Friday, 30 March 2012
'Cacho' Dante
It made me so happy to see this. Cacho is a great teacher, and he teaches group classes several times a week. Or he used to teach. Last year I found he was no longer teaching as he wasn't well. It looks as if he's back, lively as before. I think he's great because he takes the trouble to watch very intently, and can then make a comment that changes everything about your tango. I think of him as a very generous teacher, and modest. His group classes weren't that expensive, and were serious and intense, and the general standard of dance was good. But they were entirely in Spanish, and most of his students are local.
& I'm also happy to see the dance at the end of the interview because, unbelievably, there's only one video of him on the whole of YouTube. Or at least there used to be; I just checked and noticed that armanyengue1 has recently uploaded two more, dating back to Seattle in 2004. It used to be a great pleasure to watch him in the milongas a few years ago, and I look forward to seeing him again.
Incidentally, talking of 'shooting the feet' I notice how, like Ricardo Vidort, he often lifts his knee a little high so the foot comes down more emphatically, with the leg quite straight. I think this is very characteristic of his generation, although it might not always be so pronounced. Stepping like this emphasises the beat, and pushes the body up straight too. I wrote about his classes here.
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8 comments:
This is a treasure. Thanks for posting it.
E
Thanks, E! & I think I sense a connection: the Seattle videos in 2004? Have you met him?
I was so pleased to include this link. I was really looking forward to his classes last summer in Buenos Aires, hard work but very rewarding. I felt he was very encouraging, but would never bullshit anyone about how far they (I) had to go. It was very sad to hear he was going through a really bad time, and it's so great to see him back.
Thanks for that TC. Good to see Cacho still doing his best to expose the teaching fraud. This interview should be recommended reading for every beginner going home from class asking him/herself if it really is supposed to be that difficult.
I never met Cacho. In 2004 I was just beginning to learn tango and was unaware of his presence here, and of his importance in recent tango history. I certainly regret not meeting him. But because of him and the interest in milonguero style that he generated in Seattle, we have been the beneficiaries of many visits by Alicia Pons, and other bearers of the torch. Now just maybe there will be a chance to meet....
Thanks again.
Chris, not sure Cacho is trying to 'expose the teaching fraud'. My impression was that he was simply doing his best to help anyone who came to his classes to dance the tango he grew up with.
& Elizabeth, I hope you get a chance to meet! He obviously left a powerful impression, and not only in Seattle.
TC wrote: "not sure Cacho is trying to 'expose the teaching fraud'"
I thought he was very clear in his points about e.g. "all those frauds that are teaching things you cannot do" etc.
I agree, Cacho never tries to bullshit his students about dancing. He is a nice man, I like and respect him lots (un monton!)
It was very sad to hear of his bad patch last year, I thought he was never going to dance again! I was relieved to hear last week he was back in the milongas:)
Many thanks, Belinda-tang. I think many of us agree on Cacho! Hope you get to dance with him again soon.
I checked out your blog: http://cafe1001nights.blogspot.co.uk/ It's very interesting. If you're in BsAs I hope you'll start writing again.
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