Dispari tango dynasty

Yes I should have become aware of the situation long time ago but I had a break through this summer!
Suddenly I just realized that many of the important tango influences are coming to me from Dispari family. It is definitely because of the way they dance, the availability of the workshops and the nice way they meet us!

Jorge and Maria Dispari
During the years the organizers here in Nordic have cooperated with Jorge and Maria! Thanks to them I have had possibility to participate once a year to their workshops. Here one of the most beautiful dances on Youtube.

Javier and Ceraldine
Geraldine is Marias daughter and it is said that even Javier has strong influences from Marias dance style. The early videos of this couple are the all time high among the tango performances. Here you get one of my favorites from Bologna 2001!

I met Javier first time 2004 and after that I have participated in his classes every now and then. He is one of the few teacher who is clearly pointing out the problems with our, students' dancing. He also starts the lessons by walking exercises to point out the importance of a good base for tango.

If you want to know more about her so check my youtube portal for her! (I am sorry but it is working only for computer - yt regulations) When a thumbnail and the title appears you can click on it and get more videos connected to that title.

Adrian and Amanda Costa
Costas are strongly dedicated students of Jorge and Maria! I have had possibility to study for them twice and will continue!

Jorge and Marita have also a daughter Samantha Dispari living on the pistas but I have not had opportunity to participate in her workshops.

https://youtu.be/-VK_Nyykfg8

https://youtu.be/p6rVh5i6xX8

https://youtu.be/fzBNiqwCwdg

https://youtu.be/PPJCjtWxz98
https://youtu.be/9wtokkp6qTg

TANGO BA semifinal result

Here are part of the list for the participants in final competition this August: The most happy information is that my Singapore favorites are ON!

The whole list you can find here:  http://festivales.buenosaires.gob.ar/uploads/admin/estaticos/db59bd928a1c90d9db035714bf949309.pdf

Los Laurels in B.A.

Mi tango nació en Sarandi - Elina Roldan (sub inglés)

A beautifully done film about tango!
The place Los Laurels is a beautiful gem among the tango venues in Buenos Aires. The food is not so - when we visited the place the stake was inedible - the second try was good for my friend but I just accepted a reduced price and got dancing on salad!

But still I would go back there again! 
The memory images of the people (wasn't he there that night?) and the details in the venue are still so beautiful . . . . 





https://youtu.be/IvL3UNCA-i0

Javier Rodriguez with followers

Javier Rodriguez is performing with different partners giving us an opportunity to se how a follower is having an impact on leader!

What you think?

MOIRA Castellano




CARLA Rossi

FATIMA Vitale


Would these followers have an impact on yours dancing?  In what way?

A tango during your surgery?

According to the news an old truth was confirmed: Music has impact on your wellbeing but it also lessens the pain during a surgery!

Doesn't this indicate that the effect is created below our awareness level; it is created and handled in a different part of the brain compared to the phenomenon which need our focused thoughts. Maybe this is the level of our true dancing?

You find the whole story here!
http://www.bbc.com/news/health-17525232

Lost my dance!

As stated in the earlier posting my dance has clearly two levels. The stepping mode where i just do the moves and the intense one when the dance comes alive.

To my surprise the daylight situation makes it difficult to reach the dancing level. If you add a crowd dancing in very different styles so the harmonious pista is not developed and I was left craving for my fix!

Stepping vs dancing mode

Sometimes I notice that I am just moving to the music and decide that this is not enough.

I change the mood and the dance comes alive.

There is a change of focus, intensity but not necessarily a change of steps or in musicality. I am though quite sure that this change is visible to an experienced eye!

A musicality play

I just love his creativity in finding new ways to visualize the things happening in a song!

Here one example:

A virtual marathon runner?

We come to tango for different reasons and our expectations are build on that ground. If we compare tango to walking/running it can be easier to make the variations in expectations and needs visible. The question why some dancers are training all the time and others not at all maybe get an explanation!

Yes we have the group of Sunday walkers. They come to the weekly milongas chatting with people, dancing some and if they participate in a class it is more for the fun than for a serious skill growing. In a large community you get all kinds of combinations of skill and fun; from the Sunday walk person to a totally focused marathon runner.

Along the way I have become aware of my deepest interest which lies in skill growing. I am as a marathon runner spending lonely hours to develop the skill, technic and strength. I am not chasing to be the best in the world - that dream was crashed quite early - but I am exploring my personal limits, exploring how far I can push myself!

Yes there are Sundays when the walk is absolutely wonderful, mutually appreciated and joyful. On other hand I need my training, my dancing moments when I push my limits to my personal extreems with a partner who is at about the same level. If this is not available my frustration level is rising making me irritated and sometimes even short tempered.

Are you a Sunday walker or a marathon runner?

Take a look about it and you will find what are the essetial needs for your tango life!

Tivoli Milonga on Fridays

This milonga is the largest and for continuous visitor the cheapest milonga in town!

It is opened in May and run every Friday until the end of September. A seasonal card - a green card - is valid for the whole summer and you can buy it for 240kr. There is Tango on Fridays and salsa, foxtrot or bugg the other evenings and all this is available with the same card same price.

Some pictures from last Friday, this year!

On this video you find the place from a different angle and in the beginning you get the directions to Grönalund tivoli by tram and in the end by the boat. The last one is a good summer option and easy to reach from the pieer at Slussen.  (the tram stop has been moved further down after this video was completed - just a some meeters more to walk in same direction, same street)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwGeCaYIzs8

Dancers, test to tape your feet!

During the encuentro I opened a Taping station for those who wanted to test the help a tape could do for the tired feet! There is different methods to do this - please test to find out the most suitable one for you!

This posting is to urge you to start experimenting, start to ask and to know that there is some help on the way!

Tape, scissors and instructions!

Don't be shy but let your dedication for this dance become visible!

Here a testimonial:

Hi Leena ! 
[...]
I just wanted to say that I use the "paddings" you were talking about and it has changed my life of tango dancer (follower). No more frustrations for the last tandas of milongas... For me, it doen't prevent of any pain, but the metatarsal pains arrive much more later... 

Of course, it's a little visible, with this piece of beige material of the upper band "escaping" of the shoe, but it doesn't matter ! I have 2 pairs and I wash them regularly without any damage ! I will never dance again without them (except if the shoes themselves have paddings like some of "SUR" brand)... 

I've never tried sport tapes but the colored ones can have an interesting effect with tango shoes !!... Hope to see you soon ! Chantal

(this is not Chantals foot but from the same occasion)

In Close Embrace: visuals

I call my photos for digital paintings because for me the most important thing is to communicate my experience and visual preferences than the actual environment. If you scan through several photographers work you will find your favorite way for visuals! Far down in this posting are the links to facebook and some more paintings!

I did not use my camera so much because of the execssive dancing but some videos I can share with you!

Two sets of facebook picture collections

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10206400611686937&set=pcb.10206400627527333&type=1&theater

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10206388455943051&set=pcb.10206388461663194&type=1&theater

The body exceeds its limits!

During the last weekend I participated in the encuentro Stockholm in a close embrace! A wonderful event just a few minutes away from my home! We were offered 26 hours of dancing and the warming up as well as cooling down milongas added 7 more hours to the total number.

I usually get tired just after the midnight but not at this event. I came early and stayed around the pista most of the hours just squeezing out an half an hour here and there.

This was also the first time I withouth doubt experienced the effect of the skilled DJs. During the weekend I felt flames of frustration within me when a tanda was sounding and I did not managed to get a partner at once. Later on it was more difficult when the pista was filled up and it was not possibly to catch an eye on the other side. On Sunday the strategies were better and of my 5,5 hours at the event I danced 5.

I clearly experienced in my body an arousal level above of the normal, a level driving up the number of dancing hours. My usually so morning stiff back was nearly ok but I still expected that the body would be aching some days after the last milonga. It has been so earlier - but no, not this time. Even when all the happiness chemicals had thinned out from my system the pain did not reveal itself.

Here is the program for the weekend and the DJs who put my body in fire!

 I think the change of my basic training in to the cardio direction and the closer relationship to the music are the main reasons for the difference compared to the earlier encuentros.

In Close Embrace: premilonga

Stockholm in Close Embrace

Yesterday the enquentro Stockhom in Close Embrace had a premilonga at one of venues for our  ordinary traditional milongas. The crowd was nearly the double for an ordinary evening and we who came a little bit late could only be seated at the couple area with slight difficulties for mirada. But we danced a lot!

Some of us went for a beer afterwards and when the music catched our ears we could not resist but danced between the tables!

And the video!  When you hear the music you understand how desperately we still wanted to dance!

Follower navigating

Sometimes when the floor is uneasy some followers start to take responsibility for navigation by indicating for troubles behind the leaders neck. It is mostly a discrete pull with her left hand suggesting that the leader should change direction or something.

It has happened earlier but I can not recall any memories of these early warnings. Today I find it quite disturbing! Most of the times the warning comes just a fraction before my change of direction but still it interferes the dance rhythm, the natural flow of movements.

If the couple has been involved in several and severe bumps when the axes of the couples are shaking - then there is reason to interfere. But why should you do it in other cases?

Once when the pista was very crowded a follower commented: I opened my eyes and was frightened - the other couples were so near! I decided to keep the eyes closed during the rest of this tanda and the leader got to cope with the situation.

Two Brains in Sync?

NeuroTango Experiment: Two Brains in Sync

The first attemts to check in what degree you share a same experience during a tanda. The experiment leaders were suspicious about the blue couple - Are their brains this syncronized or is the equipment broken?
The lowest level of sync was found when the couple was listening a song in embrace or thinking of a song. So my conclusion is in direction of dancing - better to dance to get in sync with my partner.





Here you find the whole blog posings even with more videos!
http://www.werklig.com/solutions/kyro-distillery-company/

Environment Impacts the experience

Sometimes I am surprised how important it is to present the movements in a certain way so we can fully enjoy the dance. Here you get two versions of Hiroshi and Kyoko who are dancing in a cafe kind of environment and at a fully set up pista performance.

Does their movements look similar or is there aspects not visible in one of the videos but not in the other?



Hiroshi and Kyoko are champions from 2009

In their casuals
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maoFISpmlYA

A performance outfit
https://youtu.be/t3lRcGk-aw0

Korea: My best info

This is a personal collection of facts and observations which made my trip comfortable, or made it possibly to reach my goals.

Tourist help number 1330
The turist number 24/7 is an unbelievable service which you can call to to get detailed informations about traveling in South Korea or for translation services when you are standing on the street. Next time I will even skype call them from home when planning my trip.  (link below!)

Traveling email account
I have created a traveling email account  and during my trip all the mails from my ordinary accounts are forwarded to this account. This keeps me calm when I need to check my mails on less secure computers.

I was happy about this when the disastrous login happened! The hostel had a totally new, nice computer with Windows 8 - all in korean and I did not managed to change the language in a hurry. I did as I used to at home and checked the mails but when wanted to log out I could not!  After clicking around I understood that I had installed my mail account as the main account on this computer - with other words my mails were the first thing the visitors met when logging in to this PC. Not a good thing!

The guys in charge did not know what to do (I thought all younger guys in Korea were hackers - Disappointing!) I did not want to open an other account for a new disaster but a few days later I changed the PW - to my surprice it took nearly 2 hours to run through. 

Credit cards: Visa most reliable
I had problems with my card and the ATM messages were erroneous telling me: Your card has been closed down. or Your card is invalid. I was travelling alone and when getting these messages when I had 3 weeks to go - you can easily imagine that I felt quite stressed.

At similar situation you may try a different machine and look for a new, shiny machine a one with visible credit card icons. Some machines also spell - International card - All these machines provided me money - but they took an extra fee for the service.

Cash card
I bought this card for several years ago for the underground trips in Seoul and surprisingly it was still working now! I used it as mentioned below but I know that it is working in taxis too and far more occasions.

Underground: Seoul, Daejeon as well as in Busan
Cash card: In several convenience stores
Reload: I reloaded it at convenience stores /underground stations.

Long distance busses and train
I never made an reservation and still the departures were within 15 minutes after the purchase but I did not have strict schedule so I could take the risk. Trains work as home. Busses made a stop after driving about one hour - I took a photo with the licence plate and the buss stop number on the ground visible in case I went to the bathroom or shops. It is lovely to continue the trip on the same buss your things are on. This worked for sight seeing busses too

Directions: There is different buss terminals for directions - north going or east going bussies may have separate terminals. 
Type of buss: Intercity or express buss terminals may have different locations.
You always fix your own luggage: open the side of the buss, place your luggage and close.

Underground and local buses
The underground is the easiest way to get around - the maps are available and to follow the trip advancing is easy. I found it very helpful to take photo of the exit signs. Here is an example from Busan where you can see the information options!

Exit #8, 
Station name in Korean; 
Station number and name in 3 additional language.
Timetable information - see below the zoomed photo

Information about the first and last train in both directions

I used local busses only a very few times but the camera was very helpful here too. I showed my goal on the map (paper or saved in my camera or phone) and they discussed lively untill they gave me a suggestion pointing the right buss number.  The start /end stops are shown in the photo and I could follow the stops passing by on the buss' electronic sign board.

Accomodation and food
There was risk to put long hours on surfing among the different options for night and dinner. I decided to stick to my guide book and choose an option at suitable price level. I had a goal for average price for one night so sometimes it was higher and sometimes lower to end up at acceptable average level.

I think I know 2/3 of the alphabet and it was enough to read the most of the signs. I learned to copy the city names to show when buying the tickets - My nightmare was to end up at a totally different city because of my bad pronunciation - never happened though!


Internet translation
Usually the browser translation service was not working at all.  When needed I copied the most important text to google translation which to my surprice worked as usuall!!



Tourist help number and site
http://asiaenglish.visitkorea.or.kr/ena/GK/GK_EN_2_7_1.jsp


Busses
https://www.google.se/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&es_th=1&ie=UTF-8#q=south%20korea%20bus&es_th=1

Dancing in Busan!

In Busan they have several milongas and a few of them are listed on the Milongas-in.com site. (someone said the number was over 10 milongas)

I had possibility to visit one of them; the Friday night milonga organized by TangoBi.
This lady had the power over our music, loading energy to our feet!

As usual in Korea the community was friendly and talkative and easy going group of people.  Cabeceos were clearly answered and the followers were waiting seated until you get there. Friends were behaving as friends are behaving all over the world and just asked for a dance after a chat.

Later in the evening a group of teachers and other organizers were joining the milonga and even there I got a few nice dances and a chat.

Some milongas in Busan
http://milongas-in.com/milongas-in-asia.php?c=Korea&city=Busan#Busan

Dancing in Pohang!

I found information about the tango in Pohang on the milongas-in.com site, wrote to them and soon I got a friendly mail responce. We even met during the Seoul Tango festival and Patrick's wife was kind to dance with me at one of the evenings! 

When I come to a new town and plan to visit a milonga I often choose to explore during the day the part of town where the milonga is located. When the pista is placed higher up in the house in a djungle of small streets around you will for sure have  difficulties to find the address in the darkness, it is easy to miss the signs fully visible for the locals.

On the very evening of my visit the community had its birthday celebrations! Three of the members had their day within the range: Pay attention to the wine glases! So here you have the cake and the greetings! I am sorry not presenting any videos of that specific tango but I was dancing - even following here!

                    

This milonga has been run for about 10 years, organized by Ja Kang Jung. It is a warm, talkative, friendly dancing community. It was pity that the day with traveling and unorganized meals lowered my blood sugar level so I lost the energy before the milonga ended. I missed even when the group went out for a beer and continued birthday celebrations. 

With other words I definitely have a reason to return with better planning!

                                                                                                                        

Frederico and Selen have been teaching here for years while living in Pohang. Today some of the members are running the basic courses and the community is organizing workshops with visiting teachers to get more influences! Next couple to come is Andres Laza Moreno and Luciana Arregui - What a good choice! 

If you decide to visit Pohang I am sure these dancers will give you a warm welcome!

(The picture is taken by midnight and it seems someone has already fallen in sleep! :) )


My contact persons in town!     배성곤 (Patrick) and  이진형  - you find them in facebook!

Facebook link for the milonga
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152791235680846&set=a.10150644800240846.385539.638125845&type=1&theater

Organizers photos in Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152793812150846&set=pcb.10152793813240846&type=1&theater

Andres Laza Moreno and Luciana Arregui   a Facebook announcement   
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=482452801917239&set=gm.845901482163183&type=1&theater

Dancing in Daejeon!

After the festival in Seoul my next stop was Daejeon. I visited the city for first time 2012 and met the dancers in a milonga.  I was hapy to visit the Azucar community again! The group is small but has been learning and dancing for a long time!

The evening starts with a lesson and continues with a practica for a few hours. So even this night! I came late because I got lost in the darkness -  I just couldn't recall to what direction I should go from the underground station and turned to opposite.  I met some helpful, party people and got to the right road!

The friendly people and one familiar face from the last visit made my night! I was even following for some songs! Here you see some members dancing - two couples in front and the others in the mirror!

Later in the evening I filmed this couple dancing a milonga! It was not a performance but just a play for fun and we enjoyed! Well done! 

Beelzebub y Saerom and it is true a Devil he is in leading a milonga!

There is at least two more milongas/practicas in Daejeon and you find them via the link below or by asking people you learn to know!

A search page for milongas in the world!
http://milongas-in.com/milongas-in.php

( To ask for directions in Korea can be difficult. When I asked at the metro station I think I misunderstood the answer, the sign language. The party people used a translation program in the mobile and then the turist 7/24 help phone line to solve the situation! People + technics => solution is an ever amazing combination in this country!  Just dial 1330 to Information Center and ask for service in English. )

Seoul: El Tango Cafe

Retro Milonga,  DJ: Felipe (San Francisco)

Farewell Milonga,  DJ: Lung-Kuei (Taipei)

This venue was just a 15 mins walk from my hotel so it is easy to take a short walk but it can still be a challenge to end up to the right door. The last few turns I managed by tailing a couple with NEO TANGO bag hanging from the shoulder!

Once more this is totally ok venue for a slower milonguero style group but the young dynamic version of tango made the situation a liiiiittle bit difficult.

This evening was also the nigth of international performances. All the couples had one song to do and they were not aware of which it could be but the organizer had decided it for them - it was a kind of game and the dancers could show their real skill in improvisation!  And they did!

The organizer had tighten up the regim compared to my last visit and even these performances were esclusively dedicated to organizers camera.

The Masters for this year had also good time!  Later in the evening Jorge and Marita Dispari were on the floor with a joyful rock'n roll. We enjoyed it and it looked that they had as much fun as we. Some other caribean rythms were irresistible and the rest of masters ended up to the floor too.

The Korean atmosphere is joyful and people really can have fun and play!
(hmmmm, . . .have i been fixated on this phrase or smthing? ? ?  )

We had two nights at this venue and these videos are from the first one: May first!

                                                                

Seoul: SC Convention Gangnam

Grand Milonga,  DJ: Anthony (Sydney)

This is the main milonga, the most expencive and spaceous one during the festival. There was a proper buffet too to start the evening with. I can tell you it was delicious!

At the table we were very talkative, chatting away a great part of the night: Three from Finland, one from Malaysia and a Korean leader. What a conversations we created! The dancing was thou not so succesfull and for my concern there will not be so much dancing. I have not managed to catch my dance feeling it seems to be somewhere else.

The main event for the night were the performances of all the masters. They were very beautifull, all of them were beautifull. This year Javier Rodrigues came alone and his first dance was with Maria Dispari. She did an different kind of dance with Javier, playing with music and feet in a new way! Nice to se! (all the performances are loaded at organizers youtube account)

The Korean/Asian crowd is the best one in the whole world to show their appreciation. They start cheering when the couple walks to the pista, next ovations come when they hear what song will be danced. At the end they are cheering, waiving their arms in a way I never heard or seen before! It must be wonderful to be performing here! Listen to the wery end of the perfomances to get an impression!

This kind of atmosphere gets us to relax and invites us to open up our minds for playing, having fun! The teachers are not made of stone so this appreciation and playfullness will even make them to enjoy their job, performig and afterwards to dance socialy.

This night we had also a Korean live orchester lead by the bandoneon player Sangji Koh. You find her orchestra and us dancing in the video below!

If you want to know more about Sangji and her life you get quite a lot information here to start with! Burning For Tango Koh, Sangji : http://foundmag.net/51455


But we others continue with a tango!  

The evening get even better when I got my shoes back! They were found at Lime studio and taken to the yesterdays milonga by the owner! Thanks, thanks a lot. I am happy again!

Seoul: Lime Dance Studio

Welcome Milonga,  DJ: Xiao Bai (Shanghai)

This Thursday evening was the first festival night and we celebrated it at the Lime Dance Studio. There had been a late change of place because this event had grown in popularity and a bigger place was needed and still it was crowded, very crowded! This number of people at an encuentro is maybe not an issue but here where people are mostly dancing tango salon it is difficult - the dancing is more dynamic, outgoing, with figures and playfulness. I got a boleo which did actually not hit me but the circular movement was driving around in my cloths and she needed a moment to get out!    :)


  


I had some dances with visiting milongueras who knew how to take the steps on a small space. Lucky me!

                      

 

It was allso wonderful to reconnect with the teachers I have been taking lessons for several years!

I was so unfocused in the end of the evening that my shoes were left behind. My favorites with the sole for every floor, How will my life be without you?


Seoul tango festival 2015
http://www.seoultangofestival.com/2014/11/2015-seoul-tango-festival-april-30-may-1.html

Seoul: Royal Tango House

Singles Milonga,  DJ: Yojine (Seoul)

I set off to this milonga with a plan not to dance at all but take some pictures and then leave the place early. I kept the first part of my plan but I stayed nearly to the very end. The athmosphere was that nice!

I still cannot figure out what makes a venue more attractive and keeps me back there the whole night while others are more easy for an early departure. This evening made me hang around for a long time!

To give you an impression about the dencity on the pista check these images. The space to next couple is just not so much here!

This event was also the first time in my tangolife where I have seen a natural mix of teachers dancing with each others, with other dancers or together just for fun!

Seoul: Tango O'Nada

Warm-up Milonga, DJ: Benjamin (Seoul)

It was easy to find to Tango O'Nada just following the instructions on the site - you find the URL below - and it was generous too with the payment. No one at the door collecting the fees but a bowl on the bar table. When you pay your 10.000W you get a drink and I choosed to have a bottle with a cap to take with me when it was time to go home!

The crowd was young and very skilled dancing tango salon. They were musical, placing the feet exactly and not shoveling around at all. Many dancers were expressing the music in the body, dissociating beautifully, lowering and raising the body softly to the music.

Most of the leaders managed a quite dynamic dance in a space usually llocated by the crowded pista. Only one younger Asian leader and a long legged foreigner clearly needed a double space at the ronda.

There was even a very skilled female leader and you can spot her here in a white shirt, black trousers and a scarf around the neck as an alternative tie.

                     

And here some feet!
You can even see how beautifully the outer line is formed!
        


Tango O'Nada in Seoul: the link below gives you the map as well as the instructions how to get there!
http://www.milonga.kr/xe/map

http://milonga.kr/xe/index.php?mid=map

On this page you find several more addresses to Korea milongas.
Before your trip try to contact the organizer via the email addresses provided. Sometimes the venue addresses and times are changed.

http://milongas-in.com/milongas-in-asia.php?c=Korea&city=Seoul#Seoul

Seoul tango festival - some Facts and opinions!

You find all the information about this festival on their home page! 
http://www.seoultangofestival.com/2014/11/2015-seoul-tango-festival-april-30-may-1.html

The videos posted by the organizer at El Bulin channel!
https://www.youtube.com/user/florenciatango/videos

Here you find the opinions of some other Finish visitors on their blog! (2011)
https://movementinvitesmovement.wordpress.com/2011/05/25/we-heart-the-seoul-tango-festival/

My postings can be found by a search with a lable KOREA on this blog and videos in Youtube!
https://www.youtube.com/user/LeenaTango/videos

Tango for the brave - Saxtas

I like the sound here!  And the dancing!

       

Tango and Parkinson's desease

Here you have the conclusions for the study how Argentine tango effects on persons with Parkinson's disease:

Conclusion

Argentine tango can improve balance, and functional mobility, and may have modest benefits upon cognition and fatigue in Parkinson’s disease. These findings must be confirmed in longer-term trials explicitly powered for cognition and fatigue.

“Tango for treatment of motor and non-motor manifestations in Parkinson’s disease: A randomized control study” by Silvia Rios Romenets, Julius Anang, Seyed-Mohammad Fereshtehnejad, Amelie Pelletier, and Ronald Postuma in Complementary Therapies in Medicine. Published online February 9 2015 doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2015.01.015

The following link gives you a some lengthier text:  http://neurosciencenews.com/parkinsons-tango-dancing-neurology-1948/

[In the end of this URL they have numbers 1948. I assume it is not the year when this study was done. . . . . ]

Tango took me to the stage!

One of my long time tango friends produced a play for a private theater in town. I was asked to join the team to produce and run the visuals for this play and my wild mind said Thank You and I will fix that!

It was ok to produce the videos and prepare the existing for better quality but I did not have a clue how to show them professionally! I got a phone number to a person who is working with media production and the hard message was that he had not been able to find any reliable tool for a PC. He was using Mac.

His advice was to use VLC player and extended screen on computer. This advice did put me on a reasonable track and after some training at home with a smal Pico projector I completed my part of the production.

The team was wonderful and the performance was great so we are now preparing an extra perfomance within some weeks!

                                    The story of the couple dance!     

(PS.  I was dancing too!  A part of an candombe and then later some bad steps :)  )

Heads on top, please

No we are not ballroom dancers and the Throwaway Oversway is not on our training list! Maybe some quebradas. Men anyhow we also bend the head forward and so we are rocking the same boat! Risky for our neck!

             

The whole story you find by cklicking here, this very line!


http://www.delta.dance/2015/03/the-biggest-mistake-dancers-make/

Happy birthday!

A new trend is growing - this is not the first invitation!  :)

Saturday, January 16, 2016 is my birthday.
I will have a small event of some sort, wil arrange it after xx and I has arrived to Buenos Aires on Monday 11/1

So ... you're invited to come and celebrate with me

            

Well done Sebastian and Roxana!

Performing is not necessarily so glamorous and you do not necessarily know how the pista for your performance will look like or how the scene is prepared for you. Still I was surprised finding this!

Roxana is even smiling - real professionals they are!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cH2FpSE_utc

DJs on Youtube: Passiontango1

On this Youtube account you find a large amount different tandas you can  combine to a whole dance evening!

Follow the link to the site by cklicking this line!

and you will land on site as below. 

          

Or you prefere to follow an orchestra? On the page below you can find long playlists organized by orchestras and for example you will find a lot of play-ready tandas for d'Arienzo. There is clear risk that your feet are off beforen the playlist has finnished!

This takes you to the page!

        

It will be nice with 43 vals tandas too or what would you prefere? I appreciate the names of the song in the winndow.


https://www.youtube.com/user/passiontango1/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/passiontango1/playlists

Missing the valses!

Performers don't do valses anymore! or more precicely there is only few who do valses.

I have had this feeling for some time and it went down for counting at Forstbite festival in the end of February. There were three performers dancing three songs each with an extra song and this makes the number to 12 performances totally. Not even one vals was included.

It was a week or two afterwards I noticed this fact - so it means that I am not anymore even expecting to hear all three music types during performances.

That is the reason for me to share with you the all time high vals from years back!

According to information on video text this was filmed 2005. I am not sure if this is the original link but this song and performance had a total spell on me. It carried me far a way and still does. At that time Chicho was dancing so differently from other couples, he had such a musicality and as you hear he was appreciated by the crowd!

There is good vals performers but they are not so many. I will come back with my favorites some day!

A musicality that hits my core!

Adrian and Amanda Costa mede it again!  The way they do relate to the music  - I am just dreaming of it!

I can every now and then spot the patterns their teachers - Jorge and Maria Dispari - use but Adrian and Amanda have integrated those steps totally to their OWN dance; they are not puting up some copies.

Please enjoy!  Start by clicking here to a facebook link.

Encuentros milongueros addresses

Here you have some more addresses to find interesting encuentros! CLICK the link and make your choices!

http://www.gatomilongueiro.com/encuentros2/default2.asp

Frostbite 2015: Javier Rodriguez & Noelia Barsi

I have followed Javiers path since 2004 when he was dancing with Ceraldine Rojas.

He has an ability to cooperate with his partners and create an elegant atmosphere and dance. So also with Noelia!





I had some problems with audience geting in a prominent position, therefore I have used this oval framing. I appologize if you can't follow some interesting movements which are happening behind the frame!

DJs on Youtube: Xenia

This late I realized the possibility to listen a milonga evening or part of it on youtube!

Here  you have Xenia!

A capricious joy

The joy of dancing is a capricious companion nowadays!

Earlier it was enough to enter to a tango venue and I was lifted from my daily hassles. I got a clear feeling of dancing, a connection to the music and to my partner for the tanda. It is not so anymore.

During many years I never checked who of my friends was going out to a specific place. I just went there and find my partners there or made new aquintances. Today I don't go if my favorit partners decide to stay at home.

Venues which have put me in the mood for years don't have that power anymore. I do not know why the change is taking place now but I am curious where this new track is going to take me!

One old place is still on top: Pele!

For some reason it has always had a vivid attraction to the crowds here. During long times the only place where we could get some food, drinks and a place to sit down for a talk. It is a family own place and one of the sons is running it now. But his mother is still participating - sitting on the wheelchair and though she doesn't recognize us anymore we chat with her for a while between dances.

Frostbite 2015: Horacio & Magdalena and Solo Tango

I start this short playlist with the 4th song!

In the beginning Horacio is instructing the Solo tango orchestra from Moscow as a reincarnation of d'Arienzo!  Enjoy!

During this weekend I became aware of Magdalenas beautiful walk in ipsilateral way - as opposite for the usual dissociated walk. Just watch her backwards walk in the very beginning of the 4th song! The whole left side is moving and then the right side with the foot, right hip and right shoulder simultaneusly back!

She is using the technique during every song and doing it beautifully!

Frostbite 2015:Pablo Rodriguez & Corina Herrera

This was my first occasion to meet Pablo and Corina and they were great!

The dances were wonderful and they were dancing beautifully together. One central detail not realy visible on videos is Pablos enormous concentration during the dance - I think it was on music but it could be on the dance itself or on something else.

Here you have my recordings from Frostbite 2015: Pablo & Corina