Great to have so many small video clips with Joao trying desperately to get me to understand the most simple things!
In this case it was about being neat and tidy with my feet – collecting as I change weight. Left to myself I am so lazy and messy.. For me these mini videos really help to get the essence of what he was trying to explain!
Spent some time yesterday looking for silhouettes and darks against light.
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Lisbon is so full of images – a great place to spend a few days as a happy urban photographer!
Miriam taught Joao as a beginner here in Lisbon 12 years ago – she first started Tango in Buenos Aires in 1988. Today I was fortunate enough to be invited to her apartment for a lesson with Joao. Here they show adding a sacada to Ochos where the leader steps through – sorry I don’t know the real name for this..
It was very enjoyable – even if the teachers are way too experienced for a beginner like me – what a great privilege – and so much fun!
This is some simple Amago exercise with Joao and Begonia in Seville a few weeks ago :
Personally I could do exercises like this all day – the solo ones at the beginning of the video – I never find solo exercises in the classes I have been to in the UK but I think they are a great idea. I just went to a class here in Lisbon and again it started with all 20 people doing solo exercises – in that case based on the cross – really fun as well as teaching technique and balance – both of which I really need!
Just experimenting with video types for recording tango classes.
This one is here in Lisbon, Joao and Miriam demonstrating follower Ganchos after Barridas and Sandwiches ..
I am using freeze frames to record the particular moments that I think are important for me to learn from…. so it might seem like dodgy internet but I think it helps me learn!
Lisbon old quarter – the Alfama – provided a really great chance today to get lost in twisting alleys and spend a really pleasant few hours taking photos. I also sampled some great wine in the ‘Do Castelo’ wine bar – which I really recommend if like me you love wine but know nothing about Portuguese varieties and vineyards – really helpful and knowledgeable staff.
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Followed by a drive round Lisbon to the west to meet one of Joao’s Tango teachers for a lesson – then a drive East to meet another one – all in all a great day combining 3 of my greatest interests.
Found the hotel, walking around the narrow lanes near the castle, met for drinks at 1am – this city runs late for sure – and a quick visit to the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum this morning and here I am at lunchtime looking forward to my first Tango lesson this evening.
So what are my thoughts having never been to Lisbon before.
In many ways it seems to be exactly what I expected, a city with so much history but suffering from long periods of neglect, the recent economic problems – and perhaps most worryingly the fact that most young people no longer want to live in the city centre – they are running for the newer, safer houses in the suburbs.
All this creates great potential for just the kind of photography I love to take – I look forward to the next few days.
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My great surprise is the language – just how different it sounds from Spanish. Having an extremely basic vocabulary in Spanish from a long time ago, I expected at least to be able to understand something of simple basic conversations – but no – not a word.
