Rave Reviews for Tango From The Heart!

Dear Tango Friends,

     The Premier Issue of Tango From The Heart Online Ezine has been distributed to many people in the international tango community. And, people are thrilled! We have received many heartfelt comments from  readers. We appreciate your kind words of praise and encouragement!

     Here are some of the new things that are happening with us. We are offering a free 2- hour workshop video to organizers.  If you would like see first hand how and what we teach, we will send you a free copy of a two-hour of video of the Intensive we gave this March in Charleston, SC. Just email us with your name, address and telephone number and we will send you a copy. Email: teo77@hotmail.com

  Make Your Relationship Romantic  is a getaway weekend for couples. This weekend workshop focuses on the tango as a tool to bring more fulfillment to a relationship. (Click here for information)

     Attract Your Ideal Man  is a leading edge seminar for women.  Share a weekend with us and learn insightful ideas and secrets you've never heard of before.  (Click her for more information) See more details in the Announcements at the end of this page.

We hope you enjoy this issue of Tango From The Heart.

Wishing you many heartfelt tangos,

Teo and Marsha

Tango:  When Two Become One

Tango Zen

From "Tango Zen: Walking Dance Meditation," by Chan Park, Reprinted with permission of the author.

***

Man, Woman and Tango 

By Marsha Bartek

The I Ching says, Yang is firm, unyielding and powerful.  
Yin is soft, receptive and yielding.  

But the I Ching bows in silence only to That 
which is the creative force behind both.  
It creates and allows the dynamic tension between 
Yin and Yang.

Tango...

...doesn't fade on your lips, like that first sip of wine,

Leaving a longing to return to what was new and un-tasted...

It has within it the honoring of that which allows the tension, the push-pull, the dynamic interaction, 

The Tao, but also, all that is in between, 

...the deep romantic DiSarli
...the happy bawdy D'Arienzo
...the ecstatic violins of Calo
...the beautiful melodies of Demare
...the plaintive songs of Laurez
...the sparkling rhythms of Rodriguez
...the open-hearted singers with Tanturi
...the crisp high-energy tangos of Troilo
...the heart-wrenching laments of Biagi
...the aggression,  raw sexuality, and tender sentiment of Pugliese

All that and more is allowed:
          The boundaries, the man's arms, like 
          the banks of a river, containing, holding,
          beckoning back,

          The intention of a silent conversation with
          your partner,

          And the freedom to express yourself fully.

          We are human, not perfect by any means,
          and yet sharing this and much, much more,

          with another human being.

          We feel a closeness, intimacy and chemistry
          with one partner,

           And yet, we do not "know" them.

           Or, do we?

          Tango has a unifying power that makes
          it delicious and satisfying on all levels.

          Keeping still, collecting oneself,
          Partly giving, partly taking,
          Holding fast and keeping still,

          The union of Heaven and Earth.

***

Buenos Aires Scene: Observations of Janis Kenyon 
School of the Milongueros, Buenos Aires

The Newest Place to Dance Tango in Downtown Buenos Aires

     Plaza Bohemia the newest place to dance tango in downtown Buenos Aires. It opened in September 2004, and just as things got going, it was closed at the end of December like all the other milongas. It was eventually registered by the city as a milonga and reopened during
April.

     The space was completely renovated with new lighting, ceiling fans, parquet flooring and air-conditioning. It is a beautiful place to enjoy an afternoon or evening of tango. The tables have black and red tablecloths. The sound system is excellent, and every seat is a good one. Plaza Bohemia is the only milonga I know of that has a designated non-smoking section.
Ask to be seated in the section to the right as you enter. Women are seated at one row of tables in front of the mirrored wall; men are seated on the opposite side. Tables for couples and groups are in front the of windows facing the street.

     I recommend Plaza Bohemia as a good choice for first-time visitors who are
concerned about getting to dance with local dancers. It's a friendly place where one of the owners speaks English. On the occasions I've gone there to dance, the floor hasn't been crowded. You don't need to worry about getting kicked or stepped on. There's space to dance comfortably.

     I was there a few weeks ago one afternoon for Alito's milonga. He has been charging
only one peso entrada. However, the day I went was a holiday and he charged five
to try to recover some of the money he's lost over the past month. I was surprised that some people left when they found out it was five pesos--it's the end of the month and many live on a very small fixed income (as does Alito).

    Talk about dedication ... the DJ Ray has a serious health problem, but he
took a remise to Plaza Bohemia to do his job for Alito. He provided an excellent selection of music with a token tanda of salsa.

     Although Alito's milonga had no more than 50 in attendance, I strongly feel
it's the quality, rather than the quantity, that is important. And when there are milongueros, there's quality dancing. Hector Delgado, Ricardo Suarez, Hugo Rojas, Roberto Angel Pujol, Beto Ayala, and other friends of Alito came.

     Confiteria Ideal is in the same neighborhood. It's a large place to dance with high ceilings and more dancers, but where you sit is crucial to your success in being invited to dance. The entrada is 10 pesos no matter what day you go. It's a popular place where tourists go.

     Plaza Bohemia has my vote for the nicest place to dance in downtown Buenos
Aires (barrio San Nicolas). The address is Maipu 444, a half block from Corrientes, on the first floor. Telephone: 4328-0465

Here's the current schedule of milongas:

Mondays
Shusheta organized by Gloria Garcia
from 21,30 to 3am
Res: 4307-6780

Tuesdays
Azabache organized by Lucia Seva
from 21, 30hs.

Wednesdays
La Milonga de Alito
17 hs - 23 hs.
4328-0465

Fridays
La Milonguita organized by Graciela Lopez & Blas Catrenau
21 hs - 3 hs
4776-3035

Saturdays
Cachirulo organized by Hector Pellozzo and Norma Zugasti
DJ Daniel Borelli (of Lo de Celia)
16 - 22 hs.
4932-8594

    Check the current issue of B.A. Tango -- Buenos Aires Tango for all milonga information. As of May 2005, the magazine has a complete English translation of articles, happenings and new milonga openings, etc., thanks to the efforts of Tito Palumbo who has published it for ten years.

How to Help Others Through Tango
This article is based on an interview of José Garófalo in Buenos Aires by Gretchen Janssen. 
You can read the entire interview at www.firehousetango.com 

     Tango Protesta is a group of world-class tango dancers in Buenos Aires who have formed a cooperative to research and enhance the art of tango and explore its connections with the social and political experience in Argentina. They have made a conscious commitment to work through tango to further social and political justice.
 
1. They offer free classes for children of the streets (chicos de la calle). 
2. They have helped to organize comedores populares (what we would call soup kitchens) where people can receive food they otherwise could not pay for. 
3. They offer classes in schools where there is no money for classes in the arts. 
4. They participate in solidarity with the Madres de la Plaza (families of those who disappeared in The Dirty War) and workers seeking improved conditions. 
5. They present shows, which are a means to raise money for these goals.
     
     The group was initially started by Indio and Paula Ferrío in Plaza Dorrego where they collected food for those who had been most seriously affected by the economic crisis of 2001. After a while they asked José Garófalo, one of the co-owners of Porteño y Bailarin, to join their effort. Later more people became involved and now the group is composed of six people--Indio, Paula Ferrio, José Garófalo, Verónica Litvak, Claudia Sánchez and Marina Svartzman. 

How can we help support the work and goals of Tango Protesta?

     The group accepts donations of money, technical expertise and other in-kind contributions. They need:

1. People to help in organizing events.
2. Technical help in designing their website
3. Money to produce shows, to pay for space for rehearsals, to offer scholarships for tango classes for students, street children, dancers, singers and other people who cannot afford to pay for classes, and for children in need of the basic necessities of life.

     If you would like more information or to share in supporting this collective effort, please contact Gretchen Janssen at: gretchen.janssen@verizon.net. She will be taking contributions to Buenos Aires on her next trip in September.

Here are some suggested ways of raising money to support this worthy cause.

     1. Here is an idea from Gretchen. She saves 25% of everything she spends on tango lessons and classes, and puts it into a pool for Tango Protesta. You don't have to put away 25 %. Any percentage will add up, 5%, 10% or 15%.

     2. Tango organizers could charge an extra $3 once a month for milongas, workshops or group classes, and give this money to Tango Protesta to help individuals in need.

     3. Tango organizers could charge for events that are ordinarily free. For example, charge $3 to attend an outdoor milonga in the park. This little bit of extra money adds up and can go a long way toward helping our brothers and sisters in Buenos Aires.

Look a what a small amount of money can buy in Buenos Aires:

     1. $3 pays for food for one person for a day. That’s less than one Starbucks latte! If I skip  my latte, I can pay for someone else for an entire day! 

     2. $22 pays for one person all week. $12 pays for a family of four for one day. $88 for a family of four for one week.

     3. $20 pays for one student’s scholarship for a weekend workshop.

     4. $60 pays for one pair of dance shoes for a student who cannot afford to buy them. 

     5. $150 pays to provide a class for street children who have no classes otherwise. 

     6. $600 pays the rental of space for rehearsals, teaching and shows for one month.

Gretchen Janssen is a tanguera, a psychotherapist, a pastor and author of the book, Women on the Move and of numerous articles on the challenges and opportunities of living overseas.  You can reach her at: gretchen.janssen@verizon.net   

What Women Want and 
What Men Want in Tango
Part II

By Teo and Marsha Bartek

     If you believe that Argentine tango is a male-female interaction as we do, then reading this article is a must!  It will tell you how to perfect your male or female role in tango.

  What Women Want in Tango: The Ideal Tango Male is:

        (Continued from the May Issue of Tango From The Heart)

Approaches Women in a Re-assuring Manner:  When he  approaches a woman who doesn't know him for a dance in the first thirty seconds she will be looking for signs that it is going to be okay to dance with him.  She may be feeling nervous or a little uncertain.  He should approach with an attitude that everything is going to be all right.  He will smile or nod or use facial expressions to signal, “Everything is going to be great!”  He will have the intention of re-assuring her when he approaches. 

       He will be her supporter.  He will let her know non-verbally that he knows and understands how she feels, and will give her the re-assurance that she needs. She is then able to feel comfortable dancing with someone she has never met before.  By simply thinking about the woman and her feelings, he sets himself apart from all the men who just think about themselves when they approach a woman for a dance.

     He uses eye contact to show her that he is strong and unafraid to take the initiative with her.  He maintains eye contact with her.  He never averts his eyes.  This tells a woman a lot about him.  It makes him seem confident.  If he lowers his eye contact before she does, it signals to her that he lacks confidence and self-esteem. He might seem weak, and it appears that he may have something to hide—some hidden agenda that he doesn’t want her to know about.

     He approaches quickly and directly, without stopping to “hover” around the woman.  This stalking kind of behavior in men is weird and gives women the creeps.  She knows he wants to dance with her, so he just goes right up to her and invites her to dance. 

    In Buenos Aires the “rules’ are different.  The man gets the woman’s eye contact and nods toward the dance floor and she nods her acceptance and meets him on the dance floor. The man can be on the other side of the room; he doesn’t need to be near the woman to do this.  Men seldom approach women at milongas in Buenos Aires, unless they are from other parts of the world.

     Courteous and Chivalrous:   When dancing, he allows the music to move his emotions.  Then he translates that feeling into dance steps.  He leads by communicating that feeling to her.  He is always in charge, moving smoothly and effortlessly.  He never moves abruptly or suddenly or clumsily.  He never pushes or pulls the lady with his arms.  He uses his torso, back and legs to lead her gently.  He feels the woman’s energy and dances accordingly.  He never forces the lady into doing steps she is uncomfortable with.

     He is in charge, but he lets her set the boundaries and tone of the interaction.  He always dances in a way that makes the woman feel good about herself and about him.  He never disturbs or interferes with the other couples.

     Sometimes Plays The Receptive Role, Allowing Time for the Woman to Express Herself:  He is receptive as well as directive in his role as leader.  He dances with elegant control.  He never rushes to do step after step without any break.  As a masterful male tango dancer he pauses, sometimes allowing the woman an opportunity to embellish and express herself.  He is sensitive to the opportunities for her to initiate adornments, while he waits and receives this intimate communication from her.

    He feels the music, and pauses often, to just to be with the woman and the feeling in the moment.  He is receptive to cues from her, when she wants to embellish, when she wants to pause and feel some emotion, when she wants to do a certain step or move in a certain way. 

     Marsha danced with many Argentine male dancers in Buenos Aires who were very sensitive and yielded to her desires on the dance floor. They gave her time to move the way she wanted and to do some social adornments for him.  And they show their appreciation.  One Argentine man in Miami started fanning himself when Marsha did one of her high kicks and an amague,  while looking in his eyes.  He said, “You are going to give me a heart attack!”  She loved his vocal response to her teasing antics, and he was having a great time dancing with her!

     Dances to the Music:  He dances to a particular piece of music being played.  He never carelessly does a series of pre-set steps without attention to how they fit with the music.  If the tango is fast and rhythmic he doesn’t do large sweeping steps that have nothing to do with the music.  He always dances on the beat. After pausing, he starts to dance again on the beat.

     Ends the Dance Gracefully:  After the music stops, he holds her in his arms a few moments, treating her like the treasure she is. 

What Men Want in Tango: The Ideal Tango Female is:

     Prepared to Dance Tango:  She has taken the time to become skillful in women’s tango technique. She takes an interest in her technique and has learned how to follow a man easily and smoothly.  She learns how to adjust to each man’s unique style and wait for his lead.

     Reserved and Elusive:  She is slow to reveal herself.  She doesn’t let the man know everything about her immediately.  She parcels out her embellishments, using them for maximum effect.  She never shows off or imposes her style of tango on the man.

     Sensitive:  She carefully calibrates the man, his size, shape, weight, agility and skill level.  She also gauges his personality.  Is he impulsive?  Is he reserved?  Is he playful?  Is he exuberant?  Is he slow, fast and dramatic, or timid?  She finds something to appreciate in each man.  If the man is reserved, she dances in a reserved way that is comfortable for him.  If the man is bold, she matches his boldness.

     Focused:  To be receptive, she focuses all of her attention on the man she is with and appreciates him.  She doesn’t look around the room at other men, wishing she were dancing with someone else.  Once she accepts a dance with a man, she commits herself to making it the best dance possible.  She is quiet and centered inside. 

     Doesn’t Try Too Hard To Please:  She dances for herself and doesn’t rush to please the man.  Focused inward, she waits for his lead, and then she does her own dance. Sometimes women try to please the man too much.  They anticipate and try to guess what he wants her to do next.  They rush ahead to show him they already know the step.  Then they miss his lead and get out of synch with the man.  When this happens the woman is not there, and the man is dancing alone.

    Never Apologizes Unnecessarily:  She is never excessive in her apologies.  “Opps, I’m sorry.” Or “That didn’t work out, let’s try that again” are okay.  But excessive apology is distracting.  It disrupts the dance.  It breaks the emotional connection with the man.  Sometimes, it is a hidden way for the woman to seek validation and approval from the man.  It is not tango.  It’s like the woman saying, “Let’s talk about how bad a dancer I am.”  Or “I am a bad dancer, won’t you please still like me because I’m so nice and self-effacing.”  This is boring and a real-turn off for men.

     Willing:  She matches the man’s confidence with her willingness.  She has a happy, positive attitude.  She is accepting, grateful and confident that the dance with him is going to be fun!

     Pays Attention To The Man:  She knows who she is.  She wants to dance and she wants to have fun.  She dances with the idea of including the man.

     When a man finds out that a woman is not paying attention to him and his leads, he responds accordingly.  He will distance himself from the woman. The result is a very mechanical dance with a modest amount of enjoyment, but ultimately unfulfilling.

     Feminine:  She identifies herself as a female. She is not only a dancer and a follower.  In this interaction she is above all a woman.  Outside of tango she may act in many different roles. But, tango is an opportunity for a woman to play a purely feminine role in a man-woman interaction.

     She is subjective, not objective. She is not trying to get somewhere or do something.  She is all about spending pleasurable moments with the man.  She doesn’t dance unconsciously like she is passing some stranger on the street. She projects her feminine energy.  She finds her own style, lets herself be seen by the man and interacts with him as a woman acts only with a man.

     She remembers that this is a role-play. It is art. It is not real.  It is all for the fun and enjoyment of the dance, and to express a side of her persona that is not usually expressed in everyday life.

***
Announcements:

1. Free 2 Hour Workshop Video: Organizers, we are open to giving the Tango From The Heart Close-embrace Lead-Follow Intensive in your location. If you are interested,  please email us at teo77@hotmail.com. If you are considering us and would like see first hand how and what we teach, we will send you a free copy of a two-hour of video of the Intensive we gave this March in Charleston, SC. Just email us with your name, address and telephone number and we will send you a copy.

2. Click Here: Tango From The Heart Close-Embrace Lead Follow Intensives in Gainesville, FL on June 25-26, 2005

Teo and Marsha teach close-embrace “Break Through To A New Level of Tango” weekend in Gainesville, FL. every month.  The following is a link to the information about our upcoming tango intensive in June. The intensive includes two full days of dancing and practicing close-embrace tango and raising your skill level. Classes are given in a beautiful. relaxed setting with nothing to distract you from perfecting your tango abilities. Classes are strictly limited to only twelve students. There is lots of one-on-one instruction.  It is the next best thing to private lessons.

3. Click Here: Make Your Relationship Romantic Relationship-Building Workshop in Gainesville, FL on August 5-7, 2005

We are offering a  new relationship-building weekend getaway for couples called Make Your Relationship Romantic.  These weekend workshops focus on the tango as a tool to bring more fulfillment to a relationship.  We teach couples how to use the experience of close-embrace tango to:

• Feel the passion in your relationship

• Experience a deep and satisfying relationship with your partner

• Expand your emotional capacity for intimacy, which transforms all of your human relationships-with family, friends, and co-workers

4. Click Here: Attract Your Ideal Man Seminar in Gainesville, FL on July 23-24, 2005 

Single women come to our leading-edge seminar Attract Your Ideal Man.  This weekend seminars focus on a woman's ability to attract a quality man into her life.  Many women do things that are hindering them. But every woman has the power to attract her ideal man.   You can have great success with men by learning a simple set of skills that most women don't know and every woman would love to learn. Learn to:

• Attract your ideal man and have the romantic life you want to live

• Get exactly what  you want in a man

• Meet and date a lot of men, until you find the one who is right for you

• Have a man to love, who will love you in return

5. Contributors:  If you have an article you would like to submit for publication in Tango From The Heart please let us know.  We welcome your submissions. If your article fits with the theme of Tango From The Heart we will consider it for publication in a future issue. You may email your articles to teo77@hotmail.com.

6. Spread the Word:  Please send the link to this Online Ezine to your friends who might be interested.  All they have to do is send us an email with the words, "subscribe".  We will add them to our email list. The email address to subscribe to Tango From The Heart is teo77@hotmail.com.

7. Link To Us:  If you have a website related to tango we would like to exchange links with you.  The more we all work together and link together the easier it will be for people interested in tango to find us on the web.  For information on exchanging links please click here.

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Copyright 2005, Theodore Bartek
All Rights Reserved