Scouting Tour (NYC and SF, October 30-November 5)

Saturday, November 1, 2008
Buenos Aires Tango Milonga at the 92nd Street Y, New York City (92nd Street & Lexington, $15). When I got there at 9:30, they were just finishing up the lesson, taught by Karina Romero, the organizer. When the milonga got underway, I was disappointed by the large number of beginners, many of them seniors. I was quickly put at ease since nonbeginner dancers arrived later on, which made for a scene not too unlike San Francisco. The dance floor is a large space, with lovely maple floor. It was very civilized, with floor craft being pretty good despite the large number of dancers, and lots of men dressed in coat and tie. At midnight, Graciela Gonzalez performed with Dardo Galletto (Karina's partner), followed by a performance by Natalia Hills and Gabriel Misse. They all danced beautifully. Food was of the processed average supermarket variety (not west coast gourmet healthy). One odd thing, at least in the beginning, was that many of the leaders I danced with did not know the etiquette of dancing an entire tanda with one person, and saying thank you to convey you are done dancing with that person (they said thank you after every song and conveyed they wished to continue dancing the rest of the tanda after they said thank you). The facility has a dressing room space just off of the ladies' room, and there is a coat check (oddly $1 at the start, $2 at the end of the evening). I spoke to local dancers who said that it was the largest milonga in NYC space wise, but only happens once a month. They also recommended the Lafayette Grill and Dance Manhattan milongas, and said that the local younger dancers (nuevo?) tend to go to the practicas.

Monday, November 3, 2008
La Cumparsita Milonga @ Slovenian Hall. I got there late so I just watched the end of Pier's and Daniel's lesson on barridas. They did barridas at various points of the 8CB (like sweeping Follower's foot into the cross) and emphasized technical points like timing of the barrida, and quality of movement when you sweep the foot or receive the sweep. Tango Con*Fusion did a fine performance. Tangonero, a new Bay Area-based tango band, played well. They are good. The milonga was fun since it was well attended (and many local maestros were there, too). I was able to dance with many of my favorite leaders, but no one new asked me to dance.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008
CCSF Classes. In Follower's Technique we worked on Vals. The clip was from CITA 2006 of Eduardo Sauceda and Cecilia Gonzalez (la otra, no la famosa). It was noted that some milonga steps can be used in vals (the 1-2 ones), but must always respect the pulse of the music. There is also a fluidity, adjustable nature of the embrace, and a lighthearted lyricism to val music. We did our usual floor exercises, and balance and foot strengthening exercises (without the barres tonight), and then focused vals musicality, doing a lot on walking (regular and with embellishments), catching on the 2 or 3. We ended with a simple sequence that involved getting the Follower to the cross, then Follower doing two forward ochos (with optional embellishment of flip of left leg to pivot around the close side of the embrace, to do a shoe polish or tap of left foot up Leader's right leg). In Advanced, the clip was from CITA 2007 of Fabian Salas and Carolina Del Rivero. We changed the sequence in Follower's Technique, adding Leader sacadas to her forward ochos. To that we added a forward ocho of Follower left foot; she then collects with her right, pivots and changes weight; then we added Follower counterclockwise molinete with Leader kick through on her back left step, a Leader tap diagonal behind himself on her side right step, and a Leader sacada on her forward left step, and then an enganche of Follower left leg of Leader's right leg after her right side step around him. It was a good class. It felt great to be back.

COME JOIN ME!

Thursday, November 6, 2008
TangoVida Ladies' Technique and Milonga lesson.

Friday, November 7, 2008
Downtown Palo Alto Milonga
OR Forever Tango Workshop on Giros and Sacadas followed by Monte Cristo milonga.

Saturday, November 8
Maybe Forever Tango Workshop on Boleos and Ganchos
La Milonga De Nora @ Allegro with Los Hermanos Macana teaching the lesson.

Sunday, November 9
Ushering at Forever Tango, 2:00 p.m. show. You can't usher with me, but if you buy a ticket, I can show you where your seat is. :o)
Studio Gracia Milonga with Lesson by Negracha y Diego Lanau -- my absolute FAVORITE visiting maestros. Lucky for the bay area, Negracha y Diego are teaching at Studio Gracia all Sundays in November, December, and January. Woo hooo!!

Monday, November 10
La Cumparsita Milonga @ Slovenian Hall. Carolina will teach the lesson.
OR maybe Forever Tango Workshop (not too thrilled with the topic: Sequences and practica).

Wednesday, November 12
CCSF Followers' Technique and Advanced classes.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS:

FOREVER TANGO WORKSHOPS:
Several of the cast of Forever Tango are holding workshops over the next two weeks:
11/7 5:00 p.m. Giros & Sacadas
11/8 4:30 p.m. Boleos & Ganchos
11/10: 8:30 p.m. Sequences & Practica
11/14 5:00 p.m. Sequences
11/15 4:30 p.m. Milonga
If you take all 5 workshops ($100), you get a free ticket to Forever Tango. That is a GREAT deal. I am trying to figure out how to fit the lessons in schedulewise and financewise, since I am only really keen on three of the lessons, and I will have already seen the production on 11/9 when I usher.
http://www.lapistatango.com/forever_tango_workshops_2008.html

Quaduple Tango Night: November 22 -- so many fantastic milongas to choose from:
Luiza Paes @ All Night (she's Pulpo's former dance partner; I really want to take a lesson from her)
Negracha y Diego @ Danceasy (my favorite visiting maestros)
Gustavo & Giselle @ Allegro (no lesson, but sure to draw a crowd)
Homer & Cristina @ Late Shift (I write the tangostudent notes, this is closest to me in SF and no bridge toll)