious hall with a beautiful wooden dance floor. On this particular night Randy didn't come because he had just suffered a nasty fall, and was off his feet for a few weeks. But we were greeted warmly by Lydia. We stayed for a Tango show, which included the well-known singer, Tito, a live tango orchestra, a poet and a live dance demonstration. There was plenty of room to dance and the elite group of experienced Tango dancers had a wonderful time. There was also a large group of people there to eat, and to watch the show and the Tango dancers. The cost was $15, which included a buffet, the show, the singer, and the live Tango band.

We left a bit early to meet some friends at Gaucho's Café for a light evening snack. Gaucho's Café is only a few blocks away on Calle Ocho (8th Street). We arrived about midnight on a Saturday night and this place was hopping! A three-piece Tango band was playing their hearts out to a very appreciative audience, obviously fully engrossed in and under the spell of the Tango. The small crowd sang and swayed and danced with the music. The gray-haired Bandoneon player channeled the burning passion of a youth through his instrument that touched the hearts and souls of the listeners. They cheered with wild abandon after every piece. No laid-back, half-asleep audience here! They were WIRED! Not mind-blow into oblivion like listening to rock music, but caressed and cajoled to the heights of sensitivity like no other music but Tango can do.

I absent-mindedly ordered grilled chicken and Marsha ordered a chocolate sundae form our Spanish-speaking waiter by pointing to the items on the menu. The waiter disappeared. We paid little attention to food we were so engrossed in the sumptuous scene all around us. After what seemed like a long time the waiter appeared with our food-a fried Argentine sausage for me, and a delicious flambé crepe smothered in a creamy syrup sauce for Marsha. No matter. We eat with delight of senses fully alive in the moment. In this wonderful mood, the sausage tasted so good, who could care about grilled chicken? We devoured our food with relish, then danced closely together on the tiny little dance floor that was so small that four couples were a crowd. But with the passionate music, the warm ambiance and wonderful camaraderie, we supremely enjoyed our little Tango together. Minutes later our friends Charles and Helen came in and we had a thoroughly good time conversing with them. At 2am we all went home happy.

Since Jorge holds a Milonga the same night (Saturday), and in the same neighborhood, on our second visit over Valentines Day Weekend we decided to check out Jorge's Milonga, at the Arthur Murray Studio on Ponce De Leon Blvd, past the Miracle Mile in Coral Gables. Upon arriving we were warmly greeted by Marta. The cost was $15 on this particular night because it was a Valentines Day Dance and included a wonderful buffet. The usual cost is $10, without the buffet. The room is small, but this gave the event a feeling of intimacy, like being in a cozy restaurant, which features Tango dancing. Jorge added a lot to the family-like feeling with his warmth and sincerity. He has a way of creating an air of excitement and festivity around him. It was evident that evening as it was throughout the Tango Congress last year.

Some local amateur couples performed inspiring dance exhibitions-including Yvonne and Dwight and Teresa and Guillermo. Daniel dance a beautifully with an out-of-town guest and Jorge and Marta unveiled their stunning new routine for the first time. Everyone enjoyed their dancing immensely.

Then we all continued dancing Tango for a couple more hours. Again I began to feel the Tango trance come over me and by the end of the evening I was buzzed with excitement. I like the way Jorge has organized the Milonga. Despite the small size of the dance floor, everyone seemed to move in the line of dance, ballroom-style. That makes it easy to get lost in the music and dance effortlessly without having to negotiate your you way around stopped couples.

The caterers should be congratulated on the wonderful food. The meat dishes chicken and beef, were excellent. The vegetables were good, although a bit over-cooked for my taste. The caterer is a delightful man who contributed a lot with his presence. He stole the show and entertained us all with his funky salsa dancing.

On the Saturday afternoon before Valentines Day we went to Laura Brondo's studio for a two-hour lesson. This was excellent. Laura has a unique quality. She is very soft-spoken, so interactions with her are easy and flow smoothly. I think it is because she is very settled and peaceful inside. She is completely relaxed and at ease in her body. She has no tension, no stress, yet she has enormous power in relation to her body weight. She teaches more than the Tango. She teaches you to arrive at this state of relaxation and power which enables you to dance the Tango. Power comes from the correct foot positions and weight changes and relaxation comes from the inner peace she conveys.

She breaks the man's lead down into simply the right foot positions, weight changes and timing. No tension, no pressure on the woman's back, and no tugging on the woman's arms. She teaches the man to lead with finesse and the woman to follow with grace. She has excellent focus and isn't easily distracted, and keeps her attention always on your dancing. And she does it all in a light-hearted yet professional way. She teaches in Tampa and Sarasota every 2-4 weeks. If you haven't yet taken a lesson from her, I recommend her highly.

On Sunday of each of our two visits we attended the BIG EVENT of the Tango week in Miami-the Sunday Night Milonga at the Hallandale Cultural Center. The cost is $10 which includes food and an one-hour group class with Daniel Lapadula. On our first visit, the Sunday after New Years Day, there were about 100 people taking Daniel's Group Class, an even mix of men and women. He split the group up into beginners and intermediate/advanced. Juan Teramo taught the beginners and Daniel taught the intermediate/advanced. Daniel teaches in a very clear style. He has a real skill for teaching as well as dancing. He breaks each step down into components and makes sure everyone understands each part before proceeding to the next part. I like the way encourages people to ask questions, then carefully answers all questions before going any further. He usually has a challenging variation of the step he's teaching for the advanced students. Intermediate students have the option to try the advanced variation or to ignore it and concentrate on the simpler version. This makes it easy to mix intermediate with advanced in one group without either group feeling disappointed.

He makes sure everyone practices the step with a variety of partners. He does it in an orderly way, having men change partners regularly every few minutes. I'm always amazed at the way some teachers say switch partners then leave you with that partner for 15-20 minutes, or forget to tell you to switch at all after the first change. Daniel is very aware that switching partners should be done intermittently or not at all. Daniel also organizes a Tango mixer pairing up men and women for a short dance around the ballroom. This enables the dancers to become acquainted before the milonga starts. This is very helpful to men and women who are newcomers to get to know some of the other dancers. Daniel handles this in an organized yet sensitive way, making sure the couples are introduced to each other before they dance together, and letting them know the ground rules-one trip around the dance floor together then take a new partner. It takes the pressure off both parties. If the Tango is not going well it will be over in a short one-minute trip around the dance floor.

Later in the evening they serve a buffet. Pasta eaters will be very happy with this meal. But if you like meat with your meal you had better eat before you come to the Milonga. After the Tango dancing there is usually a dance exhibition. We were very fortunate to attend the weekend after New Years Day when Forever Tango was performing in Palm Beach. After his show, Carlos Gavito drove to Hallandale to enjoy the milonga. He danced, enjoyed a meal from the buffet, then with his partner, gave a beautiful exhibition of heartfelt Tango at it's best. In this little impromptu show I believe we witnessed some of the most sensuous dancing couples in the Tango world. Guillermo and Fernanda followed with an exciting display of passion. Then Daniel and Laura took the stage and entertained us in their wonderfully romantic and sensual way. I couldn't believe my good fortune. These were some of the greatest tango dancers in the world! All for an entrance fee of $10, which includes food and an hour class with Daniel!

On our second visit, on Valentines Day, we were able to see an exhibition by Catrina and Pablo from Argentina. But Daniel wasn't invited to give a group class that night. I really missed that! He has a special way of getting people unified and adding a personal touch to the milonga. On our second visit the Hallandale Milonga was a noticeably flat and impersonal because it lacked Daniel's one-hour warm-up. A couple from out-of-town told me that what struck them about the Hallandale Milonga was the fact that in general the dancers did not adhere to the line of dance. One Tanguero form Tampa had the same complaint, and cited this as the main reason he didn't go to Miami to dance. Dancers here have the habit of stopping not only in the middle of the dancefloor , but on the perimeter as well, blocking the way for dancers who are trying to move counter clockwise around the floor. In San Francisco I observed the opposite; every step progressed around the dancefloor. Even turning figures were done with forward momentum. And after completing the figure the dancers quickly moved on without delay because of the onrush of other dancers behind them wanting to move. In San Francisco, the crowded dancefloors simply did not allow any obstructing figures and long stops. Everything had to be done on the move.

I don't know why this happens here. It didn't occur at the Tango Congress last year. And Daniel, in his class, encourages everyone to move quickly around the dancefloor. This wouldn't stop me from coming back to Miami to dance, because I enjoy dancing here a lot despite this minor inconvenience. But it might bother other visitors. And it certainly would be nice if people would respect the outer perimeter of the dancefloor and move inside to execute figures, which might obstruct the movement of other dancers around the floor.

What I really liked about all the milongas in Miami was the way the DJs would play tango after tango for 20-30 minutes building up an intensity of feeling in the dancers, interrupted with short 5-10 minute breaks with Salsa, Meringue, Paso Doble, Cumbia or Cha, Cha, Cha. The long period of tangos allowed the dancers enough time to really get into a Tango mood, to feel the music and be spontaneous and creative. Then, the break allowed the dancers a short respite from the delicious emotional tension of the Tango. It also creates a party atmosphere, and allows some time for food, conversation and merriment. Then, after a few minutes of Salsa and Meringue you find yourself with a renewed desire for another round of Tango. It's like lovemaking. It is fun to have a round of playfulness mixed in with the passion.

Another thing I liked about Tango in Miami is the way everyone in the Tango community pulls together to help promote Tango. A great example of this is a group of individuals who have been arranging free Monday night Milongas , called Tango Under The Stars, in outdoor public places to expose this extraordinary danceform to the community at large. What a great idea! And it works. On our third visit to Miami we attended one of these events and were very pleased. It was fabulous! Very special! And, very exciting!

I don't know what it is. But it is exhilarating to dance the Tango in the open in a public place with 50+ people watching and applauding their approval after each Tango. It gave the Tango experience, which is already extremely potent, an extra charge of electric current. Needless to say we had a great time and plan to participate in these outside events whenever possible. We deeply appreciate the good job done by Lily, Yvonne, Dolores and Carlos in putting together this event, and the strong support of Tango professionals such as, Jorge and Marta, Roberto and Yolanda, Daniel and Laura and others.

Overall my experience of tango in Miami was very positive. It is helpful to Marsha and I to spend time in the energy of a large group of people who have been dancing tango for a long time. It helps us to feel the tango the way they do. Each visit helps to bring us a bit closer to their level of dancing. We are very grateful to everyone in Miami who contributes to this wonderful Tango scene and we hope to visit again soon.

For details on Tango in Miami, times and locations of milongas and group classes you may consult the following web pages: Tango South Florida and Enrico Massetti's Argentine Tango in Florida.