Tango, atingerea pielii (articol publicat in Gancho, 1 martie 2014) - interviu cu Nana (LaSastresa)

[english here]

Cand am inceput eu sa dansez tango nu aveam nicio idee ce univers complex presupunea: nu doar dansul, ci si sentimentele, dependenta, pantofii, hainele, partenerii, relatiile, viata… Fiecare aspect implica un anumit fel de atingere, fie ca atinge sufletul, sau ratiunea, sau pielea, sau… ce vreti voi!

Pentru ca stiu atat de putine despre hainele de tang, dar am ajuns sa inteleg ca reprezinta un aspect important, i-am luat un interviu creatoarei mele preferate de tinute de tango (pe care cu mandrie o pot numi prietena mea): Nana, din Romania. Puteti vedea colectiile ei, impreuna cu articolele si munca ei in tango, pe blogul ei: LaSastresa.

Tot ce pot sa spun este ca hainele de tango facute de ea au fost primele tinute de tango pe care le-am cumparat. Ea a fost cea care a reusit sa ma educe in directia asta : ) Inca sunt admiratoarea ei inflacarata pentru ca are imaginatie, are determinare, tine la calitatea pe care o ofera, iar hainele ei chiar lasa o atingere memorabila pe piele!

Ah! Iar fusta petrecuta in fata, de un fel de mov`despre care vorbeste in interviu, prima ei haina de tango vanduta, este a mea! Sunt mandra de asta, Nana, asa ca daca tu nu ai dat nume, iata ca dau eu ; )

Si in poza de cover Ellinor Westrup, partenera lui Ney Melo, poarta tot haine de tango semnate LaSastresa, facute de Nana. (Multumim Ellinor pentru poza!)

Luati-va tmp sa cititi tot, pentru ca interviul contine o imagistica de exceptie din Universul Tangoului. Sper sa va bucure!

Cum ai ales tangoul? (sper ca nu-mi vei raspunde cu “I didn’t choose tango! Tango chose me!”… :)))) )

Nana: De fapt, daca stau sa ma gandesc, ca am ajuns la tango tarata, cu forta, incep chiar si eu sa cred ca “Tango choose me”. Nu vroiam tango, nu-mi trebuia tango, nu-mi placea tangoul de care stiam eu, aveam alte apasari pe vremea aceea; am ajuns acolo ca s-o insotesc pe o prietena care isi dorea tango, si m-am dus ca sa scap de gura si telefoanele ei... mergeam cu clasa (la cursurile de dans de societate, profu' ne-a anuntat ca duminica mergem toti in grup compact la tango. Zic, bine, mergeti ! :)) ei s-au cam pierdut pe drum … eu, care am zis NU, am cam ramas :))

Cand si de ce ai inceput sa faci haine de tango?

Nana: In primele luni de cursuri de tango, cand mergeam la milongi saptamanal, am inceput sa caut haine pentru tango, evident pe piata nu gaseai nimic care sa corespunda cu imaginea sablon, pe care toti o avem la inceput in cap la inceput, aia cu ciorapi de plasa si trandafiri in dinti, si ca urmare am inceput sa-mi fac singura tinutele.

Aveam ceva experienta, facusem pijama de finet maimutei Kitty cand aveam cinci ani, facusem fuste de hartie creponata vecinelor de la bloc la serbarile improvizate in spatele blocului pe la sapte opt ani, imi facusem mie si pritenelor rochii cu crinolina pe la doisprezece ani, tinutele de discoteca pentru Vox Maris mi le faceam singura in liceu, rochia de bal de la sfarsitul liceului a fost creatie proprie, in facultate imi faceam mie si colegelor fuste, pantaloni de stofa, camasi, bluze, scurte si hainute de stofa mai groasa, am facut chiar si haina si sacou barbatesc cu guler tatarasc. Cand m-am angajat toate costumele, taioarele, fustele, pardesiiele, camasile mi le-am facut singura. Toate tinutele de nunti, botezuri si cumetrii tot eu mi le-am facut.

Toate sub ochiul critic si aspru al tatei (specialist in décor si costum pentru televiziune) care imi arata - in cartea mov a copilariei mele “Histoire du Costume” de Henny Harald Hansen, traduit de danais par Jaqueline Puissant editure Flammarion 26 Rue Racine Paris - cum a evoluat moda, cum si ce se purta, care erau proportiile, specificul, infloriturile, trasaturile timpului, legat de istoria vremurilor, antichitate, moyen age, rococo, renastere, romantism, clasicism, anii 1900, les annes folles, perioada interbelica, postbelica, moda holywoodiana). El superviza tot procesul, impotriva vointei lui, ma duceam si-l frecam cu fiecare proba, si-i ceream parerea, si tot timpul imi zicea, “ridica talia aia mai sus, ca iti face picioare scurte”, sau, “fa tivul ala mai scurt cu doua degete” (dupa ce era totul finisat!) sau, “pune-i ceva parpaliu (adica ceva rosu) s-o mai inveselesti” :)) sau, “auzi, da, fa-i ceva, pune-i un zbenghi ca n-are nici un Dumnezeu” …!?!?! eram exasperata de cerintele lui, dar nu facem nimic fara parerea lui. Mama ce ma mai linistea, “las-o domn'le asa, ca sta bine, e foarte frumoasa asa!” Era un proces in care era implicata toata familia :))

De ce mi-am facut singura? Intai pentru ca imi placea costumul, pentru ca mama imi facea mie hainele cand eram mica, si pe ale ei, pentru ca acesta era modelul acsa, si apoi pentru ca n-am gasit niciodata ceva pe marimea mea care sa-mi puna fizicul in valoare; materialele si croielile post-comuniste erau de beleaua lumii, nu stateau deloc bine pe corp, croiala era “socialista”, cu material putin care dadeau senzatia de haine zgarcite si meschine, iar imprimeurile vai de lume. Solutia cea mai la indemana a fost sa-mi fac.

Revenind la intrebare, experienta aveam, dar, pentru tango, sa fac haine era o provocare. Era alt ceva, necesita “research” pentru un “alt costum”. Am facut. Am purtat. Am fost remarcata, atat de leaderi cat si de foloweri. Fetele m-au intrebat de unde ce si cum... si daca nu fac si pentru ele :) Si asa a inceput totul. A durat ceva pana am facut prima fusta pe care s-o poarte altcineva la milonga. Era o fusta petrecuta, cu falduri in fata, movulie :) stiu cine o are, sa dam nume? :))

Mi-a fost foarte greu sa dau primele fuste, pentru ca le faceam ca pentru mine. Mi-era greu sa ma despart de ele. Dar in timp am reusit sa invat sa fac si asta. Si acum am piese care imi doresc sa fie la anumite persoane dragi mie, ca in felul acesta am siguranta ca le voi revedea din cand in cand, nu e ca si cum nu le-as mai vedea niciodata :)

De unde iti vine inspiratia?

Nana: Aaaammmm, grea intrebarea asta, nu ma asteptam!

Inspiratie e pe peste tot, chiar si de la birou... de la hainele colegelor din birou, spre exemplu.

Ma uit la show-uri de tango dar nu ma mai surprind si nu ma mai atrag in ultima perioada.

Inainte imi imaginam ceva si cautam sa fac in realitate produsul imaginatiei mele, dar era aproape imposibil, pentru ca nu gaseam sa cumpar imprimeul pe care il aveam eu in cap... si ma dadeam de ceasul mortii ca nu iesea ce visam.

Apoi, mi-am facut viata mai usoara, si am luat-o invers. Cand am gasit o matase superba, mov-lila, din care, un an jumatate nu am stiut cum vreau sa arate in final, si apoi, dintr-o data, am stiut cum vreau sa fie. Acela a fost un punct important. A trebuit sa astepte un an jumate, dar a meritat. Pentru ca trebuia exploatata tesatura care plutea pe aer cu valurile apei, si curgea intr-un mod miraculos pe piele. Dar sa fie si cu schepsis, sa se desfaca, fara s-o tai de-a dreptu'...sa se vada picioarele pentru dans, sa dea si libertate miscarii si sa stea si pe tine fara sa plece in imbratisare.

Si apoi, gresala. Da, cele mai faine, deosebite si interesante lucruri au iesit din gresala, pentru ca vroiam sa fac ceva, nu iesea ce vroiam si trebuia s-o dreg cumva, ca sa-mi placa si cum necum, din artificii si incercari, din aproape in aproape, se nasteau lucruri pe care nici nu le visam cand bagam foarfeca in material initial.

Apoi, adevarul este ca materialele, tesaturile si culorile ma inspira. Cand gasesti un imprimeul super fain si trebuie sa faci ceva cu el, sa-l pui in valoare, si te obliga cumva, si trebuie sa fie si in zona de tango, sa fie cu coada, sau cu colturi, sau in diagonala, sau mai stiu eu. Eh, acolo e bataia de cap si cea mai faina parte, si cele mai inedite lucruri.

In opinia ta, care este relatia dintre un dansator de tango si hainele lui/ei?

Nana: Cred ca hainele te reprezinta, si stiu sigur ca fiecare are o camasa preferata, o rochie preferata, o fusta preferata, un pantof preferat, fiecare cu superstitiile sau cu fetisurile lui. Dar hainele vorbesc depre persoana respectiva. Alegerea, poate inconstienta, reflecta starea si personalitatea. Culorile au o mare insemnatate si sunt cele mai graitoare in tango. Poti intui cum danseaza o doamna dupa felul in care este imbracata. Daca poarta o rochie rosie, este foarte posibil sa fie foarte stapana pe ea, si sa fie greu de prins, sa aibe un dans foarte personal, care iti doreste sa fie in centrul atentiei si vazuta, sa se expuna. Daca poarta roz aprins persona respectiva poate fi in acel moment foarte fericita! Daca poarta ceva negru din cap pana in picioare s-ar putea sa fie incepatoare si timida, sau sa nu vrea sa fie foarte abordata, sa fie mai interiorizata in dans... daca poarta ceva maron s-ar putea sa fie foarte prietenoasa sau in cautarea prieteniei, si jucausa in dans... daca poarta dantela...;) Cine stie? … Sunt mesaje transmise constient sau inconstient audientei despre propria persoana.

Care este secretul tau in crearea hainelor de tango? : )

Nana: Daruirea. Implicarea. Sufletul, pentru ca pun suflet in ce fac. Atentia pentru detalii si finisaje. Plusul de valoare. Nu-mi place sa amestec linii si culori. Un anumit imprimeu cere o anumita croiala dupa parerea mea. Dintr-o bucata de material incerc sa pun in valoare ori imprimeul, ori curgerea, ori atingerea, ori culoarea, si sa obtin efecte. O floare asezata unde trebuie, un desen care sa se arate numai cand faldurile se deschid intr-un giros, o transparenta sexy, un slitz imprevizibil care te lasa sa vezi, dar nu prea mult. Seductia. Hainele trebuie sa acopere cat trebuie cat sa te faca sa vrei sa vezi mai mult :) sa-ti atraga privirea impotriva vointei tale. Acesta cred ca este secretul meu.

Cum te simti cand vezi dansatoarele de tango in creatiile tale?

Nana: Hipnotizata. Nu stiu de ce! Imi atrag privirea, si pot privi o tanda intreaga numai acea persoana :)) Si ma minunez si eu ce frumos se vede :)) Si ma bucur sa revad lucruri. Uneori sunt chiar fascinata, de cat de bine ii sta ceva cuiva! Zic oau! Nici n-as fi crezut ca poate arata asa bine! Recunosc, imi face placere sa le vad pe fete dansand purtand ceva facut de mine. Imi da sentimentul ca daca le poarta chiar le plac si lor :)) Si uneori am senzatia ca le fac mult mai feminine.

Cum ar trebui sa se simta hainele pe piele in tango?

Nana: In primul rand cred ca tangoul este o stare. Ca si un actor, atunci cand isi intra in rol, costumul, decorul, lumina, sunt factori care il ajuta sa intre in pielea personajului, sa-si intre in rol, asa si un tanguero/ tanguera, cand se pregateste de milonga se pregateste sa intre intr-o stare, de tango. Hainele, acesoriile, pantofii, parfumul, fardurile, papionul, bretelele, camasa, toate te ajuta sa intrii in starea Tango. Hainele, cum se vad, si mai ales cum se simt pe piele, te fac sa te simti intr-un anumit fel, si astfel, din Cenusareasa care spala vase la bucatarie, punandu-ti o rochie fluida care iti trezeste simturile, poti intra la milonga cu capul sus, simtindu-te ca o printesa pe covorul rosu, si ca o regina pe pista de dans. Pentru ca daca te simti bine, lucrul acesta radiaza din interior, si atrage. Si, da, un articol de imbracaminte te poate face sa te simti in acest fel. Iti pui o fusta care curge in ape si iti mangaie gambele, si dintr-o data iti schimba starea, iti schimba atitudinea, iti schimba norocul :) iti schimba dansul.

Si cred ca hainele ar trebui sa-ti ofere si o senzatie de siguranta, ca nu le pierzi de pe tine, ca nu se invart, ca nu pleaca, ca nu aluneca, ca nu se ridica, ca nu ramai dezbracata pe pista. Nu rade, ca s-au intamplat! :)) Povestim alta data :))

Ce “tips and tricks” ai da dansatorilor de tango in ceea ce priveste hainele de tango?

Nana: Exista un oarecare stil tango. Acela care arata ca esti tanguera din mama in fiica de cinci generatii. Si dansatorii vechi se recunosc oarecum dupa acest stil de imbracaminte. Acest stil se regaseste in marile festivaluri, in maratoane. Te uiti pe pista si poti spune, da, aceasta este o tanguera “veche” cu patalamate, si, da, si aceasta este … o noua tanguera, mai novice. Lucru care te plaseaza intr-o ierarhie, si iti aduce parteneri de un anumit nivel. Nu stiu daca il pot descrie in cuvinte. Un anumit gen de fuste, rochi, pantaloni top-uri, taieturi, cozi, colturi, in nici un caz lucrurile care sunt acum la moda, in viata de zi cu zi: fara fustite bufante gen gogosar, maneci din talie, mai degraba lucruri curgatoare, pe langa corp, sa lase lejeritate de miscare corpului, topuri care sa lase cat mai mult spatele dezgolit. Pentru domni sunt pantalonii aceea gen bisnitari din anii '90, mai largi la genunchi, cu pense in fata in talie, si o camasa slim, asta ar fi linia care mie mi-ar spune despre cineva ca este un tanguero. Domnii mei, nu incercati pantalonii mulati, foarte in voga in ultima perioada, mai bine ceva evazat si larg in partea de jos. Ah, si tre sa fie de stofa! Nu blugi. In plus am descoperit ca stofa pantalonilor conteaza! E placut sa simti pe glezna atingerea matasoasa a unei stofe de pantalon barbatesc... :)

Eu personal incerc sa gasesc un compromis intre hainele de strada, si stereotipul cu trandafir in dinti. Incerc sa pastrez ideia initiala, linia principala, originala, dar s-o aduc in zilele noastre, purtabila la milonga din zilele noatre, cu un aer fresh, rafinat, departe de vulgaritate, in trendul tanguero.

Corina: Mai sunt inca 2 lucruri pe care as vrea sa le spun in completare: primul este faptul ca Nana creaza si pentru dansatoare international, asadar daca incepeti sa-i cunoasteti stilul creativ, il veti recunoaste si in afara Romaniei! : )

Si al doilea: MULTUMESC, Nana!

Tango, the touch on your skin (published in Gancho, March 2014) - interview with Nana (LaSastresa)

[romana aici]

When I first started to dance tango I had no idea at all about the complex universe that it meant: not only the dance, but also the feelings, the addiction, the shoes, the clothes, the partners, the relationships, the life…. Each aspect means some sort of a touch, either for the soul, or for the mind, or for the skin, or for … you name it!

Because I know so little about tango wear, but I came to find it very important, I interviewed my favourite creator of tango clothes (whom I can proudly call a very good friend of mine): Nana, from Romania. You can find her collections, as well as her articles and work in and for tango on her blog: LaSastresa.

I can only say her creations were the first tango clothes I ever bought. She really talked some sense into me about the subject : ) I still am her number one fan, cause she has imagination, she has the drive, she offers the quality and her clothes really make a memorable touch on the skin!

Oh, and the “overlapped skirt, having front folds, sort of mauve color” that she talks about in the interview, her very first sell, it belongs to me! I am proud of that, Nana, so since you didn’t give names.. let me say it ; )

And in the front cover photo Ellinor Westrup, Ney Melo’s partner, is also wearing tango clothes signed LaSastresa, by Nana. (Thank you Elinor for the picture!)

Take your time and read it all, cause it contains great imagery from the Tango Universe. Enjoy!

How did you choose tango? (I hope you won’t answer me: “I didn’t choose tango! Tango chose me!”… :)))) )

Nana: Actually, if I look back, I discovered tango being dragged to, not willingly but forced, I believe that “Tango chose me”.

I didn’t want tango, I didn’t need tango, I didn’t like the tango I knew about, I had other things to do at that time; I went there to accompany a friend who wanted tango, and I went there to get rid of her insistences… we went all (on the classes of ball-room dancing, the teacher announced us that on Sunday we all had to go, the whole class, to tango. I said: Good! You go!! :)) some of them, lost themselves on the way … me, who said NO, I stayed till today :))

When and why you began sewing tango clothes?

Nana: During the first months of tango classes, when I used to go weekly to milongas, I started to look for clothes suitable to tango, obviously you could not find anything on the market to comply to the standard image, we all have in mind at the beginning, that picture with net silk stockings and a rose between teeth, and as a consequence I started to make myself a proper suit.

I had some experience, expertise, as I had made a flannelette pyjamas to my toy monkey Kity, when I was five years old, I had made corrugated paper skirts for my neighbours on the occasion of improvised dance shows in the block yard, when I was seven or eight years old, I had tailored for me and my girl friends hoop skirts, when I was twelve, while in high school I tailored myself suits for Vox Maris disco; the prom dress for the end of high school ball had been my own design, my creation, and work, while in college I designed and tailored, for me and my college mates, skirts, cloth trousers, chemises, blouses, short cloth coats, sacks and thick cloth coats, I even tailored a man lounge coat with tartar collar. When I started my job, all my costumes, suits of clothes, skirts, overcoats, blouses, all were tailored by myself. All my dresses for weddings and other parties were made by myself.

All of the items mentioned above, were made under the critical and severe eye of my father (expert in TV scenography and costumes) who used to show me – in the mauve book of my childhood “Histoire du Costume” by Henny Harald Hansen, traduit de danais par Jaqueline Puissant editure Flammarion 26 Rue Racine, Paris – how the fashion has been developing, how and what was in fashion and style, which were the proportions, the specific, the details, the character of the time, linked to the history of the time, ancient era, the Middle Age, rococo, renaissance, romanticism, classic era, the years1900, les annes folles, between the two World Wars period, postwar period, Hollywood fashion). He supervised the entire process, against his will, I bothered and exasperated him with every each fitting, I asked for his opinion, and he always said: “raise upper that waist line, as now it makes short legs”, or “shorten that hem by two fingers ” (at the end, when everything was finished!), or “put something parpaliu (that is something red) to cheer it up” :)) , or “look here, do something, attach a zbenghi (sort of accessory) to it, otherwise it has no sense” …!?!?! I was exasperated by his requirements, but I did nothing without his opinion. My mother used to soothe me: “leave it this way, it is ok, it is very beautiful as it is!”. It was a process in which all the family was involved :))

Why did I tailor myself? First of all because I liked the costumes, because my mother used to make me my clothes I wore when I was a child, hers too, because this was “the pattern” at home, and then because I have never found in shops anything my size to value my body to its true value; the post-communist stuffs and cut were dreadful, didn’t fit the body at all, the cut was “socialist”, using too little fabric, giving the impression of misery and petty, meanness, stingy clothes, and the prints were even worse.

Coming back to the question, I had some expertise, but for tango, to make clothes was a challenge. It was something else, it needed “research” for “another costume”. I made it. I wore it. I was noticed, both by leaders and the followers. The girls asked me where from, what and how……and if I can make for them too : D And so everything started. It took me some time till I tailored the first skirt to be worn by someone else at milonga.. I remember it, it was an overlapped skirt, having front folds, sort of mauve color. I know who has it, shall we give names? :))

It was very difficult to give away the first skirts, I made them as for myself. It was difficult to part from them. But in time I succeeded to learn to do it. Even now I have pieces which I want to be still with some persons dear to me. Thus I am sure I could see them again, from time to time, it is not as if I will never see them again.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

Nana: Aaaammmm, difficult question, I didn’t expect it!
Inspiration is everywhere, even in the office… from the clothes my job fellows are wearing, for example.

I use to watch tango shows, but lately they are no longer surprising and attracting, to me.

Sometime before, I used to imagine something and try to make it real, the product of my imagination, almost impossible, because I didn’t find to buy on the market the print I had in mind… and it was disappointing… it didn’t come out what I was dreaming of.

Then I made my life easier, and I took it conversely.

When I found a superb piece of silk, mauve-lilas, out of which a year and a half I didn’t know how do I want it to look like, in the end, and then, suddenly, I knew how I want it to be.

That was an important moment.. It had to wait a year and a half, but it was worth it. Because the fabric had to be exploited; it floated on the air with the water waves and felt on skin in a miraculous way. But it had to be interesting as well, to be opened, without cutting it bluntly… to reveal the legs, for the dance, to let free the movement and in the same time to stay on the body as well, without going away in the embrace.

And then, the mistake. Yes, the finest, outstanding and interesting things came out by mistake, because I intended to do something, it didn’t work, it didn’t come out what I desired, and I had to fix it, somehow. To please me, first of all, using artifices, trials, step by step, new things were born, I have never dreamt about, while cutting the fabric initially.

The truth is that the textures, the fabrics and the colors inspire me. When you find a print most fine and you have to do something with it, to show the best of it, and it somehow obliges you, and it must be in the tango zone, to have a tail, or diagonal cut, or with many tails, or God knows how. Well, there is the trouble, and the finest part of it.

In your view, what’s the relationship between a (tango) dancer and her (or his) clothes?

Nana: I believe that the clothes represent yourself, and I know for sure that everyone has his or her favourite shirt, a favourite dress, a favourite skirt, a favourite shoe, everyone with his own superstitions and fetish. But the clothes speak about the respective person, too. The choice, even unconsciously, reflects the state of mind and the personality. The colors have a great impact and they are relevant in tango. You can infer how a lady is dancing by the way she is dressed up. Or a man. If she wears a red dress it is very likely that she is very controlled, composed, sure on herself and to be hard to get, to have a very personal way of dancing, who wants to be in the center of everyone’s attention, and to be seen, to be exposed.

If a person wears vivid pink colours, the respective person may be very happy, in that moment! If a person wears something black, all over, from had to toes, that person might be either a beginner and/or a shy one, or doesn’t want to be approached too much, or to be more introspective type during the dance… if the person wears something brown she/he might be very friendly or searching for friendship, and playful in dancing… if she wears lace… ; ) Who knows? They are messages about the respective person transmitted consciously or unconsciously to the audience by the clothes they wear.

What’s your secret in manufacturing tango clothes? : )

Nana: Abnegation. Commitment. Soul, because I do it with all my heart. Attention for details and finishing. Added value. I don’t like to mix lines and colors. A certain print requires, ask for a certain cut, in my opinion. From a piece of fabric I try to value either the print itself, or the flow, or the touch, or the color, and to obtain the vision, and “special effects” inside and outside a person. A flower in its specific place, a drawing which reveals itself only when the folds open themselves in a giros, a sexy transparency, an unforeseeable cut let you see something, but never too much. Seduction. The clothes must cover gently the necessary, as much as to make you wanting to see more:) to catch the eyes, against your will. This is my secret, I think.

How do you feel when you see tangueras wearing your creations?

Nana: Hypnotised. I don’t know why! They catch my eyes, and I can watch the respective person dancing during a whole tanda :)) And I’m in full astonishment how beautifully it looks. :)) And I’m glad to see again things. Sometimes I’m fascinated of how nice is a certain thing on someone! And I say Wow! I have never thought it might look so good!! I have to be honest, I like to watch the girls dancing and wearing something made by myself. I feel that if they wear those clothes, they really like them :)) And sometimes I feel the ladies look more feminine.

How should clothes feel against the skin in tango?

Nana: First of all I think tango is a state of mind. The same way an actor entering a role, the suit, the scenery are factors helping him to go into his character, to fill the role the same way a tanguero/ tanguera, preparing for milonga, they prepare to enter this state of mind of tango. The clothes, the accessories, the shoes, the perfume, the bow tie, the suspenders, the shirt, all of them help you to get into the Tango feeling. The clothes, how you see them, and especially how they feel on your skin make you feel in a certain way, and thus, from a Cinderella washing dishes in a kitchen, with a fluid dress awakening senses, you can enter a milonga proudly, feeling like a princess on the red carpet and like a queen on the dance floor. Because if you feel good, it shows from the inside and attracts. And yes, a piece of clothing can make you feel this way. You wear a skirt flowing in waters and caresses your legs, and suddenly it changes your attitude, it changes your luck : ) it changes your dance.

And I believe that the tango outfit must offer you a safe feeling; make you feel that they stay with you, they do not spin around the body, they do not go away, they do not slip down, they do not rise over your butt, you are not left naked on the dance floor.. Don’t laugh, it happened during the milonga, I saw it! :)) We’ll talk about it, some other time :))

Would you give a few tips and trick to tango dancers regarding the tango wear?

Nana: There is a certain tango style. The one that defines that you are tanguera from mother to daughter for five generations, at least. And the old dancers recognise each other, somehow, from this style of clothes. You will find this style in big festivals, in marathons. You look on the dance floor and may say, yes, this is an “old accredited” tanguera, and, yes, this is … a new tanguera, a beginner. This places you in a hierarchy, and brings you partners of a certain level. Is the same way for the leaders. A certain kind of trousers, that old fashion funny style, larger at the knees, and a slim shirt, gives me the tanguero “label”.

I cannot describe this style in words. A certain sort of skirts, dresses, trousers, tops, cuts, tails, but not the things that are now in fashion, in every day life: no baggy little skirts, bellpepper type, nor sleeves starting from the waist, you can try better flowing things, closer to the body, but giving freedom to the movements, tops that leave the back uncovered, if possible…

For the men it`s those 90s touts` trousers, wider at the knee, with tweezers at the waist in front and a slim shirt – this would be the clue to make me think that a man is a tanguero. Gentlemen, don`t try the skinny pants, so very in vogue lately. Better go with something flared, you know, larger at the bottom. Oh! And it has to be fabrics made! Not jeans. Moreover, I discovered that the kind of fabric also matters! It is really nice to feel the silky touch of a man`s trousers on your ankle… : )

I try to find a compromise between the casual clothes and the stereotype of the rose between teeth, trying to keep the initial idea, the main line, the original, but to bring it to nowadays milonga, with a fresh, refined air, far from vulgarity, in the tanguero trend.

There are 2 things I want to say in addition to this: the first one is that Nana is an international provider, so if you begin to know her creating style, you’ll be able to recognize it outside Romania, too! : )

And the second is: THANK YOU, Nana!

La tango să nu te duci cu sacul (by Dollo)

(autor: Dollo; sursa: www.dollo.ro)

Dar poți să te îmbraci cu cele mai sexy haine pe care le-ai ținut până acum în șifonier, pentru că n-ai avut curaj să le porți în public.

Ce rochie frumoasă!, m-a complimentat E., una dintre colegele de „suferință” în serile de tango de luni și miercuri. Mi-era jenă să spun că e veche de câțiva ani, dar am spus. N-o purtasem decât o dată, la un Revelion, unde toată noaptea am tras de ea în jos, crezând că am picioarele prea dezgolite. O să vezi, la tango vei putea purta tot ce ai ascuns până acum în șifonier, pentru că nu aveai curajul să le porți în public, îmi zice ea zâmbind.

Ne reflectam, ca niște balerine ratate, în oglinda sălii de dans, încercând cu încă două colege să învățăm un pas de dans care începea cu ridicarea lascivă a unui picior, din șold. Oglinda ne răspundea cu gesturi stângace, de parcă n-am fi fost femei în toată firea, ci abia ieșisem toate de la o școală de maici. Cineva ne spusese că mișcarea trebuie să fie ca o autoîmbrățișare a coapselor. Sigur făcusem asta vreodată fiecare în propria intimitate, dar nu ne văzuse decât oglinda de la baie, probabil.

C., profa noastră, ne tot repetă că trebuie să ne mișcăm ca pisicile, lasciv, languros, felin, fie că mergem înainte sau înapoi, însă e aproape imposibil să te miști ca o pisică atunci când te simți ca Bambi pe gheață. Mă priveam în oglindă, cu rochia mea cea nepurtabilă până atunci, și mă întrebam ce mă reține să-mi arăt în public afecțiunea pentru propriul corp? Ce m-a făcut până acum să nu mă simt în largul meu la gândul că am un corp și să-l pun în valoare când dansez? Și mi-am dat seama că asta e una dintre eliberările personale pentru care-mi place să merg la tango.

I. era într-o zi aproape furioasă pe modul în care părinții, societatea, educația ne reprimă naturalețea naivă cu care ne naștem. O fi vreo conspirație universală a părinților cu școlile de tango. Unii ne dau peste mână de mici, ca nu cumva să devenim niște „stricate”, iar școlile de tango ne iau banii mai târziu, ca să ne redea încrederea în noi. Pe mine mama nu m-a lăsat nicio clipă să uit că am anumite îndatoriri de fată cuminte, iar restricțiile astea picurate ani de zile în mintea ta sunt de natură să-ți ucidă orice tendință de a-ți pune vreodată trupul în valoare, de teamă ca nu cumva să se creadă că faci avansuri indecente. Sigur că de atunci am traversat și eu una-două revoluții sexuale, ba declarativ par… destul de libertină, dar la un anume nivel, nebănuit, se pare că am rămas aceeași fată timidă care are probleme de acceptare a senzualității și de savurare a plăcerilor vinovate.

Știu chestiile astea par aberații pentru fetele de azi, dar pe vremea mea cam așa gândeau mamele. Politica pronatalistă din comunism, combinată cu o pudibonderie oarecum normală a societății pentru vremurile alea (chiar dacă pe alte continente se trăia flower power) și-au pus amprenta în felul ăsta pe viața câtorva generații, și nu numai pe viața sexuală, cum s-ar fi crezut.

În ultima lună am dublat numărul de ore de tango la EPT. Încă nu am avut curajul să merg la o milonga. Și practica cu mai mulți dansatori de la alte școli e deocamdată ca o olimpiadă pentru mine, dar vine el și momentul ăsta. Cu siguranță există un progres în mica mea evoluție, dar o altă descoperire a fost aceea că eșecul vine când te aștepți la prea mult. Cu cât te duci mai încărcat de așteptări, cu atât cresc șansele să pleci dezamăgit. Cu alte cuvinte, la tango să nu te duci ca la pomul lăudat. Încă o ocazie pentru cunoscători să spună că în tango e ca și în viață…. Orele mele de tango au semănat în ultima lună cu o relație din aia în care ba te vrea, ba te ignoră. Au fost seri în care am plecat de acolo plină de adrenalină și cu fluturi în stomac – da, am înțeles că există îndrăgosteala de o tanda ;) – și seri în care m-am mișcat ca un fund crispat și fricos să nu alunece pe gheață. Am savurat deopotrivă dansuri stângace cu începători – mai ales când eu m-am simțit mai avansată și n-am mai avut inhibiții sau emoții – dar și plăcerea de a te lăsa condusă de „un bărbat cu experiență”, cum îi place tot lui I. să spună, atunci când vrea să învețe niște pași de la un avansat.

Trebuie să recunosc că e foarte plăcut roller-coaster-ul ăsta din viața mea, care mă face să trăiesc abia acum, la 40, ceea ce ar fi trebuit să gust în adolescență: descoperirea propriului trup, a faptului că poate fi plăcut să-l pui în valoare și să te lași cu el și cu toate senzațiile adiacente în brațele unui „bărbat cu experiență”, fără ca asta să însemne ceva rău, compromițător sau rușinos. Dimpotrivă :)

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Ca să știți și voi cum îmi bate mie inima de două ori pe săptămână, ascultați aici :)

Tango DJ-ing (published in Gancho)

Corina Raduta | On 01, Feb 2014

I was a 1-year-old when I first felt the magic of the tango music. My grandfather loved this music and he used to play it for me on vinyl trying to teach me to dance it – in its European form, of course. I used to dream of Universes while listening to those tracks…

I was a 1-year-old again – in tango years this time – when I rediscovered the MAGIC of tango music. I was watching the tango teachers choosing the tracks for a weekend of intensive classes. It was fascinating to see how they knew the songs, how they mixed them so that the combination would sound harmonious… They knew the music by orchestras! That was a wow for me (rookie!)

Now, at the age of 6, I still get the chills when people can put together tango music so that dancers feel alive throughout the entire milonga. Now I dream of Universes while dancing that music!

I won’t talk about the tDJ-ing technicalities since there are teachers for that aspect. What I want to say with this article is a big “Thank you!” to those who take hours out of their lives for the tango dancers. And since everything in our lives is about preferences, I choose to talk here about a special tDJ – my favorite one. I sometimes choose to go to a milonga only knowing that she’ll be in charge of the music desk.

I know Crista as a tango dancer – an appreciated one, too. She has a special grace and energy that one can feel just by watching her. Sometime about a year ago I was going to the Saturday Practica at Nana’s place (another of my preferences!) and I saw that Crista was playing the music. Before that time Nana had a playlist with tandas to the making of which I contributed as well (just a little bit) and that was playing for a few good weeks there. At least the two of us have got to the point of almost knowing it by heart and it seemed we lacked the time to make another playlist. So the idea of someone mixing music, tandas and energy was a breath of fresh air.

So Crista was our tDJ that evening. It was only at the end of the Practica that I realized how fast time has passed, how much I’ve danced and how high my energy level still was. It got me thinking… What has happened differently? Maybe I just had a better mood than other times… And then it hit me: it was the music! Memories started to come back to me: my childhood dreaming on tango music wings, my Universes that come to life while listening to or dancing tango… Those things have happened to me that night. So it must have been the music! The music played by Crista, actually.

She continued tDJ-ing at Saturday Practica and at other tango events in Romania and abroad. She’s appreciated by many dancers! I think what’s special about her is the passion she has for the music, for people and for tango. She plays just as she dances – always fresh, always energizing, almost all the time with a little taste of new, just enough to push us towards discoveries. She’s connected to the dancers, to the ronda and to the music, so she can really create THE atmosphere that carries us on all night.

I asked Nana Cazan – our Saturday Practica host and Sorin Matei – host of Milonga Tabiet in fiecare joi (Thursday’s Milonga Tabiet) to tell me a few words about Crista. She’s the regular tDJ at both events, so I think the hosts are the most qualified to make a point. Here’s what they say:

Nana

Why is Crista my favorite DJ? Because she’s fresh, energetic, dynamic. She plays the music in direct connection with the people on the floor, creating a great atmosphere in the milonga/practica.

She is constantly in search of music, of different versions of the same songs from different orchestras. She changes her tandas all the time, she introduces new songs in her tandas, she doesn’t have standard tandas to play, nor standard playlists; she changes the list all the time, sometimes creating it on the spot – there’s always something new in her tandas. This way she brings to the attention of the dancers beautiful songs, some even unknown, but always danceable, contributing in this way to the musical education and culturalization of the tango community that she’s a part of. You can’t say that you’ve listened to the same tanda twice. Maybe a similar one, but never the same.

She dedicates a lot of time to tango music, out of passion and you’ll often see her smiling enthusiastically and exclaiming “Aaaaah, how beautiful is this song!”

She refuses to play less interesting or less catchy songs, even if it’s in the beginning of a milonga, when people are just arriving. She considers that music should call you, invite you to dance from the very beginning. Not only once I’ve experienced a night in which had I felt like dancing each tanda, without resting a minute.

Not only once I heard the girls on arriving to the Practica, just putting on their tango shoes exclaiming “Oh, what a beautiful music!” while Crista was managing the music desk.

Sorin

I am a business man. I dance tango only out of passion. For a while now, I began to organize Milonga Tabiet in fiecare joi (Thursday’s Milonga Tabiet), the only regular milonga independent from the tango schools and with their support. Having a business background I tried to give a proper structure and a high quality to these events. So I looked into every detail that brings such an event closer to excellence: ambience, location, related services, sound, music.  

When taking in consideration the aspect of the music I chose to work with tDJs in order to keep the quality, instead of a playlist that would run regardless of what happens in the room. This is how I discovered Crista. Passionate about people and communication, just like me otherwise (only she is a psychotherapist with various fields of expertise, including working with groups), she has music in the blood. Brought up with classical music, she discovered that playing tango music in milongas nourishes her.

You’ll say: ok, but what is special so far? Well, special is the fact that she spends at least 5 hours a day studying this music, the orchestras, the different versions and approaches of songs. She studies the metrics and tests with dancers every new tanda she makes before playing it in milongas. I discovered in her firstly a passionate of music who then became a professional and she amazes me every time I watch her.  

So, at my event – Milonga Tabiet in fiecare joi – I am the host, it’s important that I socialize, make sure everyone is pleased and satisfied. But, well, when Crista is tDJ-ing I get invariably charmed and I find myself dancing, floating in a world that I thought was long gone, yet there it is so vivid. It’s incredible how a tDJ can transform a good milonga in one that people talk about for at least a week. Chapeau!

In the end, I just want to say I also tried tDJ-ing (once!) and I can say it’s definitely not easy. It takes passion, will, dedication and a lot of work – that is if you really care. It is also very rewarding to see that dancers are enjoying themselves and the music. I played my tandas in Sofia in a milonga, in Brasov and at my school (Escuela Principal de Tango) and the smiles and energy received made my work worthwhile! And I don’t think I’ve done half the work Crista or any other dedicated tDJ has done.

But, my point is that music is what lifts our energy from our very beginning in tango. That’s why I love it when my students come and ask me or my partner about the music, when they feel that it practically makes their hearts move and then they discover that their “contaminated” hearts made their feet move as well… So, I am grateful for our good tDJs because they really make a difference in our growth in tango.

And all the more, I am grateful to Crista because she keeps enchanting us with her tandas! Thank you, Crista!

See you in the ronda on good music!