It may be the coldest month of May in 300 years, but we’ve decided to fight off the misery, by dancing it off! So, tango, milonga and vals, here we come!

Tonight at our tango group class, we’ll see the sanguchito, a traditional tango step, where the man first ‘sandwiches’ the lady’s foot in between his feet. Then the lady comes around and ‘sandwiches’ his foot too with hers.

Oh, sanguchito of course means sandwich in English! It’s a very playful step, which can be quite dramatic as it allows for plenty of pauses and slow moves. It’s also the perfect occasion for ladies to show off their adornments as they go over their partner’s foot – caricia (caress, either their leg or, much more fun, their partner’s), golpetico (tap), rulos (circles). The limit is one’s own imagination!

If you want to join us tonight and fight off the misery with us, check our group tango class schedule. Pack up your best socks and see you soon on the dance floor!

Abrazo,

Nathalie

We’ve just published a video translation of the melancholy song Sur, Pa’ que bailen los muchachos, by Anibal Troilo and Enrique Cadícamo.
 Have a look at our translation of Pa’ que bailen los muchachos, read our commentary and the lyrics or play our video and enjoy listening to the music and reading the lyrics at the same time.

You can access all our translations, or read more about our group and private tango classes at Tanguito.

We hope you enjoy the translations and the dancing!

Abrazo,

Nathalie

Friendship is a theme central to tango songs. Friends in tango, like in real life play many roles and tango being as emphatic as it is, in tango, friends are always bigger than real life! Because they play such an important role, friends are usually referred to with affection, with words such as amigazo (big friend), hermano (brother), compadre (mate).

In some songs, they are the privileged recipient of intimate confessions, a shoulder to lean on in bad times, as shown in Tres esperanzas by E. S. Discepolo:

Friends are also those who are present and who help during the transition between childhood and adulthood. Medianoche from H. Gagliardi illustrates this important time of life:

When the friendship fails however, tango usually being quite melodramatic, it is perceived and expressed as a real treason. E. Escaris Mendez says in Media noche:

If you enjoy reading about tango lyrics, why not have a look at our tango translations? We played all these songs during our Argentine tango classes.

See you soon on the dance floor!

Abrazo,

Nathalie

Source: Translated from Tango, la mezcla milagrosa by Carlos Mina

We’ve just published our translation of the beautiful song Sur, South, by Anibal Troilo and Homero Manzi.

Argentine milongueros say you can only dance if you understand the lyrics of the song you’re dancing to, so we’re translating tango songs – one at a time. I have to say that I do develop a special relationship with the songs I have translated and understand. We hope you too enjoy our translations and the connection.

You can access our latest translation of Sur or our previous ones, such as Así se baila el tango or Siempre es Carnaval. These are the tango songs we chose to play during our Argentine tango classes.

We hope you enjoy the translations and the dancing!

Abrazo,

Nathalie

Corrientes, the authentic milonga, running Buenos Aires style tandas and cortinas is on tonight, in Chalk Farm. The evening will start with a class from Pablo Rodriguez and Natasha Lewinger. The milonga will follow short after and the couple will perform at 11.20 (Argentine style, so this should be about midnight!)
 
 

Have a look at Pablo and Natasha dancing in Salon Canning earlier this year:

See you soon on the dance floor!

Abrazo,

Nathalie

Tango songs make abundant references to Buenos Aires, whether it be to the city as a whole, some of its key landmarks, or las arrabales, the poor neighbouroods of Buenos Aires where tango started. Las arrabales describe an actual area, a certain lifestyle (that of milongueros), a social class (that of the poor) and are almost always referred to with affection.

 
 
Tinta Roja from C. Castillo is a fascinating example:
 

If you want to read the rest of the song or listen to it, have a look at Todo Tango.

You can also have a look at some of our translations: Fuimos, Así se baila el tango or Siempre es Carnaval.

See you soon on the dance floor!

Abrazo,

Nathalie

We’ve just finished translating the famous song ‘Fuimos’, by José Dames and Homero Manzi, famously interpreted by Pugliese.

Argentine milongueros say you can only dance properly to a tango tune once you understand its lyrics, which is why we are regularly translating Argentine tango songs. There are thousands of tango songs but one has to start somewhere, one at a time!

Have a look at our latest translation of Fuimos or our previous ones, such as Así se baila el tango or Siempre es Carnaval.

We hope you enjoy the translations and the dancing!

Abrazo,

Nathalie

If you are not a dancer yet, don’t miss out! Have a look at our tango group classes and private classes, and see you very very soon on the dance floor!

Abrazo,

Nathalie

We’ve already published another quote from Zotto, equally inspiring: tango quote from Miguel Zotto.

Lovely, inspiring insights so see you soon on the dance floor!

Abrazo,

Nathalie

And another one, as amazing (look at the number of views!!!), but very different and quirky by the brothers Enrique y Guillermo de Fazio

If you’re dancing about and think about starting tango now, why not have a look at our Argentine tango classes?

See you soon on the dance floor!

Abrazo,

Nathalie