Dateline: Bali June 30-July 9, 2006

WEEK      1 
 

Flying Air Asia 910 from Kuala Lumpur to Bali was a cool 3 hour trip that made me arrive at my destination around past 7:oo pm. I left KL at 4:oo pm but has been in  KLIA airport since this morning. I was suppose to have left at 10:oo am but I went to the wrong airport and did not have enough time to catch up with my flight to move to the other airport, which is 25 kilometers from where I am. Call it one of my bad days, I decided to just let go and charge everything to experience. Earlier also, I left my mobile phone inside the cab that took me to KL Sentral but was still lucky enough to retrieve it as the driver promised to send it back to Ukay Heights where Lou is suppose to receive it in the coming days. Thanks Lou. 
 

It was past 8:oo pm when I got out of the Denpasar airport and there was this cold breeze I felt enveloping my body. Oh! Yes, I remember now, it is winter in Australia and it affects the weather condition in the island at this time of the year. But it’s generally a fine weather and I do not mind from time to time to experience some cold winds for a change. 
 

I arrived at Stefani’s place an hour after and Kadek, her maid and another staff welcomed me at the door. Stefani was up in Ubud tonight for the first workshop in the locality. I would have joined her had this morning mix-up not occurred. But certainly life must go on despite some little set-backs.  
 

Feeling very exhausted I decided to just shut myself off tonight not wanting to be disturbed by anyone or anything, as I went straight to bed to recharge my energies for tomorrow will be another working day that will start at noon time. Schlaf gut! 
 

The morning after, I woke up to a beautiful Saturday morning from a 9-hour sleep. I must have been very tired last night that I slept like a baby. It was 9:30 am when I looked at my watch. I felt very good and relaxed as I went to take a dip in the pool before I took my breakfast. In a few minutes, Stefani came feeling jubilant about the Ubud outcome. She told me there were six participants to the introduction course and every one of them were keen on learning the tango. Yes I’ll be meeting this group tonight but meanwhile Stefani hands me down my schedule for the entire month of July and first on the list is a 2-hour run-through of our past choreographies from “Malena,” to”Sentimiento” and “Primavera Portena” which is just two hours from now. Whew!  
 

At 12:oo noon Stefani and I started going over our “Sentimiento” choreography which we did last time for our Tango Enigmatico show at Made’s Warung. Yes it has always been an uphill battle each time I try going over past works. But once I hear the music, I somehow manage to remember everything slowly, as I put things back together again. There were so many “tango nuevo” elements in this choreography and I really liked the way everything came up as it was presented.  
 

In the evening, we drove off to Ubud for the scheduled second part of the introductory class. Ubud is the arts center in Bali. It is located towards north of the island and seats on a mountain. The place has got many interesting things to offer that’s why a lot tourists and especially artists would come to visit the place each time they are in Bali. In fact, the Ubud community is now in full swing planning the Ubud Festival for August. This week-long event will showcase the finest in Balinese art and performance. 
 

We had three couples of mixed nationalities who joined the workshop tonight. We wasted no time and immediately started with our usual walking exercise. It was so interesting to see all three couples enjoying the exercise as we bring them to move forward and back with the music. Because they were total beginners, thus this exercise on weight transfer has always been an effective tool to help students at this level to start defining their axis. To make it even more interesting for them, they are already introduced as succinctly as possible to the proper beat of tango music. This way they are able to move step by step without loosing the beat and enable them to move in fluid fashion which is what tango movement is all about. As they say, less is more. Talk about subtlety and this would be synonymous with tango. 
 

The class ended with everyone feeling hooked on the dance as we advised them of the next scheduled lesson on Friday after next. We all adjourned downstairs to have some drinks and engaged ourselves with light causal talks as we get to know each other better. I found out that one of our participants, his name is Philipous, undeniably Greek, is a sculptor, and is doing a lot of international exhibitions lately, including Dubai. The guy is very much of an artist, in fact when he came with his wife, Ananda, they both were looking ready to tango as they were both garbed in black outfits looking like real “tangueros.” This is what is fascinating about the world of tango. You meet a lot of people with special qualities, mostly on the artistic side, and are friendly and ready to embrace tango to be their passion. I wish we could have more of them in the community. 
 

It’s Monday and what else is new? Nothing, it’s the first working day of the week and that means I have to be up on my toes as I face my day with lessons that will start from 11:oo am till 7:oo in the evening. I started my day with a cool morning breakfast with Stefani and Franziska. Yes she came purposely earlier to catch-up with stories and news. After breakfast, we proceeded on with her lesson that brought her to everything she already knew as I try to warm her up preparatory to the discussion of today’s lesson. Yes after over a year of learning and dancing the tango, and one trip to Buenos Aires and more lessons with Argentinean maestros, she can now dance and has a better understanding of the tango beat for musical interpretation. But I still went on to define her center to bring more stability to her posture and eventually undo the remaining tension I still feel on her left shoulder. When one is clear about his/her center, everything from the torso is held up, and this is what creates the movement in tango. If I were to borrow the words of Fernanda Ghi and Guillermo Merlo, the torso as they say is the motor of the dance. Franziska managed to understand the message I was trying to convey as she realized she has to do necessary corrections to pre-empt any bad habit that may arise brought about by this mistake. 
 

Doris came in next and it was great to see her again always in her element feeling jovial each time I see her. I noticed lately that every time I am in Bali, she has been taking lessons quite frequently, a clear indication that she is keen to learn the dance. She is at this stage when she is trying to understand the basic principle of tango, a stage I find crucial in the sense that, primarily, because the student is new and raw, every bits of information will be taken as gospel truth. Any wrong inputs at this level would be detrimental to the learning of the student as it could lead to bad habits. Secondly, because the student is new and still finding his/her way to understand the dance to make a breakthrough, I try in my darn best to simplify my discussions concerning the basic principles to make the students relax and enjoy the dance.  
 

My lesson with her centered more on walking and making her more aware of the weight changes she does to find her balance. This is the weak point I see in her at the moment, thus the need to expound more on the subject matter. Because we are always made to stand on one leg as we move from one step to another, if we are balanced certainly there will be no stiffening of the shoulder which is quite a common problem. Doris did show improvement after one hour and was looking forward to her next session. 
 

At 3:30 pm. it was Helena’s turn for lesson. She’s quite a loyalist as she always signs up for classes whenever I’m in town and I’m so thankful about that. Nice lady. 
 

I then went to Nancy’s house, to meet her nephew and nieces who are now on holiday in Bali. They signed up for the beginner’s workshop and it was actually arranged purposely for them. By the way, Nancy is in Singapore for an emergency check-up, as she broke her toes last Sunday running after her dogs. Praying for your speedy recovery Ms. Nancy Macy. 
 

The class had eight people and the gender balance was perfect. Because most of the participants were total beginners except for the male participants, I of course discussed weight changes to define axis/balance leading to the forward and backward walks. It was good to see everyone having a great time doing these exercises as we try to build camaraderie during the workshop. Young people usually learn fast. This is what I would always hear from people who were young once. But I guess this is true as I’ve had quite a number of young people who has learned with me and they can pick-up very quickly. Nancy’s kin are in their teens and early twenty’s. And our guys are of the same age with the exception of Uncle Doug.  
 

After two hours of lesson, I finally got what I wanted from the group. They understood the basic elements I discussed as they translate this now into moves. For sure, an hour of lesson would always mean twenty hours of practice or even more. This is the way to learn to dance the tango. But they are simply amazing as I can already see great promise from the way they are moving. But of course I would give credit to our guys Matt, Agus, Sudie and Doug who provided able support to our beginner’s as most of them had been into tango for sometime now. Nancy’s nieces were Loren, Ciara, Gabrielle, and Brianna. Josh was the lone nephew during the workshop. 
 

On Tuesday I saw Lola at 12:oo nn looking all set to tango. Yes she’s taking two hours of lesson as Mark cannot make it today because they were suppose to take it together after her solo class with me. I made this work to her advantage and decided to focus instead on strengthening her basics making her more aware of the essential elements needed to make her a good tango dancer. I redefined axis/balance to keep her more grounded on the floor to ensure stability. I gave her the principle of dissociation to improve on her “ochos” as she provides tortion. Yes in the two hours that we worked together I saw considerable improvement in her dancing. Lola is really a serious learner. And it is always fulfilling for teachers, if students respond well to their teachings because they, the students, give their 100% attention to the matters being discussed. I am pleased to have students like Lola in my pool. 
 

I was very happy to see Galina when she came for lesson after Lola. It was actually Peter who was suppose to be taking the class but because he is down with typhoid that Galina has to fill in the slot. Get well soon Peter.  
 

The last time I saw Galina was in March and in Buenos Aires yet. Yes we were together during the trip and we had such fun time as we tango-ed in that great city. I even remember bumping into them, I mean she with Peter, in Plaza Dorego on my last day in Buenos Aires, as we were shopping for some stuffs in the flea market. Many times we would go out for “milongas” and really enjoy tango-ing the night away. Time flies so fast. 
 

She now comes for lesson and as usual I have to bring her to dance and just enjoy the music as I take her around the dance floor. Having been out of dancing for sometime, I slowly brought her to a warm-up run-through to attune her body once more to remember the many things she already knows about tango. And yes, she did quite well despite some little mistakes. 
 

Because Galina has somehow understood how it is to dance the tango, the whole one hour was devoted to just dancing. From time to time I will call her attention about her breathing because there were moments when she gets heavier when she doesn’t pump air into her diaphragm. Dancing is like exercise, you need proper breathing each time you carry on with movements to be able to move smoothly and gently. Galina was so pleased to have danced again and was looking forward to her lesson tomorrow. 
 

At 6:45, I saw myself at Made’s Warung for Made’s scheduled lesson tonight. I was surprised to see her already inside the dance studio and waiting for her turn to start. She was in her usual mood as she talked about her Singapore visit last month with husband Peter.  
 

I started to dance with her to begin the session. As usual, she was giggling and laughing each time she commits a mistake. Made is one of my students who learn with hardly any pressure. She looks as though she’s not serious when she’s learning, but the truth is she does. It is only in her nature to be jolly and always laughing. Otherwise, she would not be at this level where she is now, where tango is concerned. Because after less than ten months of exposure and one trip to Buenos Aires, she has managed to make a break-through and has somehow imbibed some feeling for the dance, a very good reason to say why Made’s Warung is now the official residence of the Tango Bali Club. We ended the class discussing ways on how to improve her walking even more and went on to discuss the same basic components to really improve her dancing. 
 

At 8:oo pm I started with the scheduled “practica.” Because it is Tuesday, expect the Seminyak “tangueros” to be up on their toes as they brave the cold winds coming from Australia for the “practica” tonight. I was so happy to see Italian “tanguero” Gianfranco really looking great after having been away for two months to native Italy. Yes the last time I saw him was in February. And that means we did not see each other for five months. Yes he put on some weight which made him look really good. And he was his usual self talking about his trip and how he missed tango so much. Welcome back Gianfranco.  
 

“Tangueros” started coming in and by 9:oo pm there were about twelve people who took part in tonight’s activity. German “tangueras” Doris and Franziska came about the same time. French “tanguera” Lola was there ready for action. Vacationing family from Switzerland Christine, Nuya and Mei lin joined as well. I have not seen Christine for ages. The last time I saw her was in November during Roberto”s workshop as she got stuck-up in Switzerland because of a broken arm. Husband and wife Douglas and Ana were there too. They’re now tango-ed up and ready to prove their worth as “tangueros.” Young “tangueros” Agus, Matt and Made’s Ketut were there too, to improve on their skills. Yes all three guys are slowly inching their way to become Bali’s top tango dancers. Keep it up boys! And of course, Ni Made Masih who was there earlier for a private lesson did practice with the group as well. 
 

I hardly saw our “old reliables” this time. I mean the core group of the Tango Bali Club. Perhaps a lot of them are either busy or down with flu. Anyway, I’m sure I’ll be seeing them in one of the coming “practicas” but nevertheless, what I saw tonight is a clear indication that tango is getting stronger in Bali. I see new faces coming-up and this means that the second wave of Bali “tangueros” will soon emerge. It will happen soon. 
 

The following day I saw myself attending to a busy schedule beginning with Franziska at 11:oo am. She was just too eager to learn more about the “colgada” which I obligingly discussed with her.  
 

New recruits, Pablo and Iris, came next at 12:oo nn. Stefani had somehow given them some tango initiation several times before I arrived. And I wasn’t surprised if they were moving much better for a beginner. Pablo by the way is Argentinean while Iris is German. I have taught tango to many Argentineans in my ten-year career. It looks exciting but what one must realize is the fact that only 2-3% of the population of Argentina can dance the tango. Because there is always this impression that if one is Argentinean, he/she must be dancing the tango quite well. Certainly not true. So don’t loose hope, for people who want to learn the dance. This is a good leverage for everyone to get into tango then. Join the club! 
 

I discussed with Pablo and Iris the fundamental element of walking to enable them to move around the dance floor with ease, as I can see them moving with some patterns but quite constricted though. I made them realize that it’s all about doing things as naturally as they could short of comparing the tango walk with their natural walk. This is what I always tell my students in the beginner’s level. “Do not dance the tango. Walk the tango.” And walked they did and by the time the lesson was over the couple finally understood applying the basic walk based on natural walk defining transitions for better balance.  
 

Soon after, Galina took the next slot and I carried on from yesterday’s discussion. I reminded her of the breathing element and gave her some exercises to do until she turns them into a habit. Yes she was doing perfectly well this time. She was lighter and more fluid with her movements. She did ask for some pointers concerning “saludo” and “voleo” and was just happy to give her some inputs on the subjects mentioned. As we finished the lesson, she realized that she is dancing much better today than yesterday, as her body starts getting more confident again with the moves that she is so use to doing, before she went for a two-month hiatus to Australia with Peter and their aunt.  
 

Douglas and Ana came at 5:45 and husband and wife are really very focused lately with their tango. Ana has this agenda to do a performance the reason why she’s pushing hard to learn the dance. Good enough. At least she has a goal to work on. I noticed though that Ana has improved a lot since she started being more focused the last time I was in Bali. She made remarkable progress so to speak. Douglas has a better understanding of tango as compared to Ana as the guy has been consistent with his learning since he started a year ago. He is focused and determined like elder sister Nancy.  His lead is much clearer now and has added more stability to his embrace.  I tried focusing more on Ana so she can somehow understand her role as a follower, so that husband Doug will have an easy time providing her with the necessary lead. And this is where the idea of keeping the shoulders relaxed comes in, as I discussed with her proper breathing and defining her axis/balance to make leading easier for Douglas.  
 

As they always say, it takes two to tango. The man, as the leader, must define his role as such, for he is the one to decide on the directions at which to bring the lady. The lady on the other hand, plays the role of the follower, and as such, must at all times be subservient to the man, sorry to say this ladies, to follow him in every direction he wants to bring her. This way they are able to dance the tango effectively brought about by the application of their respective roles.  
 

At 8:oo pm Stefani and I were at Made’s for our scheduled workshop on “milonga” and “vals.” Yes we had like eight people in the class of different levels. Quite tough for a teacher though. But just the same, I went on with the class trying to find a median that will make them work on the same level. 
 

I didn’t expect much to have a good turn-out but was surprised to see eight people came for the scheduled class tonight. I always pay attention to attendance each time I spear-head activities in any of my destination. This is where I gauge if progress and interest for tango is being undertaken. Anyway I take this as a positive sign that Stefani’s hard work is paying off. Tango is definitely going to be a big thing in Bali. 
 

I discussed the element of “traspies” for the “milonga” but before that, I expounded on the rhythm as I find it more important for them to understand the musicality of dancing to a “milonga” on the beat. Because most of them can already dance the tango, explaining this element was much easier. Yes everyone in the class got the right rhythm just using the basic step as they danced to one classic “milonga” piece I played. Everyone is enjoying and before we knew it, we only have fifteen minutes left for the “vals.” No problem because the energy level was already high, and I do not mind extending the class for another half an hour just so to carry on with my discussion, that I decided to discuss the rhythm of dancing to a “vals”. 1-2-123 slow slow quick quick slow was what students heard from me as I discussed about the “vals” beat in syncopated rhythm. Everyone understood it and I soon started discussing the contra position which Stefani had been eagerly telling me to expound on. Yes I did and the class ended with everyone dancing to the playful rhythm of Toca Tango soon after. Funny ha! 
 

Thursday was another heavy day. Lessons will start from 12:oo nn till 10:30 pm. Practica is on tonight being a Thursday. I’m expecting a lot people to come. I had lessons with Lola , Helena, Galina and Made in that order. Earlier in the day, I had the chance to pamper my self with a deep-tissue massage courtesy of Wiwik.  My body’s been aching and dying to have this long overdue massage. Thank goodness he came in the morning before I started facing a busy day.  
 

We were invited by Made Alfa to perform for a television show that will be taped at Sector tonight. Stefani and I wasted no time on Friday morning rehearsing for the event. We chose our “Sentimiento” choreography being the first that we ran through when I got back less than two weeks ago. Besides we are quite comfortable with the choreography having used it quite a few times.   
 

After the morning rehearsal, I buckled down to work as I face an equally busy day today as I teach Franziska, Galina, and Helena. Stefani and I were suppose to have our intro class at Dragonfly in Ubud but decided to forego it to give way to this Sector event. 
 

At 9:00 pm we arrived at Sector thirty minutes ahead of our scheduled call time. As we were entering the venue we already saw the OB van of the television station, an indication that everything is going on smoothly concerning tonight’s telecast. Yes we heard the emcee introduce the next round of presentation as Made Alfa came to meet and brief us of our spot. It was a wonderful evening as everyone seems to be on a party mood as the band and Dj took turns in providing the music for the evening. Food was served buffet style and drinks were on the house. In a few minutes it was our turn to do our number.  
 

Stefani and I had a great time doing that presentation as it came out easily for us to delineate our “Sentimiento” choreography and it looked like were just humming it up. We were so comfortable with “Sentimiento” that we hardly felt any pressure anymore doing the number that evening. Thunderous applause greeted us from the audience soon after, signifying their approval and appreciation of our performance. Some people came up to congratulate  us for a wonderful presentation and one guy who happens to be the General Manager of Le Mirage came to offer us to do something with the hotel. Nice evening. 
 

Saturday, I woke up at 11:oo am taking advantage of the available time I have since my class will start at 1:oo pm yet. I finally got the chance to treat myself for a delectable ricotta pancakes with strawberry at Ku de ta.  Since Stefani has moved all her tango activities to Sanur, I never had the chance to come to this restaurant since February. I’m so happy to have made it to Ku de ta this time as I have been craving for these pancakes since two months ago. I also had the chance to take a dip into the waters of Seminyak which I find has more life than in Sanur because of the active waves it produces. It’s a good site for surfing though.  
 

Doris took the first slot that saw her working on her axis/balance to stay grounded on the floor. Her lesson today was still anchored on the discussion I told her last week concerning weight change. Barely a few times yet in tango, Doris will also be a good dancer if she focuses and keeps on learning just like the rest. It is obvious that she’s beginning to like it. Keep it up! 
 

I then went to Franziska’s house for the succeeding lessons of today. Yes Franziska , Nigel and Lola are taking lessons successively thus making my day really busy.  
 

I went back to Sanur feeling exhausted and joined Stefani and her children Aylin, Kim Sven  and Julian for dinner together with Zeo, The family were having their intimate moment together as they exchanged jokes at the dinner table. It reminded me of my own family whom I suddenly missed so much after seeing them. It feels good to have a sense of belonging though.  
 

My first week in the island had been laden with many activities. Not only do I see myself attending to the many lessons lined-up but I am equally busy with logistical work as well. But as I keep telling myself, I love what I am doing and it’s both work and play for me. I hardly feel any pressure. I am blessed. And I thank my Lord. 
 
 

Dateline: Bali July 10-16, 2006 
 
 

                                                          WEEK  2 
 

I’m on my second week and things are again lined-up as it has always been in the past. Certainly it will be lessons, practicas and all that stuffs as I start my day working with Stefani on the three choreographies we are to do for our show on the 29^th of the month. By now we are more or less comfortable again with Primavera Portena and Malena. We just needed a little more time to be relaxed with these numbers. Hopefully in a week’s time we can already start with Tanguera , a new number we are including in our repertoire for our show TANGO ENIGMATICO. 
 

Today’s schedule is not that busy. But just the same I have Doris and Helena taking their slots during mid-afternoon. I enjoyed my lessons with them and soon after headed to Nancy’s place with Stefani for the second part of the beginner’s workshop. We had the same participants as last week except for Nuya, who was asked to join and learn more about tango while he is on holiday. Nancy’s nephew and nieces were ready for today’s lesson as I brought them to an exciting element of tango which is the “ocho” or figure eight. The ladies were all excited as Stefani brought them to do some exercises. We then asked them to work together as partners the minute I was done with my discussion with the guys. From front ocho to back ocho and then combining both ochos, they were all experiencing a different high brought about by the combination of patterns. They loved the sensation or feeling of being able to move in unison as they combine the patterns mentioned. We ended up beyond schedule as usual as everyone was having a great time trying out the steps that they learned tonight. 
 

The following day, I ran a series of lessons again from 12:oo nn till 10:oo in the evening. Being a Tuesday , “practica” will be on tonight at Made’s. I started with Lola for a two-hour lesson that saw her working and improving on her center. Her lesson today is anchored on her previous lesson of last week. Students who come to me for lesson will always pass through a build-up process. This has always been my approach to make sure that they really improve and benefit from their learning with me, making sure that every lesson is understood both by the mind and the body. 
 

Learning dancing is always two ways. First is mental, where discussions on theories and techniques are brought to fore and secondly, practice, where students are made to work on the discussions through repeated body movement which is also known as muscle memory. There is no other way to learn dancing as effectively as this method. It’s got to be practice, practice and more practice until your muscles get use to it. 
 

Jane Chen was next in line. Jane is a very nice lady and quite very focused also when learning. I remember the first time she came for lesson with boyfriend, Robert, and she seemed to be grappling with the tango walk as she keeps dropping her hips because of an undefined center. I gave her a lot exercises to make her hold on to her torso and she managed to have improved on it, so this is where I will start my lesson with her today.  
 

I gave her the right breathing technique to make sure that she always holds on to her center by constantly pumping air into her diaphragm. I gave her exercises on how to flex her knees gently so she doesn’t go up and down each time she walks in any directions. She made some progress in the one hour that she worked with me as she reminded me of her lesson the following day. 
 

Ana & Douglas took the following slot.  Looking at this couple is like doing a study in contrast. Douglas is the very cool, quiet gentleman that he is while Ana is the funny, loquacious lady with a voice that seem to always hit a high note. Like Ni Made Masih, she’s a character too. It’s never a dull moment with her.  
 

Our discussion today was confined to enhancing all the basic stuffs from the walk to the embrace, axis/balance etc. Because Ana is keen and focused this time, and since Doug has been learning and in fact been quite very sure of his role as a leader by now, I decided to really make husband and wife work together by improving on this basic stuffs once more. I gave them a clear definition of ways to build-up on their weaknesses. And it seemed to have worked as both felt a sudden change and improvement in the way they are dancing together. 
 

In the evening, I ran a beginner’s/intermediate class that yielded in some four couples. As usual I went to discuss the key elements I would always expound on and even added on “giro” or turn to make their level one notch higher. Also, I make sure that students right from the beginning already understand the line of dance when they have to do all the steps or sequences they know on anti-clock-wise motion as they move around the dance floor. The class elicited good energy as they realize that by doing things properly they create the right movements as they undo bad habits. Husband and wife Pablo and Iris, Mimi, Agus, Matt, Ketut, Rhia and Nana were concentrated during the entire session making sure that they finally understood the essential elements needed to make them improve their dancing at this level.  
 

On Thursday Jane Chen, Helena and Ni Made took their lessons. Jane was seen working and improving on her posture. I finally found the reason why she is having a hard time understanding the discussions being made concerning posture. And this is because she is suffering from a disorder called SMA or sensory motor amnesia. This is when the body forgets to function properly thus causing some distortion and discomfort in certain movements. I decided to adjust my teaching pace to give her body ample time to absorb the movements being taught. But as Jane told me, this disorder can be treated through a method called Alexander or the Feldenkrais technique, a method in which the patient’s body is asked to go back and go over the deficient movement as naturally as possible.  
 

Helena meanwhile had been consistently coming for her scheduled classes and is making significant progress insofar as fluidity is concerned. She’s getting more and more relaxed as the days go by and makes sure that she looks good in every movement she does. Who wouldn’t want and why not? After all, she’s working hard for it and she deserves the best. 
 

Ni Made took the last slot at 7:oo pm before the “practica” and this time she made sure that she improves on her walking and “ochos.” While this is achievable, I redefined again the importance of balance/axis to make her do the walks as fluidly as she could. She still has some difficulty executing “ochos” brought about by the tightness on her shoulders. Again  I have to constantly remind her to undo this tension. 
 

The “practica” started immediately after Made’s lesson. And it was another good turn out as some fifteen people came to show-up. Gianfranco, Ana, Douglas, Cathy, Nigel, Nuya, Christine, Mimi, Rhia, Nanas, Agus, Iris, Pablo, Ketut, and Franziska were all present to hone and practice their skills on tango.  I don’t know what else to describe this interest but it is an ominous sign that slowly more and more people are embracing the dance.  
 

The following day I had Jane Chen, Helena and the beginner’s class in Ubud. It was a great day as I brought Jane into understanding her frame, contra-body movement and her being grounded on the floor to ensure stability each time she walks. These are added details to the existing elements she already knows. In passing she told me about Robert’s predicament who was diagnosed to have a brain tumor. I felt so sad upon hearing the news as I know the couple is going through a crucial time in their lives coping up with this agony. She will fly to New York to see and accompany him for his medical check-up in a few weeks time. I pray for his recovery. 
 

Helena did a one hour today and after her class, Stefani and I drove off to Dragonfly in Ubud to preside over the beginner’s workshop. It was the same crowd we had as last time. This group is really keen to learn Argentine tango. I would say this is our pilot class  in the area and Stefani and I are doing our best to really make tango happen in this locality with the able support of Dragonfly owner, Elizabeth. 
 

Stefani and I then attended Maria’s birthday party on Saturday evening. Maria is John’s better-half and both were once into tango but fell-out somewhere along the way. They both work for Jengala, Nancy’s and Ade's  ceramic factory. I was so happy to see the couple as they are really nice fellows. There were many people who came to celebrate with her that evening. I saw “tangueros” Doug & Ellen ditto with tango drop-outs husband and wife Avi  & Wita and a dozen other guests who are close friends of the couple. Food and drinks were over flowing as guests were treated to a stand-up comedy performed by John together with his two other friends. I didn’t know John could act. I was really impressed by his talent. I think he should explore this facet of his as I can see his potential as a performing artist. Move over Jim Carrey. 
 

In one part of the proceedings, I saw some people being pushed into the pool, an indication that the party is reaching fever point. Yes, I saw most of John’s friend soaked under water as they were pushed to join in the merriment. John wasn’t spared and so was his wife Maria. Everyone was having a good laugh as friends of the couple were cajoling each other. I purposely went out during the “mayhem” for fear that I might be thrown into the water as well. On my way out I saw Doug who was ready to go with the same intention as mine. Call us “smart ass” ..he!he!he! 
 

I had the chance again to have my massage on Sunday evening. But before that, Stefani and I started working on our new choreography, Tanguera for our May 29 show. Yes, I am excited about this new choreography as it gives us the chance to showcase some routines never seen before in our past performances. As soon as we finished, Wiwik my masseur was already waiting inside my room to begin with his therapeutic massage that will tenderize my hard muscles brought about by a heavy week of lessons and rehearsals. 
 
 
 

Dateline: Bali July 17-23, 2oo6 
 
 

 WEEK   3 
 
 

Ni Made Masih tenders a huge housewarming event today at her newly built mansion in Nusa Dua and we were invited to attend the occasion. This is also known as “malaspas” in Balinese tradition. And because it will be celebrated in typical Balinese ceremony, we were required to be donned in Balinese outfits, where the man wears a “sarong” complete with a head-gear and the lady wears a Kebaya. She invited quite a number of Tango Bali Club members to join in the celebration.  
 

The mansion is a very impressive, imposing edifice that sits on a hill overlooking the ocean. It’s a huge property with a presidential size. It has authentic Balinese roofs and a modern architectural design. It’s a three level infrastructure with six big rooms, a family room combined with the dining and living rooms, and a big garden lawn with swimming pool. A very beautiful mansion indeed. 
 

I cancelled all my teaching commitments today to give way to this event except for one class in the evening with new students Tracy and Stewart. I saw Gianfranco looking very elegant and iconic in his Balinese outfit. Stefani, Ana, Nancy, Ria and Ellen were all in their beautiful kebayas ditto with host Made. Most of the people, who are friends of Made Masih came in the prescribed dress code. I saw Douglas, Nanas and visiting “tanguero” from Paris Khaled. There were like fifty guests during the party that went on from 10:oo am till 11-oo pm. 
 

Made soon opened the dance floor by 1:oo pm and all the “tangueros” present danced to their hearts content. Imagine every one of us dancing the tango in sarongs and kebayas. This must be a fashion coup.(See photo gallery) Everyone was having a great time until Stefani and I have to cut short our stay as I have to attend to the scheduled class this evening.  
 

I came rushing to meet Tracy and Stewart at 7:30 pm and the couple was very pleased to see me as they say, finally somebody will be able to help them dish-out a dance number for their supposed wedding dance to the tune of Love is in the Air. I decided to make them do the New York swing which they liked very much. I shall see them again in September for the coming lessons prior to their scheduled wedding in November in Melbourne. 
 

The succeeding days were filled with lessons, rehearsals with Stefani and the “practicas”  on Tuesday and Thursday. On Wednesday evening, I met up again with the Jengala people for a continuation of their jive workshop. I had like ten people attending the class. Omar & Lily, who just got back from a one month trip to Istanbul came to join the lesson again. I have the same old crowd as before and some new ones. Ellen, Mitra, Maria and John did their best once more to get into jive feeling. And so were the new recruits as I initiated them into the basic steps of jive. We had such great fun that evening as Ellen brought some food and drinks for everyone to munch on. It was like an instant party indeed.  
 

Before we adjourned, Gidek, one of the participants informed us that an earthquake just hit Jakarta six minutes ago. Oh my God! Java just had a tsunami two days earlier killing some hundreds of people and here you are hearing another catastrophe happening soon. Everyone had a face of sadness as we prayed and hoped that no such big damage has been caused by the earthquake with a 6.2 magnitude. God save us. 
 

The two “practicas” this week were smash hits. For three weeks in a row now they were well-attended. This is a cause for celebration as I can see Stefani and the Tango Bali Club’s effort really paying off.  The interest in tango is getting stronger as more and more people are slowly getting into the dance. What is interesting is the fact that there seems to be a lot of younger crowd aged 17-24 taking part in the club’s activities. I find this exciting because it only bolsters the fact that tango appeals to the younger set as well. It is no longer the monopoly of the older crowd to enjoy tango. And this is very evident in what is happening now in Bali. I take this as a positive sign that more beautiful things are to come as I believe the youth sector can help the club with its’ promotion. 
 

During the week Lola had a series of lessons after coming back from Singapore. She is dead-set to really “conquer” the dance as she makes huge progress. Imagine her taking a two-hour lesson each time she comes per session. There is no way for her to go but improve. And yes by now I can readily say she has it and I am very proud of the progress she has made after several lessons since I arrived. She’s started to apply the principle of dissociation thus making her movement more fluid. Her walking had considerably improved defining balance/axis each time she moves from one step to another. In sum, I am seeing a different Lola as compared to many months ago when she was barely starting. She really has transformed into an elegant dancer.

 
Douglas and Ana were a delight to work with each time they came for lessons. I can see the effort they are exerting to improve on their dancing. They are supportive of each other and from time to time have this cute little arguments common among couples when learning but they get over it quickly. By now, their embrace had come into shape. And this is because important elements are now applied into their dancing to keep the form. Douglas is getting steadier while Ana is getting softer on her shoulders thus making her much easier to lead as compared in the past when I feel like I was pushing a wall. I shall see them for their individual lessons in the coming days as husband and wife are now bitten by the bug, especially Ana, who is now seriously planning her trip to Buenos Aires in March. Wow! I’m impressed. 
 

The Jengala Art Gallery holds an exhibition of ceramic artwork by Candace Resnick on Friday evening entitled “Pushing Clay to the Limit.” She displays a unique range of artwork that is somewhat different from her style. Although she was a professional seamstress earlier on, she turned ceramicist when she started her love affair with clay 35 years ago. Her decorative murals and sculptural pieces now grace homes throughout the world. An innovative clay recipe, which makes use of paper pulp as a reinforcing agent, has allowed her the freedom to create impossibly large, yet delicate pieces which simulate draped cloth, large tropical leaves and fragile exotic flowers. The exhibition will run until September 21 at Jengala in Jimbaran. For more information email: info@jenggala-bali.com or visit www.jenggala-bali.com. 
 

I didn’t have the chance to attend the opening of Candace’s exhibition because of a prior commitment. Iris and Pablo are coming over for a one-hour lesson and I opted to attend to them instead. I made them undo all the tightness in their movements by focusing mainly on balance/axis each time they walk. I also made them aware of the line of dance to follow so they don’t keep spinning around the dance floor. Gradually, when they got centered or balanced, I discussed about releasing shoulder tension which causes all this tightness they are creating. They started feeling a different sensation in their connection. And this is because of the right energy they provide to each other brought about by a defined balance/axis or simply being centered. As we finished the lesson husband and wife were feeling so great about this new concept that has come into their lives.  
 

I finished the remaining commitments I have, from private lessons to a workshop in Ubud and my rehearsals with Stefani during the week-end. I am looking forward for a mountain trek up in Kinta Mane on Sunday with friends and students. It was John and Maria who is organizing this trip and I am just happy to join this fun.  
 

Our meeting point was at Tanjung Sari at 8:00 am on Sunday. And thirty minutes after we saw ourselves headed up north for our destination. There were ten people in the group of mixed nationalities. We had two Germans, three Americans, a Sri Lankan, two Balinese, a Japanese American, and a Filipino in me.  
 

We started our trek at 10:45 am and the initial ascent was a steep climb for a start-off. Barely three minutes yet, I decided to chill for five minutes as I can feel the impact of an uphill climb pounding hard on my every heart-beat. No worries. I am physically fit. I’m used to running and doing long walks. By 11:30 am we manage to reach a spot where we have a good view of the lake and everyone decided to hold on for a while. Minutes after, I saw Mitra looking pale and somewhat in a state of delirium that I immediately yelled out his name twice until he got back to his senses. My God he was about to pass out.  
 

Fortunately, we have a doctor in the group, Melinda, a Japanese American, who asked him to lie down with his feet up to enable blood circulation. Everyone was just concerned and trying to provide what little help they can to make him feel better again. Candace wrapped a wet cloth around his neck to cool down his body. Stefani gave him a massage. John provided water for him to drink as I provided him with my diet coke to recover some energy. Goodness gracious I don’t know if the diet coke provided him any relief as it contains saccharine which is a substitute to sugar. As you know sugar is suppose to give energy but nevertheless, he took it and felt well again after fifteen minutes of rest.  
 

By 12:30pm we manage to reach the top of the mountain. We found a cemented spot looking like a platform as we all sat down to take a respite and have a quick bite as everyone was feeling hungry by then.  The location was scenic as we view the ocean on one side and the lake on the other side. We even had some short tango dancing and posing for entertainment break. (see gallery)  
 

In a little while and we’re back on track again as we negotiated the next climb. Gee! I thought we already reached the top earlier but it wasn’t the case. I still felt we were going up, up and finally to the top. The long trek from the time we made our first stop to have a break was another two hours of long and winding uphill, downhill climb as we were brought into the thick of the forests enjoying the lush green vegetation and the beautiful scenic views of the mountains, the ocean and the lake as we reached the final top. I never thought that it was going to be this tough but it was such a good experience though. When I looked at my watch, it was 2:15pm.  
 

We were very lucky to have a generally fine weather the whole time as it gave us the chance to enjoy the scenery under blue sunny skies with gentle breeze coming from the ocean. This experience is something money could not buy. I’m glad I made this trip for it was truly worth my while. 
 

Towards the last leg of our trek, everyone was feeling great as our guide Gidek informed us that a few meters more and we shall start our descent Yes he was right because in ten minutes I already have a good view of the lake from the top where I was standing. I wasted no time and immediately followed the path that will lead me down to the bottom. This was for me the most difficult part as I traverse the stairway-like rocky pathway which was causing pain on my knees. Not that I have a knee problem but you could just imagine the clearance of every step as you come down and it feels like you are straddling to maintain your balance each time my foot lands on rocky spots.  
 

In the beginning of my descent, I still have Stefani and Franziska just right behind me. But as I continuously went down, there was no trace of anyone of them. I just carried on wanting to finish this whole exercise. Because I can already see the coastline and even can hear music coming from below, my initial reflex was to keep going till the end. It took me another less than half-an-hour to finally reach the bottom and was dead-tired as I waited for everyone to arrive. In another twenty minutes viola!, Stefani and Franziska appeared out of the blues feeling jubilant that they finally made it. And soon twenty minutes after, the rest started coming down one after another all looking tired but satisfied nevertheless. We then went on a boat ride to the other part of the island where we were supposed to pick-up our transport.  
 

This is one of the most enjoyable escapades in my life. I will always remember this as I have never felt so free and relaxed as though I was in total abandon of life’s dictates in the almost five hours of mountain trekking The group had such great bonding as everyone promised to keep in touch until we finally said our goodbyes. 
 

My whole body was aching. I was very sure I won’t function the following day considering I have a heavy schedule if I won’t be massaged by Wiwik. I pleaded Stefani to arrange him for me and fortunately he was available and ready to meet me the minute we arrived home. Aahh!!!Thank God I have Wiwik. 
 

 

Dateline: Bali July 24-30, 2006 
 
 

 WEEK       4 
 

Still reeling from sore muscles brought about by the mountain trek yesterday, I woke up feeling alright as I face my day with lessons and rehearsal that will finish till 9:oo pm. This is my last week and I can feel a mounting pressure each time I end a visit to a given destination. Well, this has always been the case as I wrap up work and suddenly new things keep coming up adding to the pandemonium. I’ve been so used to all these pressures that living without it I think will only make life dull and boring. Call me workaholic… 
 

I started my day with Stefani running through the four choreographies for our show on Saturday. Finally, Tanguera is done. We’re just doing the final touches of cleaning it up and adding some little embellishments for enhancement. The other three, Malena, Primavera Portena and Sentimiento were ready as we have done this in the past. We just went over the three dances and polish whatever needs to be polished to make it look even better. From now till Saturday, expect tension to build-up as I go over my rehearsals with Stefani and Aylin. 
 

Franziska came for her lesson today. We made several routines that she is so accustomed to doing to enable her to apply all the elements that has been corrected in the lessons she had with me during this trip. She has managed to become much lighter now and has improved on her embrace and leaning much better this time. 
 

Jane came for the next slot and she was just too happy to resume with her lessons as she went for some kind of treatment concerning her breathing. I was surprised to find out that she had made fantastic improvement since the last time she came for lessons two weeks ago. She even got surprised with the changes that have transpired concerning her dancing. Her center has been much more defined thereby making her walking more stable and balanced. She is now comfortable with the tango embrace making her relax her shoulders each time I move her around. She will soon make a breakthrough that will make her all the more inspired to develop tango to be her passion.  
 

Helena will almost always take lessons everyday during my last week of stay. She is a dance habitué and is always serious in her intent to improve on her craft. I admire her for her perseverance and dedication to really keep going despite her busy schedule and a badly injured right arm which had been causing some discomfort with her dancing.  
 

Ellen is also one student who would not miss a class whenever I am in town. But I just noticed that she didn’t have much lesson this time because of workload. She had like some two or three classes with me but still manage to make a significant progress concerning tortion. She has gotten more fluid in the way she is moving now and has lightened up immensely. She too was surprise at the changes that has taken place concerning her dancing. I can see she’s getting more ad more inspired now with tango. Keep it up lady! 
 

Again the last two “practicas” this week was well-attended. A new generation of tango aficionados is emerging and this will be in addition to the existing crowd the club has in its’ roster. People from different age group, of different nationalities with diverse interests in life are now coming up to join and try tango. And I think the club is on a win win situation as it has positioned itself clearly, very early on, concerning tango promotion in the island over a year ago. It is much easier for the club to woo prospective “tangueros” as it has by now an existing membership of thirty people enough to ignite and create interest for the dance. With the commitment and dedication everyone in the community is giving, it will just be a matter of time and the tango will definitely be a big scene in Bali.  
 

After a series of intensive private lessons French “tanguera” Lola is now a full-fledged “tanguera.” Not only has she imbibed the discipline of tango but she has embraced it to be her passion. She now moves fluidly and has since become very sensitive to the man’s lead, a quality required of a woman to be classified as one. I am very pleased with the progress she has made as it makes me feel proud as a teacher to see students like her develop to be good tango dancers.  
 

Iris sans Pablo, who is now in Shanghai for a business trip, came for an hour of private lesson later in the week. This lady has the makings of a “tanguera/o” ditto with husband Pablo with the way they demonstrate their interest each time they come for lessons or “practica.” I managed to tone down a bulk of her shoulder tension in the last two lessons she had and this time I made sure that she understands the musicality part to enable her to feel the music to translate it into dance. This I think is imperative for her learning as she has an Argentinean husband in Pablo, who grew up with tango and as such can easily immerse himself with the music without even dancing. I made her understand the beat of every tango piece making her walk and define her axis on every beat to feel the music.  
 

Douglas and Ana were seen taking their last few remaining lessons this week. I can see him dancing with more confidence now. He is much sure about his intention to lead Ana any which way he wants and has managed to improve on his embrace making Ana feel more secure with his leading. Ana on the other hand has been doing her share of progress enough to satisfy hubby Doug to dance with her. She has made remarkable improvement in the last two trips I did. Her passion is manifested in the way she conducts herself during lessons and has taken tango really seriously. She says she wants to please husband Doug, because he loves tango so much. See what tango can do?  
 

On Friday evening, I conducted the Ubud workshop at Dragonfly. Five people turned out for the workshop as Stefani and I  had such great time working on the beginner’s level as we see most of them have taken to learn the dance. This crowd will certainly grow like the one’s we had at Seminyak and Sanur. All we need is patience and hard work to realize our objective. With Dragonfly owner, Elizabeth, who is very supportive of the club’s tango promotion, I don’t see any reason why it can’t happen. Thank you so much Elizabeth.  
 

I would like to mention that the taxis Facundo and Bruno who were suppose to come to Bali this August will instead come next month. Yes, remember Nancy who incurred an injury because of broken toes in the beginning of August cannot dance for six weeks. Hopefully, Nancy would have been fully recovered by the time they arrive on the 15^th of September. 
 

Finally, it’s Saturday. Today is D-day as we stage TANGO ENIGMATICO at Made’s Warung. In the afternoon the group, Stefani, Aylin, Matt, Nuja ,Mei lin, and yours truly did a final run-through of our choreographies. We were having a great time despite the pressure and tension to organize and put things in order prior to actual presentation. Stefani and I have been working on for weeks since I arrived to improve on the past works we have done and still came up with a new choreography in Tanguera. Since Aylin is coming back after months of hibernation from the tango scene, I have this task of putting her back into tango mode as she’s been away for long but lucky though, she never lost it and in fact is even more passionate now more than ever, as I feel her move with burning passion and intensity when I first did a few rounds with her. She also volunteered to do the choreography for our tango juniors Matt, Nuja and Mei lin, a sign that she’s really back into tango. Roll the red carpet! 
 

Yes by 8:30pm all of us were at Made’s Warung ready for tonight’s main event. Stefani managed to arrange a delayed coverage for the show tonight with TVsri that will be telecast after two weeks from shooting. This is a good move to promote Argentine tango, as well as the activities of the Tango Bali Club, as the TV program is telecast nationwide on a certain day of the week. Finally, the club is going on national television. 
 

It was a fully-charged atmosphere and everyone seems to be anticipating on something. I saw most of the Tango Bali Club members in very upbeat mood. Made was seen hovering around, making sure that everything’s fine from service, food, sound equipment, music et.al making her truly a perfect host of the club and Made’s Warung the perfect venue for such undertaking. Gianfranco Boca came with a group of Italian friends and occupied one table. Mimi, who was dressed to the nines and looking very gorgeous, was seen exchanging banters with French-German-Moroccan “tanguero” Khaled. Khaled of course, is a visiting “tanguero” who also teaches and in fact is now the personal dance instructor of Made. Good for her.  Our Ubud crowd headed by American “tanguera” Ananda came with her Greek sculptor hubby turned “tanguero” Philipous. They were seen in the company of other friends. Speaking of Americans, oh yes, let me tell you that they’re everywhere now and has been making their presence felt in the Bali tango scene. Returning from Sta. Monica, fantastic dancer and passionate American “tanguera” Brenda is back and was seen dancing the night away. 
 

At 8:45pm the show started. It was divided in three parts. Stefani and I opened the show with our rendition of “Malena.” Then followed by our junior “tangueros” Matt, Nuja and Mei lin in a Yo Yo Ma classic doing a trio de tango. In between breaks, a “milonga” ensued enabling “tangueros” to enjoy the evening. The second part was a showcase of mixed traditional, fantasia, and nuevo elements in Pugliese’s Primavera Portena and Sentimiento. Stefani and I did both numbers. The last part featured come-backing “tanguera” Aylin  Kangginadhi doing a masterful dance presentation with your’s truly to this GREEK TANGO PIECE. This performance was well applauded enough to convince Aylin that she has to be back into tango for good. Then the finale, which was “Tanguera” ,this new choreography Stefani and I had been working on for the last couple of weeks. It came out to be well-applauded too earning us an encore from the audience. We gladly obliged as this was the first time we were ever asked to do an encore since we started our tandem more than a year ago. 
 

The night was filled with jubilation not only because the event was being covered for television but also because of many factors to consider. Primarily, we had Aylin back in the scene again. I just can imagine how happy Stefani is and how proud she is of her daughter. Secondly, many people came from spectators to ‘tangueros’ to join the revelry, but what is important is that tango is now very much alive in Bali. The dance floor is always seen busy with tango dancers displaying their passion. Important personalities from Jakarta came to watch the show, making the event truly memorable, as we had Ms.Maria Lukito as special guest. She came with five other friends during the evening .She liked tango very much and is now seriously planning to put-up a tango club for Jakarta as well.  
 

We partied till 2:00 in the morning making everyone drop into exhaustion. Douglas came up to inform me that this was the best affair the club had so far, in terms of energy and acceptability, as he saw everyone enjoying the night all because of tango. The Tango Bali Club has indeed successfully brought awareness for tango not only in the island but Jakarta as well. Like I said, it will soon grow into a movement making it even more embraced by the multitude. If this happens, all of us are winners.  
 

The following day, I got to have another chance to be treated to Wiwik’s therapeutic massage. This is such a great way to end my stint in Bali, after a month of heavy teaching and rehearsals and one great fantastic performance/milonga as I prepare myself to take-off this afternoon at 3:30 pm via AA 123 for my next destination.  
 

                       
 

         For more information about tango in Bali: visit www.tangobali.com