Being a milonguera is a high call - only the best tangueras deserve
that title. A milonguera is not an exhibitionist but a social dancer. She dances
not to impress others, but for her partner's enjoyment and her own pleasure. Her
skill is so superb that she can focus her entire attention on him instead of on
the steps. Her body is so well-trained that she is able to make him feel totally
comfortable even in the most challenging maneuvers. Her musicality is so excellent
that dancing with her is a pure enjoyment of the music, without slightest
disharmony.
A milonguera has transcended the narrowness of egocentric popular
ideas like individualism and feminism. She understands that tango
is a relationship and teamwork, that the satisfaction of tango comes from surrender,
cooperation and sharing, that her own enjoyment of the dance depends on her
partner, and that unless he is content she cannot be so. Therefore, she gives
her undivided attention to him, just like he does to her. Tango is an altruist
dance, and a milonguera is an altruist.
A milonguera dances beautifully, but the point of the steps to her is not so much the aesthetics as it is the communication. Just like the embrace, the steps are the tool a milonguera uses to connect to her partner, communicate her feelings to him, seduce him, and pamper him. They are a part of what makes tango an intimate, loving, playful and comforting dance.
Her body is so supple and flexible that she can dance on either side of him without upsetting the embrace or causing discomfort to him. She can twist her body in his arms in such tender and seductive way that it pleases to the sense of his body. She can dissociate her upper body and lower body to such a degree that the two partners always remain perfectly connected even in the most difficult movements. For her, to tango is to pamper the man in her arms, and she is equipped with a perfect and educated feminine body to do that.
Her body is so supple and flexible that she can dance on either side of him without upsetting the embrace or causing discomfort to him. She can twist her body in his arms in such tender and seductive way that it pleases to the sense of his body. She can dissociate her upper body and lower body to such a degree that the two partners always remain perfectly connected even in the most difficult movements. For her, to tango is to pamper the man in her arms, and she is equipped with a perfect and educated feminine body to do that.
She has danced the milonguero style of tango for at least
ten years and has accumulated tremendous experiences. Her skill is so
proficient that she can dance by intuition without having to think about the techniques or
steps. Thus she is able to concentrate on making
him feel good. She knows all the tricks to please him with her body: caressing his torso when twists her body in his arms, letting her chest trundle on his
torso when swivels her hips, massaging his chest with her breasts in ocho
cortado, wrapping his body with her body in molinete, and entangles his leg with
her leg in sacadas, etc. She is a maestra of the art of seduction.
A milonguera knows the music inside
out. She knows the stories of each and every tango songs, and she knows how to
express the feelings of the music with her body. She is moody when the music is
moody, passionate when the music is passionate, sentimental when the music turns
sour, and tender when the music becomes affectionate. She accelerates, slows down, softens,
stresses, syncopates, pauses, and suspends as the music tells her to do so. She
can express the feelings of the music so well that you feel like you are dancing
with the music itself. Dancing with a milonguera is a pure enjoyment of the
music without slightest disharmony.
A milonguera is versed in the milonga
world. She follows the rules about personal hygiene, dressing, seating, invitation, mirada, cabeceo, navigation, and all the dos and don'ts of the milonga. (See Milonga Codes.) She is warm, polite, charming,
and easygoing. She greets everyone, respects everyone, is friendly to
everyone, and does not have an attitude that scares men away. She always lets men
know her appreciation and love for them. Milonga codes have been a part of her
life for so long that they become her life principles. She might have been an arrogant,
egocentric, individualistic, independent, competitive, and feminist ultraist. She
might have possessed all the attitudes, habits and imperfections many did when they started tango. But tango changed her and turned her into a marvel - a milonguera
treasured by all milongueros.
P.S.
I've just returned from
Newport News Encuentro, one of the best milonguero gatherings I have attended. It is the women that I have danced with in that event inspired me to
write something about them. My special thanks to Liga Losseva, Sherry Chou, Olimpia
Stein, Eva VonEsse, Flo Woodreuff, Yemiko Yagui, Lan Tran-Phu, Marina Aleshker, Sandra Angel,
Emily Mooney, Shirley Putnam, Gloria Swindoll, Pamela Ruth, and many others
whose names I don't know or remember. Special thanks also to Andy Stein, the
organizer of the event, and to Raul Cabral, whose writings are always an
inspiration and whose appreciation for milonguera women I deeply share.
I think you'd be better of sticking with the meanings of these words as used by just about everyone else.
ReplyDeleteA milonguera is a woman who spends a lot of time in the milongas.
A tanguera is a woman who loves tango, whether dancer or not.
Excellence is the consequence of spending a lot of time in the milongas.
Delete"She is a maestra of the art of seduction"
ReplyDeleteThere's another word you should possibly avoid.
A maestra is a woman who teaches primary school children.
Thank you for emphasizing that sentence. I always appreciate your sharpness, Chris.
Delete