Tag: argentine tango

Muma & Flaco Dany

Muma & Flaco Dany dancing at Sunderland, 2001.

Muma Valino

Muma is a master of dancing tango in the intimate “close embrace” of the milongas and dance floors of Buenos Aires, where she grew up and still lives today. The daughter of a well-established tango family, the likes of Alberto Castillo and Ricardo Tanturi were frequent visitors to her childhood home, and her mother was a singer with the orchestra of Francisco Lomuto.
In her own time, Muma has been a cherished dance partner of several of the most renowned + influential social dancers of her generation — among them, Osvaldo Natucci, Fernando Hector Iturrieta, and Dani “El Flaco” García — and with these and others, Muma has helped create a vital “living bridge” between the Golden Age of tango’s storied past, and the dance we continue to explore, create and enjoy together today.
In this regard, , Muma is perhaps most widely known for her many years of dancing and teaching with the legendary milonguero Ricardo Vidort, who began as a teenager in Buenos Aires in the 1940s, and passed away in 2006, after more than 60 years in tango.

Flaco Dany García

By Ricardo García Blaya

I came to know El Flaco Dany when the documentary Leyendas del tango danza was premiered, at the Marabú, not long ago, and his looks, the friendliness of his gestures and his charm attracted my attention: he seemed to be what in our neighborhood we would call a player. He is one of the dancers who are starred in a movie shot to pay homage to the great milongueros, produced by The Argentine Tango Society and made by Daniel Tonelli and Marcelo Turrisi.
His real name is Daniel García, but we all know him as El Flaco Dany, an icon of the milonga con traspié throughout the world. A prototypical porteño, he was born in the neighborhood of La Paternal; today he splits his time between Europe and Argentina, more precisely, between Bucharest and Buenos Aires. Continue reading.

Myriam Pincen & Ricardo Vidort

Myriam Pincen & Ricardo Vidort, 2004.

Myriam Pincen

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.

Argentine Tango performance | Enriqueta and Ruben in Buenos Aires

Enriqueta Kleinman & Ruben Harymbat

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.

“Pa’ que bailen los muchachos” by Anibal Troilo y su Orquesta Típica with Francisco Fiorentino in vocals, 1942 (English translation of the lyrics).

“Pa’ que bailen los muchachos
via’ tocarte, bandoneón.
¡La vida es una milonga!
Bailen todos, compañeros,
porque el baile es un abrazo:
Bailen todos, compañeros,
que este tango lleva el paso.
Entre el lento ir y venir
del tango va
la frase dulce.
Y ella baila en otros brazos,
prendida, rendida,
por otro amor.

No te quejes, bandoneón,
Que me duele el corazón.
Quien por celos va sufriendo
su cariño va diciendo.

No te quejes, bandoneón,
que esta noche toco yo.
Pa’ que bailen los muchachos
hoy te toco, bandoneón.
¡La vida es una milonga!

Ella fue como una madre,
ella fue mi gran cariño…
nos abrimos y no sabe
que hoy la lloro como un niño…
Quién la va a saber querer
con tanto amor,
como la quise.
Pobre amiga, pobre piba,
¡qué ganas más locas
de irte a buscar!

Pa’ que bailen los muchachos
via’ tocarte, bandoneón.
¡La vida es una milonga!”

English translation:

To make you dance, my friends
I will play you, bandoneon.
Life is a milonga!
Everybody dances, comrades,
because the dance is a hug:
Everybody dance, comrades,
that this tango counts the time.
Between the slow come and go
of tango goes
the sweet phrase.
And she dances in other arms,
wired, surrendered,
for another love.

Do not complain, bandoneon,
That my heart hurts.
Who by jealousy is suffering
his love goes speaking.

Do not complain, bandoneon,
that I play tonight.
To make my friends dance
today, I play you, bandoneon.
Life is a milonga!

She was like a mother;
she was the love of my life
we broke up, and she does not know
I cry like a child today …
Who will know how to love her
with so much love,
as I did?
Poor girlfriend, poor girl,
I feel this mad desire
to go looking for you.

To make you dance, my friends,
I will play you, bandoneon.
Life is a milonga!

Tango 1942
Music: Aníbal Troilo
Lyrics: Enrique Cadícamo

We have selected more Argentine Tango music for you:

Carlos Acuña. Argentine music at Escuela de Tango de Buenos Aires

“Canción de rango (Pa’ que se callen)” by Rodolfo Biagi y su Orquesta Típica with Carlos Acuña in vocals, 1943. (English translation of the lyrics)

“Let those who come to dance, dance;
listen, those who want to listen.

For all, there is a rhythmic tango,
pretentious and indomitable
reigning in my city.
I sing because I live the emotion
of the rhythmic and courageous tango.
I sing when someone shouts out
that there is a tango compadrito
looking for a heart.

For those who are saying
that the tango is sad, that it is a dance and a song of the mud.
To make them keep quiet, I will have them know:
My tango is a sad dance but a song of rank.
To make them stop talking, I send it in two by four,
this masculine cadence that becomes a song.
If they are sensitive, you will see that it is not from the mud
the one who wraps his heart in tangos.

Let those who come to dance dance,
and the others continue to listen.
Today, I have my emotions wrapped in tango
and that’s why I’m enjoying it
to the sound of his compass.
I sing because I live the emotion
of the rhythmic and courageous tango.
I sing when someone shouts
that is a tango compadrito
looking for a heart.”

Tango 1942
Music: Raúl Kaplún
Lyrics: José María Suñé

Letra original en castellano:

“Que bailen los que vienen pa’ bailar,
que escuchen los que quieran escuchar.

Pa’ todos hay un tango acompasado,
pretencioso y retobado
reinando en mi ciudad.
Yo canto porque vivo la emoción
del tango cadencioso y compadrón.
Yo canto cuando alguno pega el grito
que hay un tango compadrito
buscando un corazón.

Pa’ que se callen los que andan divulgando
que el tango es triste, que es danza y son del fango.
Pa’ que se callen les voy pasando el dato:
mi tango es danza triste, pero es canción de rango.
Pa’ que se callen les mando en dos por cuatro,
esta cadencia viril que se hace canto.
Si son sensibles, verán que no es del fango
aquel que envuelve en tangos su corazón.

Que bailen los que vienen pa’ bailar,
que sigan escuchando los demás.
Hoy tengo la emoción envuelta en tango
y es por eso que me agrando
al son de su compás.
Yo canto porque vivo la emoción
del tango cadencioso y compadrón.
Yo canto cuando alguno pega el grito
que hay un tango compadrito
buscando un corazón.”