Here my friend Tono talks about how tango was when he was a child, his first memories of dancing in club Independiente, in the 1950s and 1960s. He was interviewed by Monica Paz at PractiMilonguero, March 22, 2011. He also contrasts the tango of his generation with what he sees at the milongas today.

In those times there was an unequalled respect on the floor.... They didn't collide. You danced tango even to D'Arienzo on 40 centimeters and you didn't collide with anybody. It was very tranquil. Today they use the woman like a bumper car in the Parque Japonés. They're moving the woman like a clothes dryer. They're shaking her in all directions. When I'm dancing with a woman, I'm leading her as if she were a castle made of cards. When she is with me she is untouchable.

RE: throwing coins .... Later in the interview Tono talks about people throwing coins at the dancers who were showing off and dancing badly in an exhibition. As a cultural note, throwing coins at someone is an Argentine way to show disapproval. Tono talks about being a kid and picking up the coins, but it wasn't explained the significance of the coins. (My friend Maria remembers seeing an audience throw coins at Piazzolla. No wonder he went to Europe.)

Tono's Facebook Page has more of his comments and links to tango videos he likes.

Music World is a video travel show produced and edited by the Brooklyn documentarian Oresti Tsonopoulos on the subject of musician subcultures around the world.

Tsonopoulos has just released Episode 4 of a multi-segment series on the revival of tango music in Buenos Aires. He has filmed young musicians performing tango music in places around San Telmo. They refer to what they are doing as new tango, meaning that it is their generation's engagement with the old music. They don't actually seem to be creating new tango music, and the songs they play are classic tangos. But their tango "scene" is new, or at least, they feel that it is.

In episode four, the band leader of "China Cruel" speaks of the difficulties of making money with tango.

You could be the most popular tango group in town and still not be able to live off that. However, if you are the most popular rock band, things are great for you. You lived well, both many shows and tours.

If you are among the top 10 tango bands, nothing! At best with some luck, you won't have to pay out of your own pocket to record your album. It's a very small movement fighting an uphill battle. There's no market for Tango, except in tourism words very limited and doesn't have a new and unique projects. The tourism is like… They bring everyone in the van to the door of the “Tango for export” house and there they stay. Then they put them back on them and take them back to the hotel.

Music World Episodes on VIMEO.

• Music World - Ep 1 - La Rantifusa A group of musicians from Uruguay perform in San Telmo
• Music World - Ep 2 - Julieta Laso Interview and performances by singer Julieta Laso
• Music World - Ep 3 - Vieytes Tango A young tango trio performs in the film maker's San Telmo loft
• Music World - Ep 4 - China Cruel Interview with Verónica Bellini, the pianist in China Cruel, an all-woman tango orchestra, talking about the problems the new tango movement faces.

Music World Episodes on YouTube.

• Music World - Ep 1 - La Rantifusa A group of musicians from Uruguay perform in San Telmo
• Music World - Ep 2 - Julieta Laso Interview with and performances by young singer Julieta Laso
• Music World - Ep 3 - Vieytes Tango A young tango trio performs in the film maker's San Telmo loft
• Music World - Ep 4 - China Cruel Interview with Verónica Bellini, the pianist in China Cruel, an all-woman tango orchestra, talking about the problems the new tango movement faces.

Translation: Maria Celia Arias

In order to speak about embellishments, and to give support to all that comes along with them, it would be important to mention some of the origins of the essence and existence of Tango and it’s dance.

It is necessary to clarify that the word “dance” does not only refer to the practice of a technique. On the contrary, its more general use and meaning refers to all forms of dance. And this reference alludes to that which occurs naturally, primitively, remotely, that which is visceral and even animal like in the human experience. In this sense we are talking about an experience that comes from an earlier time historically, chronologically and ontologically than this concept of technique we speak of today.

If we understand the dance as a profoundly natural act, which is born from the human experience, then as we speak of popular and social dance (where perhaps the tango dance is our most intrinsic example) we immediately discard all that would seem redundant or obvious.

So then: What is the Tango? What we already know: a dance for two, a deep communication with the other, and with the music, and then we can even say we begin to “discover” this idea of dialog. The dialog between the dancing couple, the dialog with the music, the dialog that happens between the feet when they draw famous figures on the floor such as the “ochos” and so many others. We can even take this idea further, and mention the dialog that happens between the feet, the legs and the air, when drawing “boleos” with precision and fine clarity, creating and recreating the same, yet new shape, with each occurrence.

But, then what is the embellishment, which has also been called at times, the decoration or the dancer’s expressiveness? The embellishment consists of the precise expression of the essence of the tango. There is no purpose in embellishments stemming from mere technique alone, if one does not understand “what they really mean and stand for.” The legs of the dancers create and form a dancing couple as one. They embrace, they join, dialog together, they caress… and this all technically happens due to a game of rotation in their joints and articulations. But this game of rotation should not be understood as something cold and technical; on the contrary, it is something absolutely natural and as logical as any kind of language. The legs “express”, and are “expressive”, when they have and know the language; not merely because they move or know how to move.

· One being that embellishments are ‘moves that must be learned or copied from another’. In no way is this ever the case. The technical study and training is of utmost importance, but it is by far not enough. There are excellent dancers who perform embellishments with true emotion, but we also often times see, unfortunately, the mere repetition of movements or copies of those excellent dancers performed by others who did not understand the true essence of the movement. Generally, in these cases, the original dancer is excellent, and the copycats result as irrelevant, and sometimes even unpleasant or grotesque interpreters.

· Another myth is that which state that the embellishment belongs to the woman. In no case is this true. The embellishment is everything that the man or woman does without interfering in the mark of the dance, the steps, figures and sequences, and etc. This includes being able to stay in exact union with the music without producing any awkward pulls or tugs off rhythm. For this to happen, it is absolutely necessary to first know how to lead and follow, and to have a very well developed ear for the music. I always say to my students that they should only realize their partner was doing embellishments when they watch the video. This actually happened to a famous dancer who, when he watched the video of his performance he saw for the first time what his partner was doing, and then understood why she always received so many complements and comments.

· Still another myth is that for the woman to be able to add embellishments, the man needs to give her time. This may be the case when we are speaking about choreography, where these moments can be planned and elaborated in agreement between the partners, or even a third party. But in the improvised tango dance, the embellishments come from one’s intelligence, ability, the “Tanguerismo” of the woman, in the ability to decide whether it would be appropriate or not, and to know when and what type of embellishment is more appropriate for the current circumstance. Of course, if the dancer has little experience, it is not recommended that she try this in the milonga: that is what classes and practices are for.

The last myth I will mention is that of the ear and musicality, and that some dancers consider it enough just to be able to hear the rhythm. Other more advanced dancers speak about dancing the phrase. I must clarify again, that this is not enough; it is necessary to understand the melody and the particular expressivity of each musical piece, of each orchestras arrangement, of each version… and in this same vein, understand the musicality needed by the dancers is much more than rhythm, the compass, the down beats, the silent beats, the double-time beats, and all of those elements that are so often spoken about (and often times confused with one and the other). The musicality, which is required here, is the kind that can translate, create and recreate time and time again the sentiments, compositional structure, and the essence of the particular piece, which the couple has the said opportunity to dance and express.

Last but not least, it is necessary to mention that the embellishment is not limited to movement, and is not limited to the feet and the legs. It is true that this may be the most visible in many cases, but the embellishment exists in the whole body, in one’s attitude, in the silence, in the closing of the eyes, in the pauses, in the changes of speed and in the thousands of variables that can occur and need to be practiced technically, and methodically. The embellishments purpose is to definitively show the love and passion for the dance, that each individual and each couple is capable of feeling and expressing.

For now, I'll just lead off with this song that embodies him so well.

PS - Corrections are welcome about my translation of the lyrics, following the jump. ]]>

Mi bandoneón y yo
Música: Rubén Juárez
Letra: Julio Martín

My bandoneón and I
Music: Rubén Juárez
Lyrics: Julio Martín

A veces se me hace que nació conmigo
y durmió en mi cuna pegao a mis pies.
Que fue mi juguete y mi perro de pibe
y toda la infancia la corrí con él.

Que anduvimos juntos, atorro y milonga,
desde mi bohemia, cigarro y café.
Y a veces rodamos maneaos por el suelo
y nos levantamos con la misma fe.

Mi bandoneón y yo crecimos juntos,
emparentaos, tal vez, por la pobreza...
Muchas veces reímos de alegría
y otras veces, lloramos de tristeza.

Yo le hablo de hombre a fueye, mano a mano.
Lo mismo que si hablara con la vieja.
Y cuando él me responde, se me antoja
que Buenos Aires mismo me contesta.