A Philosophical Question

We were having lunch with Alberto and Paulina at a cosy little parilla called "La Cañada" (coincidence? No, it's not the same as "Canada") one sunny afternoon.  Our conversation turned to musicality - and to one question that has been bothering us ever since we started tango.

"When you teach, you always emphasize that people should listen and dance to the music. That's straightforward, intuitive advice. However, how can we explain the droves of people in tango who don't listen to the music when they dance?  We can't believe that there are teachers out there actually teaching people to completely disregard the music.  Could it be true that there are some people who are born with an inability to hear or move to the music?"

Alberto and Paulina thought for a moment, and Paulina spoke.  "Well, I suppose that may be the case...that people's perceptions are different.  What I consider to be 'to the music' may not be the same as what someone else perceives - this is a possibility that you have to account for."  Paulina is a professor of philosophy and is a licensed psychoanalyst as well, so perhaps that's where her viewpoint is coming from.

"So, let's recap - while it appears that we (you and Alberto and the two of us) seem to be on the same wavelength as to what is "to the music" or "not to the music" when it comes to dancing, there may be some people out there who we would observe on the dance floor and conclude are completely "off." We have to realize that these individuals could actually think they are doing a perfectly fine job of listening and dancing to the music?"

Alberto and Paulina both nodded.  "Precisely."

"Is there any way to help these poor folk? And what we mean is - the most obstinate, intractable cases?"

Paulina shrugged.  "It's hard to say." 

We're just glad that we aren't one of those who Alberto and Paulina would consider beyond hope!

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This April, we had the chance to present the same question to Osvaldo and Coca.  We were zipping along in the streets of Buenos Aires in their little brown car, on our way to yet another milonga.  We just had an excellent class with them at El Tacuari - in which they exhorted to their students their endless mantra, "Listen to the music!  Listen to the music!"

"In class, you asked your students to listen to the music.  But so many people don't, and not just the beginners, but world famous professionals too. We cringe when they dance.  Could it be that they are unable to?" we asked.

Osvaldo and Coca both erupted in unison. "No, don't be silly!  Everyone can!"  The car swerved. "They are just not listening!"

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So, take your pick:  Are you not listening to the music when you dance because you can't...or because you won't?

Alberto Dassieu - Performances at Paradiso's 14th Anniversary milonga, April 22, 2011

Two of the many highlights of Paradiso's fabulous 14th Anniversary bash on April 22, 2011 were the performances by Maestro Alberto Dassieu.  Here are the videos of the performances - the first to Osvaldo Pugliese's tango "Arrabal", the second to Juan D'Arienzo's vals "Desde el Alma":





A big thank you to Regina and Patricia of Paradiso for bringing Alberto Dassieu to Toronto - and for keeping the flame of traditional Argentine Tango burning bright here in the city with their milonga for 14 years.  Congratulations!

*  Who is dancing with Alberto in the videos?  Yes, it's me, a.k.a. Irene of "Irene and Man Yung's Tango Blog" (Man Yung wanted to too but Alberto said no, sorry).  While Man Yung and I have performed in the past both here in Toronto and in Buenos Aires on numerous occasions, an opportunity for me to do an exhibition with our teacher Alberto is a great honour.  Alberto has made a huge difference in our dancing - I don't think I really started to understand what it is to follow until we started taking classes with Alberto and were able to partake in the wisdom he has from all his decades of experience in tango.  Thank you so much, Maestro - and thank you also to all the lovely, kind people who came up to me afterwards to tell me that they enjoyed this performance!  A big hug to you all - you made my day!

Defensive Driving

Ouch!

Last tanda of the evening.  The floor had thinned out considerably - people have to work the next day.

Half-way through the first tango, Man Yung got kicked - by a guy who was dancing behind him. It was the intrepid tailgater - AGAIN.

This guy's modus operandi involves bumping - and then looking sheepish.   The fact that he is swinging his left arm out like a crane and charging into and kicking people does not seem wrong to him.  I imagine he collides so many times a night it he feels like he hasn't danced if he doesn't get his quota of tackles. "Whoops-a-daisy!" he must be thinking, plus - "What jolly, harmless fun!"

As for saying sorry - NEVER.

Meeting face-to-face after the milonga, Man Yung couldn't stop himself from pointing out the obvious to The Lord High Tailgater.  "There's more than enough space, you don't have to crash into the people in front of you!" said Man Yung, exasperated.

"No," he said.

It was my turn.  "You are always like this.  One time, there were only two couples on the whole dance floor - you had the whole room between four people and still you had to go right up into the couple in front of you.  All this space and you were practically up Man Yung's ass!  What's wrong with you?"

"That's just your ego talking, " he said, snidely.

I can't explain to you what exactly he meant by that, but I can interpret it as the following:

1.  It's his version of a witty repartee;

2.  He has serious impairment in conceptualizing space.  Or alternatively/concurrently, he has no sense of personal space;

3.  Of course he doesn't remember when he has violated other people's dance space - it's just normal to him because it happens all the time;

4.  He absolutely, unequivocally, obstinately refuses to accept responsibility for being such an a**hole on the dance floor.

Many men try to be better leaders - better at navigation, better with floorcraft, better at expressing the music.  They enjoy tango more - and get better dances with better followers - as a result.

However, some leaders are just content on being bad dancers - until eternity.  Some women will still dance with them anyway!  Unfortunately, no amount of defensive driving can help you from being ambushed from behind by this kind of tailgating folk.