Fran Chesleigh doing Fine - Carolina Jaurena is Guest Teacher at Firehouse

Published: Fri, 07/19/13

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July 18, 2013 Newsletter
Fran Chesleigh
We're happy to report that Fran called to say that his hernia operation went well.  He sounded tired but happy, and he's doing fine.  Should he need to take another week to heal, Carolina has agreed to teach again next Thursday.
Carolina Jaurena 

In Fran's absence, Carolina Jaurena did a wonderful job teaching our beginner and intermediate classes.


Carolina will also teach at Milonga Los Pitucos this Saturday night.  It's a great milonga run by our friend Felix Pacheco.  See details in this newsletter under Tango in New Jersey - Milongas.  I urge you to try it.


Should Fran not be able to come next week (July 18), Carolina will teach in his place.  For more information, here is her web site: http://www.andresycarolina.com/carolina-jaurena.html

Firehouse celebrations

 
No more birthdays in July.  We look forward to celebrating Joe Dallon's birthday on August 8th.





If heaven is anything like celebrating one's birthday at Firehouse Tango, it has a lot to recommend it. Frankly, I'd rather be at Firehouse. Thank you lovely tangueras, for a birthday memory I shall cherish. Con mucho amore,

Steve Turi

I keep saying I do not want to celebrate any more birthdays, but how many men will line up to dance with me, if not for the traditional tributes on birthdays.....oh well, you know that is not really true because our tanqueros dance with all of the ladies...

Terri Lopez



Readers' Corner
We welcome readers' contributions about Argentine Tango in general and Firehouse Tango in particular. Send your thoughts to firehousetango@gmail.comWe welcome readers' contributions about Argentine Tango in general and Firehouse Tango in particular. Send your thoughts to firehousetango@gmail.com
From Elena Syrett

My dear Sue and Joe and all my fellow tangueros and tangueras:
 
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for making me so very happy last night with such a splendid celebration of my Birthday!
 
I am thankful to all you who hugged me, wished me Happy Birthday, smiled at me when I was a little nervous as I was dancing (yes it happens to the best of us...) and were there for me in so many ways...
 
Special thanks go to Maro and Renata for their friendship and thoughtfulness:
the flowers were wonderful, the gardenia (all from Maro's garden) gorgeous, the hand adornment superb; ladies you made me so happy!
 
Equally special thanks go to Tobia for starting the dance and all the wonderful, sexy and above all nice guys who danced with me and made me feel so special! My appreciation goes out to all of you....

Elena
 

Tango Tip of the week  - Sent to us by Fran
Fran cares so much about his Firehouse friends that, even though he is in the hospital, he didn't want us to miss a weekly Tango Tip.  Thank you so much, dear teacher and friend .

Hello everyone, Fran here with your Tango Tip of the Week. If you've taken any of my classes at the Firehouse, you've no doubt heard me say on more than one occasion that Tango occurs in increments of one step at a time. When I say this, I mean it in two very specific ways. The first is functional, literal; the second is aesthetic. Let's talk about each one.

Tango is not a dance that is taught in sequences - or what most of us call "steps." Functionally, we learn to dance Tango one step or movement at a time. Each movement has a beginning, a middle, and an end. So, for example, the leader initiates, let's say, a forward step by offering his follower a lead (he lowers his body by flexing slightly at the knees in order to indicate the fact that he is about to travel, and then he begins to move forward with his entire body). Next, both partners travel through space independently. Finally both partners find balance at the end of the movement, bringing their legs and feet together and stopping. This completes one element or movement. Once a single movement has been completed, the leader may or may not choose to invite an additional movement. Since the follower has no idea what's going to happen after the completion of every element, she stops at the end of the step which has been invited and waits for whatever may happen next. Thus, Tango occurs functionally in increments of a single movement.

From an aesthetic standpoint dancers in Argentina are also thinking in terms of one step at a time. Elaborate sequences are for the stage, for performance, maybe for various kinds of Tango competition. But they have no particular place in the social dance. When an Argentine man dances with his partner, he tries to make her feel as comfortable and as cared for as possible within every step of the dance. The only way this can happen is through careful, measured, controlled movement in which the leader is paying absolute attention to what his follower is doing with each movement he leads. At the end of each element he notices whether she has achieved balance and is therefore ready for the next lead - or perhaps she takes a bit of time to finish what she's doing, and needs him to wait a beat or two before continuing. Sometimes, it may feel appropriate to the leader to invite his follower to take several movements in continuous sequence. At other times, he will lead her to take one step at a time. It all depends on his intimate reading of her responses to his lead, and, of course, to the music and to the conditions they find on the dance floor.

If you would like to dance more in the manner of Argentine dancers, try to think of Tango as one single movement at a time. Try to lead each element with great care, making sure that your follower finishes the step you're leading in comfortable balance before you ask for the next step. At the same time, try to avoid stagy, athletic sequences that are designed for venues other than the social dance floor. We all know that such behavior is tempting at times, but it demonstrates to those who know better that you aren't ready for the milongas of Buenos Aires. And that's where I want to you to be as soon as you can find the airfare.

See you in a week or so!

Saturdays with Fran and Pat at Dance Manhattan
Fran teaches at Dance Manhattan from 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. every Saturday. He offers a beginner class in Milonga & Argentine Waltz at 11:00 a.m. as well as an intermediate class in Tango at noon. From 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. Fran and Pat host a special beginner/intermediate practice for bringing your skills up to speed. The cost for the practice is $10 per person. (Bringing a partner isn't necessary.) Fran and Pat are always on hand to answer any questions you may have about your dancing, and to help you with material you're working on. If you want to take Fran's classes, call Dance Manhattan at 212-807-0802 to register. If you'd like a private lesson, call Fran directly at 212-662-7692 or email him at franchesleigh@mac.com. For the practice, all you have to do is arrive with $10 and your dance shoes in hand.


See you every Saturday for a full day of Tango!
Our web site


 
Photos
 
You will notice that Joe has been taking lots of pictures lately.  I'm happy to say that many of them have been posted on our web site at www.firehousetango.com  Just click on Gallery and 2013. 
 

Newsletter

You will always find this week's and last week's newsletters on our web site under Newsletter.


Fran Chesleigh's Tango Tips

 
Fran's Tango Tips going back to 2006 can be found under Tango Tips.  


Check it all out at www.firehousetango.com
 




10% off New York Tango Festival for Firehouse folks - July 22 - 28
Here's information about the 13th New York Tango Festival in July.  Tell them that you are from Firehouse Tango and get 10% off.

Flyers are available at the front desk, or you can get information on their web site:  http://www.celebratetango.com/

Firehouse Tango hot line - We rarely cancel
We want to remind everyone that if the weather looks really bad, we will leave messages on our web site www.firehousetango.com and phone 201-825-1570. You can also reach us on our cell phone 201-826-6602 (Sue) and 201-913-8504 (Joe). Feel free to leave a message on any of these lines. We cancel only when absolutely necessary (only about six seven times in all these years), but please check whenever you're not sure. If there isn't any message, we're on.

During Hurricane Sandy, when we had only cell phone service, I was able to leave a message on my cell, so I guess that the best number to call is 201-826-6602.
Lost and Found
 If you lost something, we probably have it. We have a few ladies' scarves and some shoes. There are also various items of clothing and jewelry in the closet. Ask Tibor at the front desk.
A final thank you
The following folks helped set up, break down and clean up before and after the milonga. Without them, there would be no Firehouse Tango.


  • Terri Lopez -
  • Tony Mele
  • Tsipoyra Sartan
  • Eva Roth
  • steve turi
  • Stephen Maisch
  • Debbie Glaser
  • June Stahl
  • Eva Roth
  • Barbara Lombardo
  • Jesse Barton
  • Mary Epiphan
  • Lynn Gross
A reminder that Firehouse Tango does not supply wine - Your fellow tangueros bring it. Therefore, if you drink it, please make sure to bring a bottle every so often.

The folks below brought food and wine this week -
 
  • Eva Roth - Zucchini Bread & Stuffed Tomatoes
And these people brought wine
  • Bill Krukovsky
  • George Ngo
  • Jack Messing
  • Meryl Shapiro
  • Charles Moorman
  • Horatio Piccioni
  • Frank Reisch
  • Bob Brillo
  • Eduardo Campos
  • Terri Lopez
Tango in New Jersey - Milongas