I believe this is an important question nowadays.
1. Tango nuevo is better to dance to tango music of 50-60 like later Pugliese.
Neo Tango is danced to non-tango music. Alternative so to speak. Pop, new age, eastern. Suitable.
2. Tango Nuevo is danced in regular tango cloth. Neo Tango - in super-modern baggy pants. It makes a lot of difference in dancing attitude. It is quite impossible to imagine a woman in stockings doing this.
3. Characteristic of Nuevo is long steps. Sort of flying. A lot of ganchos, sacadas, boleos. Circular dance, but pretty different from salon tango.
Main characteristic of Neo is separation. Elastic embraces which are often broken. Rotation around one's axis without touching a partner or one hand handling only. This does not exists in Nuevo. Extending an embracing arm. Ganchos, boleos are to extreme. Looks like fighting in a fast dance. Men's ganchos are really like martial arts kicks with bodies tilted from being vertical to a side, back, or front. Women do the same! It is totally absent from Nuevo. Waving movements of bodies. Hops. Men put their legs up around a lady, for example in a back sacada.
4. There is no Neo close embrace. Instead they prefer to dance slow open. In Neo slow dance - a lot of strange movements non-existing in Nuevo. As if they try to probe a partner - to watch the reaction, to find a weak point... If they go into close embrace - it looks like Nuevo close embrace.
5. Neo positions are exactly like martial arts positions - ready for a kick - soft bent legs holding the floor, relaxed bodies ready to react swiftly, watching eyes gazing inside the partner. Just a little bit more, and we will see actual kicks and blocks here. No wonder, martial art partnering is called "a dance". Neo is Capoeira ( 1, 2, 3 ) of Tango.
6. Nuevo - I think Gustavo Naveira and Chicho. Neo - well, Homer from San Francisco and Jaimes from Seattle. These are the first names coming to my mind.
7. Neo originated from Nuevo. There are some little things in Nuevo which differentiate it from other tango which are developed to extreme in Neo. However the difference between them is sharp. Nuevo is still tango, while Neo is not. Neo Tango is totally new dance: Neos are not able to dance Argentine Tango, they prefer different music, they do not mix with other dancers, they keep their own community,
8. And attitude. Ask Neo dancers - they all will tell that they dance nothing else but Argentine Tango. But this is not the same dance. This is a new dance and new community developing. They are not interested at all in older tango.
They say they are contemporary. They say that they progress tango forward. I think these are just empty confusing words. Except of a handful of Neo community leaders ( and not all of them ) these dancers do not have correct ideas what Argentine Tango is. They do not have a point to base the comparison. Well, they really could not care less. Me too. I will happily dance Neo as a relaxation from Tango, and then come back.
That is what typical young talented man from Neo community on his way in tango would say: "I listen to old music more and more and like it more and more, I can hear much more good stuff, I came to conclusion that I like it all! ". Well, I am happy about it! But that happens only if he makes an effort to listen, to learn.
One young man once he got introduction to Canyengue ( it is considered a very old style of tango, hmm.. ) said: "That is what I always wanted, that is mine! It fits me so well, I am crazy about it! ". Yes, that is what happens once the power of knowledge approaches you: insight! A recognition of your own power and abilities! Discovery of new worlds! There are many entities in life who would love you to know less. You should be aware of that.
9. And one last but not least difference. Nuevo still comes from Argentina. Neo, to the best of my knowledge - from USA and Europe. (...)
sâmbătă, 23 februarie 2008
joi, 31 ianuarie 2008
duminică, 20 ianuarie 2008
How to choose your shoes
Tango requires shoes that allow you to maintain your balance, but also allow you to pivot easily and gracefully. For women, heels of 2 to 4 inches create the best line, while men can choose from a variety of dance shoes with no or low heels.
Steps
Step One
Buy dance shoes for both your practice shoes and your regular tango shoes. Though you can wear street shoes that meet the criteria for tango shoes, the fit and balance are never as good as a real pair of dance shoes.
Step Two
Choose a shoe that fits closely but doesn't cramp your foot. Your shoe should feel like an extension of your foot, whether you are a leader or a follower. Ask for assistance from a shoe salesperson to help you select exactly the right size for your foot.
Step Three
Test the dance shoes for balance. Walk forwards and backwards wearing the shoes and also stand on one foot. Both leaders and followers should only choose a shoe design and heel size that they can do this comfortably in.
Step Four
Make sure you can pivot in the shoes. The soles should be smooth enough that you easily pivot and don't need to forcefully move your body.
Step Five
Select dance shoes that remain securely on your feet, regardless of the tango move you do. Leaders won't have a problem with this, but followers should make sure that the shoe straps keep the shoes on their feet securely.
Tips & Warnings
* Visit Buenos Aires, Argentina, for the best selection of tango shoes for men and women. If you can't do this, find tango shoes for sale at tango festivals.
* Leather will stretch, so new leather dance shoes may feel too tight the first few times you wear them.
* If you find good shoes with street soles, you can cover the bottom in suede or faux leather for a better pivoting surface.
* You can buy custom-made tango or ballroom shoes online, though you can't guarantee the fit.
* Some black-soled shoes may cause streaks on the dance floor. Test out black-soled shoes before wearing them to a practica or milonga.
* Followers should buy at least one pair of closed-toe practica shoes to protect their feet in class. As leaders learn new moves, they may inadvertently step on your feet.
sâmbătă, 19 ianuarie 2008
Buenos Aires Tango Festival
Fingers on the pulse of the tango at the annual Buenos Aires Tango Festival
When: 22 Feb - 2 Mar 2008 (annual)
Where: Buenos Aires
Cost:Various
Opening Hours:Various
The mesmeric rhythms of tango flood the streets of Buenos Aires every year in late February and early March during the Buenos Aires Tango Festival. First held in 1999, everyone who's anyone in the romantic world of tango performs for the adoring public and free dancing displays featuring world renowned artists are held at venues all over the city.
The Argentine ministry of culture organises this extravagant party, in the birth city of this musical phenomenon. For those who want to join in, there are tango classes for beginners and masterclasses for the more experienced dancers, all for free.
When: 22 Feb - 2 Mar 2008 (annual)
Where: Buenos Aires
Cost:Various
Opening Hours:Various
The mesmeric rhythms of tango flood the streets of Buenos Aires every year in late February and early March during the Buenos Aires Tango Festival. First held in 1999, everyone who's anyone in the romantic world of tango performs for the adoring public and free dancing displays featuring world renowned artists are held at venues all over the city.
The Argentine ministry of culture organises this extravagant party, in the birth city of this musical phenomenon. For those who want to join in, there are tango classes for beginners and masterclasses for the more experienced dancers, all for free.
vineri, 18 ianuarie 2008
joi, 17 ianuarie 2008
miercuri, 16 ianuarie 2008
Sandra Sue: a tango photographer
The tango dance, rather than the music or the song, is the generator of the gesture and the disseminator of a supposed - sometimes real- port mise en scene that has become unmistakable and has known how to establish a place for itself in the world’s visual memory, from Helsinki to Taiwan, and from Paris to Bombay. It does not matter that the instruments change, nor that an erroneous musical beat hinders more than it helps the dance. The gesture represents it, evokes it, converts it into a symbol thanks to a rare quality of universal evocation possessed by few dances.
marți, 15 ianuarie 2008
Tango nuevo
Tango nuevo or nuevo tango (ang. new tango) - describes: (a) form of music in which new elements are incorporated into traditional argentine tango; (b) evolution of argentine tango dance.
New tango music and dance are examples of constantly evolving forms of argentine tango. In time, the tango nuevo elements become incorrporated into the main body of tango and, inevitably, become traditional.
One of the recent examples of the tango nuevo music was the incorporation of jazz and classical music into tango music. The most important composer of this style was Ástor Piazzolla, who revolutionized tango by introducing new instruments (e.g. saxophone, electric guitar) and new forms of harmonic and melodic structures into the traditional tango ensemble.
Tango nuevo is danced to music which can be either traditional tango or more contemporary music such as Gotan Project, Tanghetto, or Narcotango.
New tango music and dance are examples of constantly evolving forms of argentine tango. In time, the tango nuevo elements become incorrporated into the main body of tango and, inevitably, become traditional.
One of the recent examples of the tango nuevo music was the incorporation of jazz and classical music into tango music. The most important composer of this style was Ástor Piazzolla, who revolutionized tango by introducing new instruments (e.g. saxophone, electric guitar) and new forms of harmonic and melodic structures into the traditional tango ensemble.
Tango nuevo is danced to music which can be either traditional tango or more contemporary music such as Gotan Project, Tanghetto, or Narcotango.
luni, 14 ianuarie 2008
A short history
Tango is a social dance and a musical genre that originated in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Montevideo, Uruguay and spreading to the rest of the world soon after that. The musical styles that evolved together with the dance are also known as tango.
Early tango was known as tango criollo, or simply tango. Today, there are many tango dance styles, including Argentine Tango, Uruguayan Tango, Ballroom tango (American and International styles), Finnish tango and vintage tangos. The "authentic" tango is closest to that originally danced in Argentina and Uruguay,
though other types of tango have developed into mature dances in their own right.
Music and dance elements of tango are popular in activities related to dancing, gymnastics, figure skating, synchronized swimming, etc., because of its dramatic feeling and its cultural associations with romance and love.
The dance originated from the mixture between the native population and European immigrants, especially Italian, French and Spanish. The origins of the word Tango are from the Niger Congo languages of Africa. The music derived from the fusion of various forms of music from Europe, Africa and the Americas. Jorge Luis Borges in "El idioma de los argentinos" writes:"Tango belongs to the Rio de la Plata and it is the son of Uruguayan milonga and grandson of the habanera. The word Tango seems to have first been used in connection with the dance in the 1890s. Initially it was just one of the many dances, but it soon became popular throughout society, as theatres and street barrel organs spread it from the suburbs to the working-class slums, which were packed with hundreds of thousands of European immigrants.
In the early years of the twentieth Paris, soon followed by London, Berlin and other capitals. Towards the end of 1913 it hit New York in the USA, and Finland. In the USA around 1911 the name "Tango" was often applied to dances in a 2/4 or 4/4 rhythm such as the one-step. The term was fashionable and did not indicate that tango steps would be used in the dance, although they might be. Tango music was sometimes played, but at a rather fast tempo. Instructors of the period would sometimes refer to this as a "North American Tango", versus the "Rio de la Plata Tango". By 1914 more authentic tango stylings were soon developed, along with some variations like Albert Newman's "Minuet" Tango.
In Argentina, the onset in 1929 of the Great Depression, and restrictions introduced after the overthrow of the Hipólito Yrigoyen government in 1930 caused Tango to decline. Its fortunes were reversed as tango again became widely fashionable and a matter of national pride under the government of Juan Perón. Tango declined again in the 1950s with economic depression and as the military dictatorships banned public gatherings, followed by the popularity of Rock and Roll. The dance lived on in smaller venues until its revival in the 1983's following the opening in Paris of the show Tango Argentino created by Claudio Segovia &Hector Orezzoli. This show made a revolution worldwide, and people everywhere started taking tango lessons.
In 1990, dancers Miguel Angel Zotto and Milena Plebs found the Tango X 2 Company , generating novel spectacles and that a great current of young people incline for the dance of the tango, unusual thing just then. They create a style that recovers the traditional tango of the milongas, renews it and places it as central element in its creations, doing an archeological search of the diverse styles of the tango. At the end of 1998 Milena Plebs dissociates herself of this company to initiate a road of personal investigation of diverse facets of tango dance.
Many shows toured around the world, such as Broadway Musicals Tango Argentino & Forever_Tango, Tango X 2, and Tango Pasion among others.
Early tango was known as tango criollo, or simply tango. Today, there are many tango dance styles, including Argentine Tango, Uruguayan Tango, Ballroom tango (American and International styles), Finnish tango and vintage tangos. The "authentic" tango is closest to that originally danced in Argentina and Uruguay,
though other types of tango have developed into mature dances in their own right.
Music and dance elements of tango are popular in activities related to dancing, gymnastics, figure skating, synchronized swimming, etc., because of its dramatic feeling and its cultural associations with romance and love.
The dance originated from the mixture between the native population and European immigrants, especially Italian, French and Spanish. The origins of the word Tango are from the Niger Congo languages of Africa. The music derived from the fusion of various forms of music from Europe, Africa and the Americas. Jorge Luis Borges in "El idioma de los argentinos" writes:"Tango belongs to the Rio de la Plata and it is the son of Uruguayan milonga and grandson of the habanera. The word Tango seems to have first been used in connection with the dance in the 1890s. Initially it was just one of the many dances, but it soon became popular throughout society, as theatres and street barrel organs spread it from the suburbs to the working-class slums, which were packed with hundreds of thousands of European immigrants.
In the early years of the twentieth Paris, soon followed by London, Berlin and other capitals. Towards the end of 1913 it hit New York in the USA, and Finland. In the USA around 1911 the name "Tango" was often applied to dances in a 2/4 or 4/4 rhythm such as the one-step. The term was fashionable and did not indicate that tango steps would be used in the dance, although they might be. Tango music was sometimes played, but at a rather fast tempo. Instructors of the period would sometimes refer to this as a "North American Tango", versus the "Rio de la Plata Tango". By 1914 more authentic tango stylings were soon developed, along with some variations like Albert Newman's "Minuet" Tango.
In Argentina, the onset in 1929 of the Great Depression, and restrictions introduced after the overthrow of the Hipólito Yrigoyen government in 1930 caused Tango to decline. Its fortunes were reversed as tango again became widely fashionable and a matter of national pride under the government of Juan Perón. Tango declined again in the 1950s with economic depression and as the military dictatorships banned public gatherings, followed by the popularity of Rock and Roll. The dance lived on in smaller venues until its revival in the 1983's following the opening in Paris of the show Tango Argentino created by Claudio Segovia &Hector Orezzoli. This show made a revolution worldwide, and people everywhere started taking tango lessons.
In 1990, dancers Miguel Angel Zotto and Milena Plebs found the Tango X 2 Company , generating novel spectacles and that a great current of young people incline for the dance of the tango, unusual thing just then. They create a style that recovers the traditional tango of the milongas, renews it and places it as central element in its creations, doing an archeological search of the diverse styles of the tango. At the end of 1998 Milena Plebs dissociates herself of this company to initiate a road of personal investigation of diverse facets of tango dance.
Many shows toured around the world, such as Broadway Musicals Tango Argentino & Forever_Tango, Tango X 2, and Tango Pasion among others.
Tango, no me dejes nunca (1998)
Director: Carlos Saura
Writer: Carlos Saura
Release Date: 12 February 1999 (USA)
Genre: Drama / Musical
Plot Outline:
Set in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the film tells the story of director Mario Suarez’s quest to make the ultimate tango film. Lonely after his wife (one of the film’s stars) has left him, Mario must find the themes that will hold the film together, while simultaneously permitting his musicians and dancers the freedom of expression that is necessary to satisfy the tango-hungry Argentine audience. Things become complicated when Mario falls in love with Elena, a beautiful and talented young dancer who is the girlfriend of the powerful and dangerous Angelo Larroca, an investor in the picture. And Mario’s creative vision is challenged by his investors when he plans a scene that recreates Argentina’s dark years of political suppression and “disappearances”. Written by Martin Lewison
Awards: Nominated for Oscar. Another 8 wins & 10 nominations
Cast
Miguel Ángel Solá … Mario Suárez
Cecilia Narova … Laura Fuentes
Mía Maestro … Elena Flores
Juan Carlos Copes … Carlos Nebbia
Carlos Rivarola … Ernesto Landi
Sandra Ballesteros … María Elman
Óscar Cardozo Ocampo … Daniel Stein
Enrique Pinti … Sergio Lieman
Julio Bocca … Julio Bocca
Juan Luis Galiardo … Angelo Larroca
Martín Seefeld … Andrés Castro
Ricardo Díaz Mourelle … Waldo Norman
Antonio Soares Junior … Bodyguard 1 / Dancer
Ariel Casas … Antonio
Carlos Thiel … Dr. Ramírez
Writer: Carlos Saura
Release Date: 12 February 1999 (USA)
Genre: Drama / Musical
Plot Outline:
Set in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the film tells the story of director Mario Suarez’s quest to make the ultimate tango film. Lonely after his wife (one of the film’s stars) has left him, Mario must find the themes that will hold the film together, while simultaneously permitting his musicians and dancers the freedom of expression that is necessary to satisfy the tango-hungry Argentine audience. Things become complicated when Mario falls in love with Elena, a beautiful and talented young dancer who is the girlfriend of the powerful and dangerous Angelo Larroca, an investor in the picture. And Mario’s creative vision is challenged by his investors when he plans a scene that recreates Argentina’s dark years of political suppression and “disappearances”. Written by Martin Lewison
Awards: Nominated for Oscar. Another 8 wins & 10 nominations
Cast
Miguel Ángel Solá … Mario Suárez
Cecilia Narova … Laura Fuentes
Mía Maestro … Elena Flores
Juan Carlos Copes … Carlos Nebbia
Carlos Rivarola … Ernesto Landi
Sandra Ballesteros … María Elman
Óscar Cardozo Ocampo … Daniel Stein
Enrique Pinti … Sergio Lieman
Julio Bocca … Julio Bocca
Juan Luis Galiardo … Angelo Larroca
Martín Seefeld … Andrés Castro
Ricardo Díaz Mourelle … Waldo Norman
Antonio Soares Junior … Bodyguard 1 / Dancer
Ariel Casas … Antonio
Carlos Thiel … Dr. Ramírez
Tango nuevo music: Tanghetto
Tanghetto is a musical group based in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and one of the most important on the neo tango scene.
The style of Tanghetto is a blend of tango and electronic music. Formed in 2001 by producer and songwriter Max Masri and arranger and instrumentalist Diego S. Velázquez, the band’s lineup includes bandoneon, violoncello, acoustic piano, acoustic guitar, electronic and acoustic drums, samplers, and synthesizers. The main feature of their music, apart from the balance of electronic and ethnic sounds, is the strong presence of melody and song structure.
The style of Tanghetto is a blend of tango and electronic music. Formed in 2001 by producer and songwriter Max Masri and arranger and instrumentalist Diego S. Velázquez, the band’s lineup includes bandoneon, violoncello, acoustic piano, acoustic guitar, electronic and acoustic drums, samplers, and synthesizers. The main feature of their music, apart from the balance of electronic and ethnic sounds, is the strong presence of melody and song structure.
Tango style
Tango consists of a variety of styles that developed in different regions and eras of Argentina and Uruguay.
Different styles of Tango are:
* Tango Argentino
* Tango Oriental (uruguayo)
* Tango Canyengue
* Tango Liso
* Tango Salon
* Tango Orillero
* Tango Milonguero (Tango Apilado)
* Tango Nuevo
* Show Tango (also known as Fantasia)
* Ballroom Tango
* Finnish Tango
These are danced to several types of music:
* Tango
* Vals (the tango version of waltz)
* Milonga (a related dance that usually has a faster tempo)
* Tango Electronico
* “Alternative Tango,” i.e. non-tango music appropriated for use in the dance
The “milonguero” style is characterized by a very close embrace, small steps, and syncopated rhythmic footwork. It is based on the petitero or caquero style of the crowded downtown clubs of the ’50s.
In contrast, the tango that originated in the family clubs of the suburban neighborhoods (Villa Urquiza/Devoto/Avellaneda etc.) emphasizes long elegant steps, and complex figures. In this case the embrace may be allowed to open briefly, to permit execution of the complicated footwork.
The complex figures of this style became the basis for a theatrical performance style of Tango seen in the touring stage shows. For stage purposes, the embrace is often very open, and the complex footwork is augmented with gymnastic lifts, kicks, and drops.
A newer style sometimes called Tango Nuevo has been popularized in recent years by a younger generation of dancers. The embrace is often quite open and very elastic, permitting the leader to lead a large variety of very complex figures. This style is often associated with those who enjoy dancing to jazz- and techno-tinged “alternative Tango” music, in addition to traditional Tango compositions.
Different styles of Tango are:
* Tango Argentino
* Tango Oriental (uruguayo)
* Tango Canyengue
* Tango Liso
* Tango Salon
* Tango Orillero
* Tango Milonguero (Tango Apilado)
* Tango Nuevo
* Show Tango (also known as Fantasia)
* Ballroom Tango
* Finnish Tango
These are danced to several types of music:
* Tango
* Vals (the tango version of waltz)
* Milonga (a related dance that usually has a faster tempo)
* Tango Electronico
* “Alternative Tango,” i.e. non-tango music appropriated for use in the dance
The “milonguero” style is characterized by a very close embrace, small steps, and syncopated rhythmic footwork. It is based on the petitero or caquero style of the crowded downtown clubs of the ’50s.
In contrast, the tango that originated in the family clubs of the suburban neighborhoods (Villa Urquiza/Devoto/Avellaneda etc.) emphasizes long elegant steps, and complex figures. In this case the embrace may be allowed to open briefly, to permit execution of the complicated footwork.
The complex figures of this style became the basis for a theatrical performance style of Tango seen in the touring stage shows. For stage purposes, the embrace is often very open, and the complex footwork is augmented with gymnastic lifts, kicks, and drops.
A newer style sometimes called Tango Nuevo has been popularized in recent years by a younger generation of dancers. The embrace is often quite open and very elastic, permitting the leader to lead a large variety of very complex figures. This style is often associated with those who enjoy dancing to jazz- and techno-tinged “alternative Tango” music, in addition to traditional Tango compositions.
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