Another Dance

I have been so low energy lately about dancing.  At first I thought it was the July blues.  In July many people go on vacation, the weather is bad, so they don't go out.  Here we are in August.  The weather is still bad, cold, ugly. 

I thought maybe it was me.  I was not so into tango anymore.  It just seemed not worth it to go and dance. The price of everything is going up - taxis, milonga entrances, even the bottle of water.  I can't afford too many 40 peso evenings.  When I talk to my friends, it is the same.  Sandra used to go out with me a couple of times a week.  Yesterday she told me she can't.  Her other expenses are high so she just does not go to dance much anymore.

"Besides," she says.  "Donde estan los tipos que bailan?"  (Where are the men who dance?)  It seems like the milongas are full of women sitting with arms crossed and starring.  I have to agree with her.  I feel like there are so few men to dance with that I really enjoy.

Yesterday Madeleine met me at Consagrados.  It was packed like always.  We both looked around.  Our normal guys we like to dance with were not there.  I danced with my friend Michael from London.  He is such a nice guy.  Then I sit.  A couple of women sit down with us.  They look vaguely familiar.

They watch the dancers and wince.  They shake their heads.  One of them mutters "What is happening to our dance?"  A woman dances by.  She lifts her leg and kicks me.  Not on purpose.  She is not paying attention.  She should not be doing that anyway.  The two women and I laugh.  One leans over to talk to Madeleine.  I explain she speaks no Spanish.

One of them asks where I am from.  I tell her that I live in Buenos Aires but I am from California.  She sizes me up.  She decides to say nothing.  We turn to watch an exhibition on the floor.  It is a known dancer, older, with a young woman from Italy.  She is beautiful, even if her bra straps are hanging out of her slinky dress and you see her bra which is a different color.

They begin to dance.  Although he is a lower case, name brand, he cannot dance. I am always surprised that people actually pay him for lessons.  He is an old man, she is a young woman.  The woman has probably watched 300 videos of Geraldine.  She has copied every move and step.  She has copied her facial expressions.  This is pathetic. 

The women at the table are in pain.  When the girl dancing lifts her leg they mock her.  "Who taught her to dance?" says one.  I comment that she is pure Geraldine.  Then I add "Only Geraldine can do Geraldine."

The sadder thing is that no one is watching.  The organizers clap as do a few of the Italians who are there.  Maybe some of the foreigners as well.  Everyone else seems to be waiting for them to stop.  Finally they do and the music starts again.

One of the women Graciela asks me if I dance.  I tell her yes.  She comments that I am not dancing. I tell her that there is no one here I want to dance with.  She and her friend laugh.  I find out she was a winner in the 2006 Campeonato, before she adds they turned it into a "escenario".

We talk about the exhibition that we have just seen.  I tell them that so many people are copying others now.  Graciela says "That is because they do not understand.  They don't understand the codes.  They don't understand why we dance."  She looks both sad and angry. 

Janis dances by with Beto.  They stop to talk and to greet us.  Graciela and her friend are interested that Janis and I know each other.  Beto tells Janis he is going to leave.  Madeline says she too is on the way out and Janis can have her seat.

The four of us talk.  Graciela is shaking her head.  She asks Janis what she thought about the exhibition. This starts a lively conversation.  In the end Graciela says, "It is so sad.  The milongueros are dying and so is our dance."  With that, she and her friend prepare to leave.

Janis asks me what I am doing.  I tell her I was thinking of going to El Beso. She says she is going to Celia's.  It has been a couple of years since I have been there on a Saturday.  I decide to join her.  Before we go to have dinner.

The subject comes up again about the milongueros.  "These people don't get it." Janis rants.  She is angry.  People have taken videos of these old guys and posted them on YouTube.  The milongueros are not aware of it.  They problem for her is that these people want to "watch" these guys on a computer screen.  When they come here, they don't want to meet them, dance with them, take a lesson.  Most of these guys live hand to mouth.  In their 80s some are still working...because they have to.

"Tango as it is known here is dying."  Janis continues.  "We are watching the death."  Even Argentines who don't dance see it happening.  The campeonato went from being a local contest to a cross between a Las Vegas extravaganza and the Miss American pageant.

We walk to Celia's.  Mario greets me as I pay my entrance.  He is happy to see me.  I enter with Janis. I am surprised to see many single men.  Many familiar faces.  Saturday night is when you can see who is married and who is not.  Dario hugs me and gives me a big kiss when I enter.  He leads Janis and I to a table in front.

Dany is DJing tonight.  He is the best DJ in Buenos Aires.  I greet him as well as the wait staff Jonny and Rosaria.  This place has always felt like home to me.  For a moment I feel sad.  There are many faces that are not here.  They will never be here.  Milongueros who have passed away.

I dance with several men, all who are surprised to see me here on a Saturday night.  They are dressed in suits.  Just as they always are on a Saturday night.  The music is perfect although maybe a little too loud.

Horacio takes me to dance.  "You never come here on Saturday night."  he says to me.  I agree with him. It has been maybe 2 years since I have been here on a Saturday.  "The dancers used to be better before." he mentions to me. "In all the places."  I say to him.  "What is happening to our tango?"  I ask him. He thinks about this.  "The milongueros are dying or they are too old to come." he says to me. "You were very lucky.  You came while they were still dancing.  I remember, they taught you to dance." He is the third one to talk about this to me tonight. "Without the traditions," he continues, "there will be no tango.  It will be another dance."

Comments

[Tina]

OK Deby, now you have me depressed.

But also inspired.

Y'know, If I tried to kick the way Geraldine did and as much as she does, I'd look like an idiot. I like a few things she does, though in all I think I'll just dance like Tina. ;-)

[Francisco from Seattle]

Hey Debie!
Don't worry about the death of Tango...Tango it's been "dying" for more than 30years, and always wakes up again like the Fenix. If people keep turning forty, then Tango will be safe!( my dad said so, but I got it when I turned 43...)