Celia’s birthday party

This was an important birthday celebration for all of us at Lo de Celia Tango Club.  Celia had major surgery on April 1 and left the salon in the capable hands of her staff.

Chiche

May 17, 1938 –

Chiche takes care of himself, unlike many of his friends who face serious health problems.  He went to Dubai after his birthday last year.  He told me today that there is nothing to do there, and the temperatures are unbearable.  He would rather travel around Argentina.  The couple of times I’ve been to Gricel, he hasn’t been there.  It’s been years since we danced.

He said, she said

He:  You’re a sensation.

She:  Oh?

He:  You’re Viagra.  Viagra 100 mg.

She:  Oh?

He:  I don’t need Viagra.  You are my Viagra.

Enrique Madris

May 15, 1933 –

Enrique’s radio program Abrazando Tangos is Thursday from 2:00-5:00 p.m. on Radio Magna.

Alito

May 13, 1929 –

I keep Alito supplied with as many tango magazines as I can.  I had two to give him today on his birthday.  After he had lunch, we danced in a warm embrace while I hummed some tunes.  He’s living on the main floor for the past month.  Alito is happy no matter where he is.  He knows it’s been a long time since we went out dancing.

Cumbre de tango

Just a short post to remind you that the audio replay of the weekly Sunday morning radio program is Sunday at 8:00p.m. – 10:00 p.m. BA time to accommodate our North American audience.  www.MundoSurFM.com  We hope you’ll tune in and listen.  That’s 7pm Eastern, 6pm Central, 5pm Mountain, and 4pm Pacific times.  If you’re in Europe or Asia watching the live ustream broadcast from 10:00 a.m. – noon BA time, you can post comments for Tito, Pichi and Carlos in the new CHAT bar below the video and/or www.Facebook.com/CumbredeTango.

Juan Topalian

May 12, 1937 –

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Music appreciation

I fell in love thirteen years ago with Raúl Berón.  With his voice, that is.  I asked my partner for the tanda, who is singing?    When I decided to learn the lyrics of a tango, I chose Al compás del corazón which Berón recorded with Miguel Caló in 1942.

First I printed the lyrics and asked a milonguero to explain them to me.  I knew I could appreciate a tango more by understanding the lyrics.  I listened to the recording over and over for months, trying to memorize the lyrics.  I finally succeeded.

Whenever the deejay programs this tango, I remember my love affair with Raúl Berón.  He made me want to appreciate tango more.

Last Wednesday I danced the Caló tanda with Alberto Barcezat at Lo de Celia which included Al compás del corazón.   Later in the evening, the Di Sarli tanda included Al compás del corazón with Alberto Podesta with both verses.  I thanked Dany Borelli and told him it was a very special tango for me.  He remarked that he usually does not repeat a tango.

Understanding lyrics only enriches our appreciation for the music as dancers.

Milonga review: A Puro Tango

For more than 30 years, Dario Rodriguez has organized milongas at Salon Canning in Palermo.  They are held Wednesday (16-23 hs), Saturday (23-4,30 hs) and Sunday (18-24 hs).  I attended the milonga on Sunday evening from 19-22,30 hs.  Noemi, an employee for 24 years, collects the entradas and checks coats.

Floor:  The surface is as smooth as butter.  With classes and milongas every day of the week, this beautiful wood floor takes a beating.

Sound system:  Speakers hang over the dance floor for sound where it needs to be.  Level was perfect.

Deejay:  Mario Orlando, probably the most experienced in Buenos Aires.

Entrada: 35 pesos

Seating: All seating is arranged facing the dance floor as it should be for a milonga. Aisles between the tables allow easy access to the dance floor.  There is no bad table at this milonga.  The milongueros viejos (Blas Vamonde, Jorge Orellana, Jesus Jose Carmayo, Roberto Peralta) have their reserved tables in the front row.

Dancers:  Mostly local dancers (60+ years) with a few foreign visitors.

Waiters:  They escort you to a table.  Our waitress checked first on a reserved table.  We sat in the second row near the bar and deejay booth.  Attentive, cordial service.

When I invited a friend to join me, she remarked that she was never invited to dance in Salon Canning.  I asked which days of the week she went, and that explained it.  This was her first time attending the Sunday milonga when she danced many tandas.

The floor was extremely crowded at 20,30 hs for a D’Arienzo tanda.  The outer ronda hardly moved, and we progressed only half-way around the floor during the tanda.  If you like taking long steps, this is not the milonga for you.

Emilio Lopez Varela

May 9, 1944 –

I found Emilio posed at the front door of Lo de Celia on an extremely hot and humid Sunday evening.  He looked cool, calm and collected while smoking a cigarette.  I asked him not to move while I took this photo.

 

He looks this serious most of the time, but I managed to get him to break into a smile with Martha.

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