Muma

Thanks to MsH for reminding us of Amster's blog. I read a bit of it a while back but his account of Muma's class is more recent.

Muma is another dancer who grew up with traditional tango: she has taught in the US, but not yet in Europe. Muma gives this teaching on posture, which is invaluable advice: if you don't get this right, dancing close-hold is problematic. Roughly speaking, stretch up and yawn, then keep the back and chest still while lowering the arms and you will be in the posture of any of those great milongueros and milongueras. But staying there is the problem. It feels stiff and unnatural if, like me, you grew up with bad posture. & no need to restrict it to dancing: the muscles will get used to it if you remember while out walking.

I also checked out Muma's website a while back: it's fairly basic, but has some videos, of which this is one. I immediately noticed the timing of her feet: there's almost a sense of laziness, she's totally unhurried but always manages to step at exactly the right moment. She's never rushed, it looks easy and well-controlled. By contrast her partner, Carlos Rojas, seems to be working quite hard...



It forms an interesting contrast with the video of Alberto Dassieu I linked a few weeks back, two D'Arienzo vals danced by top 'milonguero' couples. Alberto charges round the room like a force of nature, Carlos Rojas and Muma dance very much on the spot, a dance of turns rather than walks, though Alberto's turns are spectacular. His partner, Elba Biscay, almost literally drags her feet. I think these videos show that 'milonguero' tango can be exciting to watch. I can watch them over and over and still enjoy them and learn from them.

Here's a neat milonga from Muma, dancing with Dany 'El Flaco' Garcia.

I will, of course, invite Muma to my London Tango Festival too. In the mean time she's certainly one of the dance teachers to look up if you are ever in Buenos Aires. (Which might be sooner.)

There seems to be a long list of dancers who never come to London: we could add Javier and Andrea, who are regularly in Europe – but not London. Is it just my impression that London is a bit of a tango backwater?