|
The music that would become the tango
began to coalesce in the working-class barrios of late
nineteenth century Buenos Aires, a swelling frontier town
where out-of-work gauchos from the cattle ranches of the
pampas and poor immigrant men from Europe came in search of
opportunity. They lived in conventillos—large
boarding houses built around a central courtyard where
workers would gather in their off hours, playing the guitar
and the violin, blending the folk music of the plains with
the traditions of Europe and with rhythms borrowed from the
city’s dwindling Afro-argentine population. Though wealthy
Argentines scorned the tango at first, venturesome young men
of the upper class were attracted to the outlying barrios
where they could hear the new music and witness the new
style of dancing that developed around it. When their
parents sent them to Europe to complete their education,
these young men brought the tango with them, creating a
particular sensation in inter-war Paris, where the French
thought the dance exotic and exaggerated it accordingly to
suit their tastes. It was this Parisian version of the tango
that—with the help of the cinema—spread to the rest of
Europe and to the United States, entering the ballroom
repertoire as the international and the American tango. In
the meantime, as Argentina became more isolated from Europe,
Argentinean tango developed along a different course,
refining the art of small movement and tight partner
connection for increasingly crowded dance floors. By the
Golden Age of the 1940’s as many as 75% of the adult
population of Buenos Aires were active social dancers, but
later the scene dwindled until it was finally forced
underground by political unrest. By 1986—three years after
the end of military rule in Argentina—only 200 to 400 people
were still dancing tango in the capital, but these were
enough to begin a revival of the dance that in the last
twenty years has spread throughout the world. Today,
Argentine tango is a living art that takes many forms, all
of which preserve something of the traditional grammar and
syntax for improvisational dance that developed in Buenos
Aires in the first half of the twentieth century even as a
new generation of dancers and teachers from all around the
globe experiments with new vocabulary and new ways of
expressing the connection that is at the heart of the dance.
FUNdamentals is a 4 week overview of very
basic yet elegant tango that is designed to be fun and
accessible to the beginner dancer. You will learn to
walk in time to the music with your partner and how to
communicate and interpret directions to/from your partner.
Smooth elegance and comfortable partnering is the main
focus. You may begin directly with a 100 series class
but this is a nice intro class.
Our 100 series classes do
not have to be taken sequentially. The only restriction is
that you can not begin with 103 as it requires some solid
fundamentals or it is overwhelming for students.
Tango 101 is an eight week series focusing
on rhythm, music, walking in double times and using amagues.
We will develop front and back ochos and the variations that
flow from them. Paradas and bocadillas, catchse and
linear barridas are some of the variations we cover in this
series.
Tango 102 is an eight week series focusing
on rhythm, music, double times changing direction using
amagues. We will develop giros to the left and right
and the variations that flow from them. Barridas
(circular), calicitas, interuptions and suspensions are some
of the variations we cover in this series.
Tango
103 is an eight week series (sometimes split into 2 four
week sections) that is a fun and interesting look into what makes tango look
as complicated at it sometimes does. This will help connect
the dots in a way that makes you say aha! The only requiremnet is that you have at least 8 weeks of tango class
experience (it does not have to be with us) so that you have
a basic understanding of the tango structure already.
CLOSE EMBRACE
The close embrace style of Argentine Tango though not as flashy as its Salon Style cousin is the ultimate
slowdance! In this class we will learn how to walk together, change direction and turn while being in
close quarters! Our primary class goals are learning to lead /
follow directly from the chest and to keep the steps and rotation in balance with our partner.
Also, developing our physical connection with each other, learning and understanding the techniques used
to make this comfortable and to make our dancing confident. This style of tango was developed as a way
to navigate and still enjoy dancing on very crowded dance floors and its style reflects that. It is a
beautiful form of the Argentine tango, very traditional and it will help you understand why people
get hooked on this dance!
No partner required!
Close Embrace Milonga is a fun and light hearted sister
dance to the tango. The steps are easy but it is peppy and
will take a bit of time to adjust to. This class will give
you the basics in a fun and easy way and you will no longer
have to sit out or feel uncomfortable during the milonga
sets! The only requiremnet is that you have at least 8 weeks
of close embrace class experience (it does not have to be
with us) so that you have a basic understanding of the tango
structure already.
This
Intermediate Boleo series will set you on the right path
to elegant yet sexy boleos. The techniques of the lead and
follow will be developed in depth so that there is a clear
understanding between the partners of what is needed from
both the leader and follower to obtain beautiful boleos.
This will not make the perfect but will give you the tools
to get the job done!
TANGO INTERMEDIATE
An intermediate class is for the more experienced dancer who has taken the entire basic series (or has
permission of the instructor) and is comfortable dancing in both open and close embrace. An
intermediate tango dancer should be comfortable with all the basic material listed above and be able to
dance it with the majority of their partners. This class goes on to explore ganchos, sacadas, boleos,
cadenas, calicitas .... the list long, and the possibilities are mind numbing (in a good way). There
is quite a leap from the basic series to the intermediate so if you are not completely comfortable
with the basics but feel you are on the edge and would like to try the next class see your instructor about
some private lessons for the transition period.
LOCATION:
The Monday Club
37 South Maple Avenue
Map
and Driving Directions
|
Argentine
Tango Classes