A return to the joy of dance

By Owen Scott View as one page

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After a 16-year hiatus, Mary-Jane O’Reilly comes back to dancing with a new-found confidence. Photo / Steven McNicholl

When does a dancer know it is time to stop dancing? Time can be inexorably cruel on performers, but not always. One of New Zealand’s best-loved choreographers and dancers has rediscovered the joy of being on stage again.

Tomorrow evening at the Trinity Cathedral, Mary-Jane O’Reilly, co-founder of Limbs and director of the Tempo Dance Festival, will perform with Bach Musica in the third concert of this year’s series. The event is singular. Until very recently, it has been 16 years since O’Reilly has performed in public.

Tomorrow’s programme features J. S. Bach’s Suite No 2 in B minor and Duruflé’s Requiem. But it is the third item that intrigues – one half of �stor Piazzolla’s Four Seasons. A new-found love of tango and an admiration for Piazzolla’s music persuaded O’Reilly to dance again. “The essence of tango comes through in his music. It’s luscious and then it gets edgy,” she says.

Given the choice of which two seasons she wanted to dance to, she opted for Otono Poteno and Invierno Poteno – Autumn and Winter.

This is a witty and imaginative collaboration. It gives O’Reilly the chance to introduce a new dimension to her choreography, beyond her trademark fusion of ballet and contemporary, and although Piazzolla might appear outside Bach Musica’s traditional repertoire, his music is steeped in baroque.

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From a childhood in New York, both jazz and J. S. Bach significantly influenced his development of nuevo tango for which he is famous.

Remembering the almost casual brilliance of O’Reilly at her best, there is something heart-stopping about the prospect of watching her perform as a “mature” dancer. It is only in the last year that she has discovered she can still dance at all – what her body is capable of. 1994 was the watershed year for O’Reilly. “I was 44, dancing full out and choreographing material which assumed my body was still 30. On the second night of a show called Dust in the Air I wrenched my neck really badly. The injury didn’t heal. That was my brick wall; my body wouldn’t do it any more.”

She stopped dancing completely and focused instead on choreography and administration. If injury were not bad enough, in 1998 she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. “Then I really did have to admit defeat. I even had to stop choreographing, I was in too much pain.”

With typical resilience and determination she went on to teach at Auckland University and in 2006 took up the position of director of Tempo Dance Festival. “By 2008 it was almost 10 years since I’d got arthritis. I didn’t like the long-term effects of the heavy steroids I was taking so I weaned myself off them within five years. The arthritis is now either in abeyance or I’ve just learned to manage the pain.”

a pic and a review describes the dance – called ‘winter’ at mo but needs a proper name.

winter review by owen

all of us onstage at Tapac theatre

I remember her as a shy 18 yr old ( circa 1976) coming to my classes at Dance Spectrum (in the old studios on Swanson st where Russell Kerr,Margeret…………….used to teach. Deb worked so hard, had such amazing focus. Within a short time she was an important member of Limbs.

The Honouring went well. A great get together of key dance people from the NZ dance community.  Mark Baldwin sent a lovely email. Kilda Northcott and Douglas Wright both spoke. We recorded it as a key Tempo 09 event.

Marianne Schultz and Debra

Dorothea Asbridge on the left (Limbs Dance co ‘s fantastic ballet teacher) with Babe and Adrian Batchelor (Limbs, Sydney Dance co)

Here is my speech at the event – gives you an idea of the whole event as part of the Tempo season at Tapac, Sunday Oct 4th, 2pm.

Deb also spoke movingly of her experiences.

‘Welcome everyone.

This is the 2^nd honouring event.

I was keen to instigate this event, to honour the dancers…. as they are the ones who realize the choreographers vision….. but often don’t get acknowledged enough for this very important role.

Last year it was Glenn Mayo, this year we are honouring Debra McCulloch

Deb studied creative dance as a child with Bjelke Van Zon.

Began studying my version of Cunningham technique with me in 1977.

She was a founder member of Limbs dance co – she , Kilda, Chris Jannides and Julie Dunningham did a lunchtime performance together, then Mark Baldwin and I joined for the next performance and we called ourselves Limbs – that was late 1977.

Over the next few years we toured the Coromandel, performed at Nambassa, Sweetwaters, Students Arts Council toured us, we had a fantastic tour to Oz – as by this time Limbs General Manager extra-ordinaire Sue Paterson had joined us and we were busy making work, touring, selling out our shows all over the country and in Oz.

above – from left, Marianne Schultz, Douglas Wright, Susan Paterson, Jenny Pullar, Wendy Preston

MARK BALDWIN ( now director of Rambert dance co) – wrote this about Deb….

“Debra was always bright, eager and responsive to work with everyone from teachers, colleagues and the budding choreographers of Limbs Dance Company. I remember marvelling at how quickly she learnt things. Debora’s easy temperament, beautiful looks and elegance made her a special dancer, both as a muse and in group pieces. A dry humour and an infectious laugh mixed with excellent diplomatic skills made her a favourite with everyone.”
Mark Baldwin-Artistic Director Rambert Dance Company.

In 1980 – Douglas (Wright) had just joined Limbs and I wanted to make a dance on him – to find out more about him – so at the last minute invited Deb to join us in the small studio at the venue we rehearsed in on Newton Gully. I made a piece – a stream of conciousness work – no plan –just responding to the dancers-in silence.

When it was sort of complete – at about 9 mins – we showed it to the other dancers.

And their input pulled it together – Adrian suggested some music, Kilda suggested a name – and we had Lumpy Porridge.

Sally Griffin did a lovely backdrop and here it is –  LUMPY PORRIDGE – the beginning of a lovely working relationship between Deb and Douglas.

1978 – 83 – Limbs.

What years they were – shall I tell the funny story about touring in Japan and we were doing TH (Talking Heads) on a bare wood stage – Deb had this sliding backwards on her butt move – she suddenly looks up at me in the dance with widened eyes – and during the interval we’re picking hundreds of splinters out of her butt!!

Or

On our way back from USA (our first trip, when we went to ADF and got a rave review in the NY Times!!)– in Hawaii airport in transit to NZ. Had a bit of a wait – and Deb found a quite corner to stretch and sleep – as you do!!

We get back on the plane –where’s Deb? Oh she must be in the loo or sleeping under a seat somewhere – searched, called out…no cell ph in those days!! – it wasn’t til the plane was in the air that we fully realized she was not with us – we’d left her in Hawaii – cos she was in the wrong waiting room – aaagh! We felt terrible as her Mum was waiting for her at Ak airport – but we had left her behind!!

Kilda speaks…..

Shona, Deb, Kilda, MJ, Adrian

Welcome to those who have come from out of town – Sue from Welly, Adrian from Sydney.

A dance I made on Adrian and Deb in 1982  –which they realized beautifully – was Love Song – to a song and music by Don McGlashan.

Just view the performances, not the filming- Kaleidoscope had been viewing and rehearsing for ages but they still missed shots all over the place. LOVE SONG is screened

In 1983 / 84 – Douglas was dancing with Paul Taylor and Deb went to join him. While they were together in NY – they started making this Hey Paris – .

Douglas speaks…… HEY PARIS screened

Deb came back to dance with Limbs and worked with Douglas for many years. In the mid 90’s she hurt her back again – so ended up studying Alexander Technique – and became an expert teacher of this technique in the process. She has had many appreciative students and Dolina Wehipeihana will speak on their behalf.

Dolina speaks….

Give Deb the greenstone and flowers – take photos

Susan Trainor, Debra, Shona McKechnie (nee Wilson)

Photo boards of key moments in Debs dancing career – love these photos – we should write down who, when, what before we forget!!

Award winners JP, Morag and Georgie

CarrieRae from Tempo and Bridget from Lassoo

award winners Kristian and Leda

POI AND WATTS “EQUALLY” ENTHRALLING was the headline.

 Tempo NZ Festival of Dance 2009 Awards

Such was their incredible performances throughout the tenure of this year’s Tempo NZ Festival of Dance, that judges could only award the “Best Male Performer” to both Jeremy Poi and Simon Watts. Within the theatrical setting of Auckland’s Shanghai-Lils last night, the 2009 Tempo NZ’s Festival of Dance Awards once again celebrated another fantastic season of dance, where the benchmark was set yet again in terms of quality dance programming – Poi and Watts’ equal win a testament to this feat. Watt’s win, who performed in TMC’s Under The Influence, in particular highlighted the shift this years programming had towards the more “urban” trends of dance, with hip-hop prevalent in 2009. TMC’s meteoric rise this year saw their choreographer Richie Cesan pick up “Best Choreography by an Emerging Artist”, “Best Scenography” and another big award on the night; the “Best Production – Evening Length Work” gong. Andrew Cesan also became one of six recipients of the “Stole the Limelight” award. Claire Lissaman picked up the “Best Female Performer” award for her stellar performance in ADZE, as part of the Footnote Forte Solo Series 2009 and choreographed by Kristian Larsen – who picked up “Best Choreography by an Established Artist” himself for this work. Gabrielle Thomas’ beautiful contemporary piece HAPU, as part of the Prime Cuts programme, earned her the award for “Most Inspiring Performance” while the Shona McCullagh choreographed work Those Left earned UNITEC the “Best Tertiary Ensemble Award” and John Purcell Puleitu, Jeremiah Faitala & Leroy Lakamau’s The Remedy Collection aptly picked up the “Most Innovative Choreography” award. Elsewhere in the production category, Eden Mulholland once again picked up a “Best Music” award for his sound score for Waiting For Violet, Cat Ruka’s satiric Playing Savage earned the “Best Production – Short Work”, Bubble won “Best Youth Production” and the spectacular outfits that featured in Birds Of Paradise earned Morag Magnolia Brown the “Best Costume Design – Most Spectacular”. Monisha School of Dance performance item in The Kids Show was voted the “People’s Choice” for this year’s festival, while two young and talented dancer/choreographers were awarded “Spirit of the Festival 09”; Rosalie van Horik and Zahra Killeen-Chance. These two dancers epitomise what makes Tempo work really well as a local festival, they were a pleasure for everyone to work with and their hard work was a large part of what made Fresh Cuts such a huge success.

The Awards night rounded up Tempo 09 with a flourish and style that was indicative of the 09 programme, Artistic Director Mary -Jane O’Reilly – “ I look forward to Tempo 10…….

A full list of winners appears below.

PRODUCTION Best Male Performer – Jeremy Poi in STEALTH choreographed by Ross McCormack (from Footnote Forte Solo Series 2009) – Simon Watts in UNDER THE INFLUENCE choreographed by TMC Best Female Performer – Claire Lissaman in ADZE choreographed by Kristian Larsen (from Footnote Forte Solo Series 2009) Most Inspiring Performance – Gabrielle Thomas in HAPU choreographed by Gabrielle Thomas (from Prime Cuts) Best Tertiary Ensemble – UNITEC – THOSE LEFT choreographed by Shona McCullagh (from Tertiary Colours) CHOREOGRAPHY Best Choreography by an Established Artist – Kristian Larsen for ADZE (commissioned by Footnote Dance Company for Footnote Forte Solo Series 2009) Best Choreography by an Emerging Artist – Richie Cesan for UNDER THE INFLUENCE… GETTING TO NEXT LEVEL Most Innovative Choreography – John Purcell Puleitu & Jeremiah Faitala & Leroy Lakamau for THE REMEDY COLLECTION (danced by GHOST Dance Crew, from HOT showcase) PRODUCTION Best production – Short work – PLAYING SAVAGE by Cat Ruka (from Late Show #2) Best production – Evening length work – UNDER THE INFLUENCE by TMC Best Youth Production – BUBBLE choreographed by Geordan Wilcox for Dance Unlimited, East Auckland Performing Arts (from The Teen Show) Best Music – Eden Mulholland – music for WAITING FOR VIOLET (choreographed by Mia Mason, from Fresh Cuts) Best Scenography (combo lighting, set, costumes, music) – UNDER THE INFLUENCE by TMC Best Costume Design – Most Effective – SIEMPRE SANTANA – Jacqui Cesan, The Dance Studio (from The Teen Show) Best Costume Design – Most Spectacular – BIRDS OF PARADISE – Morag Magnolia Brownlie The Tempo awards Panel also acknowledged those who went above and beyond their way to make the festival the great experience it was: Diana Mailata, Sian Tucker, Ed Jenner, Mitchell Turei, Matt Gillanders, Kathrin Simon and the Tempo Volunteers (Elisabeth Degremont, Shannon O’Sullivan, Kerry Ann Stanton, Catherine Ockenden)

Today will be plotting their show and checking on 3 dress rehearsals-HOT< Fresh Cuts and Late Show #2!!

Kids show is a charming programme, Teen show opens tomorrow at 4pm, then its HOT 6pm, Prime Cuts at 8pm and Late show #2 at 10pm…..yay!

Performances opened on Wed at Tapac with Tertiary Colours and Brotherhood. Tertiary Colours was a great mix and well attended,  Brotherhood has potential – but their audiences only seem interested in competitions rather than shows??.

Duets and Late Show #1 went well – nice review in the Herald this Mon morn (go to www.nzherald.co.nz – key words tempo review).

Steel Ballerina is a good theatre show about dance and Sacred Dance is a gentle little show – and we’re into the 2nd week! Looking forward to Kids Show, Teen Show, Fresh Cuts, Prime Cuts, HOT and Late Show #2.

TMC at Concert Chamber the following week – should be fantastic….whew – onward and upward…just about to go into Tapac again….

Here’s the speech i made that night…….

Kia ora and welcome,

Thank you to Stephen Bradshaw and Marama Lloydd for the Powhiri and welcome at this important occasion where we launch the tempo 09 programme.

We’re very pleased to see you all here for the launch of 6^th tempo festival. And dont the posters and programmes look great? thanks so much POD.

And do we have a lovely feast of dance for you.

This year, as every year, we have a fantastic selection of Kiwi dance, which reflects the great variety of dance talent here in NZ.

Its an even broader view of dance than ever before…..

more hiphop and urban dance, more ballet, a wider variety of groups and performers dancing in all genres and all ages.

So….

Do take the time to read the programme from cover to cover – check out my suggestions of back to back shows at Tapac, see the people’s choice awards page – and vote for your favourite performance, and come to the parade.

I want to especially mention the parade – it’s a chance to be a bit crazy, anarchic, take over the streets from cars – but also to make a public statement about dance and how central it is to our lives – from wedding processions and rituals to dancing in clubs, from the haka before an All Blacks game to DWTS, from ballet to hiphop,

dance is a vital part of being human – so please put Sat 26^th Sept in your diaries –  come and take over Queen st.

If you’re a dancer we’d love to invite you to be part of the performance in some Caroline Robinson designed costumes and makeup – essentially you can be in disguise….so go to the website or email me to find out more.

If you’re just a dancer at heart  – bring a red lei ( or we’ll have lots with us to give you) and come along to 360 Queen st ( across from the Aotea Square) to step in behind the Tongan brass band and supported by Jimi’s drummers as we make a stream of celebratory energy flowing down Queen st.

We start the parade at 1:30pm and by 1:45 we’ll be through Britomart to the carpark behind for freestyle salsa and bodyjam dancing til 4pm. Then a beer at a nearby bar….

I want to take this public opportunity to give my thanks to the funders and sponsors who support Tempo, thanks you sooo much……also the NZ dance festival trust board, the tempo team and the dance community – my colleagues and friends – who are always there with advice and support when I need you – I deeply appreciate it and couldn’t do this job without you!

My challenge in presenting an inclusive dance festival like Tempo is to include as many dance forms and dancers as possible in performances that bring out their best for them and the audiences.

I think the shared programmes work well for programming these dance forms in the right context so they will be fully appreciated.

Actually I think there are as many as 10 shared programmes at the Tapac season of Tempo this year and they are all going to be wonderful in their variety and for giving different dancers the opportunity to present their work.

TMC were part of a shared programme last year – a fabulously popular dance crew with energy to burn and contributed heaps to tempo 08, now they have their own show in the CBD – a great step forward!

They are on as part of Tempo and the Stamp programme with The Edge at the Concert Chamber, 14^th – 17^th Oct

Another development is the mini Tempo festival out at Hawkins Theatre – in Papakura – only 20 mins down the motorway – a very nice theatre….so if you miss something…head on down there during October

Thanks again for coming tonight to help us launch Tempo, lets get the buzz going and see you in 27 sleeps from now –

In the meantime…

We have 4 very different dance items to end the formalities (after which we’ll draw the winning tickets for the goody bags).

First up I have invited the fabulous Kerryn McMurdo to present a piece, then the charming Monisha will perform a Bollywood dance, then Vanroe and Alana will perform a dance form that is essentially a duet social form, Ceroc,

and finally some dancers from TMC will blast us with some freestyle urban dance

Please give them all a warm welcome….

Danced Tango and saw my darling daughter.

I had fantasised for a long time about going to Buenos Aires and dancing Tango, but never thought I would. Then i just happened to start learning Tango last year -inspired by Diego Echenique’s dancing to do so, and then my daughter told me she was going to be there iin June 09, so it all came together and i went!

Me, Mary-Anne and Morgana

What a blast. Still buzzing from it.

Here is what happened – my tango experience in BA going to classes, milongas, shows.

Thanks so much Diego. (He was our teacher last year from Argentina at Pasion por Tango studio in Ak, )

You gave me such good advice.

Where to go to classes and the best Milongas ……..Milonga’s  aaagh!

Diego took me to my first Milonga at Nino Bien.  Awesome. Was nervous. Every time I dance tango I never believe that I’ve remembered anything. Then I get into it. Spent all that night trying to remember to keep my knees and heels together and flexing the heel of the free foot, Really like that look. The women dancers there do it so effortlessy. The place was full of quite mature men and women mainly. Everyone getting up dancing. The dance floor was quite crowded. It was at this first Milonga that I noticed the protocol. Everyone just chats when the music starts up again – waits for at least 30 secs to a minute before they start dancing. Are they listening with one ear to the music, to check the tempo etc? I realised that happens in Ak as well.

Diego danced with just me all night,so sweet of him! It was so fantastic.

Diego, Mary-Anne and Morgana at Café Tortini, the famous ( esp in the early 20th century) tango cafe.

Another night I went to my second Milonga – Parakultural, I plucked up the courage/curiosity to go. Went with Morgana this time. Fewer and younger dancers, (think the swine flu scare had hit) but those that were there were the best. All of them were amazing in their own way. I was asked to dance by proxy, used my daughter as bait. The  guys are not keen, understandably, on getting a complete novice, but they’re ready to risk it if they get to hold a gorgeous young woman in their arms. And actually the young women like to dance with the older guys as they’re often great dancers.

So they ask Morgana, she excuses herself as not tango experienced, and suggests they dance with her Mother!!.So they did!!

There was a couple who did a demo that nite. This was the best pure tango and Nuevo tango I saw while I was there.  The dancers danced to 3 songs – they were in performance mode and pushed it to the max .I’m pretty sure she was Virginia Gomez, and her partner was advertised in the flyer as Christian Marquez. But if it was him, he’d really grown his hair long, which is quite possible. We were thrilled to have hit upon that particular nite’s demo couple.  

PHOTO of them from flyer

San Telmo is one of the original areas of BA and I had a number of cool tango experiences there.

Saw ‘En Quirendo’, a tango ‘show’. Had to go to one – it was recommended as the best. Weeeell, it was very….commercial, very slick, …but predictable, shallow, i thought.

PHOTO MJ and MA at En Quirendo show

The Sunday Market at San Telmo was cool – a couple of the tango dancers there, passing round the hat. Lovely couple, very ‘mature’, confident, he was charming, cheeky, would have danced with him a week later but had just arrived, was shy and felt a bit under the weather.

SAN TELMO – old couple dancing for money in the hat. 

 (A little mention on the side  – Have just read that book – ‘Kiss and Tango’ by Marina Palmer. Hmmm – twas quite a yarn…very vivid, the story of her learning tango as an American woman, becoming a tango dancer on the streets of BA. Twas great to read while I was there anyway – it brought to life what might be happening behind the scenes. I’m a little cynical cos the ballet descriptions didn’t ring true.)

PHOTOs of tango on the street on Florida, excellent dancers, note the mat they put down to dance on.

Actually I was told about that Milonga – Parakultural – by a student at L’Escuela Tango. They have classes constantly from 9:30am til 10:30pm, and that was just one of the tango schools in BA – there are heaps!

L’Escuela timetable

I was talking to an English girl, she was there for a month practising Spanish and doing tango at this school where I attended classes  nearly every day. I went there as Diego had recommended it and  as we had an apartment downtown on San Martin (off Florida)so it was an easy walk to top the of the Pacifica Galerie (shopping centre) and to L’Escuela Tango.

Classes were also great for gleaning some inside knowledge about the ‘scene’ esp the Milongas – how the novices manage. There were students from everywhere in class. Greece, England, Mexico.

FLORIDA Ave, just up from our apartment – near the Pacifica shopping centre and tango school.

In the end I decided to hire a taxi dancer to take me to a Milonga – to be my partner for the night www.tangotaxidances.com Minimum 3 hr calls. $90AR an hr (aboutNZ$40). I had read about this service in a TIME mag I think it was and was resolved to use it if it seemed necessary – decided it was!

Saw the ad for the website in a magazine Diego gave to his uncle Gustavo to give to me when we met re his apartment.

TAXI DANCER AD

(Uncle Gustavo, by the way, has a ranch raising Polo ponies up near Paraguay. He was such a classic image of a gentleman rancher in Argentina – I’ve read about them – and here was one in real life – charming and elegant!!)

Back to my taxi dancer- Eduardo. Thanks Eduardo, you were great.

EDUARDO with me and Morgana

As I was saying I saw the ad so sent an email through ‘contact us’ to enquire about a ‘taxi dancer’. They replied asking how tall I was and what was my level of experience. I replied I was 5ft 5 and intermediate level( well probably only advanced beginners but….). So they replied saying – Eduardo is the man for you.

And he was. I was given his phone number so called him ( took me a couple of days to work up to it) and he sounded very nice on the phone. I had thought maybe I’d ask him to accompany me to a tango fusion workshop but in the end decided a Milonga was a better use of the $. He was a lovely gentleman, fantastic dancer. Picked us up at the apartment – took us in a taxi (I had Morgana with me) and took us to a Milonga at Sueno Porteno. Fab. Danced for four hours!

He was mine all night. He asked what I wanted to experience, the music?, atmosphere?, I replied ‘dance thanks”. I mean was I there for anything else? No. He told me he’d pay for everything and I could reimburse him later- which worked very well.

So I had chalked up 3 Milongas, and my fourth and last was a cool experience also. Bumped into Eduardo again at another San Telmo event. Music at a café – felt like Café 121 on Ponsonby Rd. Singers and dancers. A tango couple –she wore a very cool  tango outfit. In fact she was dressed very like a glamourous Ponsonby black witch. Do you know what I mean?

At the cafe – this couple danced – she was a bit tight in the shoulders, but her feet were fab in these beautiful 7cm (or more) heels. Always the heels. And she was so very stylish in what she wore – a full length see thru black chiffon skirt over calf length tights, and again the heels.

It was like a semi formal performance. That’s a great thing about it actually, tango can be done anywhere with a smooth floor.

Later we went to this other ( my 4th) Milonga with Eduardo. Lovely old tango salon called Confiteria La Ideal.  Not many there– swine flu scare had definitely hit. At one point Eduardo and I were the only ones dancing – the people sitting at the tables clapped us at the end…..whaaat – that’s what dancing with a good dancer does for you – you look great!

Performances –  saw a great performance in an actual theatre of a very ‘contemporary’ tango work, as in – layers of meaning – and not just the general mini battle of the sexes, rather – a work with a bit of a narrative, some layers.

The company was LadoCiega,  the work was ‘Peso Media’. The men wore tight jeans and  topless, the women in jazz boots, tight ¾ trou, tight contemporary t shirts with hoods. Choreographed. i.e. – more designed in their stillnesses, shapes….and all the rest. Great music by Orqestra Astilleros.  It was played live the night we saw it. Would love to bring them to NZ. Hopefully for 2010 or 2011.  If I can get all the festivals around NZ at Oct time to have them as well?

(Tho I do like the demos at the Milongas – when they’re improvising and its really fast its very cool ( the book Kiss and Tango  said it was varied/sometimes choreographed)…. I think/hope they are improvising – on the basic theme of course –there’s a distinct vocab for tango , but heaps of choices to be made within that.)

The performance ‘Peso Media’  had cool dancing with very amazing duet work using the tango vocab. With those Portenos ( residents of Buenos Aires) it seems like it’s in their blood.

Julio Zurita was the choreographer and lead dancer – very good. I went backstage and congratulated him re the show and to ask him if he’d like to bring the work to NZ.

 Peso Media programme

My fave class was the last one I had – with Jorge Firpo (you were right Diego he was great) doing ‘Milonga which is the polka type rhythm, the get down and dirty style. Well the way Jorge did it, it was …… - very bent knees, jabbing the ground, short fast steps, neat floor patterns, men leading the women with their knees and thighs, more open embrace – I can see where the synthesis of this style and the tango style developed the classic corny hollywood  cheek to cheek tango dance, the scooting along low with clasped slightly outstretched leading arms.

 We learnt this one short phrase of tight small pas de bouree type movements, a 3 step ina 2/4 bar, … in 2 lines, the men opp the women. Then we moved together as couples. The guys (students) mainly stayed with the pattern with just slight simple developments, which was the best thing to do as they weren’t experienced enough in leading to really improvise. Fun to do the phrase anyway, improvising on it a teeny bit, eg with repetition. Have a great video of him demonstrating with a student – have to work out how to attach it here.

We went to a quite a few beginners classes –one in particular I was used as the demonstrator, the class was crazy because a huge group of young, complete novice American students suddenly appeared.

At the end – the teachers usually demonstrate – do a bit of a dance, showing what we’ve learnt. As I was the most experienced there that day the teacher got me dance with him, ordered me onto the floor, was very firm, very clear, aaagh…..Iwas freaking out as we were moving real fast….can you see the xpression on my face? I think I managed ok.

Me with the teacher Alejandro (El Turco) SUAYA doing tango in class!!.

Luckily Mary-Anne was there and took these photos!!!

When I first arrived I was with my lovely friend Mary-Anne.  She’s a DJ at KFM and so was a great advocate for NZ music while we were there. At this one bar which became our local  when we were staying in the Abasto area ‘ No Doy Abasto’ she insisted on getting them to play the whole of the new Fat Freddys album – YES, that was a fun night, aaagh! And on the way back to our apartment the taxi driver was playing beautiful a Tango song.

PHOTO Mary-Anne at our ‘local’ bar in Abasto

The dudes at No Doy Abasto

I attended quite a few tango fusion classes. Loved the more open style and aesthetic, the music (Gotan Project, Otres Aires) the extended lines are very much like modern dance  body shapes (see photo)  

Here’s an ironic moment for me. At my first tango fusion class I was the only one left standing without a partner at the beginning of the class. I noticed this guy had eyed me but looked thru me – didn’t want to ask me. But the teacher made him. So I get to be his partner. He gradually thaws as he realises I really can dance and am actually pretty good – esp this fusion style as its so dancy in the shapes etc, by the end he is all smiles and very friendly and respectful!  I showed him!!

TANGO FUSION class with the teachers (Demian Garcia and Fatima Vitale)demonstrating at L’escuela

Also did a ‘ballet for tango dancers’ class. T he posture was emphasized to be actually very balletic….long necked, shoulder blades down back, stomach lifted, tail bone down (it often looks like they’re slightly arched to me). We did lots of weight shift ex’s, and a travelling forward grand batement (cloche) phrase  that included ‘Voleya’, that was fun. It was actually a private lesson (aaagh!!) as I was the only one there at 9:30am None of the dancers want to get up in the cold, esp since they’ve probably been dancing til 4am at the  Milongas. Apparently in the summer he (Alejandro Biggio) gets many more students.

Tango dancers like to get a bit of ballet experience and  I suppose its good for them to get the ‘finished’ look but the whole muscular control thing of the trained ballet dancer ….. I’m desperately trying to let that go. I think if I can be just like a coat-hangar with my shoulder girdle frame, then below that like a piece of string. Though of course string that knows the tango form so can be flowed / led into any of the options.

Also did a ‘technique for women’ class. It began like a contemporary dance class, in a circle, each student offering a simple warmup phrase which we all repeated.

We did lots of leg work –  tango sure is a ‘leg art’ – singly in lines, then in pairs travelling – doing ochos / pivots, then in a circle doing ochos – calling out just at the last moment – so we can develop super fast reactions (as when following). She tried to give us a fancy change technique but we were too worried about changing direction real fast to do anything fancier. The class ended with a nice yoga stretch.

The body held up – whew.

Had an early moment in BA whenI thought I’d wrenched my ankle. The pavements are seriously uneven, with the dog shit as well- they’re minefields outside the San Martin /Florida area. Thankfully – I just stood very still and waited for the wrench pain to subside –and it was ok. My arms were ok too. Tango isn’t too hard on arms unless someone holds you funny. If the male dancer understands the form and the human body, its fine.

I prepared in Ak by going for slightly longer walks( my usual walk with the dog is very short (20 mins total, there and back). Worked out what were my best shoes for walking. Went to the physio to try to get my knee better and got some useful pilates excercises for strengthening my leg, and in the end a better understanding of the knee and its/my limitations. So just took a stretchy knee support and ignored the pain as it was just constant. Never got too bad, and I didn’t feel it when I was dancing.

Photo – my shoes after a Milonga, feet very sore, though getting stronger now for standing in high heels – essentially you’re on demi pointe most of the time.

We (Mary-Anne and I) walked and walked at first in BA ( though got the buses and undeground sorted after a while)– and my hips were fine. Took my yoga mat and my feather pillow and survived well.

La Boca – great time. Went twice. The first time we arrived throiugh the back streets with MA, and we were ok even tho everyone said they were very dangerous, but we blithely wandered thru – it was daytime so fine. I went a 2^nd time with Morgana. I actually bought this fab tango painting from Alfredo Lucadamo at the market.

Had a great time at a lovely restaurant there, the Nonno Bacchicha where we had a beautiful pasta meal and these dancers were obviously employed to dance continuously for the tourists – which was only us as it was a freezing day – but they were very good! 

Another couple did the Gaucho dancing – now I understand the context for the break that often happens  at a Milonga when everyone gets into 2 lines and does this loose folk dance. It comes from the Gaucho cowboys. They wear big wide legged pants tucked into knee length boots. The girls swirl their skirts.

Got to get the videos downloading sorted….

Want to go back. BA is my sort of town. It has a culture of dance, dance I can DO as its a mainly walking form (tho pretty fancy walking) whereas in the world I’m used to the dance forms of ballet and contemporary are so extreme, but with tango its great. I get to dance to music, with lovely men, without having to throw your body around or get too puffed and its such an elegant mini culture.

I want to go back and actually have a class with Eduardo. He offered to take me for a class but I ran out of time. I’m intrigued as he said don’t wear heels, wear loose clothing and be prepared to roll around the floor – sounds like a contemporary class!!

I’m beginning ot understand what is required –how to dance tango. Am also learning to lead which I take to much more naturally of course -  being a choreographer!!!

Yes- being a choreographer, I’m itching to do the manipulating, the leading, the decision making. The way the women have to tune in to the guy is a huge challenge – esp for us Kiwi girls I reckon –  they say its best to dance with your eyes closed and its true.

Sometimes you think if he’s this great a dancer he must be amazing in bed.

At the ParaKultural Milonga, I bought a dressy little frilly top from the toilet. Yes there was a woman in the loo selling toilet paper and she also had a display of tango clothes. There’s usually someone selling t paper, but clothes? So had ato buy this pretty top, as a cultural experience.

Tango top from loo at Milonga

The tango shop El Bucho, was cool. It actually had a tango studio upstairs. Diego recommended this shop for the shoes especially. So I bought the cream and gold shoes you see in the photos. They have a sueded sole and a 5 cm heel, not 7.5 or more which is the classic tango female look. Those heels are gorgeous, they’re so elegant and ever so slightly dangerous, but I’ll maybe work up to them as my feet get stronger.

Another show I went to was  called ‘Caravan, the jazz musical’. Apparently Argentinians are renowned for their excellent jazz dancing . and they were great at the Fosse thing. Fosse, fosse, fosse. You know……

Thanks to Phil, Morgana, Mary-Anne, Tempo, Diego, Eduardo – all who contributed to my lovely time in BA

Actually had a really good class with some great Argentinian teachers in Ak  just last week. So pleased  I can keep doing it here….. the teachers are fine here, the Milongas too.

Am also going out ‘scouting’ lots of dance all over Auckland. This last weekend checked out some youngsters (Monisha’s students) dancing Bollywood, they were/will be great, and went to the Ceroc Championships to check out the Ceroc duos for the Duets showcase. Actually had lots of fun at this event on Sat – thanks Angelique. It’s so amazing to see 100′s of regular people all enjoying dancing, and the competitors were pretty good. I like it when they keep the dress style more street, less ballroom influenced. Had some great dances myself with Saione (thanks Saione – he is a Salsa teacher, runs his own studio on Newton Gully) he’s a great dancer and it was fun to try to ‘get’ Ceroc’. Though my skills (still learning!!) are more about Salsa and Tango in the ‘social’ dance arena. But a night out for me is always much better if I get to dance somehow – a party or wherever.
On the Sat 9th May, went to the Tasca restaurant/cafe on Nuffield st and saw Amira and her Flamenco dancers. That was a great night. And last Sunday went to see and hear the Bach Cantata choir and orchestra performing. We have been in discussion about including some dance in their performance. Lovely event in St Pauls Cathedral. No room for dancers though unless they’re in the aisles or the overhead bridge.

On Sat the 16th we ( Steve Waspe on camera and I) spent 4 hours filming my ‘Witch Bitch’ dance at the Tango (Pasion por Tango) studio. Have seen the rough footage – looks good!

Recently have also checked out some young Hiphop boys at The Dance Studio the other day. Very cute – good for the Kids show at Tapac for sure. (see photo).

Thank heaps to my other panel members – Marama (a trustee, a dancer and teacher), Marianne on Sat (ex Limbs dancer, now at Ak Uni in history dept) Taiaroa Royal (ex Limbs dancer – Okareka dance co, teacher) and the volunteers (Elisabeth on Sat and Olivia on Sunday) now my / our task is to choose the works for Fresh Cuts and Prime Cuts – these chors and dancers will get a bit of seed money to continue making and completing their work, and we also saw dances for the kids show, teen show, duets showcase and maybe a sacred dance  might be a cool theme for a showcase this year.