Sunday, March 28, 2010

Adela Galeazzi and Santiago Cantenys - Exhibition at Kamel, March 21, 2010

Adela Galeazzi and Elba Biscay [click here to see our previous post on Elba with examples of her incredible dancing] invited us to see Adela's exhibition with Santiago Cantenys at Kamel on the last night of our stay in Buenos Aires. Here's some of the video footage we took:



Adela and Santiago - Milonga Traspie




Adela and Santiago - Vals

We've seen videos of Adela's exhibitions on Youtube and we've seen her dance on the dance floor in the milongas, but to finally be able to see her perform was a real treat. Just observe at how Adela's upper body stays quiet and still while the movement of her legs and feet are completely and utterly tango. Adela's following is soft and effortless even while she is doing the most intricate and musical adornments ever seen on the dance floor.

A word to all us gringa followers out there: YOU WILL NEVER EVEN IMAGINE THE SCOPE OF THE MAD SKILLS THAT ADELA AND ELBA HAVE AS FOLLOWERS. Think of the best tango following in the universe. And then multiply it by like a million.

Now, for all those who have read some of my previous posts, I shudder at the sight of gratuitous adorning on the dance floor - many followers robotically ape everything they see on Youtube and end up destroying their following and disrupting the music and their partner's enjoyment of the dance with a flurry of foot tapping, leg flapping and knee lifting. Followers, please restrain yourself to only a few little "dibujos" - as Alberto Dassieu has once said to me, "Where and when the music and the lead permits" - until you can really, really, follow!

Or, until you can follow and dance like Adela or Elba. If there's a list of the top followers out there in the milongas of Buenos Aires, Adela and Elba will be there, right on top of that list.

By the way, Adela and Elba (and Santiago as well - what a dancer of milonga traspie!) are not only amazing dancers - they are also really cool, and nice, and kind, and friendly. They didn't even mind Man Yung's weird Toronto-esque leading at all!

Here's a big hug and kiss for Adela, Elba, Santiago and all their friends for letting us spend time with them and to experience their beautiful dancing.

With the beautiful and talented Adela Galeazzi at Kamel

4 comments:

Tangocommuter said...

So sorry to hear you're already back in snowy Toronto. I hoped you'd have a really long warm stay in BsAs! & thanks so much for posting the videos. I'd never heard of Adela and Santiago, but I love them! That vals is beautiful! Such a pleasure to watch dance that's so musical. Makes me want to go back! & soon!

Irene and Man Yung said...

Dear Tangocommuter,

We stayed less than two weeks but we had enough excitement to last us a year! If you enjoyed Adela's dancing you can check out other videos of her exhibitions either here on our blog or by searching on Youtube. She has performed with the best of the traditional dancers - with Jorge Garcia, Rino Biondi, Ruben de Pompeya etc. etc. Check out also her performance with Elba Biscay and Santiago - all three of them dancing together! I said to Elba, "That's impossible!" but yes, it was possible.

Man Yung waited three years for the opportunity to dance with Adela. She is an incredible dancer, people out of Buenos Aires can't even conceive of how great a dancer she is.

We are so not worthy!

Santiago is a journalist. That night at Kamel everybody at our table left before 12:30 a.m. - because Adela, Elba and their friends have normal full-time day jobs. They are extremely talented dancers but totally down to earth. You never get a sense that just because they dance well, they will have a superior attitude - they are generous, kind and friendly people.

The next time you are in Buenos Aires (and we hope that you will return soon!), if you have a chance to see Adela or Elba or Santiago perform, don't hesitate to go up and tell them how you enjoyed their performances. Youtube is a wonderful medium in which to bring examples of really great traditional dancing out there to the world.

Thanks for your comment!

Irene and Man Yung

Unknown said...

Unfortunately quite many "nuevistas"
in my country ,still fail to see the obvious ,admire and enjoy an incredible dancer like Adella Galeazzi .That tango with Mr Canteny at the end of the milonga is unique .
gg52ar Greece

PS.Congratulations to both of you Irene And Man Yung ,and Tangocommuter

Irene and Man Yung said...

Dear gg52ar,

Oh, we agree with you - the nuevoists can't hold a candle to the talents of Adela!

When we exchange emails with Adela, she always encourages us to share her videos with the world. Not only can we see her dancing - we can see the dancing of her excellent partners, the milongueros of Buenos Aires. They are excellent examples of tango. We're glad that you are enjoying the videos and thank you for your comment!

Irene and Man Yung

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