Argentine Time

i can't even manage to be on time... a list - is just a list of things to do that may or may not get done today!
yesterday after seeing a couple of the kids off I went downtown with the intention of buying shoes, and making a hair appointment and walking around. Well, I was able to make a hair appt for tuesday (the day we leave) and i had a fabulous lunch at Origen in San Telmo with Rommel. Then we stopped by the Dandi mansion to check it out. It is this fabulous boutiquey tango hotel in San Telmo that I tried to email several times when planning this tour. So we were in San Telmo, we dropped in. http://www.mansiondandiroyal.com/
We met with the "gerente" - the GM- who talked nonstop (this is what argentine coffee will do to you!) He was super nice, very proud of his product and ready to show us around. We had some tea with him and he spoke about the place. After some time he showed us around. That was fun. We saw many many beautiful rooms, including one whose floor-to-ceiling window looked out over San Telmo. Very beautiful. We saw their rooftop terrace. Some of the suites have jucuzzi tubs in them. He even invited us to their "Tango Show". We accepted. So we stayed - it was just another 1.5 hour before the show (at 8pm). Completely his guest - dressed in jeans in sneakers - we attended this show. We were 2 of 6 people in the audience! The music was a quartet (bass, piano, violin, bandoneon). The singer was a skinny guy with a fabulous voice. The dancers, young and well - dancers.
The gerente gave me a pair of Dandi slippers! it's cold here now and the slippers are coming in handy!!!
I think I would like to design a tour that includes staying in Dandi - it would obviously be more exclusive and a bit more pricey. But very nice being in the heart of San Telmo, closer to many things and in a beautiful dwelling with personalized services.
SO today - i hope to check out some shoes for myself and wander around which is what I enjoy doing when I'm here.

It's Thursday - Last Day

I've been uploading pictures to facebook -
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=19908&l=95700&id=619634311
is the link to see the pictures - no captions on them yet but they are up
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=19673&l=b6362&id=619634311

Last night we went - well 7 of us went to see La Boca play the Brazilian team in a semifinal match - la bombanera (La Boca's stadium was closed again) so we went to Racine's stadium in Avellaneda (I think this is correct). IT was FREEZING out - but we managed - 2 goals per team - interesting to watch the stadium and their reactions and all the chants for La Boca - it makes you want to know what all the songs are!!!! (and their meanings).
http://www.bocajuniors.com.ar/

Last night the crew went to "el Beso" - i went home - they all said they had a great time and closed the place. Apparently closing the place with Dany "el Flaco" too!!!

Today rommel and were trying to get "large" sums of $$ to cover the costs of this last day - boy - was that a process. 1 bank allowed me to take out $1000 AR pesos - only from 1 card. Another bank only allowed $320pesos - and yet another only $500pesos - ugh - it was a pain in the ass let me tell you. AND on top of that the rate of exchange has been creeping down slowly slowly every day. UGH!

This afternoon we went to Las Violetas for final afternoon group tea. We invited the assistants to come and we ordered coffees and hot chocolates and several platters which came with sandwiches and dulces. We all left on a sugar buzz! It was a nice change to the 'group dinners'. And the kids all pitched in and got me a pair of tango sneakers - how cute are they!!! We all signed "cards" for the assistants and gave them their Arizona t-shirts. It was fun!!!!

Tomorrow morning at 8am the first of the chickadees goes back to AZ. So until then we're dancing our buns off tonite at nino bien.

It's been an amazing experience but it went by too fast... I have learned so much and am really grateful to all who helped make it happen. Rommel has been a huge help in running errands and helping out with individual items.

It's Tuesday

I can't even start to explain how tired I am.
Everyone seems to be coming down with a sinus, cough, sore throat situation. Even me.
It's already 9pm and I have to start getting ready for the milonga tonite. The weekend was gloomy weather-wise and we spent it in Recoleta and then on Sunday in San Telmo, where we had our 2nd group dinner at a restaurant called, Manolo, at Bolivar and Cochabamba. Recommended by Jose Luis and so we went and we were a little disorganized in our ordering so it took forever to get everyone fed. But I think we ate ok.
We had our 3rd group class with Dany "el Flaco" on Monday and that went well I think. Of course, he is an older milonguero and speaks a lot about being sensitive with the floor and with the partner. He taught us some milonga steps and told some stories - I translated - my head was spinning after 1-1/2 hours of assisting and translating. I didn't know what language I was speaking! It was interesting to hear him say that it was important for him that those who take class with him pass on what he has to share. One of our assistants, Isaac, was one of Dany's students and he kept bragging about Isaac, so that was a good experience.
Today was another running around day - shoe shoes shoes..... and more shoes... So alot of the boys didn't buy shoes on the first round - as they wanted to see all the choices, so today they were running around buying shoes. All the girls wanted to hit the famous "comme il faut" and ironically only 2 girls bought shoes there.... Holland finally found a pair of shoes - yeah!!!! At some point I want to gather all the shoes and take a picture - we will look like a tango shoe store all by ourselves!!!
Tonite some of the group is going to a different milonga and then meeting up with us - we'll see how that goes.
It is Tania's birthday today and we've been doing little things for her all day long it seems. I wanted to get her a cake and just didn't do it!
Tomorrow, 7 of us are going to the Boca soccer match. That will be interesting. Tickets were expensive but hey, not everyday you get to see a semifinals match.
I think I will have time tomorrow to post a little more....

What an amazing day!

Today - or what is now yesterday (!) included a class with Marcelo Varela y Analia Vega, a live show with dance company, NO BAILARAS called "Grotesca Pasion Transnochada" at the Teatro del Globo with original live music by Ramiro Gallo Quinteto and choreography by Silvana Grill, then off to a milonga at Confiteria Ideal for live music with Los Reyes del Tango and a performance by Stella Baez and Ernesto Balmacedo.
Wow - another action packed day.
I was so so so impressed by the fantastic music and very crisp clean dancing and smart choreography of the No Bailaras show. Alex spoke to Ramiro and got him to sign his CD and then Ramiro asked Alex to send his tango to him so he could hear it. THAT was totally exciting for Alex. I guess Ramiro is a famous violinist and well you can find clips of the show and of info on the quintet at: http://www.ramirogallo.com.ar/ and the show at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38sekJtzimo
I was so so impressed and what a difference from Zotto's show tango...

Analia and Marcelo did this lovely class with an emphasis on dynamics. Really lovely people and the kids loved it. They offered to come meet us at a milonga this week and hang with us - which was totally nice to offer - I know I want to make sure that happens!
There is some festival that is supposed to happen tomorrow night - and Luciana will be there and Analia and Marcelo will be performing: http://www.buenosaires.gov.ar/agenda/contenido.php?menu_id=18244&id=17467&destacado=17243

Gran Milonga de Mayo - Ministerio de Cultura
Sábados, 18 a 24 hs
Avenida de Mayo, 500
Cómo llegar: Según la ubicación del evento

La Gran Vía de Mayo se suma a los festejos del 25 de Mayo con una gran milonga que se desarrollará en tres escenarios ubicados a lo largo de la Avenida, entre Tacuarí y Bolívar. Entre las presencias tangueras se destacada la de Mora Godoy, reconocida como la más importante bailarina y coreógrafa de tango del país. Pero también habrá clases de tango, espectáculos y orquestas. Y estarán presentes las milongas: La Viruta Tango, La Marshall, El Beso, El Parakultural, Práctica X, El Motivo Tango, La Baldosa, Grisel, y Porteño y Bailarín. El encuentro concluirá a la medianoche frente al Cabildo, con el cambio de Guardia del Regimiento de Patricios.

We are expecting rain - but who really knows!
I have to spend some time revising our schedule for the coming week. The group is becoming a bit adventurous and independent - some of them anyway! And I want the schedule to allow for continued flexibility.

I have a ton of pictures that I would like to add to this blog. I will try to spend some time with that /this tomorrow or later today.

We are scheduled for some wandering around in Recoleta tomorrow - again weather and desire permitting. I think some of the gang wants to return to find shoes or buy shoes they had put on "hold". And some I think want to hang out and vegg. We'll see how it unfolds. Tomorrow night we'll head a little bit out of the way to Sunderland Club for a pretty traditional milonga. I still have never been so it will be interesting to go.

It's 5am - I need zzzzz's

Today was shoe shopping day

So, we had class with Luciana and everyone really loved her. She did a brush up technique class for everyone and it was great! The room here at Caseron where we are doing the classes is a little small but it was good practice.
We got 1/2 price tickets for Miguel Angel Zotto's show at Teatro Astral last night. So all of us went. It was show tango and a little, well, much. Costuming was very "culo" complimentary and lots of very low back dresses. Dancing was OK - really nothing impressive - on storyline that I saw - the live orchestra was on stage and the backdrop for most of the show. They were the amazing part of the show the rest was well, male menopause masturbation show - anyway! Picture a group of girls in black bras with black jackets over them (so unbuttoned in the front for several buttons revealing cleavage and sexy bras), with thong panties with tights and heels dancing with bandoneones - ARE YA' PUKING YET! or at least laughing... The boys loved the but cheeks hanging out the whole time - it was a long number to watch butt cheeks for! It was horrible! Anyway - always good experience to see where the "fate" of Show Tango is possibly headed! I took a couple of girls and headed out a little early (11pm) to meet up with our assistants who were waiting for us at the milonga.
We went to our assistant Jose Luis's milonga - La Maldita Milonga - in San Telmo. This was fun - it was super super casual. There was a fantastic young pianist and bandoneon player there with a singer with a fantastic voice. That was very cool. The kids LOVED it...
Today we spent ALL day shoe shopping - i did not purchase a single shoe yet - and we still have a couple more shoe stores to visit... I wonder how many shoes they all bought in total - i'll have to get that stat and share with you.... It was exhausting and fun somehow all at the same time.
I had an interesting interaction with Ruben from Darcos - they are right next door to Flabella and he was a bit antagonistic at first. After all he is charging an astronomical 380pesos for a pair of shoes and upon asking if there's a discount he said no - they are "artesanal" - (homemade). Meanwhile next door the girls bought some shoes for 185pesos.... CRAZY the price difference. He warmed up to me eventually but man - not very friendly at first at all...
Tonite we're headed to Gran Taberna - YEAH! and then off to nino bien. However, I just discovered that we have to be at Nino Bien at 11pm or lose our tables. Sigh -I can't seem to plan the details correctly here. It's a bit painful. I feel like i'm running behind myself.
I'm completely exhausted and dying for a nap.
Tonite we have been told that Narcotango is playing at La Viruta - sigh - had i known, i would have made plans for that! Sigh!....
I'm dying to post pictures and i just haven't had time to do that... will attempt tomorrow... we'll see...

Day 1 - onto day 2

I'm not sure I'm very coherent to actually write a decent blog at the moment but I will try to sum of the highlights so far!
Right now - I'm trying to get my day organized... Gloria - the last student has arrived safely and we are now all officially in the house! Breakfast is served until 12:00 and i'm craving eggs - so i'll be scrambling some up soon - or maybe Rommel is doing that right now! We have our first class with Luciana Valle at 1pm and I'm excited and nervous for that. She is one of my first teachers and I guess I hope that my students enjoy her.
We have a "natural" alarm clock here at the house - the school next door has their first recess at about 9:30pm or so - and somehow it seems to last most of the morning! or maybe it's just that i'm not used to a bunch of yelling children every morning and afternoon it seems!
Later we will be seeing how many of us want to go check out Miguel Angel Zotto's show at Teatro Astral tonite prior to the milonga...
We will head to a milonga as well later and yes, I've run out of time.
Last night we went to Salon Canning where the assistants met up with us. We saw Orquesta Sans Souci play - 4 bandoneon players and full orquestra - awesome - they were flawless. Chino Laborde sang with them - he is also the singer for Fernandez Fierro - really fantastic...
So
I'm off to class and will post pictures later

ARRIVED!

We have arrived.. the flight was pretty painless it is always the jetlag that kills me though. I am trying to finish up last minute things and all I want to do is sleep... the Caseron is nice - it's a little echoey but hopefully i will get used to that...
We are in a neighborhood that is totally unknown to me - we're in Palermo, near Belgrano and near the calle Cabildo. It feels very foreign to me and i don't have any of my familiar landmarks - either street names or buildings - hmm -
I will be up early tomorrow to go to the airport to pick up some of the girls. And slowly everything will fall into place!
Already had my milanesa con pure de papas!
and it's Churro season!!!! yummy!

GETTING READY

I am 1 week away from returning to BA. I am working on the itinerary for the tour. I've checked the weather and the rate of exchange, delta still allows 2 bags if traveling internationally. I just finished grading papers and submitting grades - I'm exhausted but not even sure what to do with myself!
I went to see the movie "The Visitor" this evening. Interesting. I didn't find the script very interesting but the issues are very contemporary. Am thinking I can use it for the Dance in World Cultures class in the fall.