To my dear tango students and friends in New Zealand,
I have just returned from seven weeks in Europe, mostly Berlin. You can read my very rough and typo-strewn fieldnotes here. I’ll write more formal thematic posts in the next few weeks.
As many of you know, tango is my second career, and a labour of love for me, as for most non-Argentine teachers. We do not go into it because it is the best job available, but because we are so deeply moved by it. Like many of my compatriots, I look back on a career with a salary and paycheck, a nice house, great kitchen equipment, a big car with leather seats… I often feel crazy that I am living so precariously, and with so little, although thanks to amazing friends in the tango community, I always had a place to sleep and wine to drink.
The dream most of us share is to find the perfect partner, with whom we can dance for hours absorbed in bliss, reach new heights of artistic expression, and collaborate to build a school in which our students will thrive.
I believe I have found such a partner. We were both immediately moved by the experience of dancing together, so much so that at one of our first encounters we danced for more than two and a half hours, without pause or conversation. Later, when we did talk, we discovered that our pedagogies and philosophies are also remarkably in sync. One of the most striking qualities of this extraordinary dancer is that he “wants to work with an equal”. It was exactly the rarity of this attitude that caused me to give up searching for a professional partner several years ago. Roberto has invited me to come to Berlin to work with him!
It is almost unthinkable to leave you and the life and community I have so painstakingly built here. But having worked so hard in tango, I feel I must try to do it at the highest possible level.
I will return to Berlin in November for several months to try the partnership.
Before I go, I want to visit New Zealand to work and play with you.
I will arrive on 15 October and depart on 21 October.
I will teach just one open, drop-in class at Queer Tango on Monday 20 October.
On the weekend of 18 October, I will do a ten-hour workshop for a maximum of ten couples. I want to have a sense of community in this workshop. We’ll eat together, practice and play, keep warm at Brendan’s cozy BodyLab, and go out dancing to the milongas together at night.
This workshop will convey the whole of my technique, applicable from beginning to advanced level. You will find my technique is more direct and succinct than ever before. I use only anatomically-correct terminology. You will learn:
- the biomechanics of sublime connection for open and close embrace
- gentle smooth ochos
- delicious and dynamic rebotes, voleos, and ganchos
- perfect crosses and sacadas
- the fundamentals of out-of-axis moves
The schedule will be:
Friday night from 7:30-9:30
Saturday 12-2 and 4-6
Sunday 12-2 and 4-6
The price is NZ$150 and includes lunch on Saturday and Sunday. Registration for the workshop also includes my Monday night class and practica at Queer Tango.
You can register for the workshop with the form below by credit card (website is in AU$ so the price is $133) or by electronic transfer to account 03-1783-0461245-011. (Please send me an email if you make the electronic transfer.) Note that the website is secure and I will not be able to see your credit card information as it is processed by stripe.com.
Please visit The Anatomy Tour page to register.
If you want to book a private lesson or make a date for coffee or dinner, I’ll be available Wednesday 15th afternoon and evening, Thursday 16th day and evening, and Monday 20th day. Just send an email to office@tangoforge.com.
My NZ phone number will be the same: 027 497 9049.
I can’t wait to see you!
Vio
