This week has begun as one of hard work - in Spanish and Tango. I have done 2 - 3 classes of tango each day and have spent long hours studying Spanish verb conjugation and added many new words to my Castallano vocabulary - the original form of Spanish spoken brought to Argentina by the Spaniards when they settled in Argentina. Its pronunciation is very different from the version spoken in Spain and other Spanish speaking countries. Now it's time to get out of one-word conversations to speaking in full sentences...
My tango classes are improving my dancing in leaps in bounds with constant reinforcement of comments by my teachers. Most of them have complimented me on my technique and ability to follow a lead - I have succeeded in becoming a good follower - the trick now is to graduate from a follower to a dancer. Therein lies my next challenge...
Paula finally left for San Francisco on Tuesday - I came back to an empty home, which felt strange. It would have been very quite here if it hadn't been for the pitter-patter of rain on the windowsill. The TV is also on in the background - it's been an invaluable tool for me in learning and understanding Spanish - the subtitles on English films helps me build my vocabulary and construct sentences. When I'm not sitting on the couch I turn on Spanish programs to listen to the soundtrack - I understanding the gist of things but not complete conversations yet. I wonder how long this will take!
Carol moved in 2 doors away and we have spent quite some time together - attending classes, window shopping and having potluck dinner on her terrace, which is very relaxing late in the evening after hours of dancing, with a glass of red wine and dulce de lecce for dessert. Good times! Good memories! I am going to keep the address of her place to see if I can stay there next time I come here. The location is just perfect and being in a private home (not an apartment block) it is very cozy.
Shahrukh and I went out for a very interesting meal at a restaurant called Freud and Fahler - nouvea esperanza, as they call it. New Breath! The cuisine was nouvelle Argentinian - served in bite sized portions - delicious, different and very distinct. The desserts were outstanding! Must go back there once again before leaving here...
I had an amazing foot massage by a podiatrist in the shopping arcade around the corner from home - 20 minutes for 20 pesos (less than $7) - excellent job! I walked in there with aching fee wondering how I was going to get through a 4 hour workshop that afternoon - I felt like I was ready to dance all night after it!
Finally made it to a milonga at Confeteria Ideal (a famous, old, traditional milonga hall which is now infested with tourists - it was a must do just to be there) this week - Yanina, Adrian, Rocio and Juan Pablo - all teachers from Carlos Copello - were performing there that night. I had a great time. I had asked one of my co-students to be my taxi dancer for the night (they get paid for dancing with you for the evening) but I got there late and he had started dancing with others, so he decided to dance with everyone and didn't charge anyone anything - very kind of him. He's a good dancer and I might ask him again when I want to go somewhere and don't have company. After the performance Adrian, whom I am taking private lessons with, asked me to dance with him - I felt I had gone to heaven after the dance - it was amazing! A good lead makes so much difference to how I follow. They had a live band playing for a while which was very good - UniTango.
Saturday and Sunday were spent doing a women's technique workshop for 4 hours each day with Aurora Lubiz - an amazing teacher who is known for her acrobatic performances on the dance floor - she is a tiny bundle of the most amazing energy - what an amazing 8 hours - learnt a lot of stuff that I had seen being done and always wondered how it was done. It was easy to figure out once taught but adding it to my dance repertoire is going to be a challenge - there's so much to think of to make technique a part of my dance, adding adornos to it is going to be the ultimate!
It's Monday and Sharath is on the home leg now - he has landed in Bombay at the ticketing office to get his itinerary finalized - he's going to leave as soon as possible to be here - flying through Paris so it will still take him at least 24 hours to get here. It's going to be fun 10 (+ or -) days to have someone to go out with without wondering whether I'm going to get to dance at a Milonga or not.
It's going to be another day of dance - Mondays are off from Spanish classes though I have lots of homework to do and another 2 Tango classes this afternoon, and perhaps another this evening... and so it goes on, and on, and on... I'm loving it!
No pics pics this week - back to being a non-tourist - and I'm loving that too!
My tango classes are improving my dancing in leaps in bounds with constant reinforcement of comments by my teachers. Most of them have complimented me on my technique and ability to follow a lead - I have succeeded in becoming a good follower - the trick now is to graduate from a follower to a dancer. Therein lies my next challenge...
Paula finally left for San Francisco on Tuesday - I came back to an empty home, which felt strange. It would have been very quite here if it hadn't been for the pitter-patter of rain on the windowsill. The TV is also on in the background - it's been an invaluable tool for me in learning and understanding Spanish - the subtitles on English films helps me build my vocabulary and construct sentences. When I'm not sitting on the couch I turn on Spanish programs to listen to the soundtrack - I understanding the gist of things but not complete conversations yet. I wonder how long this will take!
Carol moved in 2 doors away and we have spent quite some time together - attending classes, window shopping and having potluck dinner on her terrace, which is very relaxing late in the evening after hours of dancing, with a glass of red wine and dulce de lecce for dessert. Good times! Good memories! I am going to keep the address of her place to see if I can stay there next time I come here. The location is just perfect and being in a private home (not an apartment block) it is very cozy.
Shahrukh and I went out for a very interesting meal at a restaurant called Freud and Fahler - nouvea esperanza, as they call it. New Breath! The cuisine was nouvelle Argentinian - served in bite sized portions - delicious, different and very distinct. The desserts were outstanding! Must go back there once again before leaving here...
I had an amazing foot massage by a podiatrist in the shopping arcade around the corner from home - 20 minutes for 20 pesos (less than $7) - excellent job! I walked in there with aching fee wondering how I was going to get through a 4 hour workshop that afternoon - I felt like I was ready to dance all night after it!
Finally made it to a milonga at Confeteria Ideal (a famous, old, traditional milonga hall which is now infested with tourists - it was a must do just to be there) this week - Yanina, Adrian, Rocio and Juan Pablo - all teachers from Carlos Copello - were performing there that night. I had a great time. I had asked one of my co-students to be my taxi dancer for the night (they get paid for dancing with you for the evening) but I got there late and he had started dancing with others, so he decided to dance with everyone and didn't charge anyone anything - very kind of him. He's a good dancer and I might ask him again when I want to go somewhere and don't have company. After the performance Adrian, whom I am taking private lessons with, asked me to dance with him - I felt I had gone to heaven after the dance - it was amazing! A good lead makes so much difference to how I follow. They had a live band playing for a while which was very good - UniTango.
Saturday and Sunday were spent doing a women's technique workshop for 4 hours each day with Aurora Lubiz - an amazing teacher who is known for her acrobatic performances on the dance floor - she is a tiny bundle of the most amazing energy - what an amazing 8 hours - learnt a lot of stuff that I had seen being done and always wondered how it was done. It was easy to figure out once taught but adding it to my dance repertoire is going to be a challenge - there's so much to think of to make technique a part of my dance, adding adornos to it is going to be the ultimate!
It's Monday and Sharath is on the home leg now - he has landed in Bombay at the ticketing office to get his itinerary finalized - he's going to leave as soon as possible to be here - flying through Paris so it will still take him at least 24 hours to get here. It's going to be fun 10 (+ or -) days to have someone to go out with without wondering whether I'm going to get to dance at a Milonga or not.
It's going to be another day of dance - Mondays are off from Spanish classes though I have lots of homework to do and another 2 Tango classes this afternoon, and perhaps another this evening... and so it goes on, and on, and on... I'm loving it!
No pics pics this week - back to being a non-tourist - and I'm loving that too!
3 comments:
NICE Blog :)
Hi Mamta!!!
I am back in Fort Lauderdale. I miss Buenos Aires....the walking the technique classes, practica, everything!!!! You are so lucky to still be there. Hope all is well with you and you are enjoying your fiance. I have not had time until now to read your blog....boohoo...
Well, girl, keep me posted on your adventures and like I said, when I get up to NYC I will look you up and you can introduce me to your Milongas.
Abrazos mi amiga!
Debbie
This will reconfirm the WHY of Tango, Mamta
warmest best wishes
Roger
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Dance away blues with tango, says researcher
9:02PM Thursday April 17, 2008
SYDNEY - Best known as the dance of love, the tango is now being studied as a treatment for depression.
University of New England psychology researcher Rosa Pinniger says she hopes to prove the passionate two-person dance is an effective alternative therapy for depression by carrying out a six-week trial.
More at: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/2/story.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10504759
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