Soon I'll be back to my beloved classes. I think I've found something for Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, still trying to fill the other evenings.
But yesterday, Summer was still on and I kept exploring milongas. Snapshots:
-) I forgot my book (2001 nights, not tango-related ) so all I had to read were the many flyers available at the entrance, announcing workshops and classes.
-) I took my dance shoes from my bag and put them. So what? Well it was my first time with these shoes, the snazzy ones from Buenos-Aires. They did a good job, I almost completed one tanda with them. I had left the snazzy suit at home. With the suit I can't raise my elbows, with the trousers I can hardly breathe and with the shoes I can hardly walk so the combination would have been over-ambitious.
-) Usually to invite I walk to the lady's table and extend my hand. Twice though, I could not approach close enough and had to use a distant inviting protocol. Instead of the cabeceo I used my left hand to do the "Me Tarzan, you Jane" thing and then my right hand to act like I was using an eggbeater. Well I bet any kind of gesticulation would work, in the context of a milonga.
-) One of the invited ladies remained stuck to her chair, glued by an old chewing-gum she had not noticed when she sat. By the time she cleaned everything, the tango piece I wanted to dance on was over.
-) After a series of dull valtzes the DJ played
Sonar y nada mas, one of my favourites. Well, everyone's favourite. I was sweating a bit though, and not sure it would be pleasant for the lady to keep dancing.
"You don't have to if you don't want", I said while offering my hand.
"Oh yes I want to dance it, and I want to dance it with you!"
Minutes later I saw her chatting and laughing with a classmate of mine, and I understood she had been bribed to say that.
-) The trick I had noticed in Bs-As also works here: after dancing with me, a lady is quickly invited by a good leader. Like they feel they have to give her a compensation for the terribla tanda she had.
