Time 7:00pm until 12:00am

Where Leonardo’s Nightclub, 1-1/2 blocks south of Wilshire Blvd, LA 90036

Another night of incredible LIVE MUSIC with LOS ANGELES DEL TANGO ENSEMBLE! Our own local tango dancers/musicians/”angels” Scott Haller, Francis Soriano, Jeff White and their compatriots Keiko Cadby, Anna Cummings, Mary Ann Sereth and Pablo Goldstein will play at Tango Mio @ Leonardo’s next Tuesday night!

Come on out and support this group. They will play THREE sets of your favorite instrumental tangos, valses and milongas.

$15 per person we gotta pay the band!.Great, affordable food; full bar with drink specials until 8:30; HUGE DANCE FLOOR! Free street parking available on La Brea after 7 pm; convenient valet parking just $3.50 with validation.For more info. & table reservations, call 323 653-5883or see our website, www.apurotango.com

The Palm Court Ballroom at the Alexandria Hotel, which was built in 1906, where the LA Tango Marathon took place Jan. 13-16.

I ventured out a Saturday evening on Jan. 14 to downtown Los Angeles for the first Los Angeles Tango Marathon.

The organizers billed the event as 40 hours of tango dancing during the course of three nights and two days at the Alexandria Hotel, built in 1906 and where the stars in the heyday of the 1920s through 40s graced its Palm Court Ballroom.

When I got to the hotel around 9:30 p.m., I parked in the garage located below the building and the smell of urine greeted me as I gave my keys to the sleepy attendant and took the elevator up to the first floor. The doors opened to a fluorescent-lit hallway area  (a dancer who attended the night before said the lobby had looked like something from “Halloween” because the lighting was so dark, so it must have been improved.) To the right, a hallway with mailboxes lining its walls led to a graffiti-etched glass door that opened to Spring Street.

I entered the lobby area where red drapes hung along the right side (left, if you came in from 4th Street) and later I found that these hid some sort of employee or junk holding area, because there were copiers and other things that seemed to not have been used in a while, and there was detritus lying around. This is where the only bathroom for the event was located. Some male tango dancers were told that one was open up or downstairs, but after checking it out, they came back to stand in line with the women to use the small, somewhat dirty bathroom.

To the left, photos of the glamour stars of the 30s, 40s and 50s  hung on a wall, and on a column there was a list hung in a gilt frame of the names of the rooms at the Alexandria: Charlie Chaplin, Humphrey Bogart, Mae West, Rudolph Valentino, Clark Gable, and Greta Garbo and so on. The hotel hosted presidents and stars in its heyday.

A security guard was sitting at a card table in the lobby near the 4th street entrance.

I wandered around, feeling like I had entered a bygone era, but one mixed with dim fluorescent lighting, the coming and goings of L.A. tango dancers and of the tenants of the Alexandria. The hotel has undergone a $14 million renovation, and apartments rent for as low as $575 to those who qualify.

Despite the renovation, a seediness permeated the lobby and general area. I had gone out to Spring Street to meet my friend, and then had to go around the block and enter through the 4th Street doors. Along the way I had passed some shady looking characters, one who seemed like he was on crack and others who looked like they had seen better days. Coming into the lobby, there was a sign that read, “Everyone Must Check in With the Security Desk,” but as I approached the table, the security guard was busy with his back turned toward the entrance; he was talking to a heavyset woman, dressed in a red dress with torn black stockings.

I peeked into the ballroom, as my friend and I were going to decide whether it was worth $20 to dance here, or if it would be better to go to Milonga Los Amigos in Pasadena, where Carlos Barrionuevo and Mayte Valdes, a dance couple who I have not yet seen perform but whom I have heard wonderful things about, were to perform. Going there would have cost only $15, which included the performance, food and dancing until 2 a.m.

As I was waiting for Christina, I saw a tanguera whom I knew come out of a door off to the left of the lobby. We said hello, and I told her I was looking for a place to eat before we went into the milonga.

“Oh, we ate here,” she said.

“Where?”

“At the restaurant right here,” she said pointing to the door where she came from.

“Oh, well we’re looking for something good.”

“It’s really good. I had some sort of bone marrow.”

I was doubtful, thinking that it was some sort of seedy coffee shop, but when Christina arrived we went in to see the menu. It had items like bacon wrapped matzoh balls under the section called Pig, and under Cow there was Snake River confit tongue, romesco, and croutons. The surroundings of the restaurant, called The Gorbals, were cool–very industrial with metal walls, tall rectangular stools made from highly polished press board, and an open floor plan. Punk or what I would call “industrial” rock was blasting loudly. It was like entering a portal to another world from the dim antique one we left in the lobby.

Overall, with the murky, old Hollywood glamour feeling of the hotel, contrasted with the super modern restaurant, and the Skid Row-like atmosphere of the outside area, I felt like I was in an episode of The Twilight Zone.

After our meal, our two other friends who joined us for dinner went in to the milonga as they already had their tickets ($85 full weekend pass, no classes,  just all day and all night milongas). Christina and I looked inside, and although we were doubtful about the floor, which was covered with dark blue linoleum, we decided to stay.

We searched for a place to sit and put our stuff, there were no tables and not enough chairs. The four of us shared two chairs and stuffed our shoes bags etc. under or around them.

My first several tandas on the floor were okay. “Not too bad,” I thought to myself, “not sticky and I can move.”

However, two hours later my feet and legs were killing me. Normally I can last a whole night at a place like the Tango Room or the Argentine Association, and my feet and legs wouldn’t hurt at all. The proprietor of the place, whom a friend introduced me to, told me that underneath the linoleum there was a sprung floor. I told him I did not think so, but he insisted. I queried a few dancers, and no one believed it was sprung. It felt like linoleum on top of concrete.

“If it’s sprung,” one dancer said, “then its  springs have sprung a long time ago.”

During a trip to the bathroom, while standing in line, I met a woman from Germany. We talked and she made disparaging remarks about the bathroom, rightfully so, and then paused.

“Are all the L.A. milongas like this?”

“Is this your first time to a L.A. milonga,?” I asked her.

“Yes.”

“Did you fly here just for this?”

“Oh, no, not really, I am in the airline business and my friend and I arranged it so we could fly here during this weekend. And this is not what we expected at all. There are no tables, not enough chairs, no food, the floor is not so good. And the bathroom, this is terrible! In Germany, we have nice places and everything is set up beautifully with tables and chairs, and food too!”

“Oh no, this is not at all representative of milongas in Los Angeles,” I tried to assure her. “This is the first time they have done this, although the organizers have done other events so they should know what to do. You should go to some of the milongas in Los Angeles while you’re here so you can see what it’s really like, the tango scene in L.A.”

But the woman said she did not have time, they were leaving the next day. I urged her to come back some other time to truly experience the nice milongas of Los Angeles.

While I didn’t dance much after the first few tandas because my feet were killing me, and there was not really a comfortable place to sit and talk with other people, I stayed until 3 a.m. (didn’t go in until 11 p.m.) so I could feel that I somehow got my money’s worth.

I heard that more than 100 people went to Los Amigos and that the performance was fantastic. Next time.

January 2, 2012, From El Diario de la Pampa – A multiple collision occurred at noon today on National Route 152, west of General Acha.

The accident involved four vehicles, all driven by tourists, and as a result of the accident, tango dancer Andrea Misse, who was in one of the vehicles, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The crash was at the kilometer 34 mark of route 152. It was about 16.30 hours approximately.

According to the preliminary expertise, the Sandero may have tried to pass one of the vehicles and there the crash occurred.

The occupants of the Sandero were the most injured. The car was hit from the front and from behind. The woman on the Renault Sandero, identified as 34 year old tango dancer Andrea Misse, died instantly and was taken to the morgue of the local health center where an autopsy was performed to determine the cause of death.

Her husband, Diego Hernán Gienex, 38, suffered a fractured femur, and her 2-year-old daughter is out of danger, at a hospital in the capital of the La Pampa. The same happened with the dancer’s mother in law, who was recovering from injuries she suffered as a result of the collisions. The family came from Tigre (Buenos Aires), where they live, but their destination was unknown.

From El Tangauta, 2010

“We are five siblings, three girls and two boys. I am the eldest. We started to dance folklore with Santiago Ayala (a) “El Chucaro” (The Wild) and Norma Viola from early childhood onwards. When I was 11, we came across the school of Carlos Rivarola and out of curiosity we started to take classes with him. Later on, of course, he took us to the Sunderland Club where we got a direct impression of social dancing and we got to know a milonga with family atmosphere. We were delighted. When I was 12, I went with my younger siblings to all the milongas, accompanied by our mother or grandmother. It was not well viewed to bring kids into the scene, but in family places it was accepted. The next day we had to go to school, the afternoons we did our homework and at night, we went back to the milonga. Until today we’ve all stuck to tango. •

Andrea Missee: 1978-2012

Video of Andrea Misse and Javier Rodriguez at El Beso, by Ney Melo

It was a wonderful tango evening at Divo last night, with an added benefit–the celebration of Jamie Rose’s debut book, “Shut Up & Dance!”

The novel is a wonderful, personal and humorous story about how Jamie tackled the difficulties of relationships by using the principles of dance, on and off the floor. Jaimie utilizes the personal stories of not only her own, but that of her mother and father, who had a long, wonderful and dancing relationship, and of several tangueras in the Los Angeles tango community.

During a VIP party before the regular milonga, guests were treated to empanadas, wine and a reading of excerpts from Jaime’s book–in the middle of which she paused to dance a tango with Moti Buchboot.

Her husband Kip was there in support, and proudly took photos and blushed whenever he was pointed out, and there was plenty of dancing, of course.

Video is of Mundial de Tango 2011 FINAL Ronda 4 Categoria Salón

Maria Volonte and Kevin perform at Milonga El Floridita in Hollywood Aug. 28

What a nice reentry it was, with a live performance from Maria Volonte, who sings in a wonderfully beautiful voice. It was such a treat and for only $10! She’s an award winning singer and anyone who can hear, and dance, to her music live for so such a low cost is lucky indeed. As always, great music was played Wednesday with Varo as the DJ, and he even play a hybrid disco/rap version of “Stayin’ Alive” and other disco songs at the end of the evening where we let our hair down. Thanks Jesse Infante for the hustle!!

Thursday night I headed over to the Argentine Association for Monica Orozco’s birthday bash, which is always a fun and interesting time… Monica looked great, dressed in a pink ruffled, short dress showing her beautiful legs (of course) and wearing a felt leopard print hat (from her recent Parisian trip). The food by Chef Lalo was fantastic, a pasta putanesca, cucumber and tomato salad, oven baked eggplant with red peppers and more. Lalo told me it is a passion of his to cook and does it with love for his family and friends, tango and otherwise.

I wrapped up my return to tango with an all nighter at the Tango Room–I left at 4 a.m.! First time in a long while that I have done that. It’s the only place in town where you can dance till almost dawn. Great music by Julie (although there were a couple of those loooong tandas… I know it’s not just me…other people noted it…). She played some interesting nuevo tango music around 3 a.m. that her son Jamie had given her…she told me the name but now I cannot remember! Will get the name and post later.  Barbara Trelles’ and Jerry Perez’s birthdays were celebrated; she looked ravishing in a beautiful red dress…it  was a wonderful night of dancing for me personally, and always great to reconnect with the people I have known for years now (I saw Larry and Rose all three nights, who probably should go into the Guinness Book of World Records for the couple who goes out to dance tango more than any other).

Today is the Monthly Mobile Milonga  at Madame Yvonne’s house in Beverly Hills. But I am much too tired to dance today…next time…Divo?

But one thing confused me–as well as some of the men I dance with–we could not distinguish when a tanda ended…so sometimes I would end up dancing six or seven songs with one person until we just looked at each other and said, “That’s enough!”

Also, the songs in some of the tandas were mixed up–for instance, usually a set of waltzes (or vals) would be played in a tanda of songs, but that evening (July 16), a waltz would be mixed with a tango, and then maybe a milonga!
An out-of-town visitor, from San Francisco, had first noted to me the “unusual” music that was being played this evening. He questioned if this was normal for this milonga. I had no idea what he was talking about first, and told him the music is always wonderful at El Encuentro, but then after having to end several dances with several men (or they ended it with me), I realized what he meant.
When leaving at two in the morning, I asked Angel, who was DJing that night, about why he was playing such long tandas, and he insisted he did not, that people were not recognizing the cortinas…I laughed and said, Ok, if you say so….but maybe he was playing a joke on all of us, as Angel does like to kid around…as always, though, whatever music he played was the best.

Nancy, Michael, myself, Tomoki and Shirley at El Encuentro

The Ministry of Tango presents a relaxing, take-it-easy, hang-out-style event for those of us who wish to celebrate our independence by dancing! Dance off all that barbequed food you ate with the Ministry of Tango’s Matinee Milonga
FREE!!
Everyone Welcome! After you finish your barbeque, come visit us for a low-key afternoon of dancing. Bring light refreshments to share with your friends; remember, you create the catering–and the experience! (NOTE: This is not a barbeque; we’re just relaxin’ along with you!)

Divo Fourth of July
8:30pm – Tuesday at 1:00am
Santa Monica Bay Women’s Club
1210 4th Street
Santa Monica, California

Summer Colors
Milonga Querida is having its monthly event Friday at the Granada in Alhambra. The theme this month is “Summer Colors” with women requested to wear floral colorful dresses and men to dress in colorful shirts.
NO black, white or red! command Varo and Yuliana who cohost the milonga.
Friday, July1st
at the Granada Club
8:30 – 9:30 PM Class
Intermediate Level with Ivan and Cyrena
TOPIC:
“Tango Tuning: Working from a comfortable, strong embrace and from your connection with you partner. We will give you tools to develop your tango.”
9:30pm-2am Mlonga
with special guest DJ
Location
The Granada
17 S. First Street
Alhambra, CA

Rosy Tango
Southern California’s newest milonga, Rose City Milonga, also takes place this Friday with live music.
Friday at 8:30pm – Saturday at 1:00am
Location
Rose City Ballroom, 280 E. Colorado, Pasadena (Located in the Paseo Colorado Mall, underneath the Arclight Cinema / near Macy’s)
Hosted By Sandor Parissa, Emmet O’Conlon
EVERY FRIDAY !!
8:30pm- Mixed Levels Group Class with Sandor & Parissa
9:30pm to 1:00am- Milonga with live music by the exceptional “Real Tango Trio”, & other great recorded selections by DJ Emmet
Class : $15
…Class & Milonga : $25 (when we have live music) / $20 regularly
Just Milonga : $15 (when we have live music) / $10 regularly
Rose City Ballroom phone : 626-449-9347
RCB manager/director – Christian Perry

Fresh Air!
Sunday, July 3 · 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Location
Third Street Promenade, between Arizona and Wilshire Blvd.
Hosted by Oxygen Tango!
Yay for dancing tango in the street, or in this case, on the Promenade ! This month the first Sunday luckily falls this holiday weekend, the day before the fourth of July. Come celebrate at our FREE open-air Tango occurrence. Gather for one of the longest-running Tango traditions in LA. With DJ Mitra ! Dance sneakers or danceable street shoes recommended. FREE and open to all !

Marcos Questa and Ruta Maria with tango friends at La Viruta

Well, they came and went, in a matter of little more than a month. Marcos Questa’s and Ruta Maria’s La Viruta Milonga in Beverly Hills (co-hosted with L.A.’s Yolanda Rossi) was a promising venue that offered an upscale experience, with a nightclub feel. However, they made the announcement this past Monday before the farewell milonga for Romina Levin  and Claudio Villagra that the club would be closing for renovations during the summer.

Located at the posh Aqua Lounge Club on Beverly Drive, one entered by going down long stairs to a reception area that opened to a dark lounge, with comfortable sofas, tables and chairs in the center, and three dance areas (two really, one was a small stage that a couple could overtake). The floor on one side was made out of wooden planks that were kind of rough, but still danceable. The other side, separated by a bar, had a smoother wooden floor, which was surrounded by curve shaped couches against the walls, where one could sit and relax, watching the other dancers. In a third, main room, the middle contained sofas and chair, as well as tables, where you could sit, drink, chat and relax. There’s also a wooden walkway down one side, that goes past another sitting area.

The price was reasonable, $12 included a class, entrance to the milonga as well as a drink ticket.

Ruta wrote that they do plan to come back after the work is done, but in fickle L.A., it is not known if dancers will return. Hopefully they will, and they can continue with this classy, friendly milonga.