| Written by Richard Lai, on 16-04-2007 02:15 |
Royce Chau, Tokyo/Hong Kong
Louis posted one of my favorite tango performances - "Poema" by Javier and Geraldine on his blog. I have watched this clip many times but I am still touched by this dance every time I watch it.
This clip reminds me one of Javier's classes I took in Taipei (2nd Taipei tango festival 2004). This class was on the same day this lovely dance was performed. It was in the late afternoon; Javier was giving a musicality class. He made us listening to a song, and asked if any of us knew the name of the orchestra. We were all silent, he got a bit disappointed. Javier told us that this song was played by Francisco Canaro's orchestra. He played the music again and he guided us listening to this piece of music... here the violin is flying, the orchestra comes together at this point, then a special remark from the piano, and here comes the singer... In fact, it was more than a guidance, he shared his love to this music with all of us. After that, he showed us how we could put some steps into this music. All the things he showed and suggested were simple and basic - walking, ocho, ocho cortado, turns, but he just put all these elements perfectly on the music, so much so that you can see what he was dancing on - the violin, the orchestra, the piano or some special moments in the music. I remember I was wordless and touched by what I had seen. At the end of that class, we didn't walk away with any steps and figures, but our ears and minds were opened.
Then later that evening, we heard the same piece of music again, it was "Poema" by Francisco Canaro. We saw Javier performed this song on stage with his partner Geraldine. We saw the same elements that he showed us during the class, the dance was not flashy at all when compared to many tango performances in general, but it reached everybody's heart. Again, we could see what he was dancing on and what she was dancing on. Their dance "visualized" the song and after that night, everybody remembers this piece. While many professional dancers try to impress people with challenging moves and tricks, Javier made us understand that a great dance only needs two things - good connection to your partner and the music.
Coleman Koo, Hong Kong
在過去四年裡，我不斷上課，去milonga，去festival, 睇live performance和刨youtube...當中遇到幾位大師級人馬，對我的舞風帶來了深遠的影響，當中表表者乃Javier Rodriguez。過去一年多訪港的舞者多是所謂"nuevo"派，已很久沒有像Javier這種以優美見稱的大師來過。Javier很年青，但他的舞藝絕對是大師級。跟了很多"nuevo"派的老師後，再看Javier在CITA及舞台上的精彩表演，才令我找回Argentine Tango那種傳統味道。他每一次表演都有一種令人陶醉的魅力，看他跳舞，就像是看藝術品一樣，你要留意他的musicality及走路的技巧。當你嘗試過在close embrace時向前緩慢的walking而左右腳步不會一大一細，而上身幾乎不會搖晃，你便知道Javier的內功在那裡。他的走路方式是我見過中最最最「酷」的。他的milonga亦是我見過最最最精采的。單是上他walking及 milonga的課，已經今生無悔。我到現在還未遇到過任何所謂"nuevo"派的舞者跳得出Javier的味道。請不要被milonguero、nuevo、traditional等名稱成為你們選擇老師的障礙。Javier Rodriguez絕對是當今一級棒的舞者之一。沒有上他的課及看過他的現場表演，是任何人的一大遺憾！
Loretta Lee, Hong Kong
Javier Rodriguez, Andrea Missé, my Idols in the Tango World
The first time I saw Javier & Andrea dancing was in the 1st Taipei Tango Festival in 2003. They were both dancing with their former partner. I still remember how shaken I was when I saw their performances. On that night, Javier was dancing to the piece ‘Tu, el Cielo y Tu' by Di Sarli. As soon as he started dancing, I was already drawn by his smooth & sensuous style. Then I saw Javier melted with his partner, molded by the music and the three, namely Javier, his partner and the music, emerged as one piece; one single, inseparable piece of beautiful music! My heart was completely dissolved! I have never seen such touching performance before. Then it was the performance of Andrea and her partner after that of another couple. She was dancing to a milonga piece. Andrea gave me a totally different but equally striking sensation and I gasped when I saw her sharp, precise, quick, yet extremely elegant footwork. I thought to myself: where on earth do these marvelous legs come from? Hell! Or Heaven? After all these years, the scenes of Javier and Andrea's performances on that night still lingered.
In 2004 I took classes from Andrea & Leandro, her former partner and Javier & Geraldine, his former partner in Hong Kong and Taipei respectively. I have new verdict after the workshops: Javier and Andrea are not just great dancers but also magnificent teachers. They are excellent in putting difficult and abstract things in a simple and metaphorical way.
In early 2006, Javier and Andrea started their partnership and I took classes from them in Italy and Taiwan respectively. After all, they are still the number one on my list of male and female dancers.
In this one and a half year's partnership, they are adapting and accommodating to each other and evolving as a new shining pair. If someone asks me what is flawless, I think I will tell him to watch any recent clip of Javier & Andrea, especially those of their milonga, on the internet to get the answer. For me, they are always the best in the Tango world.
Kitty Leung, Hong Kong
"Don't look at my feet...... look at my whole body!" says Javier Rodriguez in a class I attended in Buenos Aires 3 years ago. I couldn't help but giggled at a corner, trying to cover my own and everyone else's embarrassment as our eyes peeled from the master's legs. "Dancing is not in the feet, it's the whole body - it's all of you!". Such were the words of wisdom from a teacher who wanted you to understand the soul of the Tango.
Javier is one classy dancer who makes his partner look (and feel) like the most beautiful woman in the world, albeit it's only for 3 mintues! When you watch him dance, he doesn't seem to do much. His movements are subtle but his partner shines like the brightest star in the night. I think the late maestro Carlos Gavito once commented that a great dancer (leader) was one who made his partner, not himself, look good on the dance floor! Javier is definitely a master in this art!
I don't remember any of the steps Javeir taught in class, but I remember how he made me feel about tango. He helped me discover the connection in a partner - how to receive and give back in return. He depicted the tango embrace as a big warm hug with a close friend. It's firm yet soothing, it transmits feelings with an open heart, there's no holding back nor control. Every step taken is an invitation for the partner...
Sometimes it's just as wonderful to watch his face when he dances. It's so full of joy and appreciation. It's connection bewteen partners that can be "seen". Great to finally have him in HK in May!
Daniel Liu, Taiwan
"Javier的風格是一種精緻的極致表現。他可以跟Andrea跳一首完美的探戈。細微的認知誤差也可以因為無瑕疵的移動質感而化於無形。更神奇的是他的教學，堪稱魔術師，藉由無形與有形的比喻跟模仿讓受教者由內部改變"
"Javier無意間也是個思想家。他會說："有很多東西是可以用說的方式來教，像歷史、文化等等。舞蹈的很多東西都是要用跳的才會明白。""
每一句話或許不是什麼驚人的理論。但是可以連續說出那麼多令人驚艷與覺悟的尋常話語，絕對是個非凡的人物。
去年的台北探戈節......多了些單獨聊天的機會，讓我認識到這個人的心有多麼溫暖。講話直接了當，但是不會傷害別人。對於關心的人更是有情有義。他是我的老師，我的朋友。"
To read the complete writing, please visit - http://www.wretch.cc/blog/tanguero&article_id=7092004#postComments
Emily Luk, Hong Kong
I still remember the first time that I found Javier was in the video of CITA 2002 when I just started dancing tango. I was stunned by his speed and musicality in his milonga performance. I was very lucky to meet Javier and Andrea in the 1st Taipei Tango Festival, while they were still dancing with their previous partners. For me, Javier is the most stylish milonga dancer - he is born to have the milonga rhythm in his body so that his movements naturally merge with the beat. I would say his exercises on milonga are still beyond the ability of most tango dancers. He is definitely a natural-born "milonguero". If you want to dance milonga like Javier, don't forget to take the workshops on walking, embrace & posture as well as musicality - cos you can hardly get the key of dancing milonga without knowing these basic techniques!
When Andrea went to Hong Kong in 2004, I was very much impressed by her technique class. What she taught are still deeply rooted in my mind and I am still practicing her muscle training exercise. Her style of social dancing (like her walking, footwork and embrace) is obviously still not very popular in Hong Kong, and I felt frustrated with these techniques when I just learned from her and I once doubted if I should listen to her! (by that time no one in HK walked like her and these techniques are really challenging for me!) I could only persuade myself after learning from other famous teachers (Cacho Dante & Corina de la Rosa) who taught me the same logic of walking and embrace, and I found that many people in Buenos Aires dance their style in milongas. Now I realize her way of dancing offers me the most confidence, intriguing and sensational feeling that I can feel with tango.
What I learn most from them (which many teachers cannot offer) is the authentic Porteños' attitude of the dance and what tango means for the Porteños - it is not only a form of performance for the eyes of audience, but also a living social culture of BsAs, like how a man should treats a woman in general!
Many people say the combination of Javier and Andrea is not as sparkling as being with their previous partners. I hope their performance in Hong Kong will change these people perceptions!
William Liu, Hong Kong
Ho Ho Ho, thanks to Loretta and Emily, this May is going to be hot. Two of the most adored tango stars, Javier and Andrea, are coming to town. They are so much-loved that if you say you are their fan I'm sure you get friends instantly anywhere in the world. To me, Javier is a hero in tango. Once on the floor, he dances as a champion surfer, riding the waves of music, surprising and charming the audience with his skill, creativity and style. He is truly a master that creates standards for others. No wonder he attracts so many fans and students from around the world. Andrea is a charm too. She is an excellent dancer and teacher, showing beauty and style in her movements and offering clear and sharp advice in her classes. I just can't have enough of her classes. So we are all in for a big treat this May. Don't wait this time! Go get a ticket to their classes and milonga as early as you can, or you will miss the highlight of this year.
Thomas Wong, Hong Kong
以鬼斧神功來形容Javier Rodriguez y Andrea Misse的舞藝實為貼切不過了。J&A華麗而細緻的腳法，以Villa Urquiza的風格獨步舞林。曾睹其風彩者無不被其細膩的舞藝所迷倒。J&A更是Milonga的專家，其兩位一體的合拍演出已縥化境。二人合作己近兩年，默契愈見淳熟，期望他們這次首度來港所掀起的"J&A效應"能為香港注入精彩的化學作用。
Last update: 05-08-2007 13:41
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Relish them !