On this occasion I have chosen the interview I did with Juan Topalian to share with you.
In order to better understand what he was referring to, let me explain the following:
Juan prefers to say Tango Salón when he talks about Social Tango. And here we have a very interesting and often confusing topic.
The term “Milonguero Style” is pretty new, about 30 years old. However this style has been danced for a long time.
Before to the term “Milonguero” arose we used to have two Styles, “Tango Salon” and “Tango Fantasia”. The first one was used to name the style danced at the milongas and the second one on the stages.
The confusion here is that “Tango Salon” was danced in open and close embrace. For that reason, to some people from Juan’s generation, Open embrace and Close embrace, both are Tango Salon. These people haven’t adopted the term “Milonguero”. But definitely they dance it!
The previous saying explains the first confusion but later we have a second one, because then, some of the ones who have adopted the term “Milonguero” have realized that Milonguero Style is always Close embrace, but Close embrace is not always Milonguero. ¡Ah! A very interesting topic that I hope to develop in an Online Class.
Juan is a big fan of Carlos Di Sarli, and is a very generous and organized person. He brought his notes to the interview and two wonderful gifts for us. One is a treasure that was recorded in 1947 from a radio concert where you will be able to listen to Carlos Di Sarli not only directing his orchestra, but talking! And the second is a poem handwritten by Juan Topalian. This interview is a treasure!
The music to practise is how it cannot be otherwise by the Maestro Carlos Di Sarli. The tango that Juan danced with me, the one he listened to at the best milonga of those days the first time he went there and the one that Di Sarli directed to the two the singers in 1947 on the radio programm, this time with Alberto Podesta. At the bottom is the tanda I prepared for you. Enjoy it!
Un abrazo,
Monica
La tanda
- ♫ Un tango y nada mas. Carlos Di Sarli & Jorge Duran
- ♫ Porteño y bailarin. Carlos Di Sarli & Jorge Duran
- ♫ Nido gaucho. Carlos Di Sarli & Alberto Podestá