My Tango Diaries

“Flow is a harmonious experience where mind and body are working together effortlessly, leaving the person feeling that something special has just occurred…This is because flow lifts experience from the ordinary to the optimal, and it is in those moments that we feel truly alive and in tune with what we are doing.” - Susan A. Jackson and Mihaly Csikzentmihalyi, from Joy in Motion Ever since I wrote about flow on the dance floor , I've gotten emails asking me to explain what I meant by it - to elaborate further on what one type of music has related to another. It's been a bit of a mess trying to explain this well, but here goes. I have what I think sounds like a simple idea - but for something so simple at first blush, it's gotten pretty complicated to try to articulate. So please be patient while I tug at the threads of this and see if I can unravel the thoughts in my head. I'm limited in my musical vocabulary, so there are some terms I might not be using correctly - o...

Now the question circulating Tango-L is this: If traditional tango dancers and nuevo tango dancers can't get along on the milonga floor - should they hold separate milongas? In some communities this is already done. In my community it's a bit different with every milonga. As far as the music goes most of the milongas play some alternative/neotango/nuevo tango tandas toward the end of the night. Some of the more traditional dancers (not very many) prefer to sit those out. The rest of dancers either a.) dance their regular tango steps to the alternative music, or b.) dance nuevo style steps or just dance a little bigger/more open than they would to traditional music. If someone wants to dance "bigger" steps or more in the nuevo style during the traditional music, they usually move toward the middle of the floor where there's more space. That's not always the case, but most of the time it is - and it's certainly encouraged, to keep the line of dance moving...

Tango teachers, Carlos Canedo and Anais Haven , perform at Esquina Tango's Milonga del Campanario, July 25, 2009.

Milongas at Dance Institute (hosted by Laura Pellegrino) always have fantastic music - but the alternative pieces are always especially lovely. My favorites from last night: la valse d' amelie Nothing Else Matters - Apocolyptica Loreena McKennitt's Tango to Evora

Video from: MuyLindoTango Show - Olga y Daniele From Anne-Sophie and Josh's playlist at Saturday's milonga - Pantera tanguera. A few moments into this song, my partner and I whispered almost simultaneously - 'isn't this the theme from The Pink Panther?' It is, in fact the theme, built into a beautiful tango. This is one of my new favorite pieces.

This is a project that's been coming together for about 3 months now as I've begun gathering stories from dancers and teachers about the effect that Argentine tango has on their bodies and minds. I wasn't sure how to approach this at first - should I start with the harder research side and start pouring over study abstracts - or should I start on the milonga floor? Since my story started on the milonga floor - I thought I'd start the project there as well. So I started talking to people, asking dancers and teachers about their experiences - and the experiences of people they know. Most of us would readily accept the idea that dancing (almost any kind of dancing) feels good - as though our bodies are meant to dance. We feel better when we exercise - when we're active, listening to music, spending time with our friends - all of these are things we know we need on a fundamental level. Argentine tango, though, for some, has an effect beyond that. For those of us who are...

Music choice came up on AmpsterTango's blog and it got me thinking about which pieces of music I use for what - and how that's changed over time. My first exposure to tango music was the Nuevo Tango of Piazzolla . It expressed things for me that at the time I had no outlet for. I didn't dance to it, though I saw others dance. It resonated with me. It reminded me of particular people and times. Then I heard tango music on a few soundtracks and compilations that combined Piazzolla's music with more traditional pieces - like the soundtrack for " The Tango Lesson ." It not only had beautiful Piazzolla music, but more traditional pieces by Carlos Gardel (Mi Buenos Aires Querido), Juan d'Arienzo (Flete), Osvaldo Pugliese (Zum). That soundtrack was played frequently at the store I worked in, and I loved it. It made me want to move - need to move. But I still didn't have the nerve to learn tango. Early this year, or maybe late last year, I came across Gotan...

"We Tango Alone" - English Lyrics Na na na Give me your love Na na na Verse 1: Come and talk your world to me Cause I've been watching you get closer Come and tell me what you feel Cause every time your near its so real Come and show me what you see When you say tonight is special I just hang up on your lips And wait up on your kiss A sign of your love Chorus: Na na na We tango alone Na na na And maybe we'll take it to far And maybe we'll touch in a star Give me your love Na na na Verse 2: Come and share just one more dance And tell me who believes in romance Now is just a point in time And love is not a crime in my mind Come and dance my life away And tell it will last forever Just a second or a day As long you deplay a sign of your love (Chorus) May I have this dance Follow me Follow me You'll be mine tonight Na na na... Na na na... Give me your love Na na na... Na na na... Give me your love

My darling husband... you know I said you can dance tango to all sorts of things and you just look at me with that look that's sort of "pat on the head" kind of look? Well, over at MediaMonkey their alternative tango play list has this on it: Apocalyptica's "Nothing Else Matters" - a song that you actually like and own! Woot! For those who aren't familiar with the song - here's is the ubiquitous youtube link and lyrics (not sung in Apocalyptica's version.) So close no matter how far couldn't be much more from the heart forever trusting who we are and nothing else matters never opened myself this way life is ours, we live it our way all these words I don't just say and nothing else matters trust I seek and I find in you every day for us something new open mind for a different view and nothing else matters never cared for what they do never cared for what they know but I know so close no matter how far couldn't be much more from the hea...

Just seems to fit today, I think.