Scene:  At her apartment with her assistant.  It's definitely one of those scenes out of a girl flick.  3 women sitting on a curved couch talking about the dance and, of course, milongueros.  Both of the women are a joy to be with and I thoroughly enjoyed the classes and private lessons I took with Ana Maria.  

 Q:  Who were your teachers?

I also took classes with Gustavo Naveira and his partner, Olga, at that time.  He was one of the best teachers and taught me the rhythm, the spirit of the music.

I learned how to walk from Juan Bruno, who died this Sunday.  He had a different style because he lived outside of Centro Buenos Aires.  Sometimes you could tell where someone lived by their style.  

What was interesting is that the Milongueros were at the milonga dancing, but most of the teachers were professional dancers.

The first time I went to a milonga, I didn't understand anything.  My style was open embrace with choreography and I realized at the milonga that I didn't know how to dance.  Then I met Juan Bruno and other great milongueros, many of which have passed away,  and I attended classes with them.

I want to say...there are some young people who feel that they need something fresh so they are very creative in salon style.  So, where there is quality - it doesn't matter what you dance - but you must always respect the rhythm, the music, and the floor.

The best of Tango is when there is mix of young and old, and all of us dance together.  I like the mix and one of the ways to preserve the traditional Tango is to transmit exactly the steps of the real milonguero to the young people.

Yes, I do like dancing Nuevo Tango.  It's fun and exciting.  It's different because the body of young people don't have the experience of the hours and years of the piso. (floor)

 He must take care of me.  Also I like good choreography.

Sometimes you can tell that the hombre is dancing in the head...thinking about the steps...they are dancing by themselves.

In Argentina, Tango is very social.  You are dancing with a partner AND you are dancing in a group.

There are always new people coming to class especially now that Tango is so fashionable.  There are many people who are 40 - 50 years old who say....." I never danced the Tango but now I want to dance because I saw my mother and father dance" or "I went on vacation and the foreigners asked me if I knew the Tango.  Now I need to learn for my next vacation."

Also young musicians in Argentina are starting to sing Tango.  And the young people want to dance to everything...Piazzolla for example.  But you know, it is impossible to dance milonguero style to Piazzolla.  Piazzolla's music is the best and it is great for the stage but not for milonguero style.

There are underground milongas...La Viruta...La Catedral..these milongas are not for me but it is true that when you go to Viruta ...late...you will see a table with Gavito and others.  They are relaxed. They eat and maybe dance folkloric.

There are so many milongas..the competition is very serious. You can have the best music, the best floor and still have only 10 - 15 persons.

Some of the women pay men to be their partner.  A milonguero said once, "One milonguero is more expensive than 1 apartment with 3 rooms".

Perhaps she has her life, her family, her job in 1 hand and , in the other hand, they have the night and never mix the two.

What's interesting is that for milongueros...Tango is power. For women - Your butt is power.  

For milongueros, the milonga is their house...a stage for their life...all...everything important to them happens at the milonga.