Dancing tango in Montevideo is coming into fashion and becoming increasingly attractive for tango travellers. The capital of Uruguay lies somewhat in the shadow of the Buenos Aires metropolis on the other side of the Rio de la Plata, but it is catching up more and more due to its special charm. A big contribution is certainly the excellent tango teachers, who are getting great feedback from beginners to advance tangueros and tangueras, alone or as a couple. And, you can also book a visit to an evening milonga accompanied by one of the teachers - a unique and exciting dance experience!

Tango dancing in Montevideo

"Danza y Movimiento" has begun with the release of a new tango series. The project is called "Tango Classics" and draws on one of the largest European tango archives, which the Hamburg-born composer Klaus Johns compiled during his life.

Many of the recordings in this series have never been released, with the exception of the original gramophone records many years ago! The historical value of some of these recordings is so high that the Hamburg cultural authority has decided to support our project.

If you want to get an overview of the recordings released up to now, then you'll need to take some time to do so. We have put together a list on one of our recommendation pages of the 79 CDs currently available for download:

Tango Classics to download

I recommend registering in our shop first before visiting this page, in order to preview the individual CDs. (The links to the recommendations can be found in the right menu column under "Specials".)

It is possible in our new download shop to put all desired titles into your own download shopping cart and to download the tracks as mp3s to your computer.

Some of the CDs are currently only available through us and can otherwise not be bought elsewhere! Here, for example, these CDs from Pugliese, Biagi, Corsini and Donato:
Tango classics: exclusive mp3s

Or the CD "Chique" from Edgardo Donato:
Edgardo Donato, "Chique"


Each track costs only 99 cents. 10 or more tracks and you get a 10% discount. 50 tracks or more gets you a 20% discount!

Enjoy our new tango offer!
Have fun in our new download shop!

The dates for courses connected to your tango holiday in Italy 2011 are now online!

With us this year are well-known teachers such as Siobhan Dougherty & Michael Lavocah, Susanne Illini & Harald Rotter, Joseba Pagola & Bakartxo Arabaolaza, Laura Priori & Andreas von Maxen, Kathrin Holtz & Jens Dörr, Fabian Salas & Lola Diaz, Ricardo Barrios & Laura Melo, Steve & Debbie Morrall, Brigitta Winkler und Wolfgang Sandt.

It is advisable to reserve a spot in your course of choice as soon as possible. In the past, many inquiries came in at a time when the courses were already booked out.

Tango Holiday in Umbria 2011

The tango scene in Buenos Aires is multi-facetted and very alive. There is a multitude of competent tango teachers for all varieties of modern and classical tango. There is a great number of schools, among which some are absolutely professionally organised and run and which offer -next to qualified instruction- a complete merchandising of shoes, clothing and music. In addition, dance partners and accommodation are often arranged. Some tango schools offer Spanish lessons in cooperation with language schools. Even airport pickups are organised. Tango tourism in Buenos Aires shows a complex and complete tourism infrastructure.


Continue reading "Tango travel agents are superfluous!"

...is still available for you, if you want to spend two weeks practicing tango, complemented with yoga and relaxation training for dancers. This offer is part of our group tour from September 18th to 29th. Susanna is with us as our tour guide from Danza y Movimiento and local tango dancers will give us the most up-to-date information on the scene of the great tango metropolis. This 10-member group has its own individual character. Presently, there is still one room, which can be booked by one person or up to 3 people booking together. And there is also one space still for a woman in a double room...

For more information on the trip to Buenos Aires from the 18th to 29th of September, 2010, click here!

We don't usually write about festivals, since to keep up to date on all of them would be a job in itself! But this one deserves a mention for two reasons. Firstly, we're based in Hamburg so a little bit of city loyalty is OK . Secondly, we proudly stock the CDs of Quinteto Angel, who will be playing at the festival, presenting their new CD "Final de Fiesta".

Quinteto Angel has, since its founding, made a name for itself worldwide. They are a modern German tango quintet playing traditional tango music with a contemporary intensity and vitality usually thought unlikely or even impossible for 'foreigners', i.e. non-Argentinians. There is no room for doubt here that these musicians live and breath tango and combine their passion for the music with high musicianship.
For a foretaste:

Quinteto Angel, Final de Fiesta

Quinteto Angel, Sabado Ingles

Quinteto Angel, Danzarin

For the real thing (date, time and place of performance), check out the website of Universo Tango, under Festival:
Universo Tango

The festival takes place from August 26th to 29th and Quinteto Angel will be playing on the 27th of August as the main musical attraction. The festival as a whole promises to be good, with many great dancers performing and offering workshops.

The German tango magazine "Tangodanza" has started a series of articles meant to introduce various dance schools in Buenos Aires. In the latest issue, the author - who lives in B.A.s - presents the concepts and activities of two schools in which 'tango de salon' is taught: "Estudio la Esquina" and the "Tangoescuela Carlos Copello". Through a differentiated description of both schools, the author attempts to give an orientation to tango tourists, who often waste an enormous amount of time during their stay looking for the right school.

"Danza y Movimiento" works along similar lines within our travel deal to Argentina: local 'tango scouts' find the right school for dancers on location. Lessons can then be booked directly or coupons can be bought for one or more schools. The benefit of this system: lessons are guaranteed, no one stands and waits in front of a locked door, and there is always a local contact person to help get oriented in the always growing and changing dance scene of the Argentinian capital.

Information on tango trips to Buenos Aires

The latest issue of "Tangodanza"

is now possible with the "Vamos! Football" CD, which will definitely create a good mood and which costs only 1,99 euros until July 11th. We've also got some other specials ready for the World Cup: up to the final game you save 25 euro per box on the Vamos Box Set, containing 10 CDs! Tango fans can clear their ears of the vuvuzelas with Mercedes Simone for only 6,99 instead of 17,99 euros.

You can find the CDs mentioned here:

"Vamos! Football" - World Cup mood music from the Caribbean

The "Vamos Box" - 10 CDs for only 24,99 euros!

Mercedes Simone - gets under your skin, in a good way!


The prices quoted here are valid until the final game on July 11th, 2010.

are still somewhat rare in our tango trip in September - even though this dance holiday is the ideal opportunity for men who want to dive into tango and don't have a partner. Actually it is more than ideal, it is a dream situation, especially in Buenos Aires. The single foreign man often stands around at a milonga at the edge of the dance floor with no chance to dance, as long as he has not had an opportunity to show his abilities. A great opportunity for men who really want to dance...
If you want to know more about this trip, check out this link:

Seminar for tango, yoga and relaxation in Buenos Aires

Two new albums have come out by two of the leading and established electro tango groups within a month of each other this spring. Both totally different and unique in style, Gotan Project's "Tango 3.0" and Otros Aires' "Tricota" offer us a broad spectrum of e-tango possibilities, moods and tastes from the laid-back loungy Gotan track "Tango square" to Otros Aires' dance club techno number "tangwerk" which shifts in and out of traditional tango lines and cadences. Otros Aires' unmistakable humor and lightness can be found in "barrio de amor" (not only there!) and Gotan creates an astounding piece in "la Gloria": a subtle, somewhat shady, simple but penetrating bass line sets a background for a contrasting -competing?- almost innocent bandoneon melody; in the middle of the piece comes a clip from a football commentary, whose intensity, rhythm and phrasing intimates the beginnings of hip hop.
Check them out:

Gotan Project, "Tango 3.0"

Otros Aires, "Tricota"

Tango Vals, the latest tango instructional DVD from Ricardo and Rotraut's series "Curso de Tango", rounds off quite nicely this excellent group of 5 DVDs: Tango de Salon 1, Tango de Salon 2, Tango de Fantasia, Milonga, and Vals.
Although at first somewhat sceptical about what one can learn from a video about dance in general and tango in particular, I must admit that these DVDs, or rather Ricardo and Rotraut manage to offer instruction in ways which more than compensate for the lack of 'live' teachers.
They use modern DVD and computer technology radically different than any other tango instructional videos and never lose sight of the medium through which the lessons are given. The result is a didactic masterpiece. The clearness of instruction, the pace, the variety of support, the ease of use, all come together to make the experience of learning at home both a pleasure and a success.
And they don't just focus on learning figures and steps - they are able to help the student in ultimately developing a real feeling for the tango.
These DVDs can even offer quite a bit for the 'not-quite beginner': different angle of explanation for familiar figures, a different camera angle (!), and the opportunity to review one's knowledge and ability with helpful hints and tips from the teachers.
A list of the steps and items covered in each DVD is given in the 'review' section on our online catalog - unfortunately only in German, but most of the figures are in the original Spanish and should be familiar to most Tango students. If not, google translator!
Let's not forget one last important detail of this series, namely the language options in the DVD: there are 8 languages to choose from: Español, Deutsch, Italiano, Türkçe, English, Français, Portugues, Polski.

Check them out!

Ricardo y Rotraut, Curso de Tango, Tango de Salon 1

Ricardo y Rotraut, Curso de Tango, Tango de Salon 2

Ricardo y Rotraut, Curso de Tango, Tango de Fantasia

Ricardo y Rotraut, Curso de Tanog, Milonga

Ricardo y Rotraut, Curso de Tango, Vals

Not all news is new. Although I wrote about this fantastic group about a month ago in the German blog and then wrote a few lines in the newsletter after that, I haven't really got around to writing a few words in English until now.
The group, Jasstango, brought out the same-named album back in 2008. We just brought in on board at the beginning of this year. I listened to the album intensively for a good couple of weeks back then and was extremely enthusiastic. Then I took a break. I'm listening to the CD again as I write now and I can say that my 'love at first hearing' from more than a month ago was no superficial flirt: the music remains good.
There is so much to write about here. The mixture of styles and sounds that they achieve is truly remarkable. So often the term 'fusion' creates a less than enjoyable foretaste in the minds of most of us, simply due to the fact that fusion albums are rarely as good as that which musicians try to fuse. One needs a high degree of musicianship and musical understanding to pull of even a 'light' fusing of musical directions. And here we find undoubtedly the requirements for what is in any case deeper fusion: Tango remains the keystone around which a structure of great variety is built using elements of jazz, classical, folk, rock, latin...
Jasstango is a quartett of mature, lively and sensitive musicians, notably Johanna Schmidt on violin, who is a particular treat to listen to and the bandoneonist, Stephan Langenberg - who also plays the accordion on this CD - and who brought out a great CD, Squeezed, a few years ago.
In my German review I spontaneously listed my favorite tracks at that time. I can't do it now. Just have a listen: jasstango, Johanna Schmidt, Stephan Langenberg, Tangofusion CD
I would be delighted to hear some other enthusiastic opinions on this CD, if you care to share!

The new, long-awaited instructional DVD for tango beginners has finally come out! This DVD offers a carefully, systematically arranged and instructive introduction to the world of tango. Modern computer/DVD technology has allowed them to offer dancers a number of innovative resources in this medium. Another bonus: 8 languages are available: Español, Deutsch, Italiano, Türkçe, English, Français, Portugues, Polski. The DVD is in PAL format. A more exact description of the DVD's contents can be found in German here:

Ricardo and Rotraut instructional DVD, Content

You can find the DVD here:

Ricardo and Rotraut instructional DVD, Curso de Tango

Back again! Bajofondo

Fernando Santullo is the composer of -among other things- "Ya no duele el corazón" and "El mareo", titles which appear on the CD "Mar Dulce" by Bajofondo and which already enjoy great popularity in the tango scene.

This is a solo album of the Barcelona-based Uruguayan. Dynamically supported by Bajofondo, his CD "Santullo" is less tango-dominated than Bajofondo's. It still, however, has the same hypnotic power and gets better with every listening. Definitely worth checking out!:

Fernando Santullo y Bajofondo

The DVD-series "Legends of..." remembers the Lippmann + Rau festivals between1965 and 1969. The festival casts include names of artists with the highest esteem in their countries and internationally. The recordings made by the German broadcasting companies SWF and WDR in those years during the festivals (camera for Michael Ballhaus) are of extreme cultural value. They often contain the only pictures available of the musicians at that time, documents which cannot be found even in their countries of origin. The DVD-edition won the prize of the "Deutsche Schallplattenkritik" (3/2009) in the category DVD-video-production.

Legends of... (DVD)

Since 1996, Danza y Movimiento has created a large programme for dance courses, Spanish classes, classes for musical instruments and theatre in various countries. In the beginning, the focus was on salsa and tango, but over the years, the range of dance offers has been enlarged to almost all areas of dance and movement. The programme contains modern dance or ballet in Havana or hip hop, Alexander technique or BioDanza in Buenos Aires. And these are only some examples of a broad variety of offers, which are suitable for professionals, beginners, for spending your annual holidays in an active way, and which extend into the areas of dance therapy and choreography.

“Danza y Movimiento” is considered a trend-setter, and thus it isn't surprising that other travel organisers frequently visit our website. It became particularly obvious in the case of Cuba, because especially "salsa" became a lucrative term for big and small travel companies in the late 1990s. Since then, again and again, complete text passages from “Danza y Movimiento” appear in the catalogues of other travel agencies. This is what we call a lively interest...

It is possible to copy the words but not the essence of our travel offers. Considering the

- key contents of our cultural programme
- format and goal of our journeys
- personal support of our guests before and during the journey
- possibility of an exchange of experiences after the journey

we are not worried by many of the copies currently on the market. But it is easy to tell the copy from the original: Questioning the content
of other agencies' offers, one can easily find out, if the answer is well-grounded or if it only consists in catch-phrases or compositions of text excerpts.

If you are looking for the original and for professional structures, we will be happy to assist you with or advice for your journey to Cuba, Argentina, Uruguay or Italy.

Travel offers to Cuba, Argentina, Uruguay or Italy

(Updated in february 2016)

From August 28th - August 30th 2009, the International Tango festival Hamburg will take place for the 12th time already. The three days are packed with workshops, classy milongas, the big tango ball in the Mozartsälen and shows with the following dance couples:

- Diego Pájaro Riemer & Belén Giachello
- Santiago & Erna Giachello
- Marco Palladino & Nicoletta Pregnolato
- Federico Farfaro & Liesl Bourke

The 10 musicians of the Gran Orquesta Sabor a Tango will play for the dancers.

There is a detailed description of the festival on the homepage of "Universo Tango":

www.universotango.de

Please note: When booking and paying before July, 31st, there is a discount of 5%!

So, quickly polish your dance shoes, pack your bag with your best clothes and come to Hamburg. Our harbour city is always worth travelling to!

The CD "Arabtango" by the libanese singer Soumaya Baalbaki is a rare discovery which, again, demonstrates the worldwide fascination for tango. These are the audio samples:

Soumaya Baalbaki: Arabtango

Unfortunately, there is no translation of the lyrics, but we would like to offer a (free) translation of the track titles, at least:

I would give you my eyes
They didn't release me
Once, you came to my garden
It wasn't me who cried
I am in love with you
I am dreaming with you
I love you, and you think of me
For you, oh moon
Oh, you lover of the flowers

Our pages of recommendations are full with new CDs. There will be something for everybody, for sure:

Amarfis y la Banda de Atakke: 7ma Synfonia de Atakke
Merengue duro

Ricardo Arjona: 5to Piso
Renowned singer/ songwriter from Guatemala with new, sophisticated
songs.

Aventura: Last
Is there anybody who doesn't know these bachateros? The band speaks of separation, so this album might really be their last one.

Magic Juan: Sure Bet
Merengue/ Latin rap/ reggaeton

Truco y Zaperoko: En Plena Rumba
Afro-Caribbean dance party with salsa, plena and rumba.

Varios: Cuba Hits Envidia Vol. 4
With Havana Salsa Team, Arnaldo y la Cosmopolita, Tirso Duarte, Maikel Blanco and many others.

Victor Manuelle: Muy Personal
Very romantic album with ballads dedicated to his family.

Fruko y sus Tesos, Grupo Galé, Eddie Palmieri, Orquesta Aragón, José Conde, Ricardo Lemvo... Doesn't it make your mouth water? Well, then go ahead and order this "hip-shaking music from the hottest salsa bands in the Americas". The booklet with interesting background information is in English, Spanish and French.
A part of the sale of this CD will be donated to the Pan American Health and
Education Foundation in support of its efforts to improve health care services in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Putumayo presents: Salsa!