October 28, 1932 –
I have seen Eduardo on only a few occasions in the milongas since this photo of him was taken at Buenos Aires Tango (Milonguero) in Mundo Latino on Esmeralda and Lavalle in November 2001. He usually shared a table with Alito. Perhaps it’s because he lives in Mataderos, a 45-minute bus ride from the downtown milongas. He was at work when I called him to wish him a happy birthday.
October 25, 1934 –
It was in 1999 when I danced my first tanda with Chiche in La Turca’s milonga Pavadita in Club Monte Carlo. He has an energetic style that matches his outgoing personality. He lives in Valentin Alsina and spends most of his time in Colegiales with his partner Elba Patiero. Health problems haven’t allowed him to go to the milongas as much as he would like for the past several years. After losing some weight, he has renewed vitality. The last time I saw Chiche and Elba dancing in Salon Sur I couldn’t believe his enthusiasm and energy. He danced as if he was 50 rather than 73.
A few years ago when they came for dinner at my apartment, I put on some tango music and filmed them. Elba is one of the best female dancers I know in the milongas. She, too, is very particular about with whom she dances. Both of them lost their spouses and have been together for many years.
October 23, 1940 –
Rodolfo and I have had conversations on how tango is changing in the milongas of Buenos Aires. I have danced with him on only one occasion at Lo de Celia. I know when he will be dancing by the orchestra that is played. He, like many other milongueros, wants to dance to Anibal Troilo and Carlos Di Sarli. He dances simply and with feeling. I know the strength of his embrace–that’s one characteristic that the milongueros have in common. They never separate and hold a woman very close. Rodolfo dances on Saturday night in Lo de Celia.
October 23, 194? –
Alicia is known as “La Turca” although she is Armenian, not Turkish. She organized the milonga Pavadita with Juan Carlos La Falce when it was held in Club Monte Carlo on Corrientes. When the club ownership changed, she moved to Confiteria Ideal where she has run her Monday matinee for the past eight years with her daughter Laura. Alicia opened a second milonga for a short time at Mi Club, a club where tango was danced in the 1950s. Today it has salsa dancing.
When the peso was devalued in 2002, Alicia was the first organizer to charge a higher entrada to tourists and allowed her regulars to pay the same as always. This ensured that the locals would be able to continue dancing–milongas wouldn’t be the same without local dancers who make they what they are.
Alicia and her daughter Maria Laura (Jan 2001)
Luis and friends (Feb 1999)
October 23, 1938 –
I attended canyengue classes at Galeria del Tango when Luis was teaching with Martha Anton in 1999. He would join us after class for dinner at the apartment of Maria Teresa in Caballito. I had the pleasure of dancing tango with Luis in Club Gricel.
A few years later, Luis returned to teaching with his wife Mirta Sol, and Martha began teaching with Manolo. They are the two veteran couples who traveled the world teaching Canyengue.
Two years ago Luis had a stroke which has kept him confined to a wheelchair. He is living in my neighborhood, so I have gone a few times to see him. He is always happy to have visitors, especially from his former students. It’s emotional for him talking about tango and the milongas, but he hopes to be rehabilitated and dance again. Mirta continues teaching classes in Avellaneda. She and their two daughters visit every day.
Instituto Geriatrico Princess – Venezuela 2148 (CP1096) Buenos Aires Tel: 4941-5048
Alberto Demaria & Enrique Seone, founders of Orquesta Tipica Gente de Tango
I received a phone call on Monday from one of the bandoneonists with Gente de Tango informing me that Enrique had died last week. When I met him three years ago, he was dealing with Parkinson’s, but continued to perform with the orchestra for 25 years. A few weeks ago, all the musicians gave Enrique a surprise visit at the hospital when he played his bandoneon for the last time.
I had the pleasure of hearing Gente de Tango for the first time in March 2000 when they performed during CITA. I attended their rehearsals three years ago in Villa Devoto because they had been hired to perform for the Miami tango festival in 2006. I regularly attended their performances in the milongas and got to know the musicians. The orchestra of Carlos Di Sarli is my favorite in the milongas, so it was always a joy to hear the Di Sarli style live. Guillermo Durante directs from the piano just as Carlos Di Sarli did. He masterfully recreates the style of “The Lord of the Tango.”
The next performance of Gente de Tango will be Thursday, October 30 in Viejo Correo during the Campeonato Intercontinental de Tango.
Gente de Tango rehearsal
photo by Lucille Krasne
October 14, 1930–April 28, 1996
His name was Jose Domingo Monteleone. He traveled to Evanston, Illinois, to teach with Suzuki at the International Argentine Tango Congress at Northwestern University in June 1995, which I co-sponsored with the dance department. He was one of only a handful of Argentines going to Europe to teach in the 1990s. Suzuki and Pepito were teaching in Paris and came directly to Chicago for one week of classes. Her French visa had to be renewed before she could return, so I drove them to the French Consulate’s office in downtown Chicago. This was the only time they taught in the United States although Pepito was issued a work visa for five years. I invited them to teach the following year at Tangofest in Columbus, Ohio, but it wasn’t meant to be.
Pepito and Suzuki lived in San Cristobal and taught classes in Cafe Max at the corner of Rincon and San Juan. Their apartment was at Rincon 1109, only six blocks from where I live today. Pepito and Suzuki made instructional videos for tango and milonga. Their performances in Europe were always recorded. Here is a video of them dancing in Galeria del Tango in Buenos Aires in 1994 and an interview with Pepito in 1992.
Robert Duvall and Pepito at Northwestern
International Argentine Tango Congress teachers
October 12, 1938 –
Roberto and other milongueros hang out at a men’s club a block from my apartment, so we often see one another and have a brief chat about the milongas. A few years ago, he danced regularly at Lo de Celia and goes to El Beso and Centro Region Leonesa. One tanda of Carlos Di Sarli with Roberto is all I need to feel content. One night a couple months ago at Lo de Celia, I had several tandas with Roberto. One of them was a tanda of Miguel Calo. After the first tango, he commented on the music of Osvaldo Pugliese. I said, “Roberto, we’re dancing to Miguel Calo. I don’t dance to Pugliese. As you have pointed out to me several times, the music of Pugliese was rarely played in the milongas of the 1950s.” Even milongueros who know the music so well can make a mistake. Roberto is one who talks about the music and nothing else between dances.
October 12, 1935 –
October 8, 1940 –
Several years ago Adan and his wife Nilda went regularly to Lo de Celia on Saturday nights. I had the opportunity to talk with them about tango. Adan told me that his tango doesn’t include more than five steps. Watching them dancing together was a pleasure. They live in Villa Urquiza, and Salon Canning in Palermo is their favorite place for Saturday night. I’ll never get to dance with Adan, because all his tandas are reserved for Nilda.
Julio and Enrique (2001)
October 7, 1938 — February 9, 2009
Enrique organizes the Milonga de los Consagrados which is held on Saturdays in Centro Region Leonesa. He recently celebrated the sixth anniversary of his milonga. It was first held in Italia Unita and later in Lo de Celia. There in Lo de Celia it was the best milonga of the week. Then the fire at Cromagnon occurred and everything changed. Lo de Celia was closed for nine months, and Enrique had to find a new location.
Enrique suffered a stroke a few years ago. He hasn’t been able to dance which is a real loss for all the women who got to dance with him. I had the pleasure of many tandas with Enrique. I remember when I practically dropped to my knees after a tanda with him. What a feeling!
February 13, 2009 : I learned today that Enrique passed on last Sunday, February 9. He shall be missed.
