Back in 1947, when he was 16, he practiced with other boys three or four times a week. Then he frequented the Club Patagones, on 200 Quilmes Street, but soon later he dared to step on the huge track of the Club Estados Unidos or of the Franja de Oro.
«Nearly always some dancers arrived and taught us steps and corrected our mistakes. From my neighborhood, Pompeya, I especially remember Tin who danced to Aníbal Troilo’s music with his partner Sarita ».
Later he became habitué to the Club ANBA and thereafter to the Club Oeste, where he would really learn this art. With the passing of time he stood out in tango and even more in milonga. He teamed up with Nelly (Nélida Fernando) and began a career with classes, exhibitions and international tours. Soon he achieved recognition and his name turned out a synonym of elegance and cadence. Read more.
He had a so porteño destiny that he was born in the year the Obelisk was inaugurated.
As a kid he used to dance with his mother and his aunts. «He was the favorite in the family», to such an extent that when he was nearing the time of wearing long trousers he entered the Jockey Club of Olivos. «I danced foxtrot, boogie, later tango, and I have never stopped since then».
Later, at age 14, he went downtown and came to know Alfredo Gobbi, who became his dancing backer and allowed him to enter the Sans Souci dancehall on Corrientes Street. So then he frequented other milongas. Among them we can mention the Galería Pronor on Maipú Avenue and the Club 12 de Octubre, both in Olivos; the Club Huracán in Villa Martelli and the Club Defensores in Florida, among others, «where people danced tango in the Pugliese’s style» and he developed a style that made him an expert in slow-paced tango. Continue reading.
An outstanding interview with a milonguera who has been dancing for 33 years!
See her dance with the great Ricardo Vidort and what she says about dancing with him!
“to learn if possible from the maestros who lived and danced dring the glorious golden age”
Ricardo Vidort
These are Ricardo’s words a few months before his passing in May 2006.
“Life is a beautiful thing if you know how to live it. We all try to live it, but we (milongueros) live in a different way for what we feel.
You move with the grace that the music gives you, to dance the way you want to. We put that movement in several steps, and from those steps we can make 500 or more. Put feeling — that’s the secret of the tango. So you move and you hold the woman with strength but softly. She feels safe inside, and she feels that you are taking care of her. In that moment the priority is the music and the woman. I don’t care about the people. I dance before 3,000 people, and I dance for two. For me, it’s the same. I dance for my partner. I don’t dance for them. The feeling is unique like fingerprints. Nobody can teach you feeling. I can see it in your movements, and I correct that. I don’t correct what I want you to do, I correct what you feel in a better way so it’s your way, your feeling, your thoughts.
Tango has a way, we call it close embrace. It’s very difficult for a woman, especially a foreign woman, to understand that a guy is going to put you here (on his chest). We bring our energy together in a close embrace, and our bodies enjoy the music. We try to move together, one helps the other to be in the music, one helps the other to do short steps, because we don’t need long steps. We need to walk like we walk on the street but with feeling.
You can copy my steps, but you can’t copy what I feel. If I were to dance now, and I danced this tango, I wouldn’t dance the same way as in the video, because today it’s another feeling. And that’s what people need to understand. You can love ten people in your life, with passion or whatever, but it will be different with each one. That’s the secret of life.” Continue reading.
Néstor La Vitola & Mónica Paz dancing at Cachirulo milonga, October 2007.
Néstor La Vitola
A great milonguero from Buenos Aires who loves Pugliese’s music and shows this love when he dances to it.
Mónica Paz
She was born and raised in Buenos Aires. Tango has been her full-time profession for 20 years. She is specifically involved in Tango Milonguero style, the “real Milonguero” with chest-to-chest connection, and the style she dances each week in the milongas with the best milongueros from Buenos Aires. She feels lucky to have had that experience, especially with Carlos Gavito and Pedro “Tete” Rusconi. Nowadays, some of her partners at the milonga are “Chiche” Ruberto and Néstor La Vítola, among others.
Mónica is one of the few teachers with an academic education focusing on tango. From years of study, discussion, and dance in the milongas of Buenos Aires, Mónica learned from the old-time milongueros themselves about the genuine, authentic art form that we call Tango Milonguero. By her didactics, pedagogy, and vast experience as a teacher and dancer, she is recognized in Buenos Aires (Argentina), Washington DC; New York City; New Jersey (US); The Hague; Leiden and Amsterdam (The Netherlands); Antwerp and Brussels (Belgium); London and Bristol (United Kingdom) among others cities where she is frequently invited to offer classes, workshops, and performances of tango.
Mónica has a vast teaching experience as a follower and leader. She has developed a simple learning method for both roles, which helps the student acquire a solid base, functional and universal, of tango, allowing him/her to understand and incorporate the technique and develop a personal style. Monica masters the technique of the Tango, the Milonga, and the Tango Waltz within the Milonguero Style.
Since June 2010, Mónica has been holding PractiMilonguero, where she teaches the Etiquette of Tango in traditional milongas of Buenos Aires. In addition, she interviews living legends of tango to share their experiences and reflections with the tango world.
Enriqueta Kleinman & Ruben Harymbat dancing at Cachirulo milonga, Buenos Aires, January 2008.
Ruben Harymbat, Ruben de Pompeya (1939-2015)
Was a milonguero from the golden era of tango. Ruben was born, bred and lived until his passing in the Buenos Aires barrio of Pompeya. He began dancing when he was 14 years old. In those days before professional teaching developed, he learned from his brothers and male cousins and friends. They would practice together every year to participate in the annual carnival.
Although highly respected for his dancing, Ruben never wanted to take his dancing to a professional level. He described himself as a humble man who has always kept a low profile. Ruben worked for 43 years in the Argentine Post Office; the first 10 years as a locksmith. He later became responsible for the Department of Locksmiths of the Argentine Post office.
Ruben raised his family with his wife, Haydee, “a beautiful dancer” he says. But Haydee had problems with her knees which means she can no longer dance.
Ruben’s passion for the tango was evident as soon as you see him on the dancer floor. His energy belies his age, or perhaps it is indicative of the many years he has expressed himself through the dance. Ruben was the “master of improvisation” and owner of enormous creativy. Ruben was highly sought out dancer in Argentina for performances. His performance partners have included Anna Maria Schapira, Alicia Pons, Susana Miller, Maria Plazaola, Enriqueta Kleinman, and Marisa Galindo among others. Ruben was invited to perform in November 2007 for the Congress of the Nation of Argentina in homage in “Recognition to the Milongueros of the night in Buenos Aires.”
Ruben participated in the 2007 and 2008 Festival Tango Estilo Milonguero. He has given seminars with Susana Miller and Maria Plazaola at “La Academia” in Buenos Aires. Ruben has also made numerous trips to Brazil to teach and perform.
Enriqueta Kleinman (1953-2014)
Enriqueta has danced tango for over 17 years. She had taught group and private classes in Buenos Aires and all over the world. She was an expert in Salon Tango – Milonguero Style, Tango Waltz and Milonga. Enriqueta also specialized in teaching technique for women and has led many courses and seminars. She performed at the Third and Fifth Metropolitan Championships in Buenos Aires. She has done a number of performances in Buenos Aires including at Salon Canning, Cachirulo (Maipu 444), and at the Confiteria Ideal at the First Milongueando Festival in Buenos Aires. Enriqueta has taught and performed in many cities of US, Canada. In Europe: Germany,Italy, France, Sweden and Russia. She has also taught and performed at the following Tango Festivals: 2008 May Madness at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor; the 2009 Portland Tango Festival; 2009 Tucson Tango Festival; 2009 Chicago Mini Tango Festival; and 2010 May Madness. Also, again Chicago MIni Tango Festival 2011 and 2012. Retiro Festival (Sweden) 2011 and 2012. Enriqueta also speaks English, having lived for several years in New York City. Enriqueta was also an artist by profession.
