At the beginning of my Tango Adventure, I met at El Mundo del Tango (on Miramar Rd), a
beautiful blond woman with blue smart eyes, but very sad face. I had fair inside me, and thought that every
person in such Tango place should be a very good teacher and Dancer. - Maybe you would try a few
Tango steps with me ? - She dazzlingly smiled: - Just fallow me -
Then, she suddenly and strongly moved with me! This first touch of Tango Spirit was overwhelming...
Several years later, I have been learning the leading (man) part for my professional test. My goal was to be
a skilled Master of Tango, and understand deeper the hidden meanings of the movements. I felt that I need
to realize how to exchange the mysterious energy between the partners.
I tried to find Ludmila again. Finally, we met at her tiny home, which she bought with the help of her tango
friends, when times were particularly difficult for her.
The contrast between her legendary past dance glory and the very modest present condition of her
everyday life was very strong.
However, every small detail of her home told me about her adoration for tango. When she danced with me,
I felt her well-built energy, and understood that tango was always her way of living, meditation and
creativity of thoughts. All tangible things around us disappeared, and I saw only a strong person who
survived all troubles of her personal life and kept going on her independent living and teaching. Day after
day, she told me a little bit of her adventures and her love stories. As a Slavonic person, I understood her
deeply, clearly saw her roots, and felt I had lived similar trials.
Ludmila grew up in Czechoslovakia, and her family (as many other Slavonic families) had more of the
matriarchy traditions. However, nobody disciplined or controlled Ludmila. She grew up as a free spirit, and
was a precocious child full of life and spunk, as I would say about myself. I recognized my childhood in
every story she would tell me, especially in her description of the influence of her grandmother, with whom
she had a very deep connections. Her grandmother passed to Ludmila this gift to celebrated life through
dance, song and poetry. Ludmila says, I was born with the knowledge of dance a waltz, mazurka, polka,
habanera, milonga- all influenced by African rhythms and dance as a meditation.
Ludmila was one of the forth children in her family, but she lived differently, and her way of living was not
well accepted or celebrated by her family.
Later when she became a legendary dancer and world- renowned competitor, her family still did not
acknowledge it..... There were a lot of fast movements, poses, and unexpected twists in her destiny, like in
tango music. Her life was full of tragedies, love and dance. However, Ludmila has the vitality, the stamina
and forbearance that only a few women at any age might have.
When she was only fourteen years old, she was sent abroad to represent her country for the international
dance competition. It was already a very high achievement county for that time and her age! Then she
traveled several times around the world, won many different competitions, and finally became a judge
herself. She was only eighteen when with her dance partner and the first husband she escaped to Germany
during the Russian invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. Then they moved to Canada to his parents. Soon
after her moving to Canada, in one dance studio, she met her love of her life, her second husband, a man
with whom she lived, dance and straggled about 30 years. They performed, have been teaching tango in
many different places and on many cruises ships. Finally, she grew tired from all the uncertainty and
uncomfortable rambling, Gipsy like life. In 1992, they were invited to judge a competition in San Diego,
and decided to stay in that beautiful city. Soon after, they opened a small Tango studio in the home of an
acquaintance, starting with several people.
Time passed. Some wounds healed, others left deep scars on Ludmila heart. However, all straggles and
obstacles made her even stronger. Now she lives independently, blessed with her new friends and students.
She is teaching Tango and helps to release some bad energy and seek fresh energy for a new life, when
some people would think that life is over. Great Tango Spirit helps one to keep going.
Tanguera, Elena is a writer, choreographer, producer, Founder of the Tango Caminito School. CONTACT
beautiful blond woman with blue smart eyes, but very sad face. I had fair inside me, and thought that every
person in such Tango place should be a very good teacher and Dancer. - Maybe you would try a few
Tango steps with me ? - She dazzlingly smiled: - Just fallow me -
Then, she suddenly and strongly moved with me! This first touch of Tango Spirit was overwhelming...
Several years later, I have been learning the leading (man) part for my professional test. My goal was to be
a skilled Master of Tango, and understand deeper the hidden meanings of the movements. I felt that I need
to realize how to exchange the mysterious energy between the partners.
I tried to find Ludmila again. Finally, we met at her tiny home, which she bought with the help of her tango
friends, when times were particularly difficult for her.
The contrast between her legendary past dance glory and the very modest present condition of her
everyday life was very strong.
However, every small detail of her home told me about her adoration for tango. When she danced with me,
I felt her well-built energy, and understood that tango was always her way of living, meditation and
creativity of thoughts. All tangible things around us disappeared, and I saw only a strong person who
survived all troubles of her personal life and kept going on her independent living and teaching. Day after
day, she told me a little bit of her adventures and her love stories. As a Slavonic person, I understood her
deeply, clearly saw her roots, and felt I had lived similar trials.
Ludmila grew up in Czechoslovakia, and her family (as many other Slavonic families) had more of the
matriarchy traditions. However, nobody disciplined or controlled Ludmila. She grew up as a free spirit, and
was a precocious child full of life and spunk, as I would say about myself. I recognized my childhood in
every story she would tell me, especially in her description of the influence of her grandmother, with whom
she had a very deep connections. Her grandmother passed to Ludmila this gift to celebrated life through
dance, song and poetry. Ludmila says, I was born with the knowledge of dance a waltz, mazurka, polka,
habanera, milonga- all influenced by African rhythms and dance as a meditation.
Ludmila was one of the forth children in her family, but she lived differently, and her way of living was not
well accepted or celebrated by her family.
Later when she became a legendary dancer and world- renowned competitor, her family still did not
acknowledge it..... There were a lot of fast movements, poses, and unexpected twists in her destiny, like in
tango music. Her life was full of tragedies, love and dance. However, Ludmila has the vitality, the stamina
and forbearance that only a few women at any age might have.
When she was only fourteen years old, she was sent abroad to represent her country for the international
dance competition. It was already a very high achievement county for that time and her age! Then she
traveled several times around the world, won many different competitions, and finally became a judge
herself. She was only eighteen when with her dance partner and the first husband she escaped to Germany
during the Russian invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. Then they moved to Canada to his parents. Soon
after her moving to Canada, in one dance studio, she met her love of her life, her second husband, a man
with whom she lived, dance and straggled about 30 years. They performed, have been teaching tango in
many different places and on many cruises ships. Finally, she grew tired from all the uncertainty and
uncomfortable rambling, Gipsy like life. In 1992, they were invited to judge a competition in San Diego,
and decided to stay in that beautiful city. Soon after, they opened a small Tango studio in the home of an
acquaintance, starting with several people.
Time passed. Some wounds healed, others left deep scars on Ludmila heart. However, all straggles and
obstacles made her even stronger. Now she lives independently, blessed with her new friends and students.
She is teaching Tango and helps to release some bad energy and seek fresh energy for a new life, when
some people would think that life is over. Great Tango Spirit helps one to keep going.
Tanguera, Elena is a writer, choreographer, producer, Founder of the Tango Caminito School. CONTACT
Published in
Dance Notes, 2004
La Vida Tango in 2007
Dance Notes, 2004
La Vida Tango in 2007
TANGO SPIRIT is ALIVE.
LUDMILA.
LUDMILA.
