[Tango-A] NA-C: Helen La Vikinga arrives TONIGHT to begin a week of workshops and dancing in Chicago

[PJ Grant]

Helen La Vikinga                   1st Chicago engagement                    September 20-28, 2009
Originator of “Mano a Mano” milongain BsAs
This is YOUR opportunity to work on your leading and following, regardless of your gender.
 
Check out Helen’s website:  http://www.lavikinga.eu/ - she’ll have some of her shoes to sell!
A brief bio and further list of video links follow schedule.  

As a special introduction to Chicago, ALL 4 evening workshops now available for $60 (a $80 value). 
Note –these will be longer and more intensive than typical pre-milonga classes.
 
Sun., Sept. 20  Welcome Helen to Chicago at by Tango Reaction milonga (9:00 p-midnight p at Barba Yianni, 4761 N Lincoln Ave; entry $10)

The themes of instruction will be cumulative over Helen’s week in Chicago
 Evening Workshops - All Levels but challenging for even most advanced dancers; $20-$15 each depending on when paid & how many taken (ALL 4 for $60 ($80 value)):  
W1: Mon., Sept. 21 (7:30-9:00 p) Approaching traditional Argentine tango with an open mind - “Here I meet the difficulties”: Technical work applied to different concepts as the disassociation, the transfer of weight, the balance, etc, both individual and in the couple.  ARTango studio (4011 N Ravenswood, Chicago)
   W2: Tues., Sept. 22 (8:00-9:30 p) Milonga & Milonga Traspié - “Time to have fun”: including musicality, understanding the longitude of the movement and transfer of the weight. The Ritz Tango Café (933 N Ashland Ave, Chicago) followed by Milonga Negra (cover $10; class & milonga for $25 – save $5)
   W3: Wed., Sept. 23 (7:30-9:00 p) The 8 basic Elements in Tango for everyone- The Posture - El Abrazo - The Communication - The Connection- The Musicality - La Caminata -  The Marking - The Interpretation - "Overcome nervousness and the lack of control": exploring communication and technical exerciseswithin these 8 basic elements, applying the important permission where the body
express itself according to the musical stimulation with different musical styles and with the relaxation as akey objective. Barba Yianni
Greek Taverna(4761 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago) followed by Tango Reaction Milonga (cover $10; class & milonga for $25 –
save $5)
   W4:Thurs., Sept. 24 (7:30-9:00 p) Tango Libre (Free Tango) – ”Now it´s my turn”: The sensation of being able to transit coordinated, embraced while feeling and listening to the music and to the body of the other with freedom. Discover you can reach more technique and more dancing enjoyment, and as the most important, the fact that we can communicate without words, omitting  the force and letting the game of being free speak for itself. Club Alhambra(1240 W Randolph, Chicago) followed by Milonga Loca (cover $10; class & milonga for $25 – save $5)
Fri., Sept. 25 appearing at Milonga Portena (Latvian Community Center, 4146 N Elston Ave  at Hamlin)
   
Helen La Vikinga will continue her week in Chicago with classes and dancing in Barrington Sept. 26-28
Sept. 26 – 28  Classes in Barrington with Tango ArgentinaClub
Celebrate Helen's Birthday a tLa Yunta milonga on Sat., Sept. 26
tangoargentinaclub at yahoo.com Marie and Ruben (708) 903-6612 for information on classes in Barrington 
 
Helen will have ample opportunity for private lessons – call Phoebe to schedule
Rates: $70 for 1 hour; $60/hour for 2-3 hours;$50/hour for 4-6 hours; small group rates available
WCT offers a $10/hour maximum discount for each hour of private lessons with Helen with a paid package or workshop (only ONE discount / hour is permitted). Minimum 24 hour advance notice to Phoebe&/or Helen is required to cancel a private lesson  – or
you pay for the time you reserved. Rates do NOT include cost of studio space if necessary; free space probably is available. Transportation time to your location or for a “privacy window” will be billed at applicable rate.

The internationally-known tanguera Helen Halldórsdóttir comes to Chicago for the 1st time September 20-28. Though she’s proven her mettle as a dancer of note - her Buenos Aires milonga, or dance party, is listed as a nightlife standout in the New York Times - her specialty is breaking down the traditional boundaries of partner dancing by teaching a tango in which anyone can lead, anyone can follow and your partner doesn’t even have to be of the opposite sex.
“I had been dancing most of my life,” Halldórsdóttir - who goes by La Vikinga, an affectionate nickname given her by Buenos Aires locals unaccustomed to an Icelandic blonde dancing their dance - explains of her own introduction to tango. But initially, “to give some man permission to lead was almost too much for me.” But as her fascination with tango music blossomed, she says, she felt compelled to learn the dance that accompanied it. “Once I understood that you can enjoy following and that you can take it as more of an invitation I started to see the fun of it.”
Several years later, and after relocating permanently to Argentina, La Vikinga’s focus is on encouraging than as rules you have to obey, everyone to dance, whether as leaders, followers or both. As a performer, she herself is known for working with men and women alike as well as switching roles, even in the middle of a dance - something that’s not traditionally done in the passionate, strongly
gendered world of tango. 
“When I started to lead at the milongas in Buenos Aires four or five years ago, that wasn’t common,” La Vikinga still not so common here yet, but you can see more and more where awoman can lead a man or dance with another woman.” This is the spirit she hopes
to convey with this series of workshops - that newcomers and experienced dancers, couples and singles, straight or gay, are all welcome on the dancefloor.
 “You don’t have to be gay to like to be led by, or to lead, the same sex,” La Vikinga says. “There’s this term ‘queer tango’ that you hear in Buenos Aires, but it’s not just gay people that are dancing it. You may have more fun leading or more fun following, but everyone can dance and have fun. That’s the most important thing.”
And in the end, no matter who you tango with, it’s about connecting with your partner and the music. In fact, that’s what keeps both new and experienced dancers coming back for more: “It’s what’s called a ‘tango moment’ - a flash of heaven where the music ends and you don’t want to let go. You’re in a crowd of people and everybody else disappears, time disappears … the only important thing is the music and the embrace. It’s a three-minute love affair.” 
courtesy JessicaSchilling of Iowa tango community
 
Watch Helen dancing – following and leading:
http://www.facebook.com/video/?of=542986247– link to Helen’svideos on facebook, including 
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=128243006247&ref=nf – with Jorge Torres
and,on YouTube, these plus others:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftznWWJz6NI&feature=PlayList&p=7E68FB9419BAA7EF&index=1– switching leads while dancing milonga
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu4d49r-1Ac&feature=PlayList&p=7E68FB9419BAA7EF&index=2 – at Ideal to live music
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XBbB6hFNw0– chacarera
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RG163hXCHJQ&feature=related– another milonga
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UFoW9oK3wE&feature=related– another Ideal to live music
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTX10ofC-cM– very sexy at La Marshall
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4ayFkdox-0&feature=related 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ku1PACEuJ4&feature=PlayList&p=7E68FB9419BAA7EF&index=0&playnext=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu4d49r-1Ac&feature=PlayList&p=7E68FB9419BAA7EF&index=2 
 
To receive additional information about this event or instructor – including individual pricing and opportunities for other (e.g., travel) discounts – email WindyCityTango at yahoo.com or call / text Phoebe J Grant at 312-60TANGO (312-608-2646)