‘Abuelas’, the BAFTA nominated short animation that featured a tango dancer not typing too far away from you right now is being shown at the Screentest festival in London this Sunday. Book tickets here.
Tango thoughts
Riffs, thoughts, meditations, rhymes, stories, rants, ideas and... well I think you get the idea.
Un tango…Sebastian Arce & Mariana Montes ‘Adios Corazon’
This song popped into my head this morning and I found a video of Sebastian & Mariana dancing, as well as the sheet music courtesy of Todo Tango. It’s “Adios Corazon” by Fulvio Salamanca with Armando Guerrico on the vocals. Towards the end of the period of Tango music that I like, but the sound is somehow crisp and soft at the same time. It reminds me of a foggy morning where the sun has risen but the hustle of the day is yet to come. A bit like now…
via Musicat1984
Courtesy of Todo Tango
Karsinova’s ‘Don’ts For Dancers’
I first picked up this book and heard a heavily accented Karsinova telling me… “Don’t be intimidated by the Tango.” I could see her, bedecked in the best of 20s fashion, jewelled and coiffed to an inch of her existence and of course smoking a cigarette through a holder. Dispensing her tips as though it were the most obvious thing.
This pre-fab image played so on my conscience that when I found out this was an alias, I changed her accent to something more London, albeit more upstairs than downstairs.
‘Don’t lose heart because you’ll never learn all the steps the experts dance.’
The advice came thick and with the way I was reading fast too. “Don’t lean on your partner. Hold body erect but not rigid.”
If I ever felt like I repeat myself in classes, this was a meditation on consistency, after all she’s been at it since 1925.
Don’t be fooled by the size or the age of this book, it is a little gem shining with tips and reason for the milonga and you’d have to be a hard hearted milonguero/a if it didn’t bring a smile to your face while reading.
Leaps and Bounds
Leaps and bounds sometimes,
others you can feel like it’s a wild goose chase.
Discover the most beautiful delicate thing, glass inside glass so fragile you don’t want to breathe on it.
So full of light you can’t let the sun leave it alone, the enchantment is too strong,
there is darkness too,
nights that are silent and heavy, legs that don’t work,
broken embraces that pain the heart and make it cry
It’s a journey some say,
A labyrinth, a quest,
a treasure hunt that celebrates each find,
yes to the jubilation, not because the journey is shorter, but because you discovered something hidden along the way.
Rooting for Abuelas at the BAFTAs this Sunday.
If you haven’t seen the trailer for “Abuelas” the short animated film I did in 2010, here it is. Its been doing the rounds impressing judges at many film festivals and has been nominated for a BAFTA at this year’s awards. Very excited and happy to have been part of this. Afarin (the director) I will be rooting for you on Sunday night!
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year…
With every year that draws to an end there’s always the sensation that time has passed at lightning speed and one wants to savour the best of what’s passed with what’s left before that slice of time is sealed forever and transforms itself from moment to memory. I sometimes get that end of year feeling going into the last part of a really good milonga, where the music has flowed like nectar, inspiring wonderful dancing and you’ve seen old friends and made new ones.
The last part of this year holds much to cherish as it saw the return of “abrazos”. We started at Goodenough College as a pop-up class and practica in November and we will go from pop-up to permanent becoming a regular fixture on Wednesdays.
Looking beyond the festive season to 2012, you’ll see below there’s lots going on, just click through for more info.
There’s nothing left to say but the important things. Thank you for supporting me and a taste of tango in 2011 and I hope that you will continue to do so in 2012. Here’s to a wonderful festive season to you and your loved ones, I look forward to seeing you on 9th January.
¡Felices fiestas!
Jenney
One Hit Wonder
Un tango… Ricardo Viquiera & Fish ‘Poca Palabras’
Posture, body awareness and well being
Whether you think of rolfing, pilates or alexander technique, the way you hold and move your body is important for your life not just your dancing. Watching this video, I couldn’t help but notice how many of the ideas for posture are present in my Tango, the way I’ve learnt it and the way I teach it.
When I started taking my dancing more seriously and doing more classes and especially when I started to teach I started a journey of searching constantly for things that would help explain and improve the way the body was used to connect and dance. Pilates, dynamic alignment, stretching, yoga, dance imagery were all things that I looked into and continue to do so.
Last class of 2011, so let’s have a party…
Wednesday 7th December is the last installment of the pop-up class and practica at Goodenough College in Bloomsbury. The dancing time has been extended, music will be in tandas and cortinas as always and we will definately be paying a trip to the bar between dances. Sound like fun? Come and join in.
Class 8-9pm
Dancing 9-11pm
Dancing 9-11pm
Cost £15 for class and dancing, £3 for dancing only
Where: Goodenough College, Mecklenburgh Square, WC1N 2AB London,
Tube: Russell Square
Parking: After 6.30pm in bays or single yellow lines.