Transformers

Happy Halloween!

When is a dance studio not a dance studio? Why, when it’s a hair studio, of course! And you thought only trucks transformed into other things, lol.

On Saturday night, October 24th, Suzanne Bloomfield and the stylists at Z Studio (4516 S Peoria) opened their doors after hours to host a benefit milonga for our friend April.

So how does one transform a hair salon into a dance hall? First, it helps to have a nice floor to dance on, and Z Studio has such a floor. Music? Yep, traditional, neo, and alternative styles were on tap for our enjoyment. Next you need a little more space. Lucky for us, the styling chairs were not bolted down and could be easily moved. This not only gave the 50 plus attendees room to dance, but also allowed for extra chairs to be added for the occasional break. And speaking of space, a small back room provided a place  for more chairs, and counter tops for the cheese, wine, cupcakes, fruit, and other goodies to get everyone through the complimentary class and four hours of dancing. But the best transformer trick was filling the multiple sinks with ice and stocking them with beer and other drinks. That’s one even Michael Bay missed!

Through the course of the evening we were treated to two nice Tango demos. First up Nonino and Calladita, performed a Tango waltz to an alternative style song, the Moody Blues Nights in White Satin. This was followed by a Tango demo by Mark and Jenny.

Adding to the festivities were free door prizes generously donated by Z Studio and others, and of course, the silent auction. With all of the donations and auctions, around $1000 was raised! As Mr T would say “I love it when a plan comes together”

According to Jenny, these are the folks that made this event happen: Suzanne Bloomfield and the stylists at Z Studio , Karenna and Mark of Casa Tango, Nonino and Calladita, Justin Williams and finally Fedora Dance. Thanks!

Optimus Prime: “Before time began, there was the Cube”.

And on that note, may the Tangopowers be with you!

W

Godzilla Fest

As some of you know, I’m a huge cult/bad/underground/scifi/exploitation/horror, etc, etc, etc,  film buff. At last count, and who’s counting, I have well over 1000 strange and wonderful samples of cinematic potpourri that makes most of my friends fidget in their seats just hearing the titles!

But that’s not important now. What is important is that yours truly was able to, with great effort and shear power of will, miss Godzilla Fest held Saturday, Oct. 3rd at the OU Schusterman Center!

And what, you may ask, could cause me to give up a seat to watch the Japanese version staring Big G? One word, Tango. But you already knew that.

Yes, that same Saturday, Tulsa had a visit from Brooke Burdett, long time citizen, or porteña, of Buenos Aires and Tango teacher. She is in Oklahoma, where she was born, to visit family. While she was here we managed to sneak her away from the family for a couple of two hour workshops, thanks to the efforts of Allan and Cathy Ambler.

Brooke Burdett

Brooke took us through a number of exercises and drills while working on the finer points of the walk, ochos, ocho cotado’s, and various ways to connect those movements into new combination. Brooke also spent some time adding adornos, also called an adornment, decoration, or  an embellishment, using the leg or foot, during a pattern.

Class is in Session

The classes were well attended, and it was fun to try new techniques with new partners.

And since this was the first Saturday of the month, it was also time for the monthly milonga at the VFW. This proved to be handy, because for folks like me who suffer from the occasional dose of CRS, it was an opportunity to try out the material learned in the workshops.

But the weekend didn’t stop there. On Sunday night, at the OU Schusterman Center, was Argentine Culture Nite. The event was sponsored by the OU Center for Studies in Democracy and Culture, and the OU-Tulsa Student Assoc. About 70 attendees were treated to a free Tango dance lesson, (by our very own Fred and Jessica Stowell), refreshments, dancing, and the highlight of the evening, live music by visiting musicians from Argentina, Hugo Rotela and Adolfo Fleishman, on guitar and piano. They played two sets, the first being Tangos, then later, contemporary pop tunes. I have to say though that the Learning Center Founders’ Hall was also a major highlight. I’ll let the photos speak for themselves.

What a Floor!

What a Roof, lol!

Fred and Jessica Hard at Work

A Room Within a Room

So That's Argentina's Flag...

Impressive Entrance

Our Visiting Musicians Hugo and Adolfo

Refreshment Time

Tango Time

BTW, this is also the location (4502 E 41st, across from McDonald’s south of Yale) for the Sunday OU Salsa practice usually held from 3:30 – 6 PM. Visitors are always welcome.

So, in conclusion, just let me say:

Oh no, they say he’s got to go
Go go Godzilla, yeah
Oh no, there goes Tokyo
Go go Godzilla, yeah

Blue Oyster Cult’s “Godzilla”

Ja, mata ne

Walt

Meet in the Middle

Two words: Choco Taco…

Actually I’m not sure choco is a word, at least in English, but that didn’t stop about one hundred tangueros and tangueras from attending the 6th annual Meet in the Middle Tango festival!

This event was my first major dance outing in a few years and my first tango event, so this will not be a compare and contrast, but my observations and thoughts on this maravilloso event.

My friend and I were on the road Friday morning for the two hour plus drive to Mt Vernon, MO, about 25 miles east of Joplin, just off I-44. Mt Vernon is one of those small Missouri towns of about 4000 folks, or as event director Karen Whitesell says “Mt Vernon is a sleepy little town on the edge of the Ozark Mountains and the Western Prairie”.

In 1999 Karen purchased a two story brick building built about 1893 and has been restoring and upgrading the building for her personal needs and her stained glass business. She calls it Murray’s Vintage Venue, and a lovely old building it is.

Future Murray's, 1893

Murray's Vintage Venue circa 2003

Interestingly, at the time this building was being built, Tango was a new and evolving dance in Buenos Aires and Montevideo. It only took 110 years for the building and the dance to find each other for Karen’s first milonga, in 2000. My how time files.

Our host for the weekend was Karen Whitesell. Karen is a Tango dancer, stained glass artist, teacher, retailer, and of course, experienced in old building restoration.

Karen Whitesell

So we have a great venue, a wonderful host, and a weekend full of Tango. Sweet!

First, the workshops. There were 10 workshops spread-out from Friday through Sunday. The first class each day was a basics class lead by teachers James Smith and Mariallan Shadle from Memphis, TN. James has a nice quite way of presenting the Tango with good descriptions and lots of exercises that kept everyone moving. Additional tips and ideas came from Mariallan, who added important points for the lead and follow to enhance the students Tango experience. Mariallan was very gracious when I danced with her, putting up with my bad interpretation of open embrace with a smile.

Class in Session

James and Mariallan

As a dance teacher myself I’m always looking out for new and innovative techniques that I can steel, er, I mean borrow, and James is my latest victim. I’ll let the picture below do the talking. Let’s just say this is a great way to end a class!

A Little More to the Left, Please

The second workshop each day was taught by Charles Roques. Charles presented material that was just challenging enough so that a basic level dancer could learn something new and a more experienced dancer would be able to add a variation or two to their dancing. Charles also presented a nice exhibition Saturday night assisted by Shauna Smith, who was filling in on on Karen’s request.

Charles and Shauna

The third workshop each day was handled by MITM’s pros from Buenos Aires, Gustavo Benzecry Saba and Maria Olivera. This dynamic couple from BsAs had energy to burn! Within the first few minutes of each class we were walking out the rhythm’s that would be used for the combination’s to be taught in that workshop. This was followed by a breakdown of the material for the lead and follow, and then partnering up for practice.

Gustavo, Maria, and the MITM Gang

On Sunday they did an great class on Milonga Traspie. Traspie can be thought of as a triple step, usually done to medium to quick tempos. There was only one problem with this class: It followed dinner…a pizza dinner…a pizza dinner where I ate mucho pizza, and garlic bread, and salad. If attending this Milonga workshop didn’t prove my commitment to Tango, I don’t know what would!

Waiting for the Pizza!

Sunday night was also movie night, with a special showing of a Tango history documentary produced by Gustavo. It was great to see clips and interviews of some of Tango’s greats from the past, and by past I mean the 40’s and 50’s. Of course Gustavo and Maria did some beautiful exhibitions throughout the weekend, and proved to be very approachable, answering questions and dancing with as many as time would allow, they are what I would call, a class act.

Choco Taco…

So what to do with all these new moves and ideas? Two things, milongas, and practicas. A practica is a dance where people can practice their Tango, asking questions, stopping on the floor to work something out, and sharing ideas. A milonga is a formal Tango dance and excludes the kinds of things you do at a practica. MITM provided plenty of time for both, with the nightly milonga’s going as late as there were dancers, myself dragging back to the hotel by 2 AM each night.

Practica

Milonga

Saturday afternoon and evening we were treated to one of the great joys of Tango, dancing to a live band. The Tulsa Tango Quartet made it’s second appearance (after OKTango) and put on a top notch show. They played the old favorites and added some new material.

Tulsa Tango Quartet

Workshop, practicas, milongas all lead to…sore feet!! Needless to say if you could find time to rest the dogs, you’d better take advantage of it. Baby needs a new pair of shoes.

Feet Up, Bottoms Down...

OKC in da House

You Talkin' ta Me?

Choco Taco…

Gee Walt, all this fun is sure makin’ me hungry, what do you think, McDonald’s? Hmm…NOT! You see dear readers, Karen not only supplies the venue, workshops, dances, and other activities, but also all of the food! Brown bag lunch on Friday followed by a great catered dinner. Then brunch on Saturday and Sunday with a catered dinner Saturday night and a pizza buffet on Sunday. As if this was not enough, each night Karen was caught sneaking into the milonga’s with sheet cakes, or lemonade, or watermelon, or, well you get the idea.

Oh, did I mention the free ice-cream truck that stopped by Saturday and Sunday? Guess what I had…

Meet in the Middle, dollar for dollar, this event may be the best Tango deal in the country. I’ll look for you next year, save me a dance.

Walt

On My Way

Greetings Programs!

(Why yes, I am looking forward to the new TRON movie)

So, on my way to where? Meet in the Middle, of course! MITM is a small and intimate tango affair held in Mt Vernon, MO. over the weekend of September 18 – 20th. This will be my first trip to dance tango outside of the Tulsa area, actually outside of Oklahoma for that matter, and I’m ready to step on some toes, lol!

I spent many years judging, dancing, teaching, and competing at swing and western dance festivals, as well as a few ballroom events. It’s been a few years since I’ve been to any dance festival, as I used to have two bad hips, and I would sure like to capture at least a little of the old magic from those times.

So just what is the deal about dance festivals? Like most any activity, a dance festival is what you make it. Festivals can be moderate to very expensive to attend. You have to buy a one to three (or more) day pass. Then you have the travel expense. Add in food and any extras, and, well you can see how it all adds up.

So why, why go through all this trouble? In a word, people. I love the fun of classes and workshops, the dances, demos, exhibitions, vendors, and more. But what I really love is meeting all of the crazy, fun, obsessed, devoted, and, well by the end of the weekend, very tired like minded folks as consumed by dancing as I am.

I have meet people that hate going to these kinds of events, and that’s cool. For some it’s just not fun or helpful for their dancing. But as a fan of big parties, I keep trying to reel them in, it’s the ex event director in me

But I am biased, because for many years I was the event director of the Mid-America Western Dance Festival. I had one major directive for my staff: Give our dancers as good a time as we could. This included a dancers hospitality suite, A Friday cookout, lots of workshops, impromptu games and activities, a great competition, great exhibitions, room parties, and more.

But none of this would matter if the people attending didn’t get behind all this crazy stuff, and make the party happen.

Which brings me back full circle. A festival is what you make it. I have found that the dance community is a very open, resourceful, and a fun loving bunch. This means that you might want to take the initiative and create a fun time for yourself and others. I love having a room party during the event. Invite as many people as your room will hold, toss in some snacks, bring your own beverage, and just see what develops. I have heard the worst jokes, told some tall tales, and meet friends that I kept in touch with for years afterward.

Don’t hesitate to invite total strangers attending the event to go out to dinner with you. Put together a group and do a workshop or two so that you can share the experience, and try to remember what was taught! BTW I am a charter member of the CRS club. (I’ll let you figure that one out) And of course dance, dance, and dance some more. Along with the room parties, the most fun I’ve had at dance festivals is the late night dancing. Let the lightweights go to bed before midnight, I’m here for the long haul, trying to keep up with the kids by dancing till two, three, or four in the morning. Never seen that? Go to a swing event, nuff said.

So don’t be shy, reach out to those around you and make the party happen. Shake a few hands, flash a smile, help me carry my bags up to the room (jk) There’s a story about a sad fellow who sits in front of a fireplace and says “If you give me heat, I’ll give you wood”. Well I say bring the wood with you and toss it all in right from the start! Your festival experience will never be the same.

Look for a full report on MITM next week, until then may the tangopowers be with you!

W

Meet in the Middle link:

http://thelearningdepot.com/murrays-1/meet%20in%20the%20middle.htm

How Hard Can It Be

So there I was, at the club, having a friendly chat with a dance teacher, when it was mentioned that they had a couple that was interested in an hour of Argentine Tango instruction. I knew that Tango was not a dance that they had any interest in, nor ever did. As a friendly gesture, I offered my services. Now faithful reader, try to put yourself in my shoes, a man obsessed with the art of the Tango, as these words filled the air “I’ll just get a DVD, how hard can it be?” That’s a moment I’ll never forget, and it puts a smile on my face every time I think about it.

So what do you think, can you learn to dance from a DVD? Well, yes, and no. That’s it, see ya next week! Ok, hang on a minute, and I’ll try to explain myself.

Let’s go from the good, to the bad, to the ugly. The good is a DVD can be a very good  source of information, but not necessarily knowledge, with one major caveat; you must have your dance fundamentals down cold. If you understand and can execute solid basic dance technique, then a DVD can be a fun way to sample ideas from teachers that you may never be able to meet, or take a group or private lesson from. If the DVD is well made and the teachers can adapt their live teaching skills to the video format (not easy) then discovering new ways to combine movements, learning a more polished technique, or just seeing a high level dancer’s performance might be the thing that gets you a breakthrough you were looking for.

The bad can come from many directions. First, there’s a lot of BAD instruction out there. I’ve watched DVD’s produced by people that you’ve never heard of that also happen to have won every major dance contest that’s never been held. And by never heard of I mean like Google-whack never heard of (find a two-word search query with exactly 1 result). Ouch, lol. Another bad is the student that looks at the offerings of a DVD company and decides that, hey, I’ve only been dancing for six weeks, so I guess I’m ready for this gold level DVD. I’ll just skip over the basic and intermediate level stuff. I feel your pain ladies, I’ll get you the number to my chiropractor, or maybe a good podiatrist.

And now the UGLY! I mentioned earlier that a DVD is best used when you have your dance fundamentals covered. But I have, and  maybe we all have, watched the dancer that has learned only from a DVD. They are usually stiff, robotic, predictable, and have a lack of musicality that has you wondering if they hear the same song in their head over and over. You see, this is the major pitfall of video learning for most physical skill based activity. NO FEEL! You can learn where to put the feet, where to place your body, what beat to step on, and more, but not the feeling, that tactile sensation, that really creates the dance and the emotional expression of dance. The video teacher can’t really help you generate the force needed for body flight. Or just how much pressure is needed to lead our partner. Or the feel of that subtle lift to take my partner to the cross in a Tango.

While video can be a great additional tool for learning, it is no substitute for the real thing; a well trained teacher that cares about your progress as a dancer.  So try a group class, try a private lesson, then try a DVD.

And if you don’t have access to any of the above, grab a partner and dance from your own spirit. Something as important as dancing must not be left only to the professionals!

Walt

“Without music, life would be a mistake…. I would only believe in a God who knew how to dance.” – Friedrich Nietzsche

Why Tango?

Greetings Faithful Readers

It’s been three weeks since my hip replacement and I’m happy to report that things are going very well. I’ve started walking without a cane around the house, and the thought of being able to start dancing two or three weeks sooner than expected is exciting. Again, many, many thanks for the cards, emails, and homemade goodies. It’s those little things that really help make the down time more tolerable, and makes me impatient to get on the dance floor.

Which brings me to the point of this post. It’s the question that everyone ask. It’s the question that seems so simple, until I try to answer it. It’s the question where the answer begs more questions. Basically it’s the question that has my friends looking for an escape when they see me coming, kinda like dodging those bald headed folks in orange robes banging a tambourine at the airport.

Walt, why Tango?

I thought it was time for me to man up, and attempt to explain my, dare I say, obsession with Tango. My answer has two purposes; one, to help my readers gain a bit more understanding of my love of this dance. And two, maybe, hopefully, inspire others to try the dance for themselves.

First, the music.

Dance is music made visible, and Tango music is a rare treat. I started dancing about 25 years ago, and teaching a touch less than that. During that time I’ve worked on more than 15 different dances. That’s a lot of dancing, and a lot of different kinds of music. I love all kinds of music, more of some, less of others, from Mozart to Marilyn Manson, from a folk guitar to a stack of synthesizers, and many strange things in between. And while there’s great music to go with every dance, and we love to dance to our favorite songs, there tends to be a kind of predictability with most social dance music. Most of the time a Fox Trot needs to be, should be, a certain style, have an accepted tempo window, and be identifiable as a Fox Trot. This goes for most social dances, and I like that, even look forward to it, until it’s time for Tango.

In Tango all conventions are off. I can dance to a song written before the turn of the last century. Around the mid 1920’s the concept of the sexteto tipico formed, usually two violins, a piano, a counterbass, and two bandoneons, (the instrument of Tango) created music that we dance to today. But Tango music never stopped evolving. As the 50’s arrived Tango musicians began to break away from convention giving us a kind of Nuevo Tango music. New styles, new music, and new masters such as Pugliese and Piazzolla. And even today there are new faces as younger musicians make their mark, fusing traditional styles with a pop sensibility.

Tango music gives us the freedom to experience and experiment with a wide range of movement using only one dance. I might dance a very quick Tango to a song like Libertango, or dance a very driven and sharp Tango to La Yumba. I have been challenged many times by the incredible beauty and stillness found in a piece like Oblivion, suggesting a very slow, contemplative,  and gentle approach to a Tango. And then we can push the boundaries when dancing Tango to non Tango music, such as Andrew Bird’s I.

So, if your someone who has more than a passing interest in music and music history as it pertains to social dance, then Tango will open a door to a world of music that is rich in history, with an impact that has been felt worldwide. Not ready to take the plunge? Jump on Amazon.com and go to the mp3 download section. There do a search for names like Di Sarli, D’Arienzo, Pugliese, Piazzolla, Troilo and Gardel. And for a more modern take, search for groups like Gotan, Tanghetto, Bajofondo, and Otros Aires. Listen to the samples, and if you find something you like, add a few to your collection. Tango just might be the antidote to the corporate produced, forced feed pop schmaltz that you’ve been looking for.

And then there’s the dance.

For me there’s one word that sums up the essence of Tango – improvisation. From a practical standpoint there’s no other dance that lets us choose to shift our dancing  seamlessly from the beat to the melody or to a rhythm, and back again, during the same song. Tango allows us to do this because of a fundamental change in approach, basically, the size of the building blocks. Most social dance is approached from a standardized syllabus. For social dance a syllabus is simply a very detailed description of a combination of steps. The combination’s are used to form patterns, that are then used to form amalgamations, the linking of patterns. It would be a mistake to assume that this would eliminate the need for improvisation. A well trained Ballroom dancer can, and does, create new and exciting combination’s, in real time,  based on the syllabus approach, and with a sense of musicality that is a joy to watch.

Tango has no syllabus, and I don’t think it will for a very long time, if ever. As I said before, it’s the size of the building blocks that gives us the key to Tango. People always say “show me the basic”, and while there is a loosely defined, so called basic, you would have no trouble with the dance if you never learned it. In a very real sense Tango can be thought of as having only three steps; forward, back or side. I always have some fun when someone ask about the Tango basic by asking them to step forward, side, and back, which they usually do with little problem, at which point I tell them they now know the Tango, and just need to work on technique! The simplicity of the step is at the same time freeing and confusing. I’m free to use those steps in any manner I wish, as long as it dose not interfere with other dancers, or cause my partner any discomfort. And yes, this same freedom has an inherent level of confusion. The new dancer faced with so many possibilities is often paralyzed by trying to make these choices in real time on a busy dance floor. But like any social dance, a good class or teacher will present material to ease the transition from pattern based dancing to this world of totally improvised dance.

So from three small steps comes a dance of infinite variety and challenge. No syllabus, patterns, combination’s, or amalgamations.  It’s this freedom to create in the moment that for me makes Tango so addictive. Tango is an ongoing act of spontaneous creation with every step, with your partner.

It may sound like Tango is a one sided dance, that the lead has all the fun. If that is the case, then that’s not a Tango. Tango is the intimate conversation between the lead and follow. (note: I use lead and follow simply as a convention, a way to make the roles distinct, and not as a suggestion of a particular technique, or way of dancing). The famous Tango teacher Carlos Gavito says “I lead and follow”. A good lead can and will, and I say must, create openings and opportunities for the follow to express themselves. This in turn gives the lead new and unexpected chances to react and modify the relationship of the dancers to the dance. Again freedom of expression through improvisation.

For those who are ready to give this dance a try, let me say this. Give the dance some time. This dance tends to sneak up on you slowly, then all at once. It requires most of the techniques of any social dance, and then layers on a few unexpected twist and turns, no pun intended

Well, that’s it for now. Check back often for schedule and event updates. I’ll have new classes starting as soon as I’m mobile, and I’ll be finishing the Salsa and Tango classes that had to be put on hold, so a quick shout out to my students, see ya soon

W

Time On Your Hands?

Greetings Dancers

It’s such a strange thing, having some sort of condition for many years, going to sleep, and upon awakening, it’s gone! And they didn’t even ask me to count backwards from 10.

Such was my case on Wednesday the 22nd. I’ve had a kind hip dysplasia for many years. I had a right total hip done in October 2007 and now my left total replacement. I’ll not bore everyone with the gory details, but if anyone is thinking about doing the procedure and would like to see what my experience has been, feel free to give me a call. But in a nutshell, it’s been fantastic!

There’s an old saying that goes something like, when you have to do without, do within. Say you’ve had to shut down for a while; a week, a month, a few months. Does your dance world need to come to full stop? Not at all. In fact, this may be the best time to experience your passion for movement in a whole new way. I thought I’d toss out a few ideas for those who might be in, or are about to be in, a temporary state of standing still, only faster.

First, as soon as you are able, take your crutches, and head back to the dance hall. It will feel good just being around the music, the atmosphere, and your fellow dance compañeros. It may be hard to have to just watch for a while, but it sure beats watching TV.

Second, speaking of TV, maybe it’s time to dig out all those old instructional videos that you never got around to watching. This would be a great time to really observe and analyze the content of those tapes or DVD’s. And, what about catching up on a dance movie you might have missed. All those great MGM musicals with Fred and Ginger, toss in some Gene, and work your way up to more recent stuff. It’s fun to try something outside your comfort zone; missed the whole break-dance thing? Take a look at Beat Street, a sincere take on street dance and art from the 80’s.

Third, read! There are many good books on the subject of dance. I’m not really talking about nut’s and bolt’s books, but books on the historical, cultural, and social impact of dance. This is a great way to fill in some of the gaps in your dance knowledge, and increase your enjoyment and understanding of dance as an art. But wait, there’s more…There’s this little thing called the Internet, and there you can read incoherent ramblings on blogs by all kinds of crazy…hmm…wait…self incrimination? I hope not Actually there are some really great dance blogs out there, and some really well done websites with tons of useful information on dance. It might take a bit of work to find the good stuff, but it will be worth it.

Fourth, visualization. Ok, this is kinda touchy feely stuff. Visualization, sometimes called guided imagery, mental rehearsal, mediation, and many other things, still use basic techniques and concepts that are somewhat the same. Basically, visualization is the process of creating a mental image or intention of what you want to happen or feel. Now this technique is way beyond the scope of this post, and I have only a lay-mans understanding of the basics, but I can tell you that just closing my eyes and seeing myself walk through my dance movements, simple or complicated, really helps keep me from getting stale as I wait for my return to the dance floor.

So there you have it. Just a few ideas to pull you through your down time. Of coarse there are many more ideas out there so be sure to leave a comment on your favorite way of not going crazy when you temporarily can’t do what you love to do.

It’s August 1st now, and I’m one day closer to my first pain free dance in more than 10 years. Can you visualize happiness? I can

Stay safe, and ask someone to dance.

W

Im HIP!

It’s not quite a visit from Publishers Clearing House, or a refund check from the IRS for five million dollars, but it was almost as good. On Friday July 10th I finally received a letter from the Veterans Administration that it was time to come in and get a new left hip! It’s only been a couple years of waiting so not that bad really, wink wink. So on Wednesday, July 22nd (nothing like plenty of lead time) I will be at the VA hospital in Oklahoma City getting my suspension tuned up.

Of coarse this will mean a slight delay in getting back to my group classes and privates. But when I do get back, LOOK OUT, lol! No dance floor will be safe, and I can finally start teaching all those moves that turn to the left

I will keep my blog up to date and keep any events I hear about current and noted on the schedule. I will also have some new articles coming out, now that I will have a little free time on my hands, so keep checking back.

Well try to stay cool, keep dancing, and may the tangopowers be with you!

Walt

OKTango A Smash Hit

Hola!

What has two violins, a piano, and an upright bass? Why it’s Nathen Fifield’s Tulsa Tango Quartet! Bet ya didn’t know Tulsa had a Tango Quartet. Not only do we, but they made their debut at the OKTango workshop weekend held over June 19th – 21st.

It’s funny how these thing work out. First, a couple of dance teachers, Hazel Lopez of Oklahoma City, and Allen and Cathy Ambler of Tulsa, think it would be fun to have a Tango workshop in Tulsa. I like em already. Then Hazel says she has a friend in Florida that would love to be a part of project: enter Jean Claude Babiloni. Hmm..what do you think, four classes? six, eight, nope TWELVE hours of top Tango instruction. Ok, finished. Well, not yet. the Tulsa connection decides maybe a small committee might be able to come up with a few ideas, you know… just to help out. So the group meets, and meets again. Ideas? How about a full makeover of the dance hall? Sure. And how about complimentary snacks and bottled water for the attendees? Ok. And what about a big dance Saturday night, no wait, Friday too, no wait, what the heck let’s do a short one on Sunday as well. Sold. That should do it. What? Some demo dances? Sure, why not, and a teacher exhibition. Vendors, lets have a couple vendors. Ok, the shoes are on the table. And let’s have a place for dancers to sell their own stuff. Handled, bring in another table.

Just when I think the good ideas are exhausted, I hear something about live music. Live music? You mean like those guys playing guitar down by the bus station? Nope, actually some of the fine musicians that play for the Tulsa Ballet, including Nathan Fifield, Tulsa Ballet music director! As Neo would say “whoa”. And that’s how a simple workshop turned into a fantastic full weekend Tango event, and maybe an ongoing annual event.

The event kicked off Friday night with a milonga attended by dancers from Tulsa, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, and Stillwater and other locations. The VFW went from being a plain dance hall to a colorful and vibrant ballroom with a touch of Buenos Aries, La Boca to be more exact. Flowers, candles, small covered tables, and sparkling lights that hung from the walls, created a festive and intimate atmosphere for the dancers. During the evening we were treated to a Tango demonstration by Allen Ambler and partner Bobbie Aikman. Gratz to Bobbie. Lots of great music and dancing, and much more to come.

Saturday started with an 11:15 call for the first of the weekends workshops. Our pros for the weekend were Hazel Lopez and Jean Claude.

Jean Claude was introduced to Argentine Tango 40 years ago and was trained in Rosario, Argentina, by the late Orlando Paiva, universally considered by the Argentine Tango masters, such as Juan Carlos Copes, as the model of elegance in the Argentine Tango. He now makes his home in Miami, Florida. Sometimes top level teachers are hard to spot at an events evening activities, to put it nicely. Not so Jean Claude. He was always on his feet, dancing with dancers of all skill levels. Even as the time passed 1 AM, he was dancing with one of the few ladies with enough energy to keep up with him. BTW, if you meet him, ask him to tell you the story about being a bodyguard for the Saudi royal family, from his younger days. Just when you think you got someone figured out…

And then there’s Hazel Lopez, with that amazing smile. Hazel has more than 20 years in the dance industry. She finished her BA in Fine Arts from the National Academy of Arts in Guatemala in 1981. Proving she has the skill to pay the bills, she danced professionally throughout Central America, the United States and Europe as a member of companies including the Guatemala Ballet Company and the London Hite Ballet Company in Los Angeles. In her spare time, lol, she teaches ballet, jazz, tap, creative movement, modern dance, flamenco, salsa and Argentine Tango, oh, and Spanish! And if you hear the patter of little feet, that’s (no, not her husband) just Frankie, her dog.

At the close of the Saturday workshops, tables were set up for an impromptu flea market. Clothing, shoes, and costume jewelry were some of the bargains to be had by a lucky few.

But when the sun goes down, the dancers come out. After some free time for dinner and freshening up it was time to head for the VFW. The doors opened at 8:30 and the dancers, itching to try out their new Tango powers learned from the days classes, began to arrive. After a half hour or so of dancing, it was time. Dancers and spectators watched as the musicians of the Tulsa Tango Quartet tuned up for their debut performance. Just as an artist will tell you how vitally important it is to draw from a live model, I can’t tell how moving it is to dance Tango to live music played by musicians of this caliber. In two 45 minute sets, book ended with La Comparsita, they played some of my all time favorites: La Yumba, Tanguera, and the devastatingly beautiful Oblivion!

But the show was not done yet. Hazel and Juan Claude punctuated the evening with three fantastic dances. Remember, Hazel lives in Oklahoma City, and Jean Claude in Miami, so these were not practiced routines, but improvised as the music played. All I can say is that you had to be there to understand how amazing the dancing was.

At one point I counted more than 60 dancers at the Saturday night milonga. This dance didn’t end till almost 1:30 AM, and this after a full day of workshops!

Speaking of workshops, It’s now Sunday and time for the last four classes. Tango technique, Vals, Milonga Lisa, and Milonga Traspie. Hazel and Jean Claude take us through the basics of these more up tempo dances that make up the triple threat that is Tango.

For many years I directed a national level Western dance event. When Sunday rolled around and the event was a fresh memory, it was always the same: I thought about how I felt before, and after the event. Will anyone come? Can I deliver what I said I could? Will they come back? Do I have any friends left? lol.All the weeks (months) of planning and worry was over in hours.

And so as I watched the decorations being put in the boxes, tables put back, lights taken down, food and drink and coolers carried out, and exhausted dancers heading for home, it hits me: Hazel, Jean Claude, and Allen and Cathy have produced a damn fine event. One that I’ll always remember and enjoy telling folks about.

Just a quick shout out to “the group” that had a part in making this a smash hit: Bill, Bobbie, Cathy, Danny, Jenny, Susan, and, seems like there was one more..hmm..I think he just stopped by for the food

P.S. An event DVD is available for just $10. It has a quick review of all the material taught in the workshops, demos, exhibitions, and photos. Just call me or shoot me an email and I’ll  be sure you get yours.

Until we meet again…

W

Pellegrino Workshop Followup

Hello All

Over the weekend of May 30th and 31st Casa Tango was host to four workshops with teacher, tango dancer, and singer, Laura Pellegrino. Besides the classes, she brought the latest hot Tango shoes (Comme Il Faut) to sell. She covered a number of topics and techniques that fall into what she would call Nuevo Salon style Tango. What is Nuevo Salon you may ask? Well…it’s…hmm…sorta…kinda…actually I don’t know if I can do a description justice with my limited experience. But, that won’t stop me from trying, lol. So this is a very general way that I personally think about this style:

Nuevo may be thought of as a style and approach to Tango where the emphasis is on a structural analysis of the dance to discover and experiment with unexplored combinations of steps and figures.  The Nuevo embrace is danced with an open, looser, and elastic feel, with a very upright posture and a lot of emphasis on the dancers maintaining their own axes.  A few trademark movements of Nuevo are overturned ochos, cadenas (chain), linear boleos and volcadas (from volcar, to tip over). The use of an elastic embrace basically means that for some of the dance the leads right side and the follows left may be very close together, in a gentle V shaped hold. At other times, in order to accommodate the larger and more dynamic movement of the style, the embrace is allowed (encouraged) to slip i.e. the arms slide to open up the leads right side.

I thought I would list a few of the main points that was the core of the four workshops.

1) The flexible embrace – Allowing the arms to slip to create more or less space between the dancers as needed.

2) Flexed Knees – Bringing the center down and allowing for a greater reach of the free leg forward, side, or back.

3) Basic Alignment – The dancer should hold a balanced and upright stance (just stand up, Laura would say). Keep a slight forward intention of the upper body and allow the hips to roll back slightly.

4) Hip Rotation – Hips should rotate to a perpendicular position to the leads hips before extending the leg to a forward or back position. BTW, this is a very full rotation and illustrates why the embrace would be allowed to slip to accommodate the range of movements in Nuevo style.

5) Move From the Core – As with all dances, the dancer should move from the core. The body should remain upright and not tilted. The body should move from the downward force into the floor, to propel the body into the new position. I have often used the phrase “dance one inch below the surface of the floor” to describe this action. We did an interesting exercise to help get a feel for this concept. The exercise is on the workshop notebook DVD.

6) Foot Collection – We spent time with how the feet are collected when doing movements like an ocho or molinete. Hip rotation alone should be enough to draw the thighs together. The image used was that a cord with a brick attached to the floor end, and the other end attached to the hip, was allowed to drag on the floor. As the hips turn, the leg should have the feel of this drag, creating a lagging effect. This lets the legs collect more naturally.

7) Movements – We worked on a basic approach to the secada, the boleo, and briefly touched on a volcada. There were various details presented for each movement, but still with an eye on the Nuevo style. I found the approach to the boleo very interesting, as the movement was created in an entirely different way from what I am personally used to. A lot of fun!

So there you have it. Just a quick look at some of the material worked on during the workshops. I would really encourage any dancers out there to take advantage of workshops that become available to you. Even if you are just starting out, you never know what you will learn that really pays off in the long run. Plus taking classes with friends means you can help each other remember this stuff later on. Help stamp out C.R.S, that’s my motto

Two last points. One, your next workshop in Tulsa will be OKTango, June 19th -21st. Go to oktango.org and click the upcoming events link for full info on this great opportunity.

Two, I have a workshop notebook of laura Pellegrinos classes available for just $10. It runs about 25 minutes and covers all four classes. Even though it’s a overview of each class, there’s a lot of great information on the DVD. It’s would be very useful even if you were not able to make it. Just get in touch with me and I’ll be sure you get one.

That’s it for now. I’m too hip, I gotta go!

W