Tango Lesson with Paula y Orlando 26 Feb 2015

So simple, and yet so difficutl to learn - how to walk....

Argentina marches in Silence

18 February 2015. Despite torrential rain more than 400.000 citizens participated in a march of silence to commemorate the death of Alberto Nisman, the Public prosecutor who was found dead in his home on the eve of his presentation to Congress alleging Governmental Cover-up in a terrorist attack on AMIA, which resulted in more than 85 death.

On the main plazas of Privincial Capitals similar demonstrations supported the main march in the Capital.

Argentinians around the world marched at the same time in many international cities.

May the photos speak for themselves.

All photos have been extracted from published images from the internet.

El Cabildo at Plaza de Mayo

Sandra Arroyo Salgado , ex wife of Nisman

Plaza de Mayo

Buenos Aires Cathedral

Nisman's wife, his eldest daughter and his mother....

This article in the Guardian covers the event and its history and political impact - for the readers who are interested in understanding the reasons behind this historic silent march of the people.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/18/buenos-aires-march-alberto-nisman-president-kirchner

La Causa Nisman

One month after the unexplained  death of Alberto Nisman, the story has become all but clear.

Nisman’s life work has caused a dramatic impact on Argentina, as his papers accusing the sitting government of a cover up of terrorism, have been read and analysed by his successors post mortem.  The reaction of the government was to deny, deny, deny.

This was symbolically underscored by the action of the Chief of Cabinet. Speaking on Public TV he ripped pages of the Clarin (a daily paper which publishes opinions opposed to the government) which contained the news of a pending accusation of the President of being guilty of an alleged government cover up of a terrorist act against AMIA.

‘Garbage belongs into the garbage’, he said and tore the pages to shreds. He proclaimed in the same breath that Freedom of the Press is paramount to the government of Argentina.

Since then, the accusation have resulted that the President and some of her colleagues have been ‘imputado’, meaning officially implicated in the alleged cover up.

Since then comments on this affair from the government have been absent. However, the department of Intelligence has been dissolved, and a new one is in the making.

18. Feb 2015 – one month after Nisman was found dead, many member of the Justicia and Fiscalia lead a march of silence to commemorate Nisman’s Death and pay homage to him as a man and colleague. It takes place today and starts at the Congreso, walks along Avenida de Mayo and finishes at the Plaza de Mayo – in front of the Casa Rosada, the Pink House of the Government. The organizers state that there are no political reasons for this march. Argentina’s citizenship, government and press seem to differ for the most part.

Government representatives will almost surely be absent, many leading opposition members will march. Leading the march will be Nisman’s mother, his ex-wife (a judge) and two daughters. Prosecutors and judgeswalk alongside the family, and the citizenship will follow. The press will be out in force….police, security, traffic wardens and security as well.  Buenos Aires city centre will be locked to traffic. Organizers expect  500.000 marchers, the Metropolitan Police 300,000. The latest polls show,  that 80 % are in favour of the march, 16% against. Argentinians in foreign countries have organized marches, and a number of satellite marches will take place outside of Buenos Aires in Argentina.

The country is divided with one third of the population interpreting the Nisman aftermath as a judicial plot against the government, and the other two thirds demanding truth and justice in the Causa Nisman.

The next few months may reveal what the real impact of the march and the underlying cause are going to be. The case itself may be solved  (or maybe not) despite ever increasing conflicting evidence.  The plot has thickened to the point, that it appears almost impossible to arrive at a believable version of the facts surrounding his death.

Milonga del Corazon Valentine's Day

Another Saturday in the City of Buenos Aires, but this one with a twist: Carnaval and St. Valentine's Day. TV Publica Milonga is turning out to be not only a surprisingly good venue for dancing, but a good way to experience and watch unusual tango performances as well as enjoying live tango orchestras. The long gone but never forgotten recorded orchestras of Canaro, d'Arienzo, Pugliese, di Sarli (the list goes on) are still the favourite dance music for milongueros. However, dancing to a live orchestra, like the Sexteto Mayor, gives an added dimension of surprise and emotion in the tempi and interpretation of the music, which in turn allows the 'lead' to improvise on his (and her) dance. One truly dances 'the music' with every nuance, pause, emphasis and melody.

This week's line up - still gratis. This time not a live TV show, which made things a little less programmed to the very second.

No Bailaras - a rather unorthodox ensemble of tango dancers, but nevertheless impressive and admirable.

Memories of the Forties as danced by No Bailaras.

Valentine's Day...the stage turned into a vision of red, red and more red.

The evening started with a line up of spectators and milongueros (recognizable as they are all carrying shoe bags) outside the Studio, which advertised the milonga to begin at 18:30. However, a sign at the main door actually had it starting at 19:00. A little extra time to befriend one's line up 'vecinos y vecinas'. I chatted with an Argentinian couple from La Plata, Juan y Rosario, Beside me a Porteno befriended a tall young woman from Denver Colorado. So, the secret of this gratis milonga and show, happening at a civilized hour early in the evening,  has leaked beyond the local crowd.
A 7 p.m. 'la Cola' moved slowly into Studio 1, where the dancers were again directed to tables, and the spectators to the small viewing gallery.
The music started almost immediately, to get the dancing crowd into the 'swing of things' albeit initially to taped music - and without snaking cables and overhead cameras cluttering up the stage. The floor shines like an illuminated mirror, however, proves to be rather sticky, which makes pivoting on tip toe a matter of hard work if it is to appear in any way elegant.

My last 'public performance' here was not blessed with a particularly great dance partner. This time around, I had to pull out all the stops as everyone of my dance partners was above and beyond the usual...Tangos, which when the last note sounds, have been danced so beautifully, that the final 'thank you' means more than a 'thank you for the dance' but a 'thank you for a lovely experience'.

Here are a couple of very short clips of No Bailaras Dance ensemble...Madonna seems to have been the inspiration for the first clip.

A little jealous interplay between couples all dressed in red was another 'unusual' tango version.

Two hours later, the stage lights dim and the regular lights reveal that one is really in a kind of metal hanger. But lighting, stage back up turn the studio at least for a little while into an almost intimate romantic little milonga pista. Within minutes the studio empties via 'the back door' as the main door has been locked. A few of us get temporarily lost in the huge halls of the studio, which are filled with stage props and tend to lead to dead ends. Finally out into a fresh Buenos Aires evening and a ride on the 'collective' back home.

TV Publica Argentina - National Channel - 7 Feb 2015

Here is the video recording of the event I described in the previous blog post. If anyone has the patience to follow the entire program of all video segments, they should see a good cross section of Carnaval Murga, Tango Singing and Dancing, a great Tango orchestra, and the 'Extras' dancing on stage...yours truly among them. Great Evening dancing sometimes to a live orchestra and sometimes to recorded tango - either one made for good dancing.

http://www.tvpublica.com.ar/articulo/ciclo-entra-milongas-de-carnaval/

La Vida es una Milonga....

The Program for Saturday, unfortunately the names of the well known tango performers are missing...

Carnaval time in Buenos Aires. No Samba competitions and parades as Rio de Janeiro puts on during these days of 'disfrace' (disguise) and general merry making. Different neighbourhoods of Buenos Aires (and neighbouring Montevideo Uruguay) prepare their unique 'Murga' dances, songs and processions in the many 'barrios'. Instead of sporting almost naked female bodies showing off various levels of artificially induced bodily enhancements, and shimmying on phantasmagorical parade floats, the emphasis of Murga groups is more on African inspired drumming, dancing for the whole family usually dressed in costumes that seem to originate from the days of black slavery, and singing that tells poetically about social issues of the neighbourhood. The story telling/singing is not as drab as it sounds, but can be quite humorous and happy.

Inside Studio I of TV Publica. 

At the Corner of TV Publica building, Carlos Gardel looks out over the corner of Alcortes and Tagle...

Tango of course is part of the whole scene of Carnaval as well. Argentina may have all kinds of political, social and economic problems, but the local Government does support Cultural events. Thus, TV Publica Argentina puts on a live show, mixing Murga and Tango with live music, dance performances of Tango, Murga appearances and public participation in the Milonga.
Well, the line up to get into the TV studio building - gratis - was already pretty long when I arrived at the scene, dressed to dance, half an hour before start time. The number of audience guests was limited, as Studio 1 is not a large show stage, but rather intimate.
I was lucky, got in, and looked around: a small number of decorated tables and chairs reserved for milongueros on the show floor, and tiers for the audience. Well, once on those tiers, there would be no dancing for yours truly. I cast my beady eye around for a seat at a table (after all I was one of the few people obviously dressed to dance) and before having to make the 'grand decision' whether to head for the stand or the table, it was made for me. The only 'old dancing acquaintance' I had ever danced with before, and only once, and who was 'sans partner' kidnapped me at the door and took me with him to the stage, where 'dancing couples' would sit at these show tables for the duration Well, why not....

Alberto Podesta, at ninety years still performing - albeit seated.

Carlos y Alison, Campeones Metropolitan Senior  - Tango

Alison's intriguing shoulders.....

Orchestra San Sousi

Orchestra San Sousi playing tango, milonga and valse....great to dance to live music.

Quite a line up of well known names...previous Campeones Mundial and Metropolitan de tango also sat at the 'dancers' tables' awaiting their solo turn in the show, iconic 90+ year old Alberto Podesta was conducted to a comfortable seat (from which he later sang two songs), the Sans Sousi orchestra took its seats, and TV crews were all over the map dragging cables, driving overhead cameras, monitoring timing, discussing scripts etc etc.
Countdown, on the control screen the Commercials stopped and we 'were on'.
Great program and wonderful performers. Of course, the extras (that is us sitting at these photogenic tables close to the floor) were called to do their thing. After all, something has to happen, while the orchestra plays great tango music. The producers called out ' todos a bailar' and lo and behold, we all hit the stage and milonguered away. My impromptu dance partner was a few inches shorter than my 5.2, he knew everybody on and off stage personally, and was delighted that he did not have to sit out all that inspiring dance music. I was quite happy that I garnered a privileged seat and had a partner, enabling me to join the dancing....

Entrance of Murga Group De Boca...kids and all...

Decorated umbrellas are featured in murgas. 

After the show...the fringed hats of the murga dancers come off...

Pope Francis assisting in the general merry making, which by now has moved to the hall ways of the TV studio. The Murgas did not stop drumming, dancing and singing until they reached their transport school buses waiting for then on the highway...

The Murga of La Boca brought in the whole troupe with incredible noise, drumming whistling and dancing. Instead of elegant dancing, the stage was filled with colourful costumes, huge decorated umbrellas (the murga meaning escapes me), drums...and everyone with a penny whistle in their mouth marking the beat of the music and singing.
Missed the show on TV of course, would have liked to see how we 'extras' looked on screen....