Tango Blues

Roots, Rhythms, and Changes

The Argentine Tango is a folk dance with complex roots. It descended from a rich folkloric dance tradition fused with musical and cultural influences from around the world.

The tango wasn't developed by academics or choreographers. It wasn't fashioned for the court at Versailles or the ballrooms of Vienna. It wasn't danced to the established music of classical composers.

The tango was never a dance for the aristocracy. It was developed by poor and working class people, people with hard lives who danced for the sheer joy of it.

The original tango experts weren't experts by virtue of their talent or their training, but rather due to their love and commitment for an exciting new art form. The tango filled their hearts with passion and comforted their souls during difficult times. 


"Put on your red shoes and dance the blues." - David Bowie


The tango and the blues are like close cousins from distant lands. 

- They came into existence at roughly the same time. 

- Both emerged from folk traditions with multi-cultural influences. 

- Both were developed and performed by the poor and the working class. 

- Both express feelings of loss and sadness and difficult times, but this expression makes the troubles seem more tolerable.

- Each has a recognizable style and structure, but neither is strictly formalized.

- Within the context of the established structure, performances are improvised most of the time. (Some songs and some choreographed performances are preplanned in detail.)

- Both genres are flexible and adaptable, and they blend well with other genres and influences.

- Notably and regrettably, decades passed before either the blues or the tango were accepted widely in their respective homelands.


Blue Notes

The blues and the tango share two fundamental ideals.

The first is a strong connection with emotion during performance. Feeling outweighs technique in importance in both genres. Virtuosity is not a requirement for being a blues musician or a tango dancer. But the ability to express emotion and to connect on an emotional level with others, that is what makes a true bluesman or tanguero. 

The second ideal is that of an open and evolving nature. Many varieties of blues have emerged over the years - rural blues, delta blues, Chicago blues, rhythm and blues, the earliest rock 'n' roll songs, and the blues-influence rock of music legends such as Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, and The Rolling Stones. 

Tango also evolves continually and organically in surprising ways. Various styles of Argentine tango are danced today, and no two experts dance it exactly the same way. More styles will emerge as new generations experiment with the structure of the dance and blend it with musical influences from the future. 

This open architecture should be embraced; it is a great asset of both the tango and the blues, and it keeps both genres vibrant and current generation after generation. 


Boom Boom

And here is one final though to ponder. The blues and the tango emerged from the humblest of beginnings. They weren't commissioned by wealthy patrons. They weren't derived from classical theories. But when the right mix of people merged in the right places at the right times, a miracle happens, and two beautiful, living art forms emerged.

Mankind needs the blues, and we need the tango just as we need stories and drama and poetry. These art forms were developed not out of a desire for pageantry but out of simple necessity. We are simply not complete without the blues and the tango. Thank goodness that some inspired people brought these exquisite gifts to life.

¡Buena suerte amigos, y muchas gracias!

Daniel

Copyright © 2014 The Exploring Tango Blog

www.exploringtango.com

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The Music of Octavio Brunetti

A Remembrance

Virtuoso pianist Octavio Brunetti passed away on August 29th at the age of 39. A native of Argentina, Mr. Brunetti was best known as a performer of tango music, both as a soloist and with a number of accomplished orchestras and ensembles.

I didn't know him personally, but I enjoyed his inspired playing on many occasions. It was always a good night when Octavio Brunetti was on the bandstand.

His approach to the piano was joyful, playful, elegant, and fun. It's not uncommon to associate tango music with deep, somber emotions, and Brunetti's music communicated those emotions brilliantly. But there was also a sense of comfort and contentment in every note that he played. It was like the persistent, heartfelt hope that springs out of a blues song even when it describes our deepest struggles.

You could see that joy on his face as he played and when he relaxed with friends and admirers. A positive energy seemed to flow from the man in every moment. His music took that joy to soaring heights.

He was technically accomplished, of course. His performances were effortless and consistently flawless. But music is so much more than hitting the right notes at the right time. Octavio Brunetti had an unmatched command of musical expression.

I remember in particular the exaggerated tempo changes that he used to enhance well known pieces. All of a sudden, you felt everything slow down - slower...slower...until time all but stood still. He would play so expressively in that moment of temporal suspension, squeezing every drop of nuance and emotion from each highly anticipated note. And then he would speed up again, as though a powerful and precise machine were accelerating to full throttle.

Words can only describe the experience to a point. I hope that you'll go online and view some of Mr. Brunetti's performances. Or better yet, purchase his album, Te Amo Tango, in order to experience the brilliance of this irreplaceable musician. He was a gem in the worlds of both music and dance, and his joyful, playful, enthusiastic presence will be missed by everyone who ever experienced his incomparable artistry, musicianship, and personal energy.

¡Buena suerte amigos, y muchas gracias!

Daniel

Copyright © 2014 The Exploring Tango Blog

www.exploringtango.com

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Courage

Facing Fear and Moving Forward

It takes courage to learn to dance. 

It takes courage to learn to do anything new.

It take courage to ask the unfamiliar voice on the telephone what you need to do in order to get started. It takes even more courage to show up for that first lesson.

It takes courage to learn to move your body in new ways and do things that will feel hopelessly awkward in the beginning.

It takes courage to try your best when you know that you will receive corrections and urged to try again and try harder.

It takes courage to return week after week, especially when it seems as though you're not making progress very quickly. Real progress rarely comes quickly.

It takes courage to attempt to learn something challenging in a room full of people, some of them perhaps more experienced, some of them potentially judgmental.

It takes courage to ask questions. Is this a reasonable question, we might wonder, or are we simply admitting our ignorance and looking foolish?

It takes courage to undertake and repeat and repeat again the difficult, tedious, awkward exercises reauired to elevate a skill to a new level.

It takes courage to go out to the milongas and dance with people of different levels, with people who have studied different styles, and with people who might not be very patient. 

It takes courage to endure rejection and criticism, especially when the criticism is unwarranted.

It takes courage to face the fear of making mistakes or "messing up" in public.

It takes courage to stick with something after a particularly difficult or humiliating experience, to figure out what went wrong and to learn how to have things go better the next time.

It takes courage to admit when something isn't working when you thought initially that it was going well.

It takes courage to see ourselves clearly and honestly, the good and the bad.

It takes courage to admit our limitations and accept our weaknesses. And then to work on those weaknesses.

It takes courage to ask for help.

It takes courage to take guidance and to act upon it with steadfast conviction.

It takes courage to grow, to advance, to evolve.

It takes courage to embrace openly.

It takes courage to improvise.

It takes courage to express oneself freely.

It takes courage to share responsibility with a partner.

It takes courage to experience the intimacy of connection and partnership.

It takes courage to tango. 

I applaud anyone who musters the courage to take that first lesson.

I applaud anyone who maintains the courage to keep working, to keep pressing forward toward a challenging goal.

I applaud anyone who survives one of those inevitable, gut-wrenching milonga experiences where nothing goes right, and then comes back out again in a day or week and discovers that all is not lost, that the unfortunate night was an outlier, a one-time event.

There is no tango without courage. 

Without courage, there's no connection, no communication, no intimacy.

Without courage, there's no interpretation, expression, no improvisation.

Without courage, there's no exploration, experimentation, or discovery.

Without courage, there's no risk, and without risk, there can be no reward.

Have courage.

Let go of the fears that hold you back.

Lose yourself in the dance.

Because if you can't lose, you'll never know how it feels to win. 

And if you can't let go, you'll never go anywhere. 

Dare to dance.

Dare to grow.

Dare to connect.

Dare to express.

Dare to be who you really are.

Dare to tango.


¡Buena suerte amigos, y muchas gracias!

Daniel

Copyright © 2014 The Exploring Tango Blog

www.exploringtango.com

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World Cup Wonder

Surviving Your Darkest Hour

It was a rough day for the hometown World Cup fans. Germany could do nothing but score. Brazil could do nothing to stop them. 

The game was lost well before halftime. The Brazilian players had to put on a strong face and play out the rest of a hopeless match in front of millions of fans world wide and their own shocked and sobbing countrymen.


Bad Things Happen

No matter how prepared we are, no matter how skilled or experienced we are, it's still possible to have a bad day. A disastrous day. A calamitous day. A performance that will haunt us for years.

No one is immune to bad fortune. Anyone can have a meltdown when a perfect storm of negative events rains down with unexpected fury. The storm will come for each of us sooner or later. The breakdown will happen. It's not a question of whether, but when.

When the worst happens, it will hurt. We'll feel anguish. Humiliation. Agitation. Despair. Physical and emotional discomfort. 

We'll experience profound self-doubt and disillusionment in that bitter moment, a moment that we shall be destined to play over and over in our minds for months and years to come.


Replay

But, guess what! You'll get over it. If you live through the experience, you can pick yourself up and start again from where you left off.

You'll play another match. You'll dance another song. You'll compete in another contest. You'll deliver another set of results. In the aftermath of unimaginable humiliation, you'll get up, get yourself together and do what you love to do. And you'll do it again and again and again.

To live a life where you do what you love to do. Would that be worth a few bad experiences along the way? A few really bad, publicly humiliating experiences, versus a lifetime of happiness? That's an easy decision to make.

Failure feels horrible, but it doesn't kill you. It doesn't render you weak or unable to compete. It doesn't stop you from taking reasonable chances.

But the fear of failure can immobilize you and kill your dreams.


Dancing Beyond Fear

Never let the fear of failure or humiliation hold you back. Refuse to let fear prevent you from taking the chances that you need to take in order to reach your goals and enjoy the life that you want to live.

Imagine the worst possible scenario of embarrassment, humiliation, and loss of stature. Now imagine something ten times worse. You could survive that. You really could. It won't be pleasant, but you would make it. You would emerge bruised but better for it.


The Fulfilled Life

Now imagine years and years on end of living your dreams, adventure after pleasurable adventure, in a life that fulfills you completely. Would you trade all of that just to avoid a few occasional moments of powerful humiliation?

Take a chance. Take lots of chances. Live your life. When life pushes back in an unpleasant way, roll with the punches, grieve for what you've lost, put yourself back together, and get back to doing what you really, really love to do.

There's more life to live. There are more dreams to follow, more objectives to accomplish, and more people with whom you can share your highs and lows. 

¡Buena suerte amigos, y muchas gracias!

Daniel

Copyright © 2014 The Exploring Tango Blog

www.exploringtango.com

All Rights Reserved

   

Discovering Your Super Power

Leverage Your Strengths

I spend a lot of time on this blog discussing aspects of the tango that we might want to improve - technique, musicality, creativity, the quality of the embrace, leading and following, floor craft, etc. 

Hopefully, the exercises and insights inspire reflection on these topics. If they get you to try something new, so much the better! If you want to advance to new levels, you'll need to put in some work. Work on your weaknesses and try to explore untapped possibilities.

But today, I would like to discuss things that we do well already, skills that come naturally to us. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. It's not good to focus on our weaknesses all of the time. 

Let's take inventory of your strengths, your innate abilities - your "Super Powers" - and discuss how you can utilize them when you're dancing. 


What Is Your Super Power?

Your Super Power is something that comes more easily to you than it does to most other people. 

- Maybe you move smoothly and gracefully without really thinking about it.

- Maybe you adapt well to a variety of partners and styles. 

- Maybe you have exceptional balance and/or coordination. 

- Maybe you're joyful and pleasant and relate well to your fellow tangueros.

- Maybe you are naturally at ease when you dance and don't let yourself worry about making mistakes. 

- Maybe you have an exquisitely comfortable embrace that partners enjoy.

- Maybe you have an analytical mind that enables you to understand steps combinations quickly and thoroughly.

You probably have some idea already what your Super Power is. People probably mention it to you from time to time.

My super power, for the record, is dancing musically. I hear details in the music and link elements of movement to elements of music. I can do this without thinking about it, and when I think about it, I can do it even better. I'll speak more in a moment about how this power developed.


Super Powers Are Not Perfect

Hmm! Just when you starting feeling good about having a Super Power, I go and call it imperfect! ;-)

Sorry, I'm not disparaging your Super Power. I just want you to understand the context of what it is and how you can develop it.

You have a Super Power - I'm quite certain of this. You might even have more than one. But you might not recognize it. You might think, "my dancing isn't all that good yet - how can I have a Super Power?"

You don't have to be perfect - or even advance - to have a Super Power. In fact, no one is perfect. If perfection were a prerequisite for anything, we'd all fail.

But as I said above, everyone has strengths and weaknesses. I'm certain that there's something that you do better than your peers. The area where things come more easily to you - even if you're far from perfect in that department - that's your Super Power. 

And now that you have an idea what it might be, you need to learn how to use it. And in order to use it, you need to develop it.


Growth Opportunity

Having a Super Power doesn't mean that you don't have to work on that area. It simply means that you'll advance more quickly in that are IF YOU CHOOSE to dedicate work to it.

I mentioned my ability to dance musically. I've been fascinated by music for my entire life. I play music, compose music, and of course, I enjoy listening to music. I have a musical brain, so it's not surprising that I'm a musical dancer.

But, my dancing wasn't always as musical as it is today. Even though this is my super power, I still had to develop it.

Advice from teachers was helpful. In fact, one teacher stopped in the middle of a song, looked me in the eye and told me that "musicality is about more than being on the beat." Another teacher once noted that I wasn't stepping on the beats accurately. 

Whoa! Wake up calls! And they were right. In the first instance, I was focusing on the accuracy of my musical timing, but I wasn't taking into account the melodic and expressive qualities of the music. So, I worked on that. 

In the second instance, I was focusing so much on technique and not enough on the music. I had to learn to be aware of both simultaneously in order to do them both well.

None of this came easily. Having a Super Power doesn't mean that you don't have to work on that aspect of your dancing. Musicality comes naturally to me, but developing it still required work. 


Harnessing The Power

Well, here's an exciting news flash for you.  

This just in: There's no free lunch in the study of Argentine tango.

You, too, will have to work on your Super Power if you want to make the most of it. 

The good news is that, unlike your natural weaknesses - which are going to drive you crazy for years - you'll be able to improve your natural strengths quickly once you identify them and give them some attention.

With your Super Power, you already start at a higher level than the rest of the field. With a bit of work, you can take it even higher.


The Big Question

So, what is your Super Power? What is that aspect of dance that just seems to come naturally to you? Are you still unaware that you have one? Are you afraid to admit it? 

Remember, your Super Power doesn't have to be perfect, or even good. You might still be a diamond in the rough, undeveloped and unpolished. But it's in there. Ask your friends to help you identify your Super Power, and help them to identify theirs.

If you have trouble identifying your Super Power, think beyond tango. Think about who you are as a person. Are you passionate? Athletic? Studious? Relatable? Creative? Your super power is in there somewhere.


Discovery

Many of us spend time focusing on problems, replaying mistakes in our minds, obsessing over challenges, wishing that we were better in some way, and experiencing prolonged frustration as a result. 

This is your chance to take inventory of what you do well rather than what you do poorly. It's important that we take time to focus on strengths as well as weaknesses - important for healthy, long-term development and important, too, for our attitude and emotional well-being.

Develop and awareness of your strengths. Appreciate what you do well and create a plan to improve further in these areas. Expand your super powers and enjoy every reward that they bring into your life.


When You Find It

Study it. 

Exercise it. 

Develop it until it shines brightly.

Try to apply it whenever you have the chance.

Learn to appreciate and leverage your natural abilities, and they will make just about every dance experience more pleasurable. 

¡Buena suerte amigos, y muchas gracias!

Daniel

Copyright © 2014 The Exploring Tango Blog

www.exploringtango.com

All Rights Reserved

   

Tips for Leaders - Avoiding Disappointment

Find The Silver Lining

If you're a social dancer and you dance with unfamiliar people at milongas and practicas, sooner or later you'll find yourself in the embrace of someone who struggles a bit. Their technique, balance, and skill level might not be up to par with that of your regular partners.

This is a very common situation. How you handle it will say a lot about you.


The Natural Reaction

"Oh, boy! I'm stuck with this partner for the next ten minutes?"

If that thought or something similar passes through your mind, don't feel badly. You're only human. It's natural to feel a tinge of disappointment.

You came to the milonga to DANCE! You don't want to be burdened with followers who can't keep up with you, who can't execute the steps that you want to lead.

Here's my emphatic recommendation: GET OVER IT! 

Feeling grumpy won't make the tanda go any faster. Nor will it improve the situation in any way. A miserable attitude yields a miserable experience for both dancers.


The Next Level

You objective should not be to tolerate an awkward tanda, but rather to elevate it! Celebrate it! Invigorate it! 

Take this challenging situation and transform it into something special. Give this follower a tango experience that she will appreciate for a long time, and you'll feel that your own joy and satisfaction will be uplifted in kind. 


No Excuses

So what if this partner isn't very good? How good are YOU? Are you as good as you think you are? Well then use those skills and experience. Make something beautiful happen with this person. Because that's what partners dancing is all about.

If you can't figure out how to lead someone - anyone - for three simple but elegant tangos, then perhaps you shouldn't be criticizing the follower. Perhaps you should criticize the fellow in the mirror. Apparently, he has some work to do.

There are leaders who could lead this follower and make her very happy. There are men who are up to the job. Are you one of them? Do you aspire to have that level of skill? Then jump in and get to work. Stop ranting and start dancing.


Finding The Solution

Everyone has limitations. But everyone has something that they can do well, or at least well enough. The key is to focus on what works for each partner and to avoid the areas where they struggle. 

Accept each follower for who she is. If all that she can do is walk, then walk. If she stumbles after every third step, give her the time that she needs to catch her balance. Let her reconnect with you through the embrace, synchronize, and then pick up where you left off.

If the only sequence that she can follow is the one that she learned twenty minutes ago in the pre-milonga class, then build on that sequence. Dance it musically. Deconstruct it and reassemble the pieces. Lead a simple improvisation that she can follow and enjoy.


The Beauty of Connection and Simplicity

Forget about challenging, complex moves for the next ten minutes. You'll have a chance to do them with someone else very soon. You don't need to perform Cirque du Soleil to convince people that you're a good dancer. The good dancer is the guy who gives the ladies the dances that they enjoy, not the ones that left them feeling confused, overwhelmed, and full of doubt.

The more that you concentrate on what's possible - the fun and the joy, not just of dancing but of sharing a pleasurable experience with another person - the less you'll worry about what's missing.


This Above All Else

This is the simplest part of the whole formula. Don't let yourself feel disappointed. Enjoy your time with each partner, even those who struggle. As you discover what works for each person, cherish those moments and those insights. 

Never, ever, ever let disappointment show on your face. Unless you want everyone in the room to think that you're insufferable.


Deferred Rewards

The tango community is small. There's a good chance that you'll see any given partner again one day. When that day comes, she might have blossomed into a very capable tanguera. 

If you treated someone well in their early years, when they're struggling, they'll remember that, and they'll appreciate it. And you'll have a friend and a good partner in the tango world.


Remember - It Takes Two To...

You're not perfect. You make mistakes. You lose your balance occasionally. Your lead isn't perfect every minute of every dance. How about your quality of movement? Your technique? Your improvisation and musical interpretation? Your floor craft? Are all of those flawless?

Like the rest of us, you probably still have plenty to master.

A tango is a shared experience. In a shared experience, there's shared responsibility. A particular follower might have to work very hard to keep up with you. That doesn't excuse you from working hard to keep up with her.

Leading isn't an easy job. The best leaders accept that. They accept responsibility for what happens, the good and the bad, and they put effort into making each and every dance as enjoyable as it can be. 

Not so good leaders take credit when things go well and blame the follower when the dance doesn't go smoothly. Who would want to dance with someone like that? And what hope does that person have of making significant improvement?


A Humbling Recollection

I remember when I first started going to milongas. It was intimidating and very challenging. I had trouble dancing with many followers. But with experience, I improved and was able to dance with more ladies.

I didn't get better by grumbling, moping, or criticizing others. I got better by practicing, by understanding my weaknesses and improving where I realized that I needed work. 

As I worked on developing my own abilities, all of the followers seemed more capable! ;-)


Avoiding Disappointment

Blaming the follower yields a disappointed follower, nothing more and nothing less. Dancing around the room with a look of disgust on your face discourages other followers from wanting to dance with you.

This post is about avoiding disappointment. That's the title of the post. Avoiding Disappointment - in BIG letters. I went back and checked.

What I didn't specify was WHOSE disappointment we are trying to avoid. It's not enough to avoid only your own bad experiences. Take the holistic approach.

Avoid your own disappointment by accepting others for what they can do and working actively to share a good tango experience with them. In turn, you're generosity and encouragement will help them to avoid their own sense of disappointment.

Give every follower a dance to remember instead of an attitude to forget.

¡Buena suerte amigos, y muchas gracias!

Daniel

Copyright © 2014 The Exploring Tango Blog

www.exploringtango.com

All Rights Reserved

The Magical Tanda

Discovering Natural Partnerships

Ask a surfer, and he or she will tell you about the first time that they "stood up," that is, the first time that they successfully rode a surf board in an upright position. 

Don't be surprised if your surfer friend beams with excitement as they recount that special moment. This experience is so meaningful to surfers that they often remember not only the location but also the date when it occurred.

Argentine tango dancers have a similar moment but, lucky for us, it doesn't happen just once. 

When we dance with a new person in a social setting, it's typically an enjoyable but marginally awkward experience. Our style, embrace, and way of moving will be unfamiliar to a person with whom we have never danced, so a bit of awkwardness is expected. 

As I've stated before, Argentine tango isn't about perfection. It's about exploration and discovery and connection. If you're looking for perfection, study ballet.


Wow!

But occasionally, that first dance with a stranger is not awkward at all. From the moment that the person enters our embrace, we feel a non-verbal connection and a sense of confidence. We move together as though we have been partners for years, effortlessly, fluidly, joyfully. We feel as though anything is possible when this person is with us.

It's interesting to note that this moment is not dependent on the partner's level of experience. Not at all! It's not as though you happened to dance with the most experienced or accomplished person in the room and that's why everything went so smoothly. The moment is magical, not predictable. 

You have discovered a natural partner, someone who moves the way that you do, who interprets music the way that you do, whose step size and pace and embrace are similar to your own. Treat that person well, because you're going to want to dance with them again. And again. And hopefully, they'll feel the same way about dancing with you.


If This Has Not Yet Happened To You

If you are new to the Argentine tango, you might not have had the experience yet. My guess is that it will happen somewhere between six and twenty-four months into your tango experience. Don't worry about when The Magical Tanda will happen - it will! - Just have fun and expect a brief visit from destiny one day.

My hope is that everyone who is new to tango will keep dancing long enough to let this magical experience occur. We can take classes and workshops and go to milongas for years, but until this moment happens, we don't truly understand what the tango is. This moment is literally what the dance is all about.

That's a bold statement, but believe me, when the Magical Tanda happens, you'll know immediately why I urged you to continue.

Please keep dancing. Go to practicas and milongas when you can. Take classes if you can manage it. If you need to take a break, please do what you have to do and then return to tango when you get the chance. Your breakthrough partner is waiting for you. Don't disappoint them, and they won't disappoint you!


If you have not yet tried this wonderful, mysterious, amazing dance, please consider it if you are physically able to do so. When you get past the first awkward months and the dance starts to become more fluid, it can be a life changing experience. 

Just ask a surfer. :-)

Tango Terminology

* A milonga is an Argentine tango social dance. The milonga might feature dinner or a performance, but these are optional. Improvised (not choreographed) tango dancing by the attendees is the primary focus of the evening.

* A practica is a place where tango dancers can practice new ideas and new techniques. A practica is less formal than a milonga. At a practica, you can discuss techniques with a partner and try things again and again as you learn to do them. This type of discussion and experimentation is unacceptable in the more formal milonga setting.

* A tanda is a series of songs or pieces of music (typically three or four) played consecutively at a milonga or a practica. These pieces will share a similar musical or instrumental style and may even have all been recorded by the same orchestra. A leader and a follower will dance the entire tanda together unless one person is called away (i.e. to meet an old friend who just entered the milonga) or unless the partnership is not working comfortably for both partners.

¡Buena suerte amigos, y muchas gracias!

Daniel

Copyright © 2014 The Exploring Tango Blog

www.exploringtango.com

All Rights Reserved