"I always followed my way: a music with a clean melody, full of shades, well balanced between bandoneons and violins… I want to touch people with the melody, reach their heart, but softly. [...] The first thing I use to do, is to convince each musician until they feel for real what they are going to play." Osvaldo FRESEDO
Read MoreBandoneonist, composer and director (he also played violin)
His orchestra followed the influences of Edgardo Donato and Juan D’Arienzo. It was a revolutionary because in his Orchestra of all Rhythms he included all kinds of music:.(fox trox, polkas, valses, tangos, paso dobles and rancheras.)
Read MoreEdgardo Donato 4/14/1897-2/15/1963
Real Name: Edgardo Felipe Valerio Donato
Violinist, leader, and composer
Place of birth: Buenos Aires Argentina
Raised in Montevideo, Uruguay
Read MoreWhen I first decided to take a tango class, I felt I was working all the time. Taking tango was my way to make time for fun. Tango was described to me as the most “zen” dance because it is totally improvisational in the moment. As an avid meditator, living at a meditation center at the time, Picture by Ashley Kruythoff Bargiel
Read MoreReal name: Pugliese, Osvaldo Pedro (2 December 1905 - 25 July 1995)
Nickname: El chicharra (cicada) de Villa Crespo
Pianist, conductor, composer. (~450 recordings)
Place of birth: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Read MoreFrancisco Canaro (11-26-1888- 12-14-1964) Violinist, conductor and composer
Nickname: Pirincho
Place of birth: San José de Mayo (Uruguay)
Singers of his orchestra (among others)
Ernesto Fama, Roberto Ray, Charlo, Roberto Maida, Francisco Amor, Carlos Galán
Read MoreAníbal Troilo
Birth Name: Aníbal Carmelo Troilo
Composer, director, Bandoneón player
Lived: 1914 - 1975
Nickname: Pichuco
Read MoreStart by learning about the BIG FIVE orchestras (the name of the orchestra is the name of the band leader)
1)Carlos Di Sarli (el señor del Tango), 2) Juan D’Arienzo (el rey del compás 3) Aníbal Troilo (Pichuco) 4) Francisco Canaro 5) Osvaldo Pugliese
Let’s start with the first two: Carlos Di Sarli and Juan D’Arienzo
Read MoreIt all started with Love.
I started a whole new life in November 2019. I got engaged to the man of my dreams, moved to a new state, and started finding my way around Los Angeles. As I began that journey of discovery, I also, without realizing, began my journey in tango.
Read MoreThe Tango Warm Up (3)
Once you arrive at the studio make sure you cover 5 elements on your own. We cover #2 here, check other blogs to learn about the other 4.
2 of 5) Connect with the physical space
You entered to the beautiful space that we created exclusively and specifically for dancing Tango.
Feel the sprung floor. Feel how the foam underneath the wood, supports your knees. Feel the texture of that birch wood that generously support your feet and body. Feel the slipperiness of the floor and be aware of its even surface.
The Tango Warm Up (2)
Prepare yourself
1 of 5) Finding your self and your center
Connect to yourself by breathing, being aware of your center, quiet your mind by engaging in a meditative state (spiritual journey).
Any dance performer knows that 90 percent of the performance starts in the camerino. The moment they arrive, put their things in a hanger, get into their make up stand, and start getting ready. First, they apply the make up, then they do their hair, then they put on the costumes slowly. It is a ritual, and for the true artist, it is the most important part of the show.
The TANGO WARM UP sounds simple and insignificant. However, I would like to argue that it is the most important part of the tango class. I know that sometimes you let the 405, or the 10 (Los Angeles freeways tend to be trafficky sometimes) to be on your way of your warm up. You have a life out there, your work, your family, your pets, your friends, your hobbies, the everyday tasks like preparing food, grocery shopping, so much stuff.
Read MoreTANGO STORIES #4 - Tango History along Corrientes Street
The lyrics of many tangos talk about the old Calle Corrientes of early 20th century Buenos Aires, where so much tango history was made. A lot of the famous bars, theaters and milongas were located along this narrow street. In them the great orchestras and singers.
Read MoreTANGO STORIES #3 - ORGANITO DE LA TARDE - 1924
(Street organ of the evening)
Musica: Cátulo Castillo, Letra: José González Castillo (Cátulo’s father)
In 1924 the DISCO NACIONAL record company held their first contest at the Grand Splendid Cinema-Theater, 1860 Santa Fe Ave. in Buenos Aires. to find the best new tango music.
Read MorePoema (Poem): music by Mario Melfi, lyrics by Eduardo Bianco, 1932.
Somewhat surprisingly, the birthplace of this popular tango was neither in Buenos Aires nor in Uruguay, but on a train in Europe, somewhere between Rome and Berlin while Bianco’s band was on tour.
Read MoreHave you ever wondered what a certain tango name meant or what the name signifies?
For example, the tango A La Gran Muñeca. The literal translation could be either To the big doll or To the big wrist, since the word muñeca has both meanings, depending on context. The correct meaning in this case is To the big doll because it was written for a musical stage show with that name by Jesús Ventura, with lyrics by Miguel Osés.
My commitment is for people who step into the studio to be the best tango dancer they can be. Tango is asymmetrical because of the way the embrace is set up, so it is very important that we balance the alignment of the body. The body of a tango dancer has to be both strong and lengthen. The posture of the tango dancer requires for your lower body to be grounded and at the same time for your spine to be up and forward.
The structure of the tango fitness is as follows: 1) Cardio 2) arm and leg strength 3) core strength, 4) cool down with meditation.
Read MoreFirst, when dancing it is important to find the pulse (the beat). After finding the pulse, we try to identify, the first beat of the phrase (number one): the strong beat. As dancers, we generally count a phrase in this way: one(strong)-two-three (semi-strong) four, five(strong again), six, seven (semi-strong) and eight, an then we start all over again.
Read MoreThe orchestra featured in this posting is Enrique Rodriguez y su Orquesta. On the album covers of these CDs you may notice that this orchestra is not identified as “su orquesta tipica”, but instead as “su orquesta”.
Read MoreTo continue our mini-series of blog postings with Golden Age Tango music suggestions, we turn now to two other great partnerships, that of the orchestra leader and pianist, Ricardo Tanturi,
Read More
