Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Feeling American
Whenever I travel I like to try and be a local, and not a tourist. I generally avoid speaking English and spending time with other North Americans. As a traveller it is more likely that you will get to know other foreigners rather than locals. If you really want to get to know people from a certain culture, you have to try and figure out where they like to travel to. For example, I think if you went to study in Quebec you would probably get to know more French people (from France) than if you went to study in Paris. In any case for Argentina, I know I have met a couple of Argentines in Spain, I suspect with the Italian roots that many also travel to Italy, and probably in countries like Japan, Germany, Russia, and the U.S. where tango is quite popular. Needless to say I don't really feel like I got to know many local Argentinians. I think in some ways the country has a mixed up identity like Canada because of large amounts of immigration.
I did spend enough time in the country to be confronted by my 'Americanness' (or as Canadians might prefer my North Americanness). Actually I felt it on the first day. I had some small problems with my bank card in certain ATM machines and most places did not accept credit cards. As soon as I got to the B & B, I wanted to phone my bank and I expected them to fix the problem immediately. The B&B owner told me that things in Argentina take time. I find I don't like the seemingly impatient and demanding side of me that is in part fed to me by my culture. As much as I try, I am not very good at being more laid back latin American style.
On a side note, not once did any guys in BA tell me I was beautiful, I guess it is too much of a big city. The one Spanish word that sort of stood out for me was the expression 'barbero/a'. I gather it means silly/dumb and having never heard the word before I was amazed at how it seemed to come it conversation.
Whenever I travel I like to try and be a local, and not a tourist. I generally avoid speaking English and spending time with other North Americans. As a traveller it is more likely that you will get to know other foreigners rather than locals. If you really want to get to know people from a certain culture, you have to try and figure out where they like to travel to. For example, I think if you went to study in Quebec you would probably get to know more French people (from France) than if you went to study in Paris. In any case for Argentina, I know I have met a couple of Argentines in Spain, I suspect with the Italian roots that many also travel to Italy, and probably in countries like Japan, Germany, Russia, and the U.S. where tango is quite popular. Needless to say I don't really feel like I got to know many local Argentinians. I think in some ways the country has a mixed up identity like Canada because of large amounts of immigration.
I did spend enough time in the country to be confronted by my 'Americanness' (or as Canadians might prefer my North Americanness). Actually I felt it on the first day. I had some small problems with my bank card in certain ATM machines and most places did not accept credit cards. As soon as I got to the B & B, I wanted to phone my bank and I expected them to fix the problem immediately. The B&B owner told me that things in Argentina take time. I find I don't like the seemingly impatient and demanding side of me that is in part fed to me by my culture. As much as I try, I am not very good at being more laid back latin American style.
On a side note, not once did any guys in BA tell me I was beautiful, I guess it is too much of a big city. The one Spanish word that sort of stood out for me was the expression 'barbero/a'. I gather it means silly/dumb and having never heard the word before I was amazed at how it seemed to come it conversation.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
The frustration and magic of tango
I did not enjoy some of my tango classes because it seemed like we always had to go back to the beginning. I felt disappointed because I did not go all the way to Buenos Aires to practice learning how to walk over and over again. Part of the problem came from the fact the classes at the B&B were open to anyone and there were always new people who did not know much about the dance. I know I am still a beginner and that I don't know really know the proper technique, but I was tired of going over structure. I think part of it was a clash of teaching methods. From having learned my first steps from a discovery-based learning method to going back to a 'grammar' based learning method is hard. I got tired of watching teachers demonstrate and not really coaching or giving practice time. I admit I made for a bit of a difficult student being stubborn and bored in the classes. In the end I always ended up learning something, but it was not really what I wanted.
Friday I went out to check out Club Villa Malcom . I was told I would get tango nuevo and I was curious to learn more about that style. I can't really say if I did see any special style. The club was much more relaxed than any of the others I went to. I don't think I talked to one Argentine person there all night. I sat at a table with girls from New York and Russia, and I guy from Germany. I also randomly ran into a swing dancer named Sharon Davis who is from Australia and was in Edmonton in May giving a workshop that I attended. Her dance partner is from BA, so it wasn't that strange. Around 2am there were a couple performances by once again the Japanese champions (I think they were following me) and a Chilean couple. Neither of the dances really blew me away. I guess they had amazing technique, but I was hoping for a little more passion. It was interesting to see the international side of tango
Saturday I wanted to go out, but I was too tired from my trip to the Tigre and tired of doing things by myself. I was told the Sunderland Milonga would be a neat experience and that Club Gricel sometimes has a live band. I was torn because it was my last night in Buenos Aires. After some sleep and a lot of effort I did convince myself to go out. It's a little crazy to go out at 3am, but it was quite easy to walk down the street catch a cab and after 3:30am La Viruta is free. Lots of people go there after the other Milongas end and just after four you can order breakfast. The fresh medialunas looked delicious. I was still hoping to see some amazing dancers (apparently Sunday is the night to watch the professionals, not Saturday). Surprisingly I got to dance a lot which is really what I like. Mostly I danced with older Argentine men and they like to pull you close and walk you around the dance floor. The less I worry about technique and doing the proper steps, the better I dance. A few people I danced with gave me more space and time to do the steps which I liked. As crazy as it sounds not one person I danced with in the whole trip had the same style. I didn't plan on staying until 6am, but the couple next to me made me. As soon as I got up to leave the wife called her husband to dance with me. In the end yes I am glad I got to dance the last song which is always an electronic tango. They dim the lights and play with blue lighting. At one point I had sort of closed my eyes while being softly rocked around the dance floor. Suddenly the music changed and then blue lights went up and that is when I got to see some exciting tango moves. I was slowly turning around the room and all around me there were dancers being twirled and caught and connecting. People of all ages, a couple of men dancing with each other, and everyone enjoying the dance.
I did not enjoy some of my tango classes because it seemed like we always had to go back to the beginning. I felt disappointed because I did not go all the way to Buenos Aires to practice learning how to walk over and over again. Part of the problem came from the fact the classes at the B&B were open to anyone and there were always new people who did not know much about the dance. I know I am still a beginner and that I don't know really know the proper technique, but I was tired of going over structure. I think part of it was a clash of teaching methods. From having learned my first steps from a discovery-based learning method to going back to a 'grammar' based learning method is hard. I got tired of watching teachers demonstrate and not really coaching or giving practice time. I admit I made for a bit of a difficult student being stubborn and bored in the classes. In the end I always ended up learning something, but it was not really what I wanted.
Friday I went out to check out Club Villa Malcom . I was told I would get tango nuevo and I was curious to learn more about that style. I can't really say if I did see any special style. The club was much more relaxed than any of the others I went to. I don't think I talked to one Argentine person there all night. I sat at a table with girls from New York and Russia, and I guy from Germany. I also randomly ran into a swing dancer named Sharon Davis who is from Australia and was in Edmonton in May giving a workshop that I attended. Her dance partner is from BA, so it wasn't that strange. Around 2am there were a couple performances by once again the Japanese champions (I think they were following me) and a Chilean couple. Neither of the dances really blew me away. I guess they had amazing technique, but I was hoping for a little more passion. It was interesting to see the international side of tango
Saturday I wanted to go out, but I was too tired from my trip to the Tigre and tired of doing things by myself. I was told the Sunderland Milonga would be a neat experience and that Club Gricel sometimes has a live band. I was torn because it was my last night in Buenos Aires. After some sleep and a lot of effort I did convince myself to go out. It's a little crazy to go out at 3am, but it was quite easy to walk down the street catch a cab and after 3:30am La Viruta is free. Lots of people go there after the other Milongas end and just after four you can order breakfast. The fresh medialunas looked delicious. I was still hoping to see some amazing dancers (apparently Sunday is the night to watch the professionals, not Saturday). Surprisingly I got to dance a lot which is really what I like. Mostly I danced with older Argentine men and they like to pull you close and walk you around the dance floor. The less I worry about technique and doing the proper steps, the better I dance. A few people I danced with gave me more space and time to do the steps which I liked. As crazy as it sounds not one person I danced with in the whole trip had the same style. I didn't plan on staying until 6am, but the couple next to me made me. As soon as I got up to leave the wife called her husband to dance with me. In the end yes I am glad I got to dance the last song which is always an electronic tango. They dim the lights and play with blue lighting. At one point I had sort of closed my eyes while being softly rocked around the dance floor. Suddenly the music changed and then blue lights went up and that is when I got to see some exciting tango moves. I was slowly turning around the room and all around me there were dancers being twirled and caught and connecting. People of all ages, a couple of men dancing with each other, and everyone enjoying the dance.
Visiting El Tigre
When I first got on the commuter train, I didn't see any real seats. People stood on the sides, rested on ledges near the doors, sat on the ground, or walked up and down the train. It was around 11am and more and more families, couples, musicians, and so on got on at each stop. First came a blind man taking a few careful steps with his cane and then he reaching into his pocket he pulled out a harmonica. Next was a short older man carrying a harp just slightly taller than him. Suddenly he stopped and began energetically strumming a Chacarera. Then one at a time men would appear with boxes or baskets that they would set down and tell the wonders of the package of gum, oreo cookies, pastries, or whatever they were selling. In between children came by handing out bobby pins or cards hoping to sell them to you. After handing them all out they would go back and collect them hoping to have sold one or two. Finally at Tigre everyone poured out of the train to walk along the banks of the muddy river, go to the amusement park or wander through the large craft fair on the port (best place for souvenirs I think). I read there is another 'turistic' train, but I quite enjoyed the people watching on the commuter train.
An older couple at the B& B suggested I take a wooden boat to visit some of the islands. After walking all around town I found the tourism office and the boat dock right next to the train station where I started. No one knew about the three islands, but told me I could visit the place where three rivers went. I got my ticket for Tres Bocas and was loaded onto one of the wooden water taxis. Luggage was thrown on top of the boats and then they set off down the canal like river. All along the banks of the river were docks for summer houses, restaurants, etc. People sat along the river in big hammock like lawn chairs, others fished, and a brave few were in row boats being bounced about by the big brown waves created by the passing boats. It took about half an hour to get to Tres Bocas. One of the clubs we passed along the way had a a series of flags painted on small pieces of wood. I caught a glimpse of a 'Canadian' flag that had modified the maple leaf with three holly leaves. I wasn't quite fast enough with my camera.
When we arrived I realized I was not in the same place the couple had told me about. They said they had had a hard time finding the restaurant on the 'island'. Here there were about three just steps from the dock, but I was more interested in exploring. I went to go see the 'tres bocas' and started to follow a trail that twisted around the 'island'. The further I walked the less people I saw and suddenly I felt like I was walking through the yards of private cottages. I decided to turn back and went back to the start and a lady told me the three river mouths were only about 50 metres away. Much less obvious than I had expected she showed me how the three muddy 'rivers/canals' came together. That was it, so I went back to the dock. It might have been interesting to try the parilla meat platter at a restaurant, but not for one person. Back I went to the dock, to the train, and to the city.
When I first got on the commuter train, I didn't see any real seats. People stood on the sides, rested on ledges near the doors, sat on the ground, or walked up and down the train. It was around 11am and more and more families, couples, musicians, and so on got on at each stop. First came a blind man taking a few careful steps with his cane and then he reaching into his pocket he pulled out a harmonica. Next was a short older man carrying a harp just slightly taller than him. Suddenly he stopped and began energetically strumming a Chacarera. Then one at a time men would appear with boxes or baskets that they would set down and tell the wonders of the package of gum, oreo cookies, pastries, or whatever they were selling. In between children came by handing out bobby pins or cards hoping to sell them to you. After handing them all out they would go back and collect them hoping to have sold one or two. Finally at Tigre everyone poured out of the train to walk along the banks of the muddy river, go to the amusement park or wander through the large craft fair on the port (best place for souvenirs I think). I read there is another 'turistic' train, but I quite enjoyed the people watching on the commuter train.
An older couple at the B& B suggested I take a wooden boat to visit some of the islands. After walking all around town I found the tourism office and the boat dock right next to the train station where I started. No one knew about the three islands, but told me I could visit the place where three rivers went. I got my ticket for Tres Bocas and was loaded onto one of the wooden water taxis. Luggage was thrown on top of the boats and then they set off down the canal like river. All along the banks of the river were docks for summer houses, restaurants, etc. People sat along the river in big hammock like lawn chairs, others fished, and a brave few were in row boats being bounced about by the big brown waves created by the passing boats. It took about half an hour to get to Tres Bocas. One of the clubs we passed along the way had a a series of flags painted on small pieces of wood. I caught a glimpse of a 'Canadian' flag that had modified the maple leaf with three holly leaves. I wasn't quite fast enough with my camera.
When we arrived I realized I was not in the same place the couple had told me about. They said they had had a hard time finding the restaurant on the 'island'. Here there were about three just steps from the dock, but I was more interested in exploring. I went to go see the 'tres bocas' and started to follow a trail that twisted around the 'island'. The further I walked the less people I saw and suddenly I felt like I was walking through the yards of private cottages. I decided to turn back and went back to the start and a lady told me the three river mouths were only about 50 metres away. Much less obvious than I had expected she showed me how the three muddy 'rivers/canals' came together. That was it, so I went back to the dock. It might have been interesting to try the parilla meat platter at a restaurant, but not for one person. Back I went to the dock, to the train, and to the city.
More about the art
Ya estoy de vuelta pero I will still write about the last couple of days of the trip. For me la semana del arte ended on the Friday, but I saw in the paper that on Saturday part of a main street downtown BA was closed and huge rolls of papers went down each lane to be filled with children's artwork.
On Thursday I went to see the MALBA (Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires). It was a little smaller than I expected and not as exciting as the art tours. I enjoyed the benches that unravelled wood like wool up an over several floors of the gallery. The Enredamaderas were created by Pablo Reinoso and were quite fun. By far the best piece to me was the short video called 'White Suit' by Miguel Angel Rios. The film shows a dancer in a white suit twirling modified 'boleadoras' (a rope used to catch cattle only this time with pieces of meat on each end) and being barked at by a group of hungry dogs. The Flamenco like dance is impressive as is the statement about hunger, power, and inequality in the world.
My last art tour was in the Belgrano area and highlights included the stories told by the director of the Marier gallery, the playful environmental artwork by Cristina Le Mehauté, and the impressive chaman themed plastic bottle creations by Edgardo Nelson Rodriguez.
Ya estoy de vuelta pero I will still write about the last couple of days of the trip. For me la semana del arte ended on the Friday, but I saw in the paper that on Saturday part of a main street downtown BA was closed and huge rolls of papers went down each lane to be filled with children's artwork.
On Thursday I went to see the MALBA (Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires). It was a little smaller than I expected and not as exciting as the art tours. I enjoyed the benches that unravelled wood like wool up an over several floors of the gallery. The Enredamaderas were created by Pablo Reinoso and were quite fun. By far the best piece to me was the short video called 'White Suit' by Miguel Angel Rios. The film shows a dancer in a white suit twirling modified 'boleadoras' (a rope used to catch cattle only this time with pieces of meat on each end) and being barked at by a group of hungry dogs. The Flamenco like dance is impressive as is the statement about hunger, power, and inequality in the world.
My last art tour was in the Belgrano area and highlights included the stories told by the director of the Marier gallery, the playful environmental artwork by Cristina Le Mehauté, and the impressive chaman themed plastic bottle creations by Edgardo Nelson Rodriguez.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Understanding the city to understand the dance
With all of the people on the streets I feel like I practice some of the tango steps by simply walking down the street through crowds of people. I take small steps to make room for people to get of the subte (subway). The dance seems to be every where.
The Tango Map put together by my bed and breakfast seems to be the best free city map I´ve found and it travels with me everywhere. The accompanying booklet listing dance classes and some of the Milongas each night has also been very useful. I was reccomended the magazine ´El Tangauta´ and seems to only be available a certain Milongas or tango spots around town.
To continue on with useful tips, the book ´Buenos Aires Experience: Enjoy the Tango of Learning Spanish´ has been interesting to read. It uses articles about famous tangueros, both dancers and musicians to explain the culture and certain Spanish grammar rules. For culture, slang, and interesting facts it is great, but I think the vocabulary might be a little too challenging if you are only just learning.
For music most people reccomend Zivals, but for more obscure finds an Italian man at my B&B recommended the Buenos Aires Tango Club on Lavalle 2039 - 1. He said to talk to the man with glasses. He also told me I could not leave without CDs from the following artists: Juan Darienzo, Miguel Calo, Osvaldo Fresedo, Francisco Canaro, Osvaldo Pugliese, Edgardo Donato, Alfredo de Angelis, and Enrique Rodgriguez. A german girl in the B& B recommended the electronic groups, such as Bajafondo and Otros Aires.
I did look into shoes, but it seems to overwhelming. I was told to check the shops on Suipacha (300 block), Anchorena (600 block), and others have mentioned the names of shops, such as ´Comme il faut´, or ´Neotango,´and 2x4 al pie.
When people plan to come to study for a couple months they usually make arrangements with one teacher. There are many choices and classes seem to range from 20 pesos a group class to 80+ pesos for private classes. A number of people have talked about the DNI and I would be curious to try a class or two there.
The non-tango tourists usually takes in a dinner and tango show and there is quite a selection. I did stop by the Carlos Gardel house on Wednesday to check it out and do not recommend it because there is not really much to see. Along with Eva Peron, he seems to be the face of BA on most postcards.
Those are my notes,so far.
With all of the people on the streets I feel like I practice some of the tango steps by simply walking down the street through crowds of people. I take small steps to make room for people to get of the subte (subway). The dance seems to be every where.
The Tango Map put together by my bed and breakfast seems to be the best free city map I´ve found and it travels with me everywhere. The accompanying booklet listing dance classes and some of the Milongas each night has also been very useful. I was reccomended the magazine ´El Tangauta´ and seems to only be available a certain Milongas or tango spots around town.
To continue on with useful tips, the book ´Buenos Aires Experience: Enjoy the Tango of Learning Spanish´ has been interesting to read. It uses articles about famous tangueros, both dancers and musicians to explain the culture and certain Spanish grammar rules. For culture, slang, and interesting facts it is great, but I think the vocabulary might be a little too challenging if you are only just learning.
For music most people reccomend Zivals, but for more obscure finds an Italian man at my B&B recommended the Buenos Aires Tango Club on Lavalle 2039 - 1. He said to talk to the man with glasses. He also told me I could not leave without CDs from the following artists: Juan Darienzo, Miguel Calo, Osvaldo Fresedo, Francisco Canaro, Osvaldo Pugliese, Edgardo Donato, Alfredo de Angelis, and Enrique Rodgriguez. A german girl in the B& B recommended the electronic groups, such as Bajafondo and Otros Aires.
I did look into shoes, but it seems to overwhelming. I was told to check the shops on Suipacha (300 block), Anchorena (600 block), and others have mentioned the names of shops, such as ´Comme il faut´, or ´Neotango,´and 2x4 al pie.
When people plan to come to study for a couple months they usually make arrangements with one teacher. There are many choices and classes seem to range from 20 pesos a group class to 80+ pesos for private classes. A number of people have talked about the DNI and I would be curious to try a class or two there.
The non-tango tourists usually takes in a dinner and tango show and there is quite a selection. I did stop by the Carlos Gardel house on Wednesday to check it out and do not recommend it because there is not really much to see. Along with Eva Peron, he seems to be the face of BA on most postcards.
Those are my notes,so far.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Language and Tango
For Wednesday nights I was reccomended the Milonga at La Viruta. It is a bar in the basement of the Armenian Cultural Centre in Palermo. When I arrived there were about four large circles of people all around the building. It seems I ended up in an intermediate class. What has been bothering me lately is feeling completely lost when dancing with new people. The class was probably slightly above my level, but it was very relaxed and fun. I really enjoyed the spacious venue and the crowd was younger than the other places. I appreciated the lesson to warm-up and meet people before the dance began. Earlier that day I was suggested I should sign-up for a ladies technique class and a private class before I left, but in my mind what I need is practice. The teacher had told me to relax more when I danced with him, but when people keep throwing in new steps I feel like I can´t follow anything.
When I danced with people after the class, I knew they were about at my level, and we were both making mistakes. I started to get a better sense of the language of the dance and understand some of the leads. I started to recognize vocabulary that I have been taught over the course of the week that I have been here now. Before I learn new steps or take more classes I need to get a better sense of what I have learned. Now I can link this all to Krashen´s theory of language learning for you, but this isn´t one of my CERTESL classes.
A third thing I enjoyed was that there was a variety of tango music styles played, so I got to see a bit of the Milonga (faster-paced) and Tango Nuevo (often danced to electronic tango music). Definitely a tango club to check out if you are ever in BA.
For Wednesday nights I was reccomended the Milonga at La Viruta. It is a bar in the basement of the Armenian Cultural Centre in Palermo. When I arrived there were about four large circles of people all around the building. It seems I ended up in an intermediate class. What has been bothering me lately is feeling completely lost when dancing with new people. The class was probably slightly above my level, but it was very relaxed and fun. I really enjoyed the spacious venue and the crowd was younger than the other places. I appreciated the lesson to warm-up and meet people before the dance began. Earlier that day I was suggested I should sign-up for a ladies technique class and a private class before I left, but in my mind what I need is practice. The teacher had told me to relax more when I danced with him, but when people keep throwing in new steps I feel like I can´t follow anything.
When I danced with people after the class, I knew they were about at my level, and we were both making mistakes. I started to get a better sense of the language of the dance and understand some of the leads. I started to recognize vocabulary that I have been taught over the course of the week that I have been here now. Before I learn new steps or take more classes I need to get a better sense of what I have learned. Now I can link this all to Krashen´s theory of language learning for you, but this isn´t one of my CERTESL classes.
A third thing I enjoyed was that there was a variety of tango music styles played, so I got to see a bit of the Milonga (faster-paced) and Tango Nuevo (often danced to electronic tango music). Definitely a tango club to check out if you are ever in BA.
Gastronomia
Things to eat for breakfast in Argentina include the medialuna,a croissant-like pastry that is very delcious. They are smaller and sweeter than the French version. Next, you must have some Dulce de Leche, a thick sweet milky spread that´s great on toast. To drink you can have some Mate (similar to green tea) or yoghurt (similar to Yop) that you can buy in bags in the grocery store.
If you stop in a panaderia (bakery) you can try lots of different breads, and many other italian treats. Empanadas are quite common with a beef, chicken or ham and cheese filling. For lunch I´ve heard there is an amazing quality and quantity of steak served, but I haven´t tried it yet. I did however discover a new vegetable yesterday that is called zapallito. It´s like a zuchini the size of an orange with a slightly more bitter taste.
For snacks the alfajores which I would sort of compare to a wagon wheel with a chocolate covered dry cake sandwich and no marshmellows. I´ve also tried another membrillo filled pastry.
To drink in the grocery store I´ve seen shelves of wine, Quilmes and Patagonia beer and different fruit flavoured drinks. I did mistakenly buy some ´juice´ one day to discover it was actually like ´squash´ after a couple of sips. On a closer look the bottle said to mix it with ten litres of water. My first concern actually was for the teeth of children drinking this super sweet drink.
Buen Provecha!
Things to eat for breakfast in Argentina include the medialuna,a croissant-like pastry that is very delcious. They are smaller and sweeter than the French version. Next, you must have some Dulce de Leche, a thick sweet milky spread that´s great on toast. To drink you can have some Mate (similar to green tea) or yoghurt (similar to Yop) that you can buy in bags in the grocery store.
If you stop in a panaderia (bakery) you can try lots of different breads, and many other italian treats. Empanadas are quite common with a beef, chicken or ham and cheese filling. For lunch I´ve heard there is an amazing quality and quantity of steak served, but I haven´t tried it yet. I did however discover a new vegetable yesterday that is called zapallito. It´s like a zuchini the size of an orange with a slightly more bitter taste.
For snacks the alfajores which I would sort of compare to a wagon wheel with a chocolate covered dry cake sandwich and no marshmellows. I´ve also tried another membrillo filled pastry.
To drink in the grocery store I´ve seen shelves of wine, Quilmes and Patagonia beer and different fruit flavoured drinks. I did mistakenly buy some ´juice´ one day to discover it was actually like ´squash´ after a couple of sips. On a closer look the bottle said to mix it with ten litres of water. My first concern actually was for the teeth of children drinking this super sweet drink.
Buen Provecha!
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Turista o Tanguera
I feel like I have to decide because it´s quite tiring to do both. Yesterday I did a quick walk through the parks in Palermo to see the Dia del estudiante and spring celebrations. Since there was no school the parks were full of young people. I felt very tall, white and foreign in the crowd. It was earlier afternoon, so I felt safe enough and watched a band for a little while.
I got back onto the bus to go to Marcela and Mario´s apartment for a BAM (Body awareness method) class followed by a tango class. The focus of the first class was on becoming aware of arm movements starting from the tail bone and too be honest I didn´t quite grasp the notions of the tango class, but they were trying to build on the idea of focusing on your base (which I was interpreting as my hips/lower body). After the class I was finally invited to drink some Mate. The tea like drink that is very popular here.
Today I headed out to visit the Boca area to see the colourful Caminito and the Boca Juniors soccer stadium. Whereas yesterday was nice and spring like, today was cold and rainy again and the outdoor museum was not as attractive as it could have been. After I finally made it back accross town, I joined the Art week tour in the Palermo area. It was great experience.
La Semana de la arte is like an Open Door city tour only better. My tour met at a contemporary art gallery and then took us around on a mini bus to see about six different art venues. One place was a restaurant full of uber-kitsch art in every corner, another a radio-bar restaurant that served us Champagne, and others small art galleries. In one gallery there was a serviette decorating contest on display, in others photography, and we even got to meet one of the artists who wanted us to explain his work to him. I was sad to leave early to get back on the bus for my tango class. Big cities take lots of time to get around, but with this traffic I would not dare bike. As a pedestrian you have to keep a careful eye on all cars as they swerve around you at crossings. Anyways I am a little torn between tango dancing and tourism. Because right now I am too tired to go to a Milonga.
I feel like I have to decide because it´s quite tiring to do both. Yesterday I did a quick walk through the parks in Palermo to see the Dia del estudiante and spring celebrations. Since there was no school the parks were full of young people. I felt very tall, white and foreign in the crowd. It was earlier afternoon, so I felt safe enough and watched a band for a little while.
I got back onto the bus to go to Marcela and Mario´s apartment for a BAM (Body awareness method) class followed by a tango class. The focus of the first class was on becoming aware of arm movements starting from the tail bone and too be honest I didn´t quite grasp the notions of the tango class, but they were trying to build on the idea of focusing on your base (which I was interpreting as my hips/lower body). After the class I was finally invited to drink some Mate. The tea like drink that is very popular here.
Today I headed out to visit the Boca area to see the colourful Caminito and the Boca Juniors soccer stadium. Whereas yesterday was nice and spring like, today was cold and rainy again and the outdoor museum was not as attractive as it could have been. After I finally made it back accross town, I joined the Art week tour in the Palermo area. It was great experience.
La Semana de la arte is like an Open Door city tour only better. My tour met at a contemporary art gallery and then took us around on a mini bus to see about six different art venues. One place was a restaurant full of uber-kitsch art in every corner, another a radio-bar restaurant that served us Champagne, and others small art galleries. In one gallery there was a serviette decorating contest on display, in others photography, and we even got to meet one of the artists who wanted us to explain his work to him. I was sad to leave early to get back on the bus for my tango class. Big cities take lots of time to get around, but with this traffic I would not dare bike. As a pedestrian you have to keep a careful eye on all cars as they swerve around you at crossings. Anyways I am a little torn between tango dancing and tourism. Because right now I am too tired to go to a Milonga.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Sunday night Milongas
On my way to the Glorieta Milonga I walked into a Jazz concert in the Olleros subte station. It was such an unusual venue to see three jazz musicians set-up in a corner and people on the stairs, sitting on the floor while others tried to walk through the crowd to get a subway. It was a mini Sunday afternoon jazz festival in various subway stations around the city.
The Glorieta was fun to be out be out dancing in the bandshell/gazebo in a park. Apparently next Sunday is its 14th anniversary or something. Part way through the DJ put on a couple of songs and I got to watch some traditional Argentine dances. One was the Chacarera and the other someone called the Argentine Samba, which is danced with scarves and is nothing like the better known brazilian version.
After that I was invited to join a few others to go to the Milongita. It was much more formal and they were having a special Spring dance. It was definitely the place to be because I got to see a short performance from the recent winners of the Argentine tango world championships (Aug. 30, 2009). Hiroshi and Kioko Yamao danced a more traditional tango and then a faster paced Milonga tango.
My tips from the evening were to not rush the steps, close my eyes to feel the lead, and to trust my partner. Happy Spring everyone!
On my way to the Glorieta Milonga I walked into a Jazz concert in the Olleros subte station. It was such an unusual venue to see three jazz musicians set-up in a corner and people on the stairs, sitting on the floor while others tried to walk through the crowd to get a subway. It was a mini Sunday afternoon jazz festival in various subway stations around the city.
The Glorieta was fun to be out be out dancing in the bandshell/gazebo in a park. Apparently next Sunday is its 14th anniversary or something. Part way through the DJ put on a couple of songs and I got to watch some traditional Argentine dances. One was the Chacarera and the other someone called the Argentine Samba, which is danced with scarves and is nothing like the better known brazilian version.
After that I was invited to join a few others to go to the Milongita. It was much more formal and they were having a special Spring dance. It was definitely the place to be because I got to see a short performance from the recent winners of the Argentine tango world championships (Aug. 30, 2009). Hiroshi and Kioko Yamao danced a more traditional tango and then a faster paced Milonga tango.
My tips from the evening were to not rush the steps, close my eyes to feel the lead, and to trust my partner. Happy Spring everyone!
San Telmo
Sunday morning started a little late with mass at a nearby church. Somehow I was asked to help with the collection. Though feeling totally foreign I followed the other ladies with my red cloth net and went up and down the pews. I appreciated the songbooks, which don´t seem to exist in Spain.
Sunday I was told was the day to visit the Plaza Dorrego market in the San Telmo. At first my walk from the subte station seemed a little sketchy, and then I found the square packed with antique stands. I wandered a bit enjoying the people milling about. I then planned to walk to the Centre in hopes of finding a tourism office that was open. For some reason I walked the wrong way on the Defensa street. I soon found myself in the Lezama park with a big flea market and away from the tourist crowd. I wandered a bit and stopped to use the washroom. A man collected coins as he cleaned the seats of the four porta-potties set up in the middle of the park. I found the whole idea a little funny, but the man was quite friendly. I really enjoy being able to speak to everyone. I try to use the ´vos´ instead of ´tu´ and occasionally slip in ´ch/j´ sound for my ´ll´.
When I realized I was lost I hopped on a bus that had Plaza de Mayo listed as one of its stops. I was suddenly whisked from the quiet neighbourhood to streets packed with souvenir stands. I finally found a tourism office. I took in an Acapella concert they recommended by the Obelisk for the start of Semana del arte. Then back to the B&B for a short nap I set out again for the outdoor Milonga at la Glorieta.
Sunday morning started a little late with mass at a nearby church. Somehow I was asked to help with the collection. Though feeling totally foreign I followed the other ladies with my red cloth net and went up and down the pews. I appreciated the songbooks, which don´t seem to exist in Spain.
Sunday I was told was the day to visit the Plaza Dorrego market in the San Telmo. At first my walk from the subte station seemed a little sketchy, and then I found the square packed with antique stands. I wandered a bit enjoying the people milling about. I then planned to walk to the Centre in hopes of finding a tourism office that was open. For some reason I walked the wrong way on the Defensa street. I soon found myself in the Lezama park with a big flea market and away from the tourist crowd. I wandered a bit and stopped to use the washroom. A man collected coins as he cleaned the seats of the four porta-potties set up in the middle of the park. I found the whole idea a little funny, but the man was quite friendly. I really enjoy being able to speak to everyone. I try to use the ´vos´ instead of ´tu´ and occasionally slip in ´ch/j´ sound for my ´ll´.
When I realized I was lost I hopped on a bus that had Plaza de Mayo listed as one of its stops. I was suddenly whisked from the quiet neighbourhood to streets packed with souvenir stands. I finally found a tourism office. I took in an Acapella concert they recommended by the Obelisk for the start of Semana del arte. Then back to the B&B for a short nap I set out again for the outdoor Milonga at la Glorieta.
Recoletas
On Saturday I went to visit the neighbourhood of Recoletas. On weekends they have a large craft fair in Plaza Francia and the sun was finally out. I was told to take the subte, but I would reccomend the bus (68 from my area). Lots of small stands filled the park with things like wooden puzzles, silver earrings, leather (belts, purses, book covers), woolen shawls, mate cups, and this list could go on and on.
Also in the park is the Recoleta cemetary and I joined the 2pm Spanish tour. The guide´s name was Alfredo and after about 30 minutes we were about 2 feet into the cemetary. He wanted to explain the history of the cemetaries in Buenos Aires, the different kinds of monuments, the history of Argentina, its families, and on and on. He knew all sorts of little anecdotes and would ask us to guess why a certain type of sculpture was used and this led to more tangents. At some points I got a little lost like when he explained had the importation of certain cattle breeds and the arrival of refrigeration changed the value of land in Argentina and this in turn affected the size and shape of tombs. He also explained how some of the masoleums had doors and families would come and spend the afternoon, share special events, and keep the person part of their lives. Then he asked us about death today? The idea that people try to disappear in cemetaries on the outskirts of cities. It was one intensive Spanish lesson and I actually left around the two-hour mark saturated with Spanish cemetary vocabulary. On my way out I followed the crowds to visit Uarte family´s tomb to see the beloved Eva Perron´s grave.
In a lot of ways I feel like I am in Spain, but at the same time the history is fairly recent like Canada and the tour reminded me of that.
On Saturday I went to visit the neighbourhood of Recoletas. On weekends they have a large craft fair in Plaza Francia and the sun was finally out. I was told to take the subte, but I would reccomend the bus (68 from my area). Lots of small stands filled the park with things like wooden puzzles, silver earrings, leather (belts, purses, book covers), woolen shawls, mate cups, and this list could go on and on.
Also in the park is the Recoleta cemetary and I joined the 2pm Spanish tour. The guide´s name was Alfredo and after about 30 minutes we were about 2 feet into the cemetary. He wanted to explain the history of the cemetaries in Buenos Aires, the different kinds of monuments, the history of Argentina, its families, and on and on. He knew all sorts of little anecdotes and would ask us to guess why a certain type of sculpture was used and this led to more tangents. At some points I got a little lost like when he explained had the importation of certain cattle breeds and the arrival of refrigeration changed the value of land in Argentina and this in turn affected the size and shape of tombs. He also explained how some of the masoleums had doors and families would come and spend the afternoon, share special events, and keep the person part of their lives. Then he asked us about death today? The idea that people try to disappear in cemetaries on the outskirts of cities. It was one intensive Spanish lesson and I actually left around the two-hour mark saturated with Spanish cemetary vocabulary. On my way out I followed the crowds to visit Uarte family´s tomb to see the beloved Eva Perron´s grave.
In a lot of ways I feel like I am in Spain, but at the same time the history is fairly recent like Canada and the tour reminded me of that.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Milongas (for some reason this entry was erased earlier)
The best place to learn to dance the Argentine tango is at a Milonga. The social dance I was reccommended for Friday night was at Salon Canning. I thought I did well to negotiate my way there by bus, despite the fact that the Guia T or bus guide is virtually incomprehensible.
It cost twenty pesos to get in, and the first thing I did when I got there was walk to the bar to get a drink (water). Then I went to get a seat and I was told that I should wait to be seated. Looking around I saw a lot of tables with reserved signs on them. Shortly after I was escorted to a table at the back of the room with other single ladies. By coincidence two of them ended up being from Australia. The girl from BA informed me that I should watch for smiles or nods from gentleman to wait to be asked to dance. It was an interesting room with a wooden square dance floor in the centre and tables all around. On the walls were large blown up photos of dancers at Salon Canning in different poses.
When asked to dance you generally do a set of three dances, stopping for short conversations between each song, and then are escorted off the floor to sit down when some rock or another style of music is played. Most people were quite nice and encouraging despite the fact I told them I only knew ´muy poquito´. I was a little hurt by one man who smiled at me and then as soon as we started he asked do you even know how to dance. I told him very little, he agreed very little and I suggested we not dance and he immediately walked me off the dance floor. In my mind a good dancer can dance with anyone and really good dancer can make you feel like you can dance even when you don´t know how. I saw the man´s friends scold him for having broken the Milonga ettiquette, and a girl at my table told me he was a professional dancer. I did have some other very nice dances afterwards and agree I still have a lot to learn.
Around 2am they should a short video clip in memorial of Omar Vega and he was quite an impressive dancer. I have to learn to be more of a night person because the Milonga was from 11pm to 4am, and I guess I left a little early.
The best place to learn to dance the Argentine tango is at a Milonga. The social dance I was reccommended for Friday night was at Salon Canning. I thought I did well to negotiate my way there by bus, despite the fact that the Guia T or bus guide is virtually incomprehensible.
It cost twenty pesos to get in, and the first thing I did when I got there was walk to the bar to get a drink (water). Then I went to get a seat and I was told that I should wait to be seated. Looking around I saw a lot of tables with reserved signs on them. Shortly after I was escorted to a table at the back of the room with other single ladies. By coincidence two of them ended up being from Australia. The girl from BA informed me that I should watch for smiles or nods from gentleman to wait to be asked to dance. It was an interesting room with a wooden square dance floor in the centre and tables all around. On the walls were large blown up photos of dancers at Salon Canning in different poses.
When asked to dance you generally do a set of three dances, stopping for short conversations between each song, and then are escorted off the floor to sit down when some rock or another style of music is played. Most people were quite nice and encouraging despite the fact I told them I only knew ´muy poquito´. I was a little hurt by one man who smiled at me and then as soon as we started he asked do you even know how to dance. I told him very little, he agreed very little and I suggested we not dance and he immediately walked me off the dance floor. In my mind a good dancer can dance with anyone and really good dancer can make you feel like you can dance even when you don´t know how. I saw the man´s friends scold him for having broken the Milonga ettiquette, and a girl at my table told me he was a professional dancer. I did have some other very nice dances afterwards and agree I still have a lot to learn.
Around 2am they should a short video clip in memorial of Omar Vega and he was quite an impressive dancer. I have to learn to be more of a night person because the Milonga was from 11pm to 4am, and I guess I left a little early.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Meeting Marcela
It was a long subte ride to get to Plaza Miserere. When I got out, there were people everywhere. Every building had a shop, in front of them make-shift shops, and then people were walking around selling things like umbrellas, underwear, and churros. One man just simply stood and yelled ´paraguas, paraguas, paraguas.´ You couldn´t stand still in the mad hustle and bustle of people. Eventually I found Rivadavia street and the buzz number. Her building was fascinating because once ´inside´we walked through an outdoor hallway to a second building and up some stairs. In her apartment was a long warm dance studio.
The first thing I was instructed to do was to lay on the floor boca abajo and she massaged my back. That is a nice way to start a dance class. After that I did some stretches to loosen my hip joints and she explained the center of my dance were my ´isquion´ which I gathered meant sit bones. We did some floor exercises that worked with spiralling and reminded me of a contemporary dance class I took in Ottawa that was based on Martha Graham technique. Next she watched me do some basic tango steps and gave some suggestions. During the dance she said to always put your partner first and to always be open to accept their ´marca´ or their guidance. The classes next week should be interesting.
It was a long subte ride to get to Plaza Miserere. When I got out, there were people everywhere. Every building had a shop, in front of them make-shift shops, and then people were walking around selling things like umbrellas, underwear, and churros. One man just simply stood and yelled ´paraguas, paraguas, paraguas.´ You couldn´t stand still in the mad hustle and bustle of people. Eventually I found Rivadavia street and the buzz number. Her building was fascinating because once ´inside´we walked through an outdoor hallway to a second building and up some stairs. In her apartment was a long warm dance studio.
The first thing I was instructed to do was to lay on the floor boca abajo and she massaged my back. That is a nice way to start a dance class. After that I did some stretches to loosen my hip joints and she explained the center of my dance were my ´isquion´ which I gathered meant sit bones. We did some floor exercises that worked with spiralling and reminded me of a contemporary dance class I took in Ottawa that was based on Martha Graham technique. Next she watched me do some basic tango steps and gave some suggestions. During the dance she said to always put your partner first and to always be open to accept their ´marca´ or their guidance. The classes next week should be interesting.
BA
Reasons people come to Argentina seem to vary. One person I chatted with while waiting for luggage was here on a bird hunting trip, a couple from France were on their way to a wedding, and a rabbi on his way home sat next to me on the airport shuttle. He told me all about the history of Jews in Argentina, the fourth country with the most Jewish immigrants, the Rosh Hashana celebration he was preparingfor the next day, and he would have told me more except I fell asleep. Suddenly I had to get up and hit the streets of the city to look for the ´Subte,´ which is what everyone calls the subterraneo metro system.
It was about 15 C and rainy. I guess South America is not always as hot and sunny as we think it is. It´s spring time here and somewhat surprisingly everyone on the streets seems to be wearing dark coloured rain jackets. I am the one that stands out with my bright blue jacket. The craziest part of my walk to the bed and breakfast was seeing a small train with families and people dressed in Spiderman, Minnie Mouse and a big hippo costume. Apparently it was a celebration for the opening of a new grocery store a couple of blocks from my lodging.
After a short rest and a delicious meal in the organic food restaurant Ohsawa half a block from the B& B, I joined in the tango lesson in the small studio where I am staying. During the lesson the teacher kept telling me to have better technique. This means always bringing my feet and knees together and having a stronger frame. Though a little disheartened about going back to the basic step, I was fairly impressed on how the teacher taught several levels at the same time and kept checking in with all of the students in the class.
I decided I should stay in and rest for my first night. I went to the kitchen and had some tea with two older Italian couples before going to bed. After he was done drinking, one of the older gentleman got up and walked around yelling ´uno, due´ and then shaking his hips. This was apparently a review of one of the steps they had recently learned. It was entertaining. That being said the B& B is not exactly as I would have hoped, being that it is not so centrally located and the other guests seem to be mostly older couples.
Reasons people come to Argentina seem to vary. One person I chatted with while waiting for luggage was here on a bird hunting trip, a couple from France were on their way to a wedding, and a rabbi on his way home sat next to me on the airport shuttle. He told me all about the history of Jews in Argentina, the fourth country with the most Jewish immigrants, the Rosh Hashana celebration he was preparingfor the next day, and he would have told me more except I fell asleep. Suddenly I had to get up and hit the streets of the city to look for the ´Subte,´ which is what everyone calls the subterraneo metro system.
It was about 15 C and rainy. I guess South America is not always as hot and sunny as we think it is. It´s spring time here and somewhat surprisingly everyone on the streets seems to be wearing dark coloured rain jackets. I am the one that stands out with my bright blue jacket. The craziest part of my walk to the bed and breakfast was seeing a small train with families and people dressed in Spiderman, Minnie Mouse and a big hippo costume. Apparently it was a celebration for the opening of a new grocery store a couple of blocks from my lodging.
After a short rest and a delicious meal in the organic food restaurant Ohsawa half a block from the B& B, I joined in the tango lesson in the small studio where I am staying. During the lesson the teacher kept telling me to have better technique. This means always bringing my feet and knees together and having a stronger frame. Though a little disheartened about going back to the basic step, I was fairly impressed on how the teacher taught several levels at the same time and kept checking in with all of the students in the class.
I decided I should stay in and rest for my first night. I went to the kitchen and had some tea with two older Italian couples before going to bed. After he was done drinking, one of the older gentleman got up and walked around yelling ´uno, due´ and then shaking his hips. This was apparently a review of one of the steps they had recently learned. It was entertaining. That being said the B& B is not exactly as I would have hoped, being that it is not so centrally located and the other guests seem to be mostly older couples.
Airport tourism
Half-awake I made my way from one plane to the next. My first trip to U.S. consisted of visits to the Minneapolis and Atlanta airports. After clearing U.S. customs I had to quickly drink all of my water to go through yet another security scan. Somehow my belt went missing and no one was able to find it. I decided to do some Minnesota research while I waited for my plane. I found an interesting Minnesota souvenir shop, and it was full of bears, moose, loons, and Scandinavian jokes. It could almost have been Canadian. There was a hot dish (a.k.a casserole) cookbook, t-shirts with Paul Bunyan, and even a box of ´Ole and Lena´ fortune cookies (instead of fortunes they had Scandanavian jokes). It turns out the best place to find interesting facts is by looking at children´s books. I learned that Lindenbergh, Schultz, and Garland were all from that state. Next, I was intrigued by the vending machines for scratch cards, electronics, and Rosetta Stone language CD-roms. When I learned my plane would be an hour late I went on the 1.4 mile loop reccomended by the American Heart Association around the airport. While exercising my heart and passing the time I saw an interesting bronze art exhibit.
My next stop was the Atlanta airport which was much busier and crazier than the last. All I had to was listen to the folks around me and I gotta hear a nice southern Georgian drawl. The souvenirs promoted peaches and pandas, and I soon found myself reading the ´G is for Georgia´ book that talked about baseball and Dr. King. What most caught my eye were the honey jars from the Savannah bee company with flavours, such as ´tupelo´, ´black sage´, and ´orange blossom´. We´ll see if I have time to stop on my way back. In every corner there was a TV playing excerpts from the CNN news, but then I discovered some live Jazz music in the food court in Concourse E. As I walked back to T for my flight I saw an amazing art exhibit with huge stone sculptures from Zimbabwe.
The third flight was the longest, but since I was sitting next to a doctor from Argentina I felt quite safe. I learned a little about the local politics, a new name for ´pen´ in Spanish (sort of a British vs American English thing), and the local slang word ´flashar´ (spelling?) which means to be impressed or attracted by someone ( not what an English speaker might first guess).
Half-awake I made my way from one plane to the next. My first trip to U.S. consisted of visits to the Minneapolis and Atlanta airports. After clearing U.S. customs I had to quickly drink all of my water to go through yet another security scan. Somehow my belt went missing and no one was able to find it. I decided to do some Minnesota research while I waited for my plane. I found an interesting Minnesota souvenir shop, and it was full of bears, moose, loons, and Scandinavian jokes. It could almost have been Canadian. There was a hot dish (a.k.a casserole) cookbook, t-shirts with Paul Bunyan, and even a box of ´Ole and Lena´ fortune cookies (instead of fortunes they had Scandanavian jokes). It turns out the best place to find interesting facts is by looking at children´s books. I learned that Lindenbergh, Schultz, and Garland were all from that state. Next, I was intrigued by the vending machines for scratch cards, electronics, and Rosetta Stone language CD-roms. When I learned my plane would be an hour late I went on the 1.4 mile loop reccomended by the American Heart Association around the airport. While exercising my heart and passing the time I saw an interesting bronze art exhibit.
My next stop was the Atlanta airport which was much busier and crazier than the last. All I had to was listen to the folks around me and I gotta hear a nice southern Georgian drawl. The souvenirs promoted peaches and pandas, and I soon found myself reading the ´G is for Georgia´ book that talked about baseball and Dr. King. What most caught my eye were the honey jars from the Savannah bee company with flavours, such as ´tupelo´, ´black sage´, and ´orange blossom´. We´ll see if I have time to stop on my way back. In every corner there was a TV playing excerpts from the CNN news, but then I discovered some live Jazz music in the food court in Concourse E. As I walked back to T for my flight I saw an amazing art exhibit with huge stone sculptures from Zimbabwe.
The third flight was the longest, but since I was sitting next to a doctor from Argentina I felt quite safe. I learned a little about the local politics, a new name for ´pen´ in Spanish (sort of a British vs American English thing), and the local slang word ´flashar´ (spelling?) which means to be impressed or attracted by someone ( not what an English speaker might first guess).
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Porque Buenos Aires...
In my head I have been thinking and dreaming about Argentina for quite some time. I remember being taught the basic step probably about ten years ago by the teachers at the Carleton University Social Dancing Society. I wanted to take tango classes in Ottawa, but never had much luck finding a partner to sign up. On one of my Paris trips while in France I went to Milonga with this guy from Montreal at my hostel. I mostly sat and watched people dance around a tiny attic dance floor. There was a man there that carried a photo of Carlos Gardel in his wallet and tried to explain the history of the dance to me. I also remember watching dancers in a lantern lit park one night in the French city of Lille. Then the night before I finished the Camino I was with a hospitalero from Argentina and he led me through a short tango. I was delighted in Regina to finally find lessons that I could attend. Then last Christmas I made my way to Milongas in Paris and Madrid and now last Sunday I was with the small Saskatoon group dancing at Riverlanding. So though I did buy the plane ticket last week, leave for BA in the morning, and don't really know anyone there, the idea has been growing inside of me for quite a while.
An older gentleman from the Milonga in Madrid confessed to me that tango was his religion and at the same time advised me to wait to go to Buenos Aires, so as not to be disappointed. A dance teacher named Marcela wrote me in an e-mail this week that as a beginner it will be quite exciting because I still have lots to learn. I am looking forward to doing a couple of classes with her. She is the good friend and teacher of the instructor Ravi Khalsa who has given a number of workshops in Regina and Saskatoon. I am also intrigued by my accomodations which not only offer a bed and breakfast, but daily tango lessons as well. The part that worries me right now is the almost 17 hour flight and over 24 hours of traveling.
Just before I decided I remembered the quote from the movie 'Strictly Ballroom' that says a life lived in fear is a life half lived.
In my head I have been thinking and dreaming about Argentina for quite some time. I remember being taught the basic step probably about ten years ago by the teachers at the Carleton University Social Dancing Society. I wanted to take tango classes in Ottawa, but never had much luck finding a partner to sign up. On one of my Paris trips while in France I went to Milonga with this guy from Montreal at my hostel. I mostly sat and watched people dance around a tiny attic dance floor. There was a man there that carried a photo of Carlos Gardel in his wallet and tried to explain the history of the dance to me. I also remember watching dancers in a lantern lit park one night in the French city of Lille. Then the night before I finished the Camino I was with a hospitalero from Argentina and he led me through a short tango. I was delighted in Regina to finally find lessons that I could attend. Then last Christmas I made my way to Milongas in Paris and Madrid and now last Sunday I was with the small Saskatoon group dancing at Riverlanding. So though I did buy the plane ticket last week, leave for BA in the morning, and don't really know anyone there, the idea has been growing inside of me for quite a while.
An older gentleman from the Milonga in Madrid confessed to me that tango was his religion and at the same time advised me to wait to go to Buenos Aires, so as not to be disappointed. A dance teacher named Marcela wrote me in an e-mail this week that as a beginner it will be quite exciting because I still have lots to learn. I am looking forward to doing a couple of classes with her. She is the good friend and teacher of the instructor Ravi Khalsa who has given a number of workshops in Regina and Saskatoon. I am also intrigued by my accomodations which not only offer a bed and breakfast, but daily tango lessons as well. The part that worries me right now is the almost 17 hour flight and over 24 hours of traveling.
Just before I decided I remembered the quote from the movie 'Strictly Ballroom' that says a life lived in fear is a life half lived.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
The New House
Now over a month since I've been in the crazy blue house on Avenue D, I put together some pictures of my housemates in a small album. There have been many adventures from organizing, settling and adjusting to the new space. It's hard to even know where to start. Before I even moved in my roommate hosted a house concert featuring her friend Lois. To imagine yourself on a cushion in the living room that night you can visit her webpage. That night I heard the name 'Alphabet City' and I like it as a description of the neighbourhood.
My status can still be described as 'half-moved' because I still have a lot of things at my parents house. Right now August seems like a blur of teaching, marking, studying, and housework. And now that the weather is nice I don't like to stay in. Next week I leave on a short trip to Buenos Aires. I have too much time off just to stay in Saskatoon.
Now over a month since I've been in the crazy blue house on Avenue D, I put together some pictures of my housemates in a small album. There have been many adventures from organizing, settling and adjusting to the new space. It's hard to even know where to start. Before I even moved in my roommate hosted a house concert featuring her friend Lois. To imagine yourself on a cushion in the living room that night you can visit her webpage. That night I heard the name 'Alphabet City' and I like it as a description of the neighbourhood.
My status can still be described as 'half-moved' because I still have a lot of things at my parents house. Right now August seems like a blur of teaching, marking, studying, and housework. And now that the weather is nice I don't like to stay in. Next week I leave on a short trip to Buenos Aires. I have too much time off just to stay in Saskatoon.
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