How to party.....Argentinian style!

If one is fortunate enough in Argentina, one may be invited to a private 'do' in a private house. The tango crowd is famous for being very 'private' and friendships - if one could call the 9 minute encounters on the dance floor friendship - do not migrate outside of the milonga, unless one has been friends and dance partners for decades.

But, the folkloric community, the ones who usually hail from the provinces and now live and work in and around Buenos Aires, preserve their culture and - lucky for me - their warm hospitality.

As I am taking lessons in 'folklorico' dancing (due to the fact that I really enjoy the Argentine Folkloric music) I have slipped into the grove somehow. This is the second time, that the dance teacher, Carol Retamoso from Salta Province, has arranged for her students to 'live and dance it up' at one of her student's houses.

Everybody brings something...bread, wine, Fernet, Coca Cola, appetizers, salads and so on, just the same as we do at Canadian pot lucks. However, here the chicos (the guys invited to the party) turn up with 'the meat'. And meat they eat here. Matambre (meat close to the ribs but without the bones), lomo (tenderloin), morcillos (blood sausages), chorizos of every kind, and a whole chivito (baby goat). The guys put these on their parilla at home (wood fired Argentinian BBQ where meat is on slow roast) and bring them ready to eat to the party.

No one bothers about 'decorating' the house. All available tables are lined up in an empty space, and however many chairs are around are drawn up. That's it, with food and drink piled on the table, the feast begins.

Of course, whilst all the preparations are in progress, one must not forget to dance. A room uncluttered with any furniture, except a computer playing folkloric music, with a smooth hardwood floor turns into the dance floor. And EVERYONE dances...

 

 

 

Carol Retamoso, during one of the intermissions between feasting, gave a little lesson in how to use the iconic 'panuelo' (handkerchief) during a Zamba dance. The Zamba is a very romantic courting dance, which originates in the country where young people were chaperoned and not allowed to talk to each other. Being young and resourceful, the youngsters developed the language of the 'panuelo', which can express anything from love, longing, heart ache, welcome and good bye, even marriage proposal. It's not just a crazy waving of a piece of cloth. Of course, when dancing, the hand and kerchief become part of the dance and are deployed with grace and elegance.

It started out with the usual 'tormentas' - rain, hail, wind....

The banquet table....

No room at the table? No problem, lets dine off the cooler and sit on the floor!

Wine from Mendoza, not available in stores, but brought directly from the vineyard in demi johns

Hey, if you think Piping in the Haggis is unique, how about Strumming in the Chivito (goat)

Bread and meat - the chivito is ready to be cut up

Live music - of course!! But the guitar has to take a rest during the banquet.

Saxophone and guitar - just right

Drink of choice of many 'campesinos' Fernet (herb liquor) mixed with Coca Cola. To make serving it easier, one just cuts a coke bottle in half, pours in the mix, and shares it around.

Everyone can play guitar and sing - and dance....

Chamame, danced to our little band on the - now dried up - back yard patio.

And here is how the really good Chamame Dancers perform a Chamame

Generation Gap? It hasn't been invented here, yet.
Our Folkloricos lined up in the back yard....