TANGO VIDA

Farewell to Nicolas

2011-05-31T01:00:00.001-07:00

A special class at Ai, this sunday

2011-02-08T22:02:00.000-08:00

CRACKING THE MINDREADING GAME OF TANGO
Noora, Economist and Tango Teacher from Washington, DC will give a two-hour class on Sunday, 13 February, before the usual milonga at AI restaurant.

Tango is a bit like mindreading, remarked Noora when we spoke over skype to plan her class. Both the Leader and the Follower are constantly trying to figure out what their partner wants and how they, each in their role, can contribute to make the most of those three minutes together.

Noora promises to provide exercises which will have us explore the energy & tension that’s just right for tango to be smooth, enjoyable and fun. As a Leader you will get a better handle on how to convey your intention to your Follower with clarity without being pushy. As a Follower you will gain a better sense of what is means to wait long enough and when are you rushing, being too ”helpful” and second guessing your Leader.

As the emphasis is on connection and and communication this class will be useful for all levels of tango dancers.

You may like to check out some of the interesting tango activities that Noora has been involved in in Washington DC at the following link:
http://www.tangomercurio.org/elders.html

Venue
AI restaurant, MGF mall, Saket, 2nd floor. Tel: 98102 63567 or 98719 81357.

Time
Sunday, 13 February, 2011, 5-7 pm
Contribution
Rs 500
Sign up & Info
For questions, and to sign up, send an email or call.
Stina: +91-98105 21347

Thank you Stina !

Milonga at Ai

2011-01-25T00:54:00.000-08:00

Since now a couple of months, Ai restaurant (MGF Mall, Saket) is our new milonga venue.

We can dance it from 7pm to 9.30 on sunday night.

I think the community was never so large and it is a pleasure to meet there new people. The room is big enough to welcom us. The floor is not perfect (somtimes leaking) but quite good.

The only drwback are the salsa dancers that choose, strangely, the same place, same day to come. As they arrive, they slowly invade the dance floor and are speaking loudly to the point it is hard to hear the last cumparcita. From 9-9.15 we have to struggle to keep the music going on till 9.30. I'm sorry about that but it gives a bad feeling about salsa and those who dance it.

Anyway, the community is growing up (again) and start to build its identity.

Let's hope it is just a begining !

Special tango Night

2010-04-21T22:15:00.000-07:00

An evening dedicated to tango at Ai, Metropolitan mall, Saketh this saturday, 24th april

come with your best tango shoes... and friends

tango Vida information

2010-04-21T22:14:00.000-07:00

1 INTRODUCTION TO TANGO classes will be on at R136 Gk 1,first floor @ " The Dance Academy " every sunday in april /may/ june 4pm to 5 pm

2 "DELHI MILONGAS" are on regularly every monday at Urband Pind Gk1 N block mkt from 7.30 to 10 pm

for Tango Vida enquiries: Vishal 9810602366 / Madhu 9810043435
for Argentine Tango classes : Nikil 9868069329 / Ashish 9899994485

Workshop with Shahrukh Merchant

2010-03-08T21:08:00.000-08:00

Tangueros y Tangueras

We are happy to announce the next tango and milonga workshops later this week by Shahrukh Merchant of Buenos Aires on Tuesday March 9 & Thursday March 11, 2010. Shahrukh will also be here for Milonga on Saturday, March 13, 2010

Tuesday, March 9: WORKSHOPS IN TANGO

T1: 7:00-8:15 pm: Tango Fundamentals for ALL levels

T2: 8:30-9:45 pm: Milonguero-Style Tango Figures and Technique as danced in Buenos Aires

Location: R-136 Greater Kailash 1, New Delhi

Thursday, March 11: WORKSHOPS IN MILONGA

M1: 7:00-8:15 pm: Milonga Fundamentals for all levels including "Traspie" (syncopations)

M2: 8:30-9:45 pm: More Advanced Milonga figures with a focus on Traspie

Location: To be confirmed. Separate email will be sent shortly

Saturday, March 13: MILONGA (the party)

An evening of dancing, DJ Shahrukh Merchant

Location and Time: To be confirmed by separate email

Details of workshops

TANGO: All students regardless of prior experience should plan on attending the T1 Fundamentals class, as elements and vocabulary will be introduced there that will be used for both classes, and that you may not have been exposed to before if you have not been to Buenos Aires. Material will be appropriate for beginners but there will be enough supplemental material presented to keep intermediate or more experienced dancers challenged as well. The focus of the workshop will be traditional "milonguero-style" Tango as danced in Buenos Aires. Figures will be presented to illustrate the techniques, but the focus will be on connection, axis, navigation and proper execution technique.

MILONGA: This dance is the predecessor to Tango and almost 25% of songs played at a typical Tango event in Buenos Aires (also called a Milonga) will be Milongas, so it is essential that Tango dancers have at least a working knowledge of the Milonga. While some technique is shared between the Tango and Milonga, Milonga is NOT, as is sometimes supposed, simply Tango done faster, but has its own technique, figures and "feeling." A key element of classic Milonga is the traspie, or syncopations, which will be introduced in the first class (M1) and developed extensively in the second class (M2). As with the Tango workshops, it is imperative that all students attend M1 regardless of prior Milonga experience.

Prerequisites

T1: A previous introduction to basic Argentine Tango is recommended, or at least some experience in some other lead-follow partner dance.

T2: Attendance at T1, familiarity with salida, cruzada and ochos, and a minimum of 6 months of Tango dancing experience.

M1: No prior experience required, though previous partner dance experience would be helpful.

M2: Attendance at M1. Previous partner dance experience (Tango, Milonga or other) strongly recommended.

Contribution: Rs. 500 for each workshop

Partners

It is not necessary to sign up with a partner. There will be frequent partner changes throughout each workshop, more so if there is a gender imbalance. If you wish to dance primarily with a preferred or regular partner, we suggest that you change back to your preferred partner every other partner change (so you dance half the time with your preferred partner), but that you still respect each partner change announcement. Getting accustomed to different leading and following styles is an important part of Tango learning.

Dress / Shoes

Wear clothes comfortable for dancing--women in particular should make sure that their dress will not limit their movement, nor that of their partners. Men and women should wear leather-soled shoes that will not slip off their feet.

About the instructor

Shahrukh Merchant has been dancing Tango since 1995. In 1997 he founded the over 1000-member strong Tango Society of Boston (www.bostontango.org) and was a frequent visitor to Buenos Aires. He taught independently in the Boston area and elsewhere as well until 2004, when he began living full-time in Buenos Aires, and is well known in the Tango world there. As a result, his teaching emphasizes the traditional style of tango for the salons of Buenos Aires. He has partnered in exhibitions with various well-known Tango dancers, including Mariana Fresno, Mariana Dragone and Carino Losana of Buenos Aires, and Daniela Pucci of Brasil. While he no longer teaches on a regular basis owing to other commitments and priorities, he occasionally does special events and workshops upon request or when they coincide with his travels, such as his current trip to New Delhi.

Shahrukh is also the founder of the longest-running Tango discussion forum on the Internet (www.tango-L.com) and maintains the top-ranked on-line list of milongas in Buenos Aires (www.BuenosAiresMilongas.com).

2010-01-06T20:46:00.000-08:00

Tangueras y tangueros

thanks to Madhu, we will try a new tango place.

Our next milonga will take place at cafe Oz, 52 Khan market from 7 to 10 pm friday december 8th.

Be early to deal with parking and be numberous to come for the first milonga of 2010 !

tango week

2009-12-09T20:11:00.000-08:00

What a week !

after the workshop of friday and yhe usual sancho of tuesday, another workshop on wenesday !

This time, it was Massimo, who focused on balance, communication and show us some nice variation of ocho cortado (especially the tomata/gancho finish).

I liked the style of massimo, who emphasis on being confortable and doing something "simple" but well rather than many fancy thing badly.

I have learned some new step and now let's practice them !

A great thank also to Sandra for welcoming the workshop and the milonga.

It was really a great evening and in general a great week for tango in Delhi.

Next event would probably be a chrismas milonga...

Nicolas

Milonga improvisation

2009-12-09T19:59:00.000-08:00

Friday was also a tango day... wed had a workshop on a new restaurant : Amigo in GKII

Too bad for me, i was late. my other activities, as well as a good traffic jam, just allowed me to finish the workshop.

Ira and Rick proposed us some good exercise about balance and weight transfer. We finished with a saccada, one of my specialities...

The bas surprise was after : the staff from amigo told us we can not stay after 9pm, for a reason that i didn't catch, but i have my opinion about the TRUE reason...

We planned to move to our base, sancho, without being sure that it would be possible to find space, but i was suggesteing to use my place instead, were space is guarantee and perhaps we will find a little something to eat and drink.

It was really fun to move everything from the living room to create a dance floor. Juste in 5 minutes, we had space, music and some drinks. Pizza arrived 30 minutes after.

This is the tango spirit : milonga, improvisation... and fun

About the photo : clearly the most popular person (and the most hungry also...) of the milonga

Workshop + milonga on friday december 4th at GK II

2009-12-03T00:29:00.000-08:00

Tangeras y Tangueros

There is an evening of Tango on friday 4th December at Resturant Omigos in GK II. 7.30pm onwards.

There will be a workshop by Rick and Eira 7.30 to 9pm. Followed by dancing till as long as you can go on!!

Price for the workshop is Rs600 per person.

As always please carry your music, shoes and your Tango spirit!!

Address of Resturant Omigos

No3 local shopping centre, masjid moth GKII

near JMD Kohinoor shopping Mall

same compound as Smoke House grill and china Garden

new teatchers

2009-12-03T00:18:00.000-08:00

Last tuesday, we were welcoming Rick and Eira (US and Argentina) that are staying for a few month.

They made to a us a nice demonstration (photos can be seen here)

Eira and Rick can gives private lesson on request (contact references will follow)

On the occasion, Sanchos, was almost full of tangueras and tangueros to see them and to dance of course ! it was really a pleasure to see so much people. A great thanks to Madhu for organizing that event, to Saket for the laptop and to the sancho team for clearing us the space.

Nicolas

elegance vs passion

2009-10-20T01:27:00.000-07:00

Last week i was sick. Well, no more sick but recovering from a bad week end with fever and everything.

As tuesday come, i was very happy to go back dancing, but suddenly i realized that going to dance was meaning spreading my disease to everyone, especially the ladies i will dance with. Is it acceptable ? it is not.

Of course i was really willing to dance but, it won't have been elegant and elegance is one major point of the tango.

So, a little bit disapointed, i stayed at home, listing for tango, alone, on my laptop

2009-10-12T05:16:00.000-07:00

instead of sancho, the milonga was taking place at Ina's place.

a nice house, a big dance floor, some good musics, some delicious snacks, and a so welcoming host... thank you Ina !

Sancho is booked

2009-09-29T01:04:00.000-07:00

There will be no milomga at sancho this tuesday because the restaurant is booked by someone for a big party.

Of course our milonga will come back next tuesday, same place, same time !

2009-09-25T01:01:00.001-07:00

Every tuesday from 7:30 pm to 10 pm (or more) come to Sancho's (E 3, 3rd Floor South extention II New Delhi) to dance tango. It's free, friendly, with cosmopolitan crowd.

Welcome to all !

return to Delhi

2009-09-25T00:37:00.000-07:00

After some too long hollydays, i came back in Delhi on september 1th

I took me two weeks to come back and dance, mainly because the heat and the work took me too much energy for dancing.

Thanks to Madhu, Vishal, Sylvie & Claude, Ina and all the tango vida dancers, the sancho milomga was kept active during the summer (although the forget the tanda ;) )

After almost nine week without dancing, i was a little bit stressful , but after one or two tango to get back the music (sorry for the tanguera who were unlucky enough to dance with me too early) i finaly find the compass and could play again with the music.

Since that time, we had two milonga and one party. So tango is back. Last time we were about twelve, but eight man for four women, a situation very close from the tango root on the 19th century in Buenos Aires. So Me, Claude, Vishal, Ina and Saket, we had worked a little bit together while waiting for a free not tired tanguera. It is hard for us because none of us (except perhaps Claude and Saket) are good follower but we have tried to practice a nice step, brought by Ina from London. It was a nice variation of hiro where the woman make a full pivot to chase with her back legs the leg of the man, who is doing the same just the step after. We know how it is suppose to look like, but we have still to find the way to lead it...

So now the school year is starting back (at least for us, french people) i take the resolution to learn one or two more step properly, especially milonga one because i practice only few of them...

See you next tuesday !

Nicolas

last tuesday milonga

2009-06-17T05:55:00.000-07:00

contrary to the last week, i was on time. but we were just two (hopefully, the other was a women...) After instaling the music, we had a small chat and then we danced. Appart from the multiple barrida we tried, we practiced a step i was searching since two three weeks. It is a combinaison of two voleo (from a mirror position) then two step to go back to a mirror position. As Vishal, Emily and Sophie arrived, we really started the milonga.

There was no really tuesday step, but a lot of fun arround milonga and electro tango. classical tango had also their time, as i used some slow tango from Claude's CD.

Ina arrived a little bit later and Nova and Saket have made a short apparition so at the edge of the evening we were 4 couples, which is not bad, but at the end, we finished only at three, with Ina and Sophie, who seems to be happy to have two men just for her... As i told you, women, you are very welcomed because we have plenty of men !

last milonga report

2009-06-10T00:36:00.000-07:00

As usual, i was at the tuesday milonga at sancho, as unusual, i was late, 8 pm instead of 7-7:30

There was few dancers (3 to 4 couples at the edge of the milonga) but we had good time together. Emily, two ladies (i should remember to ask their names...), Saket,Vishal, Ina, Sandeep and me.
Yes, it's 3 ladies for 5 men, a ratio you can only find in Delhi ! (so ladis, feel free to come, we have lenty of men !)

After few moments of dance, we started for the "tuesday step". This time i was teaching the saccada inside hiro and the salida 40.

Then we danced again. I had a very playful salida with one of the ladies from whom i don't know the name. We pushed very far the art of barrida.

I enjoyed also the milonga, especially those from ostros aires with Emily.

People seems to enjoy the music and there was even a bis repetita for "Oblivion" (from Astor Piazzola) after the three "Cumparcita"

Next tuesday, the tuesday steps will be about milonga, so dancer, be numberous if you want to catch one or two secrets of this joyful cousin of tango !

Name

2009-06-02T03:18:00.000-07:00

Dear tangueras and tangueros, i am pleased to announce the winner of our community vote :

Tango vida

The blog will now be known by this name.

Many thanks to all participants and viva el tango vida !!!

Nicolas

Milonga at sanchos may 12th

2009-05-21T03:14:00.000-07:00

A very nice milonga with a lot of people and, good surprise, an even number of leaders and followers. a small photo of the first arrived. infortunatly, we were too busy to dance to take another one with everybody...

Milonga in tapas

2009-05-21T03:10:00.000-07:00

Now, as well as sanchos on tuesday, tango dancers may also find a dance floor on saturday at tapas :

SATURDAY, 7.30pm to around 9.30pm
At Tapas (Vasant Continental)
Free

Be on time because at 9.30 pm, salsa dancers are coming !

Tango classes in Delhi

2009-05-21T02:51:00.000-07:00

People are sometimes asking "how to learn tango" i think the best answer is "with a teacher" !

I am here for almost one year but i have only heard of one classes : delhitango, organized by Stina Almroth. Her website

She have proposed two classes, one in Delhi :

CLASSES
MONDAY (May: 11, 18, 25; June 1)
7-8pm
At Sancho’s (South Extension II, E-3, 3rd fl, same building as the Lacoste store)

and one in Gurgaon

CLASSES
MONDAY, 2-3 pm
THURSDAY, 5-6 pm
At Elemention gym, Cyber City, Infinity Tower C.

as well as practicas :

PRACTICAS
MONDAY (May: 11, 18, 25; June 1)
8-10pm
At Sancho’s (South Extension II, E-3, 3rd fl, same building as the Lacoste store)

all details can be found here

i'll update this post when i'll heard informations about learning tango in Delhi.

Nicolas

splicing the tangos in a milonga : tanda

2009-05-13T03:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday i was in charge of the music. As usualy, my programmation was made of tandas, cutted by cortinas but i had the feeling that some dancers doesn't like, or understand, this concept so i'll try to explain it.
the rules (as far as i know, it the way that milonga in Buenos Aires works):
- a run of 2 to 4 tango (usualy 3)
- of the same type (milonga, tango or waltz) and the same compositor
- between two cortinas (short break of somthing which has nothing to do with tango)

explanation :

why tanda ? because there is a lot of kind of tango and you must be in the mood to dance them, so you need to immerse slowly. You have to listen to the music, which not so easy, especially when it is a compositor you don't know so well, so three tango is not to much; You have also to adapt yourself to your partner (even for leaders) here again, three is not to much.

why cortinas between ? because by entering in a tanda, you are entering in the world of a compositor or a style and between two worlds, you need a break. More basically, it is good to change partner, especialy when the ration leader/follower is not even so cortina is the time for that. And last but not the least, sometimes you need to refresh and to pause and you don't want to miss the next tanda, so a break is welcome !

I feel that tanda and cortina are very important for enjoying the tango, this is my personal feeling about that :

first tango : When a tanda starts and (hopefully) i have fund a partner to dance it, i'm starting from the begining. Even if i know my partner and the music well, i try to rediscover them in a new way. So when the first tango of the tanda start i'm listening to the music, to be absorbed by the music and so fit it perfectly. Then we start the first step. Very often i start with very simple step (walk, salida, back ocho) just to feel my partner, how she react, on which step she is confortable, and which are pitfall for her (us). This is especialy important when i dance with someone for the first time, but it is also good when someone i know because the mood, the music and a lot of thing can change the way we dance. The first tango is used in the way : connecting together and with the music.

second tango : now we know each other well, we know the music (assuming the style is not changing suddenly) so it time to try something more audacious ! my second tango is dedicated to strenghten the link between us (and the music) and to try something, more complicating step, step i have to improve ... also it's time for her, if she wish so, to try fioriture and other embellishment of the dance. because during the first tango we have build a mutual trust, we can try some things. Of course we also take pleasure of dancing, it is not pleasant to thread step from step without pauses and this second tango is also a time for listening de music and playing game with it.

third tango : the best one. After trying so step we are now aware of what is pleasant, what we can do together and, above all, what kind of music we are dancing on. It is time to dance the best tango ever danced ! This tango is the true one, when we (me, my partner and the music) are playing together and doing something really nice. A show for the other (who would honnestly said that it is not pleasant to be look at while dancing ??) but, most of all, a time of perfect harmony for us. Here i do not try so much complex step, i rather prefere to dance those who works well and fit with the music, be they impresive or very simple. If i feel that my partner like them, then we'll dance them. This dance is also an "au revoir" because it is often the last of the tanda, so i give here all my heart and my soul for having a good time with my partner... until the music stop.

cortina : it is time to leave ! we had (hopefully) good time together, perhaps feelings that only belong to us for this short time, we land from our above-the-sky trip and thanks each other. She was mine, and i was hers, for almost 15 minutes. Now it is time to change (and make dance those who are waiting) and to find another partner, with who to share as great moment on another music.

As conclusion, i want only said, that, for me, tanda are entire part of the tango and i feel, i'm dancing much better when there is tanda. Tanda have a social role, to change partner, but most of all, tandas are the way to be really IN the music and WITH the partner, this is why i need them.

Nicolas

Community name

2009-05-04T22:37:00.000-07:00

As our community is growing, it's time for us to choose a name. Some propositions have been made but you can send me yours. In a 3 days, i will start a vote. I encourage you to participate.

the names that were kept for now are :

tango vida (tango life)
libertango
tango amigo
tango vinculo (tango connection)

but new propositions are welcome !

2009-03-27T00:07:00.000-07:00

Every tuesday from 7 pm to 10 pm (or more) come to Sancho's (E 3, 3rd Floor South extention II New Delhi) to dance tango. It's free, friendly, with cosmopolitan crowd.

Welcome to all !

2009-03-26T00:22:00.000-07:00

And here is Bernard; our beloved Tanguero who is the first of a long list of people leaving to another part of this wide world... We will miss you Bernard!

2009-03-25T23:54:00.000-07:00

once again it was a nice milonga. The first arrived around 7 pm but most tangueras and tangueros arrived at 8.

The first dancers can be lucky enought to have the danse floor almost empty, but at 8, one must be careful not to crush the feet of others.

Cornelia provided the music, which was composed of classical tangos, some waltz (including the wonderful "Desde del alma" !) and milonga. We have faced some sound, and CD change problem. It would be so more confortable to have our own sound system upstair. I have try to bring my laptop with speakers but they didn't give us satisfaction. If someone do know a solution, we'd be happy to know it.

The men/Women ration was quite fair (but always a little less men, tangueros, don't hesitate to come !) so everyone enjoyed.

The last dancers were living the dance floor around 10.

See you on the next milonga !

2009-03-23T23:43:00.000-07:00

TIM and MALOU in Delhi on 28 March Ganchos: Creative Leg Wraps Dynamic Turns & Molinete Variations or How to dance Big in Small spaces
Tim and Malou, based in Mumbai, will be visiting Delhi at the end of March and will be giving an exciting workshop for anyone with a soft spot for outward drama:
Ganchos and creative legwraps this time. They will also address the challenge of creating and maintaining inward drama when the space is small (as at Sancho’s for example!). This will be about dynamic turns and molinete variations.

The 2-hour class will be at Nova’s house on Saturday, 28 March, 6-8 pm. After the class, we will continue with a Milonga at the same place. In other words we will have a Saturday instead of a Sunday Milonga.

Because the class is being held at Nova’s place (Norwegian Embassy) YOU MUST SIGN UP AHEAD OF TIME.

Time
Saturday, 28 March, 2009, 6-8 pm

Venue
Nova’s place at Norwegian Embassy

Contribution
Rs 800 /individual; Rs. 1500 / couple

SIGN UP - necessary

TANGO VIDA

Farewell to Nicolas

A special class at Ai, this sunday

ContributionRs 500

Milonga at Ai

Special tango Night

tango Vida information

Workshop with Shahrukh Merchant

tango week

Milonga improvisation

Workshop + milonga on friday december 4th at GK II

new teatchers

elegance vs passion

Sancho is booked

return to Delhi

last tuesday milonga

last milonga report

Name

Milonga at sanchos may 12th

Milonga in tapas

Tango classes in Delhi

splicing the tangos in a milonga : tanda

Community name

Contribution
Rs 500