Sunday, August 26, 2007

This is your brain on tango shoes...



AIM - Tuesday, 11:15 am

Eva: Look at these turquoise shoes!

Malena: Sooooo pretty! Never heard of that brand before...

Eva: Saw it on Tango Shoe Diva, haven't heard of them either...

Malena: How much?

Eva: Ugh! the whole site is in french. With current exchange rate... it comes out to around $200+ a pair.

Malena: ...but I just bought two pairs of Neotangos last night at Felina shoes. Can't believe I am looking at more shoes...

Eva: OMG! look at the ones with the black ribbon ties ... I need those!

Malena: Eva! why did you send me this link??? This is crazy... do we really need another pair? I am running out of room on my shoe rack.

Eva: So get another shoe rack. I'm in love! Noone will have that turquoise color!

Malena: Ok, I'm placing an order for the turquoise and the black cutouts. But that will be it!!!! (... for now)

Eva: Girlfriend! I said NO ONE will have that turquoise color ... and that includes you. : )

Malena: (&#%*@) Fine! you did see them first. I'll get the green strappies.

Eva: Muchas gracias! Ya know Malena .... this would be a lot less costly if we just pick them up ourselves in BsAs.

Malena: Hmmm, oh really??

Eva: Well, if we both buy 7 pairs of shoes there... the money we'll save would pay for our flights!! ; )

Malena: Hmmm... very interesting Eva. I haven't thought about it that way.... but have to admit... you're making a whole lot of sense to me right now.

(10 minutes go by)

Eva: Ok!!! Found an overnight direct flight for the dates discussed.

Malena: ;-) Awesome! Let's book!

Eva: Hee hee... a friend just sent me a link for this really cute top.


(It says... Will (@&#%!) for shoes)

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

I Close My Eyes



I close my eyes, so I can shut out the noisy whispers and glares.
I close my eyes, so I can feel my breath.
I close my eyes, so I can see his feet moving beneath his heart.
I close my eyes, so I can free the demons that govern my day.
I close my eyes, so the music can seep through my veins.
I close my eyes, so I can find the music in the silence.
I close my eyes, so I can let my feet sing.
I close my eyes, so my heart can tell you things.
I close my eyes, and I take refuge in your home.
I close my eyes, and I let you care for me.
I close my eyes, and I hold you closer for the last refrain.
I close my eyes, and I pray that we'll love like this again.

Friday, August 10, 2007

The TAN-EGO

In every tanguera's life, she will undoubtedly have an encounter or two with the male Tan-Ego. I met my first at the "ultra cliquey" milonga at Triangulo. It was my first time there and after sitting for an hour without an invitation to dance, I decided to strike up a conversation with a guy sitting next to me. He started off by telling me that milonga was exclusively for the "cream of the crop" dancers in NYC. He then proceeded to ask me who I study with, how often I take classes and how often I go to milongas because he's never seen me before. When I told him whom I was studying with, he made a face and said, "Oh, I've never danced with anyone good from that school." He doesn't frequent the milongas I go to because he doesn't enjoy dancing with the "older" crowd. He went on to explain the reason why I was sitting was because I am a new face and the "advanced" dancers will only dance with a tanguera after they've accessed her skill level. It's a total Catch-22, can't get dances, if you're not seen dancing. He told me that the assessment process can take a while. In his case, it could take over a year of watching a tanguera before he decides she was finally worth his time on the floor. For the initial invitation to take place, he has to wait for just the right song and asked her at just the right time because any mistake on their first try can make or break their potential tango relationship... and they may never dance again. All the while, I wondered "does this guy even enjoy dancing?"

After the "fun" chat with the Tan-Ego, he finally took pity on me and asked me to dance. Part of me knew it was a mistake then part of me felt I would be more upset if I left the milonga without dancing at all. I'd just gotten back from dancing in Buenos Aires and felt I was up for the challenge. After dancing milonguero style for a week in BsAs, I naturally took to close embrace. I knew immediately I was in trouble... his embrace felt timid and awkward. We started dancing and our knees started to bump together because I couldn't feel his chest leading me. We danced like this for half of the song, then I finally said to him... 'Maybe we should do open embrace." He didn't answer me right away, then said in a condescending voice, "just finish the song!" When the song ended, he asked me what kind of shoes I was wearing. I told him it was Neotango. He then said, I would recommend buying only Comme Il Faut stilettos because it was obviously not high enough and that's why you were bumping into my knees. When I told him I felt our embrace was the cause, he got really defensive and said, "Not only should you get new shoes, you should also start doing sit ups!!! Because you need better support in your dance!" By that point, I was in total shock that I didn't know what to say, so I started to leave. He was still shouting at me when I walked away, "Don't give up, you'll get it someday!"

My encounter with the Tan-Ego left me crying for a week and made me questioned my involvement with tango. I still, to this day, don't know what possessed this person to want to break my spirit. I see him sometimes at milongas sitting by himself, watching and waiting for the perfect dance. I've thought of walking over to him to give him a kick in the face in my CIF stilletos. But then again, I realized he will never enjoy tango as freely as I do, as he's already condemned himself to eternal tango hell. I've wised up since my dancing has improved, I no longer automatically assume responsibility for a mistake and I will never ever tango with the Tan-Ego again.

besos,
Eva