AN INTERVIEW WITH ROBERTO REIS
Lynn
ROBERTO REIS will be returning to Los Angeles with Maria Blanco from August 28-September 10. Get to know the Maestro better through this 1998 Interview:
Roberto Reis is one of the most expressive and fiery dancers in the world of Argentine tango. He is a in class of his own. His fantastic display of strength and emotion during performance has made him a remarkable tango icon of this generation of dancers. He has developed a very distinctive personal style and, with his focus and emphasis on individuality and originality, he has made his mark in the highly-competitive world of tango.
When you are in Buenos Aires what do you like to dance?
ROBERTO
I started to dance many years ago, Argentine Folklore music. Then when I was 18 years old I tried to dance jazz, I did it for a while. Then you know, when the show Tango Argentino became a success, there were no professional dancers in Argentina, they were all on Broadway. So, when people came to my country to see Argentine Tango professional dancers we got "invented". They told us "go to the stage and dance Tango." I said, "What!? I don't know how to dance Tango." "You just try it, man!" I began looking for a teacher because at that moment I did not like Tango, I hated Tango! Yes, for me it was like for many young people in my country, "Tango is for old people," that was my perception. Then my father said "Are you dancing Tango?" Well, I had to try it because you know I have to work. And he said, "your life is going to change. You will not be able to stop dancing Tango because the Tango will capture you." So, I said, "yeah, yeah, yeah!" But it was true, my life changed.
| I told you that at that moment I was looking for a teacher. I don't know why, but people did not want to teach and the dancers did not want to tell me where I could find a teacher. I went to the milongas looking for a teacher and the old people seeing how young I was kicked my ass. They said, “Get away from here!” I said to myself, "ah, ah, I want to learn, I will be here." Some of them told me, “you can't dance Tango, you're a horrible dancer” and I said, "OK, we will see in the future." So, I found a teacher and I started to learn. I changed partners several times until I met Guillermina (Quiroga). I thought, OK, she can dance. That's the story. Today I only dance Tango because I love Tango. I need to dance Tango. |
Question for Roberto:
Who were your teachers?
ROBERTO
My first teacher was, at least for me, the number one Tango dancer, Juan Carlos Copes. He was my first teacher.
Question for Roberto:
Who has had a major influence on your artistic career?
ROBERTO
You know? I had very good teachers. Very good teachers. For example, Todaro was my teacher. He taught me over 300 steps. Then Nito Garcia and Pupi Castello taught me the technique. But the feeling of the Tango is just coming from me. They gave me the technique, steps, but the flavor is mine. That is my experience. When I started to dance Tango I said to myself, I want to be perfect. That's why I learned a lot of technique and a lot of steps. Then I saw myself on videos and I said about myself, "this guy can dance steps and has good techniques, so now I can feel like an adult, mature dancer." Now, I just try to be just myself. I try to feel the music and that's it.
Question for Roberto:
Is there a difference dancing on the stage and on the floor?
ROBERTO
Oh yes, yes of course! I mean, I need the stage because I'm a professional dancer. It's not only for ego. It's just because I feel that I belong being on the stage. But on the stage you have a lot of responsibilities. Sometimes you just don't want to dance, but you have to. Socially, it's different, you can have fun or just sit and watch. It's really different. Also on the stage normally we work with choreography.
Question for Roberto:
Do you see new things happening with Tango?
ROBERTO
Well, you know what? Yes, it's very clear to me. When I came the first time to the USA to teach, it in 1995; people just wanted to learn steps and stationary steps, jumps, big boleos, the kind of steps that people can see on the stage. But now people are trying to learn the feeling, to dance socially and are interested about technique. Now people seem to want to dance well. In 1995, those people just tried to dance like Valentino.
Question for Roberto:
I saw a National Geographic documentary where somebody was saying that the young people were just trying to learn the steps from the older generation instead of trying something new. How do you feel about that?
ROBERTO
OK, that video is from the early 1990's. That was true back then but not now. Young people are trying to do different things. In my case, after studying with different teachers I just try to be myself. I can find different things, different steps, different styles just for me. And I can see that in other dancers in Argentina. Maybe not many professionals, but normal dancers try to do different things, different styles. And you know, what? This is very interesting. Guillermina told me that she met Petroleo. I saw him just once and that's it. That guy created a lot of steps more than 30 years ago and he said to Guillermina, "the steps you are doing right now are very old, we created them 30 years ago, so try to do something new because the Tango needs news things, new steps, new faces, new style." That's the reason why I defend Piazzolla for example. I love Piazzolla and I think and I feel that Piazzolla is Tango because when I hear Piazzolla I feel he's Buenos Aires, his music is from Buenos Aires. So, for me, that is Tango.
Question for Roberto:
Do you have the same feeling when you are doing a choreography than when you are dancing freely at a social level?
ROBERTO
I try, I try, but I have to think about what people like. Not to think about myself, or what I like to do. So I try to find a balance. I know some people who are on the stage just for the people and you can see sometimes they do very crazy things. I'm interested in introducing the people to my dance. So, it's very different.
Question for Roberto:
We keep hearing about the men practicing with each other to learn to dance so that they wouldn't embarrass themselves when they danced with the ladies. Did you also have to learn to dance that way?
ROBERTO
No, no, I was a professional dancer before I tried to learn to dance Tango. At one time I made some choreography, I don't know how, and then when I started to study with real teachers I already had a partner so I did not need to dance with other men. However, many times when I had a problem, the male teacher would dance with me so I could learn how to mark certain steps. Nowadays, young people learn in a very different way. Now, we have teachers. Long time ago, they were no teachers, all they had were friends.
Why don't you give the men some advice to become better dancers.
Try to live your experience from inside. Don't try to copy the other dancers. Try to listen to the real teachers. Tango teaching is a business. That’s OK, but don't buy second hand Tango. That's it.