Pedro Alberto Rusconi

January 9, 1936 – January 7, 2010

The following are excerpts from a letter distributed in the milongas by Tete on his birthday four years ago:

I believe that many are disguising tango as something that it isn’t. Tango is music, and it doesn’t begin with steps.  We shouldn’t commit the mistake of not teaching how to walk different musical rhythms to recognize each orchestra.  Many who are teaching have to learn how to dance tango first, then give everything in order not to cheat their students or damage their reputation as teachers.

Tango isn’t a business, although many see it as such.  Tango is part of our lives, part of our grandparents, fathers, mothers, brothers, and friends. It is our life.   We shouldn’t fool ourselves, and we have to return to regain it. We are losing tango when we don’t respect it.

And to the tango community in Europe and the rest of the world, I give my counsel:  I would like you to open your eyes to learn to dance; and to the organizers of workshops and the teachers, with all my affection, I want you to know that when you organize something, try to bring the best dancers and teachers to teach as tango ought to be taught.  Without the music, the cadence, posture, and balance, the steps are nothing and for that we need authentic masters and teachers.

________

There are numerous videos of Tete dancing with his teaching partners Rosanna Remon and Silvia Ceriani in recent years, however, my favorite is this video with Maria Villalobos in Marisa Galindo’s production of 1992.

Tete was born in the barrio of Pompeya and lived the last years of his life in a boarding house at Pringles 84 in the barrio of Almagro.  He was hospitalized in December for a few days and was planning his annual trip to Italy in April.  This is his last performance filmed in Salon Canning on December 28, 2009.  And here is his nephew dancing in Cachirulo.

Tags: tango, Tete