Just a moment

I went to the Negracha Tango Club last night. La Negracha is maybe one of the best milongas in London and the reason for that is the music: una milonga eclectica. The treat for us this Friday was Aureliano Tango Club playing live. I really loved the voice of Aureliano Marin with power and honesty and I liked the inventiveness of the arrangements. Their music was somewhat let down by the sound system which simply could not cope. My favourite song was the heartfelt Pasional, classic choice you may say but the words have always resonated with me. They eventually managed to get us dancing after the unavoidable questioning looks of "who will go first?" running around this London audience. There is such a different energy on a dancefloor when the music is there live with you: it bounces and reflects from the musician to the dancers and back.

Check the video below I found and tell me what you think of Aureliano Tango Club. I think they have something special and I want to see these guys again.

The addictive character of tango has been long described and documented. The absence of tango is easier to bear thanks to the web. Read, watch and listen: I can't wait to dance again!

So let me share with you a beautiful dance from Igor Polk and Teressa. Igor happens to write one of the best tango blog in my opinion and is definitely my inspiration for writing myself. Let's hope I will do justice to the wonderful words he has been sharing with us for years... In the meantime, get inspired: http://www.virtuar.com/tango/tango_weblog.htm

Now let's dance! I have always been slightly apprehensive of milongas: the speed, the elegance and the musicality seemed so hard to master at first. It's all about joy: joy to be here, joy to share, joy of the music too even if it is interlaced more often than not with melancholy. Watching Igor and Teressa there is a beautiful energy flowing through and true complicity. I like the supple rigidity and tension sometimes seen in the embrace. I love the simplicity of the little steps around the 50sec mark. Tiny little sliding drawers full of violins. Typical milonga steps so useful to get you out of a tight spot surrounded by swirling couples and snappy ganchos.

What is your dearest milonga step? Inspired by this post?

In the heart of the City, London tangueros share a pleasant evening in a week of grey...

I was feeling exhausted before even getting there, the wind blowing me off my bike. I catch my breath catching up with Carole, walking around the tent of Spitalfields market where the action takes place. Concentric circles of passer's by, tangueros sentados, parejas bailandos, and in the middle bags and belongings.

We managed a few lovely dances. I feel so rusty and cumbersome. But then again I am way too perfectionist: I just wish my body could follow my thoughts. I am guessing quite a few tangueros feel that way too when they come back to the dance after a lapse of time without tango.

We glide through a couple of slower tangos: when the connection is strong, the body is forgotten. My favourite moment of the evening is a few suggestions she makes when I trap myself within the swirling couples around us and loose the plot. It is so delightful to be asked silently about a surprising option that was not even close to your thought stream. Dance is dialog. What do you think?

Apologies for the quality of the photos but I hope they managed to inspire ever so slightly...

If you want to know more or join in, check out: http://www.new.facebook.com/event.php?eid=24586388890. There is such a lovely vibe about the whole thing, full credit to Hannes, Mark, Hiba, Rene, Alan & Laura. Merci!

Weird title for a post with a video, right?
Well I tell you what, these guys playing their guts out in the video, mashing up some incredibly flavoursome jazz, are best seen on stage. I will not attempt to foolishly qualify or classify their sound: go check out this crazy band from the land of the rising sun, "Soil & Pimp Sessions".

Liked it? You want more?

Fingers and toes, nothing to shake, simply looking for cool and invention...

http://tinyurl.com/6q98yf

My first post on posterous!

Following the footsteps of my family...