1. Tuesday Tango
2. Tuesday Tango Etiquette
3. The Difference between Practicas and Milongas
4. Tips for Beginners by Margaret
5. Welcoming New Beginners to Our Tango Community by Margaret
6. DJ Tips for Beginners by Margaret
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1. Tuesday Tango - A Brief History (by Stephanie)
Tuesday Tango sponsored by Community Argentine Tango got its start at a First Night event at the now-defunct Roly Poly Sandwich Shop (on Beaver Ave across from Schlow Library), December 31, 2007, when the owner was pleased with our tango and agreed to let us practice on a slow weeknight. Tuesday Tango practica began the following week and has been going strong since then. It should seem obvious why we chose to name our practica Tuesday Tango after the day of the week and not its location!
We held Tuesday Tango at Roly Poly until it closed without warning in March 2010. For the rest of that spring we held Tuesday Tango at Natalia’s (she’s now in NYC), Branch Road, or other locations, and that summer we took over the atrium at the Business Bldg on campus. From there we moved to the lobby of Kern Bldg on the Penn State campus where Aimee and Eleonora (now in California) hosted for over two years. For a couple of summers we went back to the Business Bldg or the Drama Bldg and occasionally we would try out other venues. Throughout, we have rarely missed a Tuesday. Since we began dancing at Webster’s in September 2012 (and before the Corona virus pandemic), we cancelled Tuesday Tango only 5 times (Christmas Eve/Day and New Year’s Eve/Day and 4th of July when Webster’s was closed). That’s quite a record for our small, but awesome tango community!
Many of our tango “alums” played a key role in keeping Tuesday Tango going by occasionally volunteering to DJ/host, including Sergey (Seattle), Jean Felix (Ireland), Giorgio (Rome), Yesica (LA), Max (Seattle), Lian (Philadelphia)—and others I apologize for not remembering at this moment.
Last, but not least, thank you to the many in our community who continue to help Tuesday Tango thrive!
2. Tuesday Tango Etiquette
Community Argentine Tango -- TUESDAY TANGO Practica Etiquette
Tuesday Tango is a breath of fresh air in our week and we want to make sure that it is a comfortable place for everyone--long time dancers, new dancers, and out of town guests. Many of us are happy to dance with people of all levels when we see that they have a serious interest in tango. Here are 7 simple guidelines to ensure that we can maintain and grow our tango community!
1. Always be kind and supportive to beginners; it doesn’t take much to scare someone away for life. Do not offer feedback unless requested. A thoughtful partner will ask if there is anything you want to work on. If you would like to get feedback from a partner, ask for it! Encourage new dancers to attend the group lessons offered by the Penn State tango group.
2. At Tuesday Tango we use the mirada/cabaceo (i.e., invitation through eye contact) as well as direct invitations by both leaders and followers. When you would like to invite someone to dance, be aware of social cues: Is the person engrossed in conversation? Avoiding your glance? Anyone has the absolute right to decline a dance. If you refuse an invitation, but wish to dance with this person later, say so. And do not put anyone on the spot to dance with another person.
3. On the dance floor: When a couple enters the dance floor, do so between songs or where there is a gap. Dancers on the floor should not be disturbed in any way. Dance in the line of dance (counter clockwise). Leaders should not step backward unless you are certain that it won’t cause problems for couples behind you.
4. Respect the space and safety of other dancers, especially when the floor is crowded. Leaders, do not ask the follower to commit to steps or embellishments that could be a danger to other dancers, such as high boleos. Followers, avoid high embellishments that may kick and injure other dancers.
5. If you want to practice something complicated or that takes a lot of space, move outside the dance floor. It is difficult for others to dance/practice around you if you take lots of space.
6. There’s no need to apologize to your partner if you make mistakes. Do apologize if there is a collision with another couple, even if it wasn't your fault.
7. If, at any time, you do not wish to dance further, thank your partner and leave the floor. Saying “thank you” signals intention to end the dance. For example, if a lead is making the follower feel uncomfortable for any reason, the follower has the right to end the dance by politely saying “Thank you” and walking away. (Do not to follow the person to ask why they ended the dance. Just move on.)
We also encourage everyone in our community to learn more about tango music. If you hear a song that you particularly like (or don’t), ask the DJ about it. DJs love to talk about their music choices. And we want to encourage more in our community to step up and try DJing, even if just once.
For more info on how to make tango communities welcoming see
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbU4jx3fUZI
https://www.santafetango.org/tango_etiquette.html
3. What's the difference between a Practica and a Milonga? Here are a few FAQs to help the novice tanguera/o:
1. What makes a milonga different than a practica (like Tuesday Tango)? At practicas we help each other out, work on practicing our fundamentals, and try new combinations. Milongas are parties, so not the place to practice, but just dance and enjoy. In fact, it is considered very poor form to ask for help, and especially bad to instruct or give advice. If you really want to work on something for a few minutes, you and your partner should use space other than on the dance floor. There are some fun videos on good and bad dance floor etiquette, like this one by Michelle and Murat.
2. What’s the dress code for milongas? Our milongas are dressier than laid-back Tuesday Tango, so break out the sparkles or that outfit for clubbing that you never get to wear. If you have no sparkles, no worries—we will still be happy to see you and dance with you.
3. I don’t have tango shoes. What should I wear? If you have leather-soled or other smooth-soled shoes that allow you to pivot and are somewhat flexible, they are the best for dancing. But a clean pair of thick gym socks or flexible jazz dance shoes are great, too. In fact, Isotoner ballet slippers ($12 to $20 online) work well as inexpensive alternatives to jazz shoes. If you do wear street shoes, please make sure that the heels and soles do not have visible nails or rough spots/edges—our milonga floors are wood and need more gentle treatment than Webster’s concrete floor.
4. Where can I learn more about milongas? There are many sites that share the “rules” and we encourage you to check them out Here’s one that keeps the spirit of Buenos Aires tango culture, adapted to our U.S. context: http://www.tangoconcepts.com/etiquette.html. And if you would like to see the range of milongas in Buenos Aires, go to https://www.hoy-milonga.com/buenos-aires/es
4. Tips for Beginners (By Margaret)
If you are a new beginner coming to Tuesday Tango for the first time, you may find the following tips helpful on what to expect.
First, Tuesday Tango is a tango practica—a place to practice tango, improve your skills, and experiment with new things. The goal of a practice session is for partners to work together in learning these new skills, steps, or techniques. Partners can assist each other's learning with good verbal feedback (if it is determined that this is wanted!).
Second, a thoughtful partner will ask you just before beginning to dance if there is anything you want to work on. Don't be shy! Answer them! You will be exposed to many new steps and techniques at BDC tango lessons and workshops, and the practica is a good place to then practice them! If you are asked what you want to practice, don't hesitate to tell your partner! If you are interested in getting feedback from a partner, don't hesitate to ask for it!
Third, although most people will find their partners by using a cabeceo, it is all right at a practica to ask a partner if they want to dance with you. (A cabeceo, however, makes it more comfortable for everyone and avoids any hurt feelings if someone doesn't want to dance with you!)
Fourth, while most people are likely to change partners at the end of a tanda, at a practica (where people are working on individual skills and issues) people can dance longer or shorter than this with their partner, depending on what they are working on.
Fifth, people can also change partners right on the dance floor at a practica, rather than having to leave the dance floor, as they would do at a milonga (tango dance party); however, people can still leave the floor at a practica to change partners.
Sixth, cortinas may or may not be used to separate tandas, it will depend on the DJ's preference.
Seventh, when you say “thank you,” that means that you want to end dancing with that particular partner. A more experienced dancer will say “thank you” at the end of the tanda, and then you both will look for new partners.
Tip on saying “thank you:” If you want to dance the full three dance tanda, don't say “thank you” before the end! If you want to say something appreciative at the end of a particular dance, you can say something like, “that was lovely!” or some synonym for that sentiment. Also, if you want to dance more than the three dance tanda with a particular partner, resist saying “thank you,” until they say it first, perhaps you will get them to dance more!
Another tip on saying “thank you:” If your partner has given you great (and wanted) feedback during your practice session and/or helpful words of encouragement, and you wonder how to thank them without saying “thank you,” try waiting until the end of your tanda, and when you say thank you at the end, include a thank you then for their helpful comments.
If you want to read a little more about what to expect at a practica, check out the following link from the Yale Tango Club: http://www.tangomuse.com/TangoManners.html
5. Tips for Welcoming New Beginners (by Margaret)
This is for all of us who have been dancing tango for at least one year. These tips are paraphrased from the Yale Tango Club.
Be courteous and thoughtful of our new beginners! Remember that you were a beginner once, too. When you see someone new sitting by themselves, please go over and greet them, tell them about Tuesday Tango, find out if they are students, etc., and just be welcoming. You can always get me to do this, too, if you notice someone and don't have time yourself!
Dance with a beginner! Be friendly and generous with even one dance, if you don't want to give them a full tanda. Remember how helpful it was for you when you were a beginner and more experienced dancers danced with you! Now is pay back time!
Be positive and build confidence! If you want to offer advice, be positive. You can suggest a way to improve their rock step, for example, without first saying that they are doing it wrong. Sometimes just saying “nice” when they make a simple side step unexpectedly smoothly, can also do wonders for building confidence. And remember to ask, first, if they want feedback.
Give them some helpful tips!
how to use the cabeceo and nod to invite someone to dance
when and how to use “Thank you ”
remember that close embrace is by mutual consent, and better left for a formal class to introduce; if a beginner doesn't know there is a difference between open and close embrace, please dance open.
If you want to read a little more about welcoming new beginners, check out the following link from the Yale Tango Club http://www.tangomuse.com/TangoManners.html
6. DJ Tips for Beginners (By Margaret)
These DJ tips were first presented in the weekly Tuesday Tango announcements.
They were compiled from suggestions by Muyou Li, Stephanie Shields, Derek Keefer, Tia Zang, Margaret Okere, and the helpful information on Djing in the websites < www.tejostango.come> and <Tangology 101>.
DJ TIP #1
Have you hesitated to volunteer as guest DJ/host, because you may not know the names of the songs you've heard at practicas and milongas, and you wonder how you could put together a tanda this way, much less a playlist? Fortunately, there are great resources for this problem.
Several professional DJ's have websites that provide you with tandas and the song titles within each tanda, and it only takes nine to ten tandas to make a full playlist for our practicas.
Please take a look at the resources below and find out how easy it would be for you to begin. You can even listen to several of the tandas right on each website, or you can listen to individual songs on youtube.
Remember, too, to ask the DJ the title of any song you would like to know the title of--asking at the end of a tanda for a song in that tanda is best.
An Annotated List of Tandas (from the website www.tejastango.com/)
DDP's Favorite Tandas | Classic Tango Dance Music
Another excellent resource for tango songs is Todotango. You can play and listen to numerous tango songs individually and find one that you might like to build a tanda around. You can also get interesting background information on each of the songs.
(Note: If you also have a favorite song that you know the title of, but don't know how to fit into a tanda, you can easily find a tanda for it by putting the title into google search along with the word “tanda”. This will bring up many examples of such tandas available for you to listen to on youtube AND examples of such tandas on DJ websites such as tejastango, Tangology 101 (Clint's Tanda Collection), and DDP's Favorite Tandas.)
(A word of caution on using Tango websites. Currently—June 6, 2018--my Webroot filtering system indicates that all three websites above are “trustworthy sites, safe with a low security risk.” Sometimes, however, this can change, even for months at a time. So be sure and check their safety before entering them.)
DJ TIP #2
Have you hesitated to volunteer, because you are wondering where to begin? Professional DJ websites provide helpful advice on how to start.
One of the first things they mention is to build a playlist based on the tanda, a set of three or four songs of similar style, orchestra, time period, and singer. This similarity is important for the leaders, as it makes for a more rewarding practice experience. DJ websites also offer many tanda suggestions.
Second, they will tell you to structure a playlist as TTVTTMTTVTT or, alternatively, TTMTTVTTMTT, where T = tango, V = vals, and M = milonga.
Third, they will suggest that a majority of your selections be familiar to the dancers, as knowing the music allows leaders to better visualize a sequence of upcoming steps to practice. If you are familiar with a song when you hear it, other dancers in our community will be, too!
For more detailed information, check out these excellent sites (each one is fairly short):
http://tandaoftheweek.blogspot.com/p/tips-for-djs.html
http://www.tangology101.com/main.cfm/title/Milongas-and-DJing-in-Atlanta/id/57
http://www.tejastango.com/milongas_djsrole.html
(Note: Tuesday Tango always uses three-song tandas. While you can chose to use four-song tandas, it is important that all tandas in a playlist be either three- or four-song tandas. Do NOT mix tanda lengths in the same playlist.)
DJ TIP #3
Have you hesitated to volunteer, because you are wondering how one goes about constructing a playlist? I hope that DJ tips #1 and #2 have proved encouraging. DJ tip #3 is a simple, but effective, general guideline: keep the orchestras consistent within a tanda, and vary the orchestras between tandas.
Every tango orchestra plays in a distinct style, reflecting the orchestra's conductor. Varying the orchestras at a practica helps keep the mood lively
Muyou has provided a list of some famous tango orchestras from the golden age to include in any playlists. Named for the conductor, the orchestras include:
Aníbal Troilo, Carlos di Sarli, Juan d'Arienzo, Osavaldo Pugliese, Osvaldo Fresedo, Miguel Caló, Rodolfo Biagi, Francisco Canaro, Lucio Demare, Edgardo Donato, Roberto Firpo, Pedro Laurenz, Francisco Lomuto, Alfredo de Angelis and Enrique Rodríguez
For some interesting music history on four of the major tango orchestras--Canaro, Fresedo, D'Arienzo, and Di Sarli--with insights into their different styles--follow this link supplied by EK:
http://humilitan.blogspot.com/2016/02/notes-from-hernan-prietos-tango-music.htmls
Are you interested in knowing which orchestra's may be most popular for our dancers? Argentine Tango Radio did a survey of it's listeners and asked which orchestras were the most "danceable." First place went to D'Arienzo; second place to Canaro, and third place was a tie among Troilo, Di Sarli, and Biagi.
Along the same lines, Tango Voice (Tango DJ Fundamentals: Part 1 – Selecting Music for Dancing and …) reported on a 2008 survey of DJ choices in Buenos Aries and a 2014 worldwide survey of orchestra preferences.
The 2008 survey found the most popular orchestras for DJ's to be (in descending order): D'Arienzo, Di Sarli, Troilo, Biagi, Tanturi, Pugliese, D'Agostino, Calo, and Rodgriguez. The 2014 worldwide survey found the most popular orchestras worldwide to be (in descending order): D'Arienzo, Di Sarli, Pugliese, Troilo, Canaro, Calo, and de Angelis.
DJ TIP #4: Strive to have at least 70% of your playlist be traditional golden age tango songs. Remember, this is a TANGO pracica!
DJ TIP #5:
Have you been following the DJ tips over the past few months? DJ tip #4 is a simple and important strategy first suggested by Stephanie: begin the practica with songs that have a strong beat.
The polyrhythmic structure of tango, rooted in African origins, may make it difficult for beginners to distinguish the beat from the melody. Songs from the early golden age, with a heavy emphasis on beat, help to train the beginner's ear to distinguish this beat, a helpful skill when more sophisticated tangos begin to submerge the rhythm section and give more emphasis to melody.
You can hear this beat clearly in the classic early tango, Champagne Tango, by D'Arienzo, l938. Contrast this with the later Di Sarli rendition of the same song, l944, and the presence of the beat in the D'Arienzo piece becomes even more noticeable.
Ty to imagine an African drummer pounding out the beat in the D'Arienzo, then practice imagining the same drummer in the Di Sarli.
Juan D'Arienzo - 1938 - Champagne Tango - YouTube
Orquesta Carlos Di Sarli - Champagne tango – YouTube
DJ TIP #6: CORTINAS
If you are new to tango, a cortina may, at first, be confusing to you. What's going on, you may wonder, upon hearing some Beatles music. Do I dance to this?
Short answer--no. One doesn't dance to a cortina, a short piece of non-tango music between 20-60 seconds long, that signals the end of a tanda. The cortina gives you time to thank your partner and to clear the dance floor in preparation for asking a new partner at the next tanda.
The practice of cortinas originated at the milongas (tango dance parties) in Argentina and Uruguay and has since spread world-wide. While cortinas are accepted practice at milongas, DJs at practicas have wide discretion over whether to include them or not.
Some DJs feel that the cortina at practicas gives dancers important practice for using cortinas later at milongas. Other DJs avoid the use of cortinas at practicas and run tandas continuously, so that dancers can make maximum use of their practice time. Still other DJs will signal the end of a tanda with a few seconds of silence, creating a space for dancers to say thank you to each other and then to cabeceo or ask a new partner for the next tanda.
DJ TIP #7:
Have you been following the DJ tips over the past few months? DJ Tip #5 is another simple and helpful tip : listen to a full song before deciding to include it in your playlist.
I have been surprised to hear some older fuzzy and scratchy recordings, or a sound of wood blocks in the middle of the song like horses hooves, or an unexpected "zing" of notes that sounded very out of place. Or a song may simply fall flat.
Even if the song comes recommended by an online DJ as part of a tanda, listen to it all the way before using it.
DJ TIP #8: WHAT TO DO IF YOUR PLAYLIST IS TOO LONG OR TOO SHORT
Tuesday Tango practicas go for 1 ½ hours or 90 minutes. This usually works out between nine and 10 tandas. If you are creating a playlist in a program such as Spotify, Apple Music, or Foobar, your program will have an option which tells you the length (to mintues) of the playlist, so you know if you can fill the time.
You don't have to try and figure out the minutes yourself!
If you find you come under or over the 90 minutes by a few minutes, this is easy to fix, rather than trying to change songs you have already selected and would like to use—simply start playing your playlist a few minutes early (if it's too long) or a few minutes later (if it's too short). You can also select Cumparsitas for the length you need to fill out the last few minutes.
DJ TIP #9: AVOID PLAYING THE SAME SONG TWICE IN ONE EVENING.
Stephanie first mentioned this simple tip for playlist construction. Avoid playing the same song twice in one evening. Even if the song is being played by two different orchestras or is being sung by two different singers, avoid playing the same song twice.
DJ TIP #10: SAVING YOUR PLAYLIST
When you are constructing your playlist, take the time to SAVE the playlist to a backup location after every few tandas. Accidents do happen, and you can wipe out your whole playlist and have to start over if you may not have a backup in progress! This happens!
DJ TIP #11: AVOID PLAYING TWO TANDAS IN A ROW FROM THE SAME ORCHESTRA
DJ TIP #12: CONSTRUCTING YOUR SECOND PLAYLIST
Yea! You made it through constructing and playing your first playlist, and everyone enjoyed dancing to it. Is there anything new that would be helpful to know for your second playlist?
Yes. You do not have to create an entirely new playlist for your second playlist. In fact it is better if you don't. Dancing at a practica is for practicing tango, and it is most helpful for leaders to be familiar with a piece in order for them to fully practice tango at their best.
Stephanie first recommended that approximately only 1/3 of your playlist be new material. This amounts to changing only two or three tandas for each new 1 ½ hour playlist. Dancers will enjoy this mix of familiar tandas and new tandas.
Strive also to have at least 70% of your playlist be traditional golden age tango songs. Remember, this is a TANGO practica!
DJ TIP #13: ADVANCED TIP
This is an advanced tip, for those who feel bold enough to tackle putting together their own tandas.
Tandas, the building blocks of any playlist, have their own unique recommended structure, and building a tanda from scratch requires someone very familiar with tango music.
First, all three songs within a tanda should have the same tempo, feel or style, and rhythm. The first song should alert the leader to how the rest of the tanda will play out for these characteristics.
Having all three songs from the same orchestra and time period is also vital--for this reason one often sees the date of the song listed along with the title. Tejastango.com <https://www.tejastango.com/tandas.html> provides a helpful listing of key time periods in tango music history with orchestras for each.
Second, the first position, middle position, and last position in a three song tanda all play different roles. The first song should be strong and familiar, a song that pulls people onto the dance floor. The middle song should continue the feeling and energy, but it can be a lesser known or weaker song. It may provide some variety to the tanda, being more rhythmic, for instance, in a romantic tanda. The last position should have a song that is at least as strong as the first, if not stronger.
Third, if you have a good ear for tango music, you can start experimenting with mixed tandas in which you combine songs from different orchestras or different singers, if they suit the purpose and feeling of your tanda.
For more resources on constructing your own tandas, check out the following:
How to DJ a Milonga at <http://www.tangology101.com/>
Composing Tandas at <https://www.tejastango.com/>
<http://tandaoftheweek.blogspot.com/p/tips-for-djs.html>
DJ TIP #14: ADVANCED TIP
Have you been following the DJ tips over the past semester? DJ Tip #14 is another advanced tip, for those with greater familiarity with tango music. Clint Rausher of www.tangology101.com recommends varying the styles of tango music throughout the evening: "play tandas which are fast and energetic, elegant and smooth and slow and dramatic."
You may also try varying the feelings among tandas, from upbeat and playful to sensual to passionate and romantic to happy and tender. One possible progression for the evening could be to begin with hard rhythm energetic tandas, later build to a climax that is passionate and romantic, and then close with a happy and tender feeling.
DJ TIP #15: ADVANCED TIP
When using three selections in a tanda that all have singers, check to make sure the singer does not start singing until 1/3 to ½ way through the song. Songs of the Golden Age of tango will customarily do this, and this allows the leader to adjust to the beat and style of the particular song, before the extra element of the singer is introduced.
More contemporary tango orchestras often start with the singer starting right at the beginning. These songs are usually designed to feature the singer and are likely to be less danceable than songs of the Golden Age of tango.