[Tango-A] NA-C: Descriptions of Classes & Workshops w/ Deb Sclar & Brian Dunn - March 9 - 12, 2007

[PJ Grant]

Friday, March 9  7:30-8:45 PM   "Breathing to Navigate" All Levels
IN tango lessons, we often deal with an idealized environment - managed
partner exchanges, controlled levels of crowding, and other artificial
effects of the class situation.  In many ways, then, success in classes does
not prepare us to maximize our artistry in real-world dancing.  Floorcraft
and Navigation classes help us with disaster avoidance, but there is another
level beyond that - turning your dance into a dance with the entire room,
much like skiers and windsurfers turn the moguls, wind and waves into
elements in their artistic expression. This involves being ready for both
very tight and very open spaces in your dance. For leaders, we'll work on
how you can take temporary momentary crowding or wide-open empty floor
spaces as an artistic opportunity instead of a chance to panic, or to shut
down and wait for your preferred "better weather". For followers, we'll show
you how to scale your dance to powerfully express yourself in both large and
small tango spaces.  

Saturday, March 10
1:00-1:45 PM   "Ready, Set - Tango!" All Levels
Our favorite tango warmup routines, which you can use at home in your
practice, just before the milonga, or anytime you want to stay warmed up
while sitting.  Stretch yourself physically, mentally, socially,
psychically, and spiritually to maximize your preparation for the next
dance.

2-3:30 PM  "Free Leg Tango" All Levels
We've found the best long-term foundation for your tango technique to be a
deep-down understanding of the physics and physiology of the lead-follow
connection.  "Free Leg Tango" is deep training about how to create and use
the unweighted leg (usually of the follower) as an expressive element in the
dance.  This technique is essential for effortless, natural-looking boleos,
ganchos, volcadas, colgadas, shared-axis turns.  Free-leg work also smooths
out your walk, and offers a greater range of expression in small adornments.
Leaders will discover how to "grow metaphysical nerves" into their
follower's free leg to get a sense for how to manage and express with this
exquisitely delicate lead-follow connection.

4:00-5:30 PM "Giros & Rebote" Intermediate
Turning in tango gives the leader a chance to manage the space, and the
follower a chance to shine with sexy pivots and crossing steps.  Most
dancers develop a habit of turning based on their early learning, which
works most of the time and meets some of these goals.  We'll explore in
depth the different kinds of "turning energy" you can use, drill the steps
that use them, and leave you with a clear framework for later practice.
More advanced dancers can explore with us the fascinating details of
shared-axis turns, a hot topic among the dancers we work with in Buenos
Aires.

Sunday, March 11
1:00-3:00 PM All Levels "Tango of the Woman/Man" (taught separately for
leaders and followers)
The tango experience is a divine opportunity for our core masculine and
feminine energies and identities to come out and celebrate together.  Most
(but not absolutely all) of the masculine energy in the dance is given to
the leader, and most (but not absolutely all) of the feminine energy of the
dance is reserved for the follower.  These ideas have tremendous
consequences for our understanding and experience of the silent conversation
that is social tango.  We'll work with leaders to see how these ideas
translate into what some people call the "tango personality" and the
pleasures and pitfalls of energizing that part of your dancing.  For
followers, we'll explore how releasing your radiant feminine side into the
dance in a more conscious way with greater awareness of your choices can
transform your dance experience.  NOTE: in a recent five-day TangoIntensivo
workshop in Buenos Aires, Deb took the workshop as a leader and Brian took
it as a follower - we'll bring the fruits of this fascinating experiment
into our work with you in this class.  Advanced dancers interested in
experimenting with the "other role" are welcome to "switch" for this class. 

3:30-5:00 "Infinite Sacadas Together" Intermediate Plus
An intensive look at the "tango matrix" of sacadas as developed by Gustavo
Naveira, Fabian Salas, Chicho Frumboli, Luciana Valle and their associates,
an example of an approach that transformed the understanding and teaching of
tango in the last fifteen years.  We'll examine all the possible variations
on this common move, while refining our technique in the process.  But in
addition, we'll give you the mental tools to ba able to apply the "tango
matrix" approach to any aspect of your tango.  This approach gives you an
organized and systematic way to efficiently and creatively stretch your
repertoire of steps on your own forever. 

Monday, March 12  8:00-9:15 PM   "Fresh BsAs Favorites" Intermediate Plus
Practonga 9:30 PM -12:30 AM  $10 without Class
During our latest trip, we took special care to develop a high-level
framework for  some of the most interesting new explorations in tango
currently under development in the exciting practica scene in Buenos Aires,
most of them inspired largely by the relentless genius of "Chicho" Frumboli.
While you may not master some of the fruits of this work in one class, we
hope to leave you with the tools you'll need to enliven your own practice
for many months to come!


Phoebe J. (PJ) Grant of WindyCityTango, Unlimited
(773) 260-2595 direct contact / WindyCityTango at yahoo.com
Promoter, Teacher, Performer, Sponsor of Argentine Tango