[Tango-L] A change in my milonga routine

[Janis Kenyon]

I decided I was ready for a change in my milonga routine.  My friend Juanita
said she was going to dance in Flores on Thursday and Sunday afternoons and
invited me to join her at a large neighborhood club with the largest dance
floors in BsAs.

Rather than a 15-minute walk to my usual place, I had a 30-minute bus ride
to Flores.  This afternoon milonga draws a large crowd of senior dancers.
The four peso entrada has to be the lowest in BsAs, where the majority of
milongas charge from eight to fifteen pesos.  I was the only foreigner among
the some 300 dancers.  Juanita said the Sunday milonga draws an even larger
crowd.

I was greeted by the organizer Susana who asked who sent me.  I told her
I was there to join a friend.  I saw Juanita dancing, so I waited for her to
indicate where she was seated and joined her.  The normal arrangement in
downtown milongas is to seat men and women at small tables on opposite sides
of the room.  At this club, men and women sit together at tables of ten.
It's more social than milongas downtown.  Singles are seated at one section
with couples in another.  Location is important in a large venue such as
this one.

I observed the dancing for more than an hour because I won't dance with a
man until I've seen him dance.  This was a new milonga for me, although I
have danced at the club many times with partners.  It takes time to see who
dances well.  I wasn't surprised to see three men I know from the downtown
milongas there with partners, but I wouldn't be dancing with any of them.
Couples dance only with each other.  That's the way it is.  When I thought I
had found someone who seemed to dance well, I watched him walk off the floor
to see where he was seated and if he sat with his partner.  This process of
elimination took time until I found the one man with whom I wanted to dance.

I watched him for several tandas.  I wanted to see that he observed the line
of dance, took care of his partner, and danced with the music.  His salida
and embrace confirmed for me that he was someone with whom I wanted to
dance.  The next step was letting him know that I wanted to dance with him.
I saw that he was adept with the cabeceo, hardly moving his head at all.  It
was like radar zeroing in on a target.

I've learned patience.  This was my test.  I kept looking in his direction.
He was seated near the entrance at the first table, so the organizer got him
for the D'Arienzo valses.  Just another opportunity to watch him on the
floor.  When they returned to the table, I got up to go to the ladies' room,
passing by his table.

I returned and gave a clear signal that I was looking at him.  When the Di
Sarli tanda began, I knew that this was a moment of truth.  He gave me a
quick signal, and I accepted.  Another woman in front of me got up at the
same time, so I waited to be sure that he was coming over to dance with me.

I immediately realized that we are the same height, although my 3-1/2 inch
heels made me taller than he.  He placed a handkerchief in his left hand to
receive my right hand.  He gave me a firm embrace. We danced as if we had
danced together for years.  We didn't speak after the first dance.  After
the second, he said, "now I'm going to begin to dance."  At first, I didn't
understand what he was talking about.  At the end of the tanda I knew what
he meant.  Our first two dances were an introduction--to see how I danced
and responded to his lead.  He danced simply and made me feel comfortable.
All he said to me after the tanda--sin palabras. (I'm speechless.)

I returned to my table to report to Juanita that I had found a gem.  I
didn't want to dance with anyone else.  I had found an excellent partner
among the dozens of men in the club.

A few tandas later came one of Miguel Calo.  Of course I wanted to dance
with him again.  A turn of my head in his direction and he tilted his head,
as if to say, let's go.  I accepted.  Another wonderful tanda.

He wanted to dance the cumbia tanda with me, but I wanted to save my energy
for valses with him.  When the Tanturi vals tanda began, it was as if we had
made a previous arrangement to dance.  His embrace made it easy for me to
feel his every movement and to enjoy in the music.

Three terrific tandas.  I didn't need anymore.  It was only 9:30, but I
wanted to visit a friend at home.  He saw me leaving and got up from his
table to speak to me.  He said he was hoping to see me there on Sunday.  I
thanked him for the tandas and left.  I will definitely go back on Sunday.
I need a change in my milonga routine.


Janis Kenyon
Buenos Aires