May 11
15
Interview with Ney Melo – Part 3
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AM. Having your experience as a tango teacher, what was the biggest challenge for you to overcome to be able to teach?
NM. When one starts teaching, one always confronts the dilemma of “should I give the students what they want or what they need?” I chose to give people what they need. I chose to give people the tools they need to be able to dance tango in a crowded milonga in a close embrace. Once I chose that path, everything else became easy. I feel that teachers who are in the other group of “giving them what they want” are always worried about what is “in fashion” in tango and whether their dance is on the cutting edge. I will tell you what is “in fashion”: an elegant walk, beautiful turns, and perfectly timed paradas….all to traditional tango music!
I am not saying that the only way to dance tango is in a traditional style but I do think that dancers need to study the traditional style, they need to listen to the traditional music, and they need to go to Buenos Aires. Watching youtube is NOT a substitute for going to Buenos
Aires, living in the city, and dancing in the milongas. Tango is a language and when you go to Buenos Aires, you learn how the portenos speak that language. This is important. For example, if someone from another country was learning english and they asked me about an english phrase, I could say “sure, you COULD say that, technically it is correct, but a New Yorker would never say that”. It is the same in Tango, alot of dancers do things, invent things, but a porteno wouldn’t do it in that way. This is not to take away from the beauty of the things that are invented by dancers, but I think they should be aware of the traditional style.
As tango teachers, we have a responsibility to teach beginner students the traditional Argentine tango. If the students choose to then break the patterns and invent things, then that is wonderful. But I have seen beginner classes that teach in-line boleos and colgadas!
AM. What are your other hobbies or passions besides tango?
NM. I got into running and spinning (indoor cycling) while I was living in San Francisco. It was through spinning that I was able to lose almost 20 kilos (42 pounds) that I had accumulated over years of travelling, teaching, and EATING. I even ran a half marathon back in January down in Miami.
AM. Where do you and Jennifer get your outfits, your shoes?
NM. Jennifer uses Comme Il Fauts, the stilettos made in Buenos Aires. I have my shoes made by Husan Usta in Istanbul or I use the Derby style men’s shoes from Madame Pivot Firenze. As for outfits, Jennifer and I are constantly shopping for outfits in different cities. A couple of times I have had a tailor in Buenos Aires make my suits. This is great because he knows all the “tricks” in cutting the suit so it looks great when you dance. I wish the fashion companies would see that tango is a great way to show off their clothes and start sponsoring the dancers! Imagine: tango suit made by Armani, tango dress made by Cavalli!
AM. Any funny stories related to teaching or performing tango you would like to share?
NM.We once had an audience clapping with the music during a milonga performance off beat!
AM. You and Jennifer have taught and performed at festivals with Chicho Frumboli y Juana Sepulveda, Javier Rodriguez y Andrea Misse, Sebastian Misse y Andrea Reyero, Julio Balmaceda y Corina de la Rosa, Milena Plebs, and other Argentine tango stars. How does this make you feel? Do you get nervous when you perform?
NM. Yes, it is very scary to see Milena Plebs or Chicho in the audience! You think to yourself, “What can I show them that they haven’t seen??” Then, we realized that these maestros want to see our connection as well as the sincerity of our tango. As long as our dance comes from within us, with emotion, then it passes the test. Furthermore, they just want us to relax and enjoy the festival along with them! We are always honored when festival organizers invite us and include us with these maestros.
Being that we improvise our performances, the audience is very important. Our best performances are when the audience is yelling and applauding during the performance. Tango performances are to be treated like a football game, you don’t wait until the end to applaud, you encourage the players the whole way through!!
Finally, before I perform I always pray 3 things:
1) That I am present in the moment,
2) That I can let the music and my partner inspire my improvisation
3) That I can display to the audience the emotion that I feel in my dance.
After I pray those things, then it is showtime!!
AM. Currently, you are based in Europe, specifically Berlin, why Berlin?
NM. For this last tour, I spent some time in Berlin and I really liked it. I like Berlin because it is at the center of tango in Europe, both geographically and in the fact that there are many tango artists living there. This city reminds me of the New York City that I grew up in; it has an edge, it is gritty, and it is still affordable. Although I will be spending a lot of time in Berlin, I also have to divide my time between New York City (where my family lives) and Istanbul.
AM. Teaching tango – will this be your life fulfilling role, or you want to achieve a certain level or recognition within tango and then move on to another profession?
NM. The fact is that I am a new dancer. The teaching tours and recognition started only 2 years after I started dancing. Now I look at those old videos and I see how my enthusiasm, energy, and the fact that Jennifer and I were so in love carried us through in those performances. It is nice. But we are definitely better dancers now. Every year, I learn something new or I am finally able to do that certain step that I had learned many years ago but somehow always felt uncomfortable. That is the thing with Tango, you don’t learn Tango, you develop your tango and some things just take longer to develop. As for another profession…sure, if I found something that was just as fun and creative as tango!
AM. What is your biggest dream that you would like to achieve in your life?
NM. To raise great kids who will grow up to become great people.
AM. What are your tango plans for the near future?
NM. After 4 years away, I am spending my first summer in New York City teaching tango at the Dance Manhattan studio, where it all started for me. Jennifer has taken time off from tango teaching and touring indefinitely and has encouraged me to find a new partner. She just wants to be a mommy 
and work on malevashoes.com. Therefore, my next teaching tour will be with a new partner. I will also be back in Buenos Aires soon to see friends and learn more. One always needs to keep learning…..
Thank you Ney for sharing your tango story with our readers.
Aga Mroz
For more information about Ney’s teaching go to : www.studiotangovida.com
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