Bankers
These days, slick dancers prove their purported “talent” by dancing a choreography which insults their ardent students who are trying to do a “social”/improvised dance. Then they offer, perhaps in innocence, a fraudulent service, and then blame the students or tell them “it takes 10 years to learn to dance” or “you can’t really dance tango unless you understand the Lunfardo lyrics of the music.” It only takes 10 years when your teacher is incompetent.
Quality Control
In the last days the Berlin Tango Scene has witnessed an interesting and overdue conflagration. Some Argentine tango blogger found a video of one of Berlin’s longtime teaching teams and publicized her outrage over the quality of their dancing. At first this post gathered some approval within the Berlin community. Then compassionate influencers quashed the self-righteousness of […]
TangoForge i Sverige 1: Notes
5 Biomechanical Tools arch of connection projection transfer of weight power/co-contraction change of embrace The Biomechanics Solo workout video (sent to you before the workshop): Fierce Balance. Biomechanics 1: Projection The Anatomy Tour base leg, free leg joints: wrist, elbow, shoulder, hips, knee, ankle internal/external rotation base leg ALWAYS in external rotation free leg […]
Protected: Best of TangoForge 2016 Notes: 10.December
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Protected: Best of TangoForge 2016 Notes: 3.December
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Protected: Notes: Seminar Encuentro Compañeros 2016
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Protected: Debrief: 2016 Seminar + Contemporary Tango Festival
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Protected: Toolbox 1 Loft Berlin Oktober 2015
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Winter 2014 Practice Curriculum
This will be the curriculum followed at Jewel Lab under the supervision of Assistant TangoSmith Nick during my trip to Europe. (Read about every dance and pastry.) If you still need to register for the Winter 2014 Practice, to get your KnowledgeBase Pass, click here. No partner is required for Jewel Lab Tuesdays 7:15- at […]
Anatomical technique
Metaphors and indescribable sensations mystify tango technique. Anatomically-precise instruction enables students can develop the needed body awareness and control with the assistance of any exercise professional.
Protected: Linear moves, tiny and grand
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Protected: November 10 Technique Intensive Notes
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Slippage and fracture in transmission
On a talk by contemporary dancer Sara Wookey entitled “Dance is hard to see,” regarding Yvonne Rainer’s ‘Trio A’. Presented by Performance Space. Trio A (1966) is a historically important, “paradigm shifting” dance. It was one of the first expressions of minimalism in dance, influenced by Rainer’s involvement with a multidisciplinary arts community in NYC […]
How to raise the level of dancing in a community
This is the question that faces me every morning as I hit the prime button on my espresso machine. I stare at my notebook until the first cappuccino is gone. I’m not allowed to open the computer, read, or deal with logistics. It’s creative time, problem solving time. And this is one of the problems […]
Why bother with follower’s back sacadas?
Lately I’ve been on a rampage to get people using the follower’s back sacada. Why am I spending much power on a move so rarely led and so poorly followed, if at all? As a leader, the dynamic of this move opens up sensation and territory. But I’m starting to think there’s more to it […]
Technique Workshops
I sequence my instruction in an unusual way. My approach is based on an analysis of the difficulty and number of biomechanical skills needed to execute each move.
DNI is a controversial school
DNI appealed to me for three reasons. Of course the most important factor in choosing a teacher is that you like how they dance. I thought Pablo Villarraza and Dana Frìgoli were the most fluid, gorgeous dancers. Second, they talked about technique with more clarity and depth than any other teachers. And third, they gave […]
Why we need Feminist Tango
A feminist tango is not anti-man in any way, but it is pro-woman. It means we give each other the same gracious generosity that we habitually and unhesitatingly offer to strange men. It means we give each other more, and what that more can be is open to the imagination of every woman who has suffered the unique and poignant pains of tango.
What’s “social tango”?
Argentine Tango is not about flying legs and melodramatic performances of emotion. It is a social dance that anyone of any age can do, to any music or no music, to create an extraordinary level of connection with another person. It does not require previous dance experience or rhythm. (In fact one tango musician claims that tango dancers are often “atemporal”)
I’m learning tango with my sweetheart, do I need to change partners?
There is no requirement to change partners, but it is recommended that you dance with lots of different people, even if you have a main partner.
Troubles in practice?
While practicing, it is likely that you will have some frustration with your partner. When something is not working, it is VERY hard to tell what’s wrong and who is at fault, tempting though that is. Here are some tips:
