[Tango-L] A change in my milonga routine

[Robin Tara]

Mmmmmm Janis,

Sounds like the old days - by the way, I'll be there on or about Feb 8


> From: Janis Kenyon <Jantango at feedback.net.ar>
> Date: Fri, 19 Jan 2007 20:12:08 -0300
> To: Tango-L <Tango-L at mit.edu>
> Subject: [Tango-L] A change in my milonga routine
> 
> 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
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Tango-L mailing list
> Tango-L at mit.edu
> http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l