Övrigt

Samling 18.30 utanför Skansen på torsdag. Om vi blir 10 st= billigare entré.

Varför inte ta en promenad i Hagaparken ikväll? Lite picknick och lite tangomusik.... runt kl 19.00 Ekotemplet, mer säger jag inte..

Pele visar italien, kl 21,00.VM- matchen, därför är Tangon inställd på Rest. Pele denna lördag kväll.

Jag fick precis telefon från Ulf, som är medansvarig för dansen ikväll:

• Det blir samling & intro på Eriksdalsbadet ändå
• Om det det fortfarande regnar flyttas resten av kvällen till Alvik (hög sannolikhet just nu)

ÄR TANGON INSTÄLLD IKVÄLL? JUST NU ÖSREGNAR DET. FOLK RINGER OCH UNDRAR HUR DET BLIR.FINNS DET ALTERNATIV VID REGN?

TWO FOR TANGO by Lisandro Gambarotta (exklusive interview - entrevista exclusiva)

"Silvio Grand and Mayra Gallant have been for the last ten years professional dancers and tango teachers.

The woman, a bit suggestively, lets one of her long and shapely legs show. Just a look is enough to achieve her purpose. He, slender and masculine, melts his eyes there where her skin takes him. The encounter between the two of them is already inevitable. They unite in a special embrace, almost a fusion, the legs begin to move but without hurry, with a crisscrossing movement. In the background a tango converts this rite in the dance that today moves the world

Silvio Grand and Mayra Gallant are tango dancers and teachers. Our music became the road to arrive to their common dream: to be artists. In his childhood, Silvio did not accept the music that his parents listened to, but in his adolescence that changed.

- Perhaps because to understand the poetry of tango it is necessary to have a certain maturity, to live certain experiences, I am talking about been able to identify oneself with melancholy, romance, rage or the desire to shout for love that are intrinsically part of tango music. I heard Horacio Ferrer say that one arrives to tango at the age of thirty, because by then one has suffered the first frustrated love. First I identified myself with the mocking and provoking tangos of the old guard, later with Pugliese (I already knew how to dance by then) and from there with all the styles and orchestras, I even value electronic tango as artistic search -

Beginning to dance was destiny’s decision

- My first tango class was with masters Mimí and Francisco Santapá. As I was leaving volley-ball practice I went into a room at Club Oeste where I asked how much the dance classes cost (I practically did not have a cent) and an elegant and tall gentleman approached me and said: “I don’t charge young people, because I want them to dance and give life to tango”. At that time there were not many young people dancing and I believe that this gesture was marvelous. I met other milongueros with the same human quality and I would even say “vision of the future”: Kela y Héctor Pájaro, I went all the way to Valentín Alsina to take classes with them. When they were introduced to me Francisco told me: “You look at Pajarito carefully, because he knows what he is doing”, referring to Héctor. And in a class at club El Labrador in Valentín Alsina Tito Pajarito told me: “Make sure to pay attention to Francisco, he knows what he is doing” – Silvio tells

In spite of being most definitely a porteña, tango arrived in Mayra’s life also after her adolescence, and allowed her to finish defining her identity

- The radios at my home were not tuned to tango and I had a grandfather that told me Jewish jokes but never sang a tango to me. Nevertheless, thanks to my passion for dancing, I came to take my first class at La Galería del Tango with Fernando Galera and Vilma Vega. Thanks to the 2 x 4 I began to feel proud to be Argentine, I began to love and value my country and its culture. It could be said that approaching and involving myself with tango brought me emotionally closer to my country and its history. When I was a girl I regretted that my Russian great-grandfathers had chosen the ship bound for Argentina and not the one going to the United States, now I am happy that it was that way -

Their activity is not just that of the average professionals. The necessary connection among them creates a very intimate tie that often generates confusion in the public

- After seeing us dance people are disappointed when they find out we are not life partners, although we always say that ours is an “artistic marriage”. We spend many hours together and we share numerous experiences, not only present ones but also projects for the future. We chose each other as partners because we identify with the same search, we like what tango has about the embrace, the feelings, the elegance, the improvisation, where the man and the woman each have a role to perform individually and together they complement and enrich each other. Well… and also because Mayra is the only person that is patient with me - jokes Silvio

Consolidated as artistic couple, they occupy a visible place in their milieu. Their work is distributed among milongas, musical groups, advertising, films, teaching and trips outside of the country

Their repertoire for milongas is clearly selected

- In our exhibitions we do not usually dance two songs by the same orchestra, we like to dance the arrangement of "Amurado" by Pedro Laurens, the speed of the variations impresses us as well as their virtuosity. Of Miguel Caló Saludos , which is a perfect, elegant and sweet melody to enjoy in the improvisation, charms us. Another good orchestra to improvise to is Biaggi, for example in La Maleva, the theme travels through different moments. At first it is dense and it grips the earth, later has an agile and light variation to finish being melancholic. Also we utilize acting tools, when we dance Desde el Alma with the arrangement of Pugliese we tell a story, therefore the wardrobe is very important. Mayra uses a very flowing white dress and the dance is romantic and ethereal. The music has to be in harmony with the wardrobe and the dance - asserts Silvio

They were part of the cast of “Solo tango, el show” and Esquina Carlos Gardel which were not only work, but also learning experiences. They shared tours and international stages with idols of tango like Osvaldo Zotto and Lorena Ermocida, Maria Graña, Carlos Copello and Roxana Fontan, among others.

- You learn from colleagues, not only on the stage but also when you share the daily things. Working in a group is not easy, one must have very clear one’s own objectives as well as respect for those of others, not to be hooked in the competition, the envy or the gossip that are so frequent in the artistic environment - says Mayra.

- Working on stage gives you lots of satisfaction, but requires a lot of effort and responsibility, requires you to have always the energy and the desire to act in front of the public. Irrespective of your mood, you know that the audience expects for you to give your best, therefore you are also an actor. As Freddy Mercury sings "The show must go on" - adds Silvio reflexively.

Their professionalism allowed them to be chosen for the advertising of international brands such as Bridgestone, Citybank and Telefe. Working in advertising was an enriching experience because of the importance given to image - that should be equated to the product sold - and to the acting above the dancing. A top-level job was for them to participate in the Argentine film Tango, un giro extraño by director Mercedes García Guevara. When they auditioned the director asked that they let the music they were about to hear (which ended up being a jazz melody) inspire them. They improvised and it turned out right. “We are ready, that is exactly what I am looking for, I do not want you to practice nor do I want to give you the music, I want you to improvise", she told them

- We have always liked movies and advertising, but we want to particularly emphasize how Mercedes knew how to transmit the importance that we gave to the feelings that arise in the scene in which we are dancing. It was interesting for us to have participated in a movie that shows young tango artists, above all because there are still those who do not realize how many young people are in tango. The film, that was seen abroad, documents a very realist Buenos with cartoneros in the streets - they both mention

Teaching in our country and abroad is another of the occupations of the duo. Despite the fact that the city of Buenos Aires is a tango teachers factory, Silvio and Mayra have a large group of students. In addition, they emphasize their experience in countries such as Italy, Sweden, Switzerland and Russia

- Our experience as teachers in the old world showed us that the saying that any Argentine that travels to Europe is Gardel no longer holds true. Europeans understand a lot about tango, they are scholars and exacting with themselves as well as with their teachers - says Silvio

The contact with foreigners truly interested in tango allowed them to see how the culture of each country is reflected in the dance. For example in Stockholm many women dance the role of the man, not only at milongas but also in the classes. This phenomenon is related to the place occupied by women in Swedish society, where they have reached independence and economic and professional levels equal to those of men. In Switzerland people are interested in the complexity of steps and their combinations. On the other hand in Italy they are more passionate, and like the embrace, elegance and sensuality.

In their art this duo is genuine, fusing elegance, youth and feelings. A man and a woman offer themselves to one another in the embrace, an embrace in which body soul and music participate. Their dance is warm, fluid, accomplished, esthetic and representative of Argentine tango.

- As good Gemini -we have birthdays the same day- we are curious and restless, therefore we are always learning. Though we like to maintain an elegant and traditional style, we are always incorporating and teaching the technical advances of tango as dance. We live a search to achieve a classical dance but full of plasticity in the movements - defines Mayra

- For me Tango is spelled with a capital T, it signifies a way to express myself, an identity, a vocation, my pride. It gave and demanded from me a lot, it covers many facets of my life, I had to leave many things to be able to dedicate myself to tango but I also received and I still receive a lot from it – concludes Silvio.

INTERNATIONAL The phenomenon of tango exists in part because it has transcended our borders. Besides the logical contagion in the remainder of South America – with a presence that has continued through the years – Europe in particular vibrates today with festivals, feature films, milongas, schools, etc. Silvio and Mayra have students there- as was told before - given the repeated tours that they have made.

Last March they were invited by the government of the Russian city of Saint Petersburg to star in the show “Tango with the stars” in which musicians from the orchestra of the Academy of Art of the Hermitage Museum, Russian dancers and lyrical singers also participated. The event took place in the Capella Concert Hall, where important international artists like Luciano Pavarotti have performed.

Until some weeks ago the young dance couple were again in Russia, after a tour that took them to Brazil and Latvia, performing a show that consisted of a succession of musical pictures where they interpreted Desde el Alma and Milongueando en el 40 as soloists. In Brazil, they performed in important theaters of the cities of Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre and Caxias do Sul, to truly ecstatic audiences. In Latvia they performed in the theater “Rigas Kongresu Nama” that is one of the largest in Riga, the capital of this European country.

The land of one of the largest revolutions in history received them in the cultural framework of the Argentine Week in Saint Petersburg, where they helped the jury choose he dancers that will represent Russia in this year’s Tango World Championship in Buenos Aires.

In exclusive communication with “El Tangauta” they assured that that country will have very good dancers this year.

They also gave their impression on the city of Saint Petersburg

- It is unique, it has its own identity, and it is unlike any other European city. Full of imposing palaces, draw bridges and "White Nights" (from the 20th. to the 30th. of May it does not get dark at night) it is moving to see so much beauty. It does not stop surprising us every time that we come. But we are still missing the greatest event: we will travel to Moscow to dance in a special gala in the Palace of the Kremlin -"

Tangoverkstan arrangerar: Lördag 10 juni kl 19-23 Kurs & Milonga En timmes kurs i queertango (nybörjare/fortsättare) följs av milonga/praktika, social dans och träning i avspänd miljö för Tangoverkstans kursdeltagare, andra nybörjare/fortsättare och de som vill prova "den andra rollen".

Endast föranmälan. Info: tangoportalen.com/tangoverkstan, Charlotte, 073-770 25 15, tangoverkstan@yahoo.com

Milonga med Almatrio- Argentina och Dj Peter Bengtson. Almatrio på besök från Argentina, välkommen till en afton av dans från denna unga trio och mellan pauserna, Dj Peter Bengtson.

8 Juni Torsdag - Rest Pele öppet 18.00-24.00 Milongan startar kl 20.30-24.00

12 Juni Måndag Extra insatt milonga 20.30-24.00 med Almatrio som spelar till dans.

Rest.Pele öppnar kl 18.00 för middagservering och fri träning.

Välkommen att äta god mat, dansa argentinsk tango, kolla in den nya kollektionen av tangomusik, skor från Comme il faut och se tango på den stora duken.

För uppdaterad info om veckans lördags milonga och milongor under vardagar

Lokal: Pelé, Upplandsgatan 18, Stockholm »

Milonga Nacional

Tid: i dag kl 18–23.30

Rest.Pele öppnar kl 18.00 för middagservering och fri träning. Milongan startar kl 20.30-23.30 Entre ikväll är 40kr för medlemmar i Clubtango och 60 för övriga.

Mix av musik--ikväll är det inte bara nuevo utan mycket old-skool..så vanlig milonga med cortinor gäller..

Välkommen att äta god mat, dansa argentinsk tango, kolla in den nya kollektionen av tangomusik, skor från Comme il faut och se tango på den stora duken.

För uppdaterad info om veckans lördags milonga och milongor under vardagar

Lokal: Pelé, Upplandsgatan 18, Stockholm »

Jag undrar om inte detta att sopa golv, mellan dom olika hyregästerna, ska skötas av uthyraren?? Vi betalar väl en saftig hyra för lokalen och då ska man kunna fodra rent golv. Det finns ju en vaktmästare där vad jag vet?