The tango classes this weekend were another triumph of the indefatigable Katya's organisational skills. I took pictures on Saturday and will put them up.
I thought Jung at the last salsa workshop was a slightly better teacher, but I enjoyed the tango much more, because I like tango music very much. The lyrics remind me of Urdu ghazals, with their stylised laments over the unavailable or unattainable beloved.
So is the tango just different foot movements to a different time? I think the differences between the two dances go much deeper than that. To oversimplify furiously, tango music is lyrical, cerebral, reflective, and serious where salsa music is light, mindless and frothy (nothing wrong with that). The dancing attitude is also very different and the man's part in the tango seems more, well, masculine.
Just for kicks and because I was reading it on planet-tango.com, here's a sample of some well-known tango lyrics that reminded me of the spirit of an equally famous Urdu couplet. Alfredo Lepera meets Mirza ghalib:
"guardo escondida una esperanza humilde
que es toda la fortuna de mi corazon.
Vivir... con el alma aferrada
a un dulce recuerdo
que lloro otra vez..."
[I keep concealed a humble hope
that is my heart's whole fortune.
To live... with the soul clutched
to a sweet memory
that I cry once again]
"Ji dhundta hai phir wahi fursat ke rat din
baithe rahen tasawur-e-janan kiye hue."
[I seek again those days and nights of happiness
Seated, with the image of my beloved in my mind]
Anyway, I enjoyed dancing the tango - even if it wasn't as enjoyable for the people I stepped on. The nonsmoking night at MAD on Saturday evening that some people went to afterwards was also great.
Highlights:
1. The tango instructress urging us to "inspire" (ie. inhale) and also to "expire" (fortunately nobody did)
2. Katya warning us on Sunday not to steal money (on Saturday someone had money stolen from a purse).
3. People desperately phoning Katya's dead mobile on Saturday night, trying to figure out how to get to the MAD .
4. Guys telling the MAD door guard that "we are with Katya" to be able to get in.
5. Some very acrobatic and energetic jive / rock demonstrations at the MAD. (Will that be the next dance workshop, Katya?)
Rohan
Global Forums > Reviews of Member Activities > Tango workshop and nonsmoking MAD party
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Tango workshop and nonsmoking MAD party
Dec 5, 2005 @ 14:48
The text you are quoting:
The tango classes this weekend were another triumph of the indefatigable Katya's organisational skills. I took pictures on Saturday and will put them up.
I thought Jung at the last salsa workshop was a slightly better teacher, but I enjoyed the tango much more, because I like tango music very much. The lyrics remind me of Urdu ghazals, with their stylised laments over the unavailable or unattainable beloved.
So is the tango just different foot movements to a different time? I think the differences between the two dances go much deeper than that. To oversimplify furiously, tango music is lyrical, cerebral, reflective, and serious where salsa music is light, mindless and frothy (nothing wrong with that). The dancing attitude is also very different and the man's part in the tango seems more, well, masculine.
Just for kicks and because I was reading it on planet-tango.com, here's a sample of some well-known tango lyrics that reminded me of the spirit of an equally famous Urdu couplet. Alfredo Lepera meets Mirza ghalib:
"guardo escondida una esperanza humilde
que es toda la fortuna de mi corazon.
Vivir... con el alma aferrada
a un dulce recuerdo
que lloro otra vez..."
[I keep concealed a humble hope
that is my heart's whole fortune.
To live... with the soul clutched
to a sweet memory
that I cry once again]
"Ji dhundta hai phir wahi fursat ke rat din
baithe rahen tasawur-e-janan kiye hue."
[I seek again those days and nights of happiness
Seated, with the image of my beloved in my mind]
Anyway, I enjoyed dancing the tango - even if it wasn't as enjoyable for the people I stepped on. The nonsmoking night at MAD on Saturday evening that some people went to afterwards was also great.
Highlights:
1. The tango instructress urging us to "inspire" (ie. inhale) and also to "expire" (fortunately nobody did)
2. Katya warning us on Sunday not to steal money (on Saturday someone had money stolen from a purse).
3. People desperately phoning Katya's dead mobile on Saturday night, trying to figure out how to get to the MAD .
4. Guys telling the MAD door guard that "we are with Katya" to be able to get in.
5. Some very acrobatic and energetic jive / rock demonstrations at the MAD. (Will that be the next dance workshop, Katya?)
Rohan
RohanDec 5, 2005 @ 14:48
I thought Jung at the last salsa workshop was a slightly better teacher, but I enjoyed the tango much more, because I like tango music very much. The lyrics remind me of Urdu ghazals, with their stylised laments over the unavailable or unattainable beloved.
So is the tango just different foot movements to a different time? I think the differences between the two dances go much deeper than that. To oversimplify furiously, tango music is lyrical, cerebral, reflective, and serious where salsa music is light, mindless and frothy (nothing wrong with that). The dancing attitude is also very different and the man's part in the tango seems more, well, masculine.
Just for kicks and because I was reading it on planet-tango.com, here's a sample of some well-known tango lyrics that reminded me of the spirit of an equally famous Urdu couplet. Alfredo Lepera meets Mirza ghalib:
"guardo escondida una esperanza humilde
que es toda la fortuna de mi corazon.
Vivir... con el alma aferrada
a un dulce recuerdo
que lloro otra vez..."
[I keep concealed a humble hope
that is my heart's whole fortune.
To live... with the soul clutched
to a sweet memory
that I cry once again]
"Ji dhundta hai phir wahi fursat ke rat din
baithe rahen tasawur-e-janan kiye hue."
[I seek again those days and nights of happiness
Seated, with the image of my beloved in my mind]
Anyway, I enjoyed dancing the tango - even if it wasn't as enjoyable for the people I stepped on. The nonsmoking night at MAD on Saturday evening that some people went to afterwards was also great.
Highlights:
1. The tango instructress urging us to "inspire" (ie. inhale) and also to "expire" (fortunately nobody did)
2. Katya warning us on Sunday not to steal money (on Saturday someone had money stolen from a purse).
3. People desperately phoning Katya's dead mobile on Saturday night, trying to figure out how to get to the MAD .
4. Guys telling the MAD door guard that "we are with Katya" to be able to get in.
5. Some very acrobatic and energetic jive / rock demonstrations at the MAD. (Will that be the next dance workshop, Katya?)
Rohan
RohanDec 5, 2005 @ 14:48
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Re: Tango workshop and nonsmoking MAD party
Post 1
Dec 5, 2005 @ 18:16
please ;-)))
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Re: Tango workshop and nonsmoking MAD party
Post 2
Dec 5, 2005 @ 21:32
Rohan. I fully agree with u on what u said on tango and want to add that it seems like more classy if u imagine ur self in a (tuxido) and in a ball room.
I also couldnt understand the respiration system to follow.
Its a pitty when u think that someone did take money. It gives a sence of insecurity although we were all there to enjoy these hours.
As for the Salsa, i would like to add that although it is salsa with all its lively movments, yet when u attend twice like me with two different tutors, one tend to understand that while dancing it, u could have ur own style which could be as manly as the tango.Adel
Another deserved BRAVO for Katya.
I also couldnt understand the respiration system to follow.
Its a pitty when u think that someone did take money. It gives a sence of insecurity although we were all there to enjoy these hours.
As for the Salsa, i would like to add that although it is salsa with all its lively movments, yet when u attend twice like me with two different tutors, one tend to understand that while dancing it, u could have ur own style which could be as manly as the tango.Adel
Another deserved BRAVO for Katya.
The text you are quoting:
Rohan. I fully agree with u on what u said on tango and want to add that it seems like more classy if u imagine ur self in a (tuxido) and in a ball room.
I also couldnt understand the respiration system to follow.
Its a pitty when u think that someone did take money. It gives a sence of insecurity although we were all there to enjoy these hours.
As for the Salsa, i would like to add that although it is salsa with all its lively movments, yet when u attend twice like me with two different tutors, one tend to understand that while dancing it, u could have ur own style which could be as manly as the tango.Adel
Another deserved BRAVO for Katya.
adel, Dec 5, 2005 @ 21:32
I also couldnt understand the respiration system to follow.
Its a pitty when u think that someone did take money. It gives a sence of insecurity although we were all there to enjoy these hours.
As for the Salsa, i would like to add that although it is salsa with all its lively movments, yet when u attend twice like me with two different tutors, one tend to understand that while dancing it, u could have ur own style which could be as manly as the tango.Adel
Another deserved BRAVO for Katya.
adel, Dec 5, 2005 @ 21:32
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Re: Tango workshop and nonsmoking MAD party
Post 3
Dec 5, 2005 @ 22:04
Thank you Rohan and Adel (and everyone else who joined us this weekend!)
You guys are so right about the difference between salsa and tango... Even though I have always considered myself a natural born salsera (with my "easy goingness" and crazy personality, readiness to have fun and insistence on managing to do my own thing even if I am being led... but tango has a totally different energy.. here - the girl is entirely in the power of the man.. even though all of us were total beginners, I could feel this power coming from our guy participants.. even after 3 hours of a workshop. And the guys seemed to have discovered it too... with their backs straight, shoulders down, proud serious looks on their faces, and holding the girls tightly, never letting them go. :-)
It was amazing to see how you guys progressed in just 2 days.. and it was also very moving. When Fethi asked you to show your "homework" on Sunday, and the bravest of you got on the dance floor and did a whole routine flawlessly, I was speechless. :-) And I felt honored to be able to dance with many of you and feel you strong hand on my back leading me into the Ochos. :-)
It has been a great pleasure to have met so many of you through these workshops, and thank you guys for being such a great team – so motivated, so fun, so easy going, so eager to try things.. some of you have told me that joining the salsa group (and now the tango group, I hope) have really changed your social life in Geneva – to tell you the truth, it changed mine too, despite the fact that I've been here for nearly 5 years.. Meeting you all has been great fun and I really do hope to see many of you soon on the dance floor. :-)
As Rohan has mentioned, a big downturn of the weekend was the fact that one of the girls' money was stolen from her purse during class... it is very painful for me to think that one of our members could do it... somehow I have always believed that Sindy people are far from doing such a thing.. this whole community is based on trust and openness, and by joining it we are making a big step towards trusting and being open to a thousand new potential friends.. And nothing can be as harmful to this community as the barrier of suspicion that events like this could create...
But back to happier things... Big welcome to the newest GOL and Sindy Dance members – Sidekick, Little_Eva and Nuoto! And it was great to see all the returning salsa stars who wanted to try another spicy dance – Gabry, Tee_Cee, Rena, American Girl, Nath81, Wee_Lass, DD23, Tina_L, VioletMoon, Adel, Sezegnin, Kobalt, Athos, Cyrille76 and DavidRicardo! You guys rock!!!! So keep inspiring and expiring :-) and see you all soon on the dance floor! And many many thanks for being my friends!!!
Your Lovely
You guys are so right about the difference between salsa and tango... Even though I have always considered myself a natural born salsera (with my "easy goingness" and crazy personality, readiness to have fun and insistence on managing to do my own thing even if I am being led... but tango has a totally different energy.. here - the girl is entirely in the power of the man.. even though all of us were total beginners, I could feel this power coming from our guy participants.. even after 3 hours of a workshop. And the guys seemed to have discovered it too... with their backs straight, shoulders down, proud serious looks on their faces, and holding the girls tightly, never letting them go. :-)
It was amazing to see how you guys progressed in just 2 days.. and it was also very moving. When Fethi asked you to show your "homework" on Sunday, and the bravest of you got on the dance floor and did a whole routine flawlessly, I was speechless. :-) And I felt honored to be able to dance with many of you and feel you strong hand on my back leading me into the Ochos. :-)
It has been a great pleasure to have met so many of you through these workshops, and thank you guys for being such a great team – so motivated, so fun, so easy going, so eager to try things.. some of you have told me that joining the salsa group (and now the tango group, I hope) have really changed your social life in Geneva – to tell you the truth, it changed mine too, despite the fact that I've been here for nearly 5 years.. Meeting you all has been great fun and I really do hope to see many of you soon on the dance floor. :-)
As Rohan has mentioned, a big downturn of the weekend was the fact that one of the girls' money was stolen from her purse during class... it is very painful for me to think that one of our members could do it... somehow I have always believed that Sindy people are far from doing such a thing.. this whole community is based on trust and openness, and by joining it we are making a big step towards trusting and being open to a thousand new potential friends.. And nothing can be as harmful to this community as the barrier of suspicion that events like this could create...
But back to happier things... Big welcome to the newest GOL and Sindy Dance members – Sidekick, Little_Eva and Nuoto! And it was great to see all the returning salsa stars who wanted to try another spicy dance – Gabry, Tee_Cee, Rena, American Girl, Nath81, Wee_Lass, DD23, Tina_L, VioletMoon, Adel, Sezegnin, Kobalt, Athos, Cyrille76 and DavidRicardo! You guys rock!!!! So keep inspiring and expiring :-) and see you all soon on the dance floor! And many many thanks for being my friends!!!
Your Lovely
The text you are quoting:
Thank you Rohan and Adel (and everyone else who joined us this weekend!)
You guys are so right about the difference between salsa and tango... Even though I have always considered myself a natural born salsera (with my "easy goingness" and crazy personality, readiness to have fun and insistence on managing to do my own thing even if I am being led... but tango has a totally different energy.. here - the girl is entirely in the power of the man.. even though all of us were total beginners, I could feel this power coming from our guy participants.. even after 3 hours of a workshop. And the guys seemed to have discovered it too... with their backs straight, shoulders down, proud serious looks on their faces, and holding the girls tightly, never letting them go. :-)
It was amazing to see how you guys progressed in just 2 days.. and it was also very moving. When Fethi asked you to show your "homework" on Sunday, and the bravest of you got on the dance floor and did a whole routine flawlessly, I was speechless. :-) And I felt honored to be able to dance with many of you and feel you strong hand on my back leading me into the Ochos. :-)
It has been a great pleasure to have met so many of you through these workshops, and thank you guys for being such a great team – so motivated, so fun, so easy going, so eager to try things.. some of you have told me that joining the salsa group (and now the tango group, I hope) have really changed your social life in Geneva – to tell you the truth, it changed mine too, despite the fact that I've been here for nearly 5 years.. Meeting you all has been great fun and I really do hope to see many of you soon on the dance floor. :-)
As Rohan has mentioned, a big downturn of the weekend was the fact that one of the girls' money was stolen from her purse during class... it is very painful for me to think that one of our members could do it... somehow I have always believed that Sindy people are far from doing such a thing.. this whole community is based on trust and openness, and by joining it we are making a big step towards trusting and being open to a thousand new potential friends.. And nothing can be as harmful to this community as the barrier of suspicion that events like this could create...
But back to happier things... Big welcome to the newest GOL and Sindy Dance members – Sidekick, Little_Eva and Nuoto! And it was great to see all the returning salsa stars who wanted to try another spicy dance – Gabry, Tee_Cee, Rena, American Girl, Nath81, Wee_Lass, DD23, Tina_L, VioletMoon, Adel, Sezegnin, Kobalt, Athos, Cyrille76 and DavidRicardo! You guys rock!!!! So keep inspiring and expiring :-) and see you all soon on the dance floor! And many many thanks for being my friends!!!
Your Lovely
lovely_katya, Dec 5, 2005 @ 22:04
You guys are so right about the difference between salsa and tango... Even though I have always considered myself a natural born salsera (with my "easy goingness" and crazy personality, readiness to have fun and insistence on managing to do my own thing even if I am being led... but tango has a totally different energy.. here - the girl is entirely in the power of the man.. even though all of us were total beginners, I could feel this power coming from our guy participants.. even after 3 hours of a workshop. And the guys seemed to have discovered it too... with their backs straight, shoulders down, proud serious looks on their faces, and holding the girls tightly, never letting them go. :-)
It was amazing to see how you guys progressed in just 2 days.. and it was also very moving. When Fethi asked you to show your "homework" on Sunday, and the bravest of you got on the dance floor and did a whole routine flawlessly, I was speechless. :-) And I felt honored to be able to dance with many of you and feel you strong hand on my back leading me into the Ochos. :-)
It has been a great pleasure to have met so many of you through these workshops, and thank you guys for being such a great team – so motivated, so fun, so easy going, so eager to try things.. some of you have told me that joining the salsa group (and now the tango group, I hope) have really changed your social life in Geneva – to tell you the truth, it changed mine too, despite the fact that I've been here for nearly 5 years.. Meeting you all has been great fun and I really do hope to see many of you soon on the dance floor. :-)
As Rohan has mentioned, a big downturn of the weekend was the fact that one of the girls' money was stolen from her purse during class... it is very painful for me to think that one of our members could do it... somehow I have always believed that Sindy people are far from doing such a thing.. this whole community is based on trust and openness, and by joining it we are making a big step towards trusting and being open to a thousand new potential friends.. And nothing can be as harmful to this community as the barrier of suspicion that events like this could create...
But back to happier things... Big welcome to the newest GOL and Sindy Dance members – Sidekick, Little_Eva and Nuoto! And it was great to see all the returning salsa stars who wanted to try another spicy dance – Gabry, Tee_Cee, Rena, American Girl, Nath81, Wee_Lass, DD23, Tina_L, VioletMoon, Adel, Sezegnin, Kobalt, Athos, Cyrille76 and DavidRicardo! You guys rock!!!! So keep inspiring and expiring :-) and see you all soon on the dance floor! And many many thanks for being my friends!!!
Your Lovely
lovely_katya, Dec 5, 2005 @ 22:04
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Re: Tango workshop and nonsmoking MAD party
Post 4
Dec 6, 2005 @ 15:51
I have a sneaking suspicion that Katya typed all those usernames from memory. I would not put that past this girl...
About the burglary, though, that building has been broken into recently (twice, I think) and that time it was unlikely to have been one of the workshop participants. On the ground floor, the Albanian students centre has signs up on its bulletin board warning the young people to stop their criminal activities or centre will be forced to close down. Given that the building has such a chequered criminal history, I think there is at least an even chance that it was a local footpad who slipped in and took the money when everyone's back was turned. (So don't be too anguished, Katya.)
On the other hand - if any of you Sindy people were responsible for burgling my village during the snowstorm last winter, kindly own up now.
About the burglary, though, that building has been broken into recently (twice, I think) and that time it was unlikely to have been one of the workshop participants. On the ground floor, the Albanian students centre has signs up on its bulletin board warning the young people to stop their criminal activities or centre will be forced to close down. Given that the building has such a chequered criminal history, I think there is at least an even chance that it was a local footpad who slipped in and took the money when everyone's back was turned. (So don't be too anguished, Katya.)
On the other hand - if any of you Sindy people were responsible for burgling my village during the snowstorm last winter, kindly own up now.
The text you are quoting:
I have a sneaking suspicion that Katya typed all those usernames from memory. I would not put that past this girl...
About the burglary, though, that building has been broken into recently (twice, I think) and that time it was unlikely to have been one of the workshop participants. On the ground floor, the Albanian students centre has signs up on its bulletin board warning the young people to stop their criminal activities or centre will be forced to close down. Given that the building has such a chequered criminal history, I think there is at least an even chance that it was a local footpad who slipped in and took the money when everyone's back was turned. (So don't be too anguished, Katya.)
On the other hand - if any of you Sindy people were responsible for burgling my village during the snowstorm last winter, kindly own up now.
Rohan, Dec 6, 2005 @ 15:51
About the burglary, though, that building has been broken into recently (twice, I think) and that time it was unlikely to have been one of the workshop participants. On the ground floor, the Albanian students centre has signs up on its bulletin board warning the young people to stop their criminal activities or centre will be forced to close down. Given that the building has such a chequered criminal history, I think there is at least an even chance that it was a local footpad who slipped in and took the money when everyone's back was turned. (So don't be too anguished, Katya.)
On the other hand - if any of you Sindy people were responsible for burgling my village during the snowstorm last winter, kindly own up now.
Rohan, Dec 6, 2005 @ 15:51
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Re: Tango workshop and nonsmoking MAD party
Post 5
Dec 6, 2005 @ 15:52
But it might not be before the end of the weeks... logistics intervene and the world is not as wired as you might think.... ;)
The text you are quoting:
But it might not be before the end of the weeks... logistics intervene and the world is not as wired as you might think.... ;)
Rohan, Dec 6, 2005 @ 15:52
Rohan, Dec 6, 2005 @ 15:52
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