Last night Gabriel, Melissa, and I finished the system of his fundamentals. We also tied it into more interesting and difficult off axis movements, like volcada, and colgada. My favorite part is the varying dynamics of the step, which I don't feel like getting into unless someone talks to me in person. Regardless, I feel like I've entered a doorway into the high level game of tango, and with enough practice, I'll probably exceed my wildest expectations.

Afterwards, I hosted a going away party at Luna Llena:


































I just got back from leather shopping at 666 Murillo, and damn, that place rocks. I got a jacket for 550 pesos that would easily run 450 bucks in the US.




































So, I'm currently listening to a song which we were dancing to by Dido, "Who makes you feel". Any lyrics with heavy emotion and allow me to sing in a deep throaty way act as a nice purgative. Last night I finished my BA tango experience, and I thought of a Carlos Gardel song which is almost cliched now. Here are the lyrics to Mi Buenos Aires Querido:


Mi Buenos Aires querido,
cuando yo te vuelva a ver,
no habra mas penas ni olvido.
El farolito de la calle en que naci
fue el centinela de mis promesas de amor,
bajo su inquieta lucecita yo la vi
a mi pebeta luminosa como un sol.
Hoy que la suerte quiere que te vuelva a ver,
ciudad porteña de mi unico querer,
y oigo la queja
de un bandoneón,
dentro del pecho pide rienda el corazón.

Mi Buenos Aires
tierra florida
donde mi vida terminaré.
Bajo tu amparo
no hay desengaños,
vuelan los años
se olvida el dolor.
En caravana
los recuerdos pasan
como una estela
dulce de emoción,
quiero que sepas
que al evocarte
se van las penas
del corazon.

Las ventanitas de mis calles de arrabal,
donde sonrie una muchachita en flor;
quiero de nuevo yo volver a contemplar
aquellos ojos que acarician al mirar.
En la cortada mas maleva una canción,
dice su ruego de coraje y de pasion;
una promesa
y un suspirar
borro una lagrima de pena aquel cantar.

Mi Buenos Aires querido...
cuando yo te vuelva a ver...
no habra mas penas ni olvido...

-------
My beloved Buenos Aires,
the day I see you again,
there will be no more sorrow or forgetfulness
The lamp of the street where I was born
was witness to my promises of love,
It was under its dim light that I saw her
I saw my pebeta as bright as a sun.
Today luck wants me to see you again,
you my beloved city porteña,
and I hear the lament
of a bandoneón,
asking for his heart to be set free.

My Buenos Aires,
land of flowers
where I will spend my last days.
Under your protection
there are no delusions,
years fly by,
pain is forgotten.
In caravan
memories go by
like a trail
sweet of emotion,
I want you to know
that when I call you
sorrow leaves
my heart.

The tiny windows of my streets of arrabal,
where a young girl gives a smile;
I want to stare once again
at those eyes that fondle with a look.
In the toughest back alley, a song
says its prayer of courage and of passion;
a promise
and a sigh
wiped away a tear of sadness, that singing.

My beloved Buenos Aires,
the day I see you again,
there will be no more sorrow or forgetfulness

-------

I fell into this emotion a bit at the practica at Villa Malcolm,with some of the more sentimental music. Sadness and loss is nearly an integral part of tango, and it's easy to feel that way if one wants to. Looking at the last stanza, I wonder, how true it will be for me? When can I return? Coming back will never be like it is now, although who knows how much better things will be in the future? Perhaps sorrow is a good thing, although the loss of a memory can be a true tradgedy.

Here are the remaining pictures I took, in order to finish off the last roll of film:

Juan Carlos, the steward of Luna Llena, on the left.

Looking out left from the entrance to Luna Llena:

Finally, a pic of me blogging: