[Tango-A] NA-E: Villa Urquiza-Style Tango with A Nuevo Twist--A Seminar in NYC with Andres & Meredith

[Meredith Klein]

Villa Urquiza-style Tango with a Nuevo Twist
A Seminar with Andres Amarilla & Meredith Klein

March 29-30 & April 12-13 at You Should Be Dancing
412 Eighth Ave, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10001

Complete details below.  If you still have questions…
call 212-244-0011 or email info at youshouldbedancing.net or
see http://andresamarilla.com/urquiza.htm

What is Villa Urquiza-style tango?
Villa Urquiza (from the Villa Urquiza neighborhood in Buenos Aires) is
one of the most beautiful styles within the overarching label of
"traditional Argentine tango."  The style is characterized by its
elegance, with an emphasis on clean lines, exquisite adornments, and
soulful musicality.

What is Nuevo Tango?
While some people confuse nuevo tango with certain movements, or even
with a particular way of dressing or musical taste, it is actually
something much simpler and easier to define.  Nuevo Tango is a means
of analysis that enables us to identify the movements and combinations
of movements that are common in traditional tango, and to re-use them
in ways that are not common in traditional tango.  For instance, while
it is common in traditional tango for the leader to execute a back
sacada with his left foot, the asymmetry of the tango embrace makes it
much more challenging to execute the same sacada with the right foot.

In the mid-1990s, a group of dancers in Buenos Aires began exploring
what happened when traditional tango elements were used in uncommon
ways.  Much of this exploration was done in closed rehearsals
organized by Fabian Salas.  Because many of the resultant movements
and combinations of movements were more physically challenging than
traditional tango steps, they had to refine their movement technique
in order to accommodate the new style.  In this way, the birth of
"nuevo tango" launched several dancers into international careers as
tango teachers and performers, including Gustavo Naveira, Fabian
Salas, and Mauricio Castro.  Although much younger than the others,
Andres Amarilla was one of the dancers in that group.

What will we work on in this Seminar?
The seminar consists of eight 1.5-hour sessions in the course of two
weekends (March 29-30 and April 12-13).  Each day, we'll start by
working on the movement technique and stylistic details of certain
Villa Urquiza steps.  Because Villa Urquiza style makes great use of
turns with enrosques, lapices, and agujas, these traditional sequences
can be distinctly challenging.  Once we have mastered a certain
sequence, we'll start to break it down, analyze its elements, and
recombine them in ways that are not typical of traditional tango.  In
so doing, students will not only come to understand the process of
analysis that is central to "nuevo tango," but will gain tools to help
them create their own sequences, whether "on the fly" during
improvisation, or more methodically in practice sessions or
choreography.  Lastly, we'll focus on refinements in technique that
have to be made in order to execute the more challenging combinations
of movements that make up "nuevo tango."

Seminar Info
This seminar is appropriate for intermediate and advanced tango
dancers.  We strongly encourage students to sign up for all 8 classes,
as we will build progressively on material and themes throughout the
seminar.

Who are Andres Amarilla & Meredith Klein?
Andres began dancing tango at age 11 and had the good fortune to study
with 3 of the greatest tango dancers of all time (Gustavo Naveira,
Juan Carlos Copes, and Rodolfo Dinzel) before his 18th birthday.  At
age 17, he partnered for a year with Geraldine Rojas, immersing
himself in the Villa Urquiza style which Geraldine, and her stepfather
Jorge Dispari, are known for.  (See
http://youtube.com/watch?v=EKqA4EDwW5w for a video of Andres &
Geraldine dancing Villa Urquiza style in 1993.)  In the 1990s, Andres
participated in closed rehearsals organized by Fabian Salas in which
the style of nuevo tango was essentially invented.  Andres & Meredith
have been working together for just 2 years and have already taught
over 2,000 students in 30 cities on 4 continents.

Dates & Times:
Saturday, March 29
3:00-4:30 pm: Characteristics of Villa Urquiza Style
5:00-6:30 pm: Nuevo Tango Defined

Sunday, March 30
3:00-4:30 pm: Enrosques and Reloj in Villa Urquiza Style
5:00-6:30 pm: Concepts from Last Class with a Nuevo Twist

Saturday, April 12
3:00-4:30 pm: Giros and Corridas in Villa Urquiza Style
5:00-6:30 pm: Concepts from Last Class with a Nuevo Twist

Sunday: April 13
3:00-4:30 pm: Adornments (for leader and follower) and Boleos in Villa
Urquiza Style
5:00-6:30 pm: Concepts from Last Class with a Nuevo Twist

Pricing
With pre-registration by 3/26, $165 for entire seminar or $45 per day.
 At the door:  $55 per day or $30 per class.  To register call
212-244-0011 or email info at youshouldbedancing.net