Last Thursday: I forgot to remember!
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Last week, I forgot to mention that our dear friend Estelle made it through the storm. Not only that, but she came again this week. Estelle is very special, and we love it every time she walks in the door. We're so lucky that she comes, and we thank Carol and Sharon for driving her.
We received lots of e mails from folks who couldn't make it and others who did. You can read some of them in the Reader's Corner in this newsletter.
Next week's celebration
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Thursday, September 26
Birthday of Terri Lopez Terri, who has become so indispensable that I call her Firehouse friend # 1, will celebrate her birthday on Thursday, September 26.
We invite the Firehouse Tangueros to show our most loyal Firehouse friend EVER just how much we all appreciate her. Terri Lopez has been a part of the Firehouse family since our first days at Paramus Firehouse # 4, and we look forward to many more birthday celebrations with her. Each lucky tanguero will get to cut in and enjoy a short tango until the next person cuts in.
Last week's celebration
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Thursday, September 18
Birthdays of Tsipoyra Sartan and Herb Goodfried
Last Thursday's blackout prevented us from having Tsipoyra's birthday dance and Herb's Happy Birthday song and cake. We were able to take care of all of them when Walter and Gay had to cancel their anniversary celebration at the last minute.
Herb and Judy came up, we sang Happy Birthday, and he blew out the candles on that wonderful rum-raisin ice cream cake from Louis G's.
Then Mike started Tsipoyra's birthday tango, and she danced elegantly with each of the many guys who cut it.
It was a lovely night.
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
Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashonah) - Feast # 2
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The Cortinas
For the planned blackout playlist, which of course wasn't used, I found some great cortinas appropriate for the Jewish new year. We listened to them this Thursday
The menu
Sue Dallon Corned beef brisket with Jewish rye bread, potato salad, and green salad
Joe Dallon Apples and honey from his bees
Judy Assisi Sephardic Dried Fruit Compote Dessert
Judy Saul Holiday rice
Jack Block Tsimmes
Bonny Yankauer Crackers and pickled herring
Norma Arias Roasted carrots and fennel
Eva Roth Noodle kugel
Naum and Slava Deviled eggs
Joseph and Nonna Challah bread
Herb Goodfried Rum raisin ice cream birthday cake from Louie G's
Noche de Tango Wednesday 9/24/13 - Note from Susan Berardini
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Hello dear tango friends and Inwood neighbors!
Just wanted to let you know that my friend Eduardo Tami and his tango group from Buenos Aires will be performing at Trumpets in Montclair next week on the start of their USA tour! See below for details. I plan to attend and would love some company if you're interested. Let me know by Sat. if you would like to be included in the group reservation that I will call in. Also, feel free to foward this to anyone else who might be interested! Eduardo tells me that he requested that the small dance floor be set up for this event, however please note that it is a very limited dance space. But I assure you that the music will be good! I hope to see you there! warm regards to all, Susan
9/24/2013: Noche de Tango with Eduardo Tami from Argentina Tango Night with Eduardo Tami and his group from Buenos Aires, Argentina!
$10 pp music $10 pp minimum
Music from 7:30 p.m.- 10:00 p.m.
Milonga los Pitucos this Saturday
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Milonga Los Pitucos - This Saturday, September 21 Carolina Jaurena lesson from 7 - 8 Tango from 8 to 11,
Tango with us every Third Saturday @ Milonga Los Pitucos Milonga Los Pitucos - this Saturday - September 21 , 2013 ...a monthly Tango event in Caldwell, NJ
Location: Dancesport4You 31 Westville Avenue Caldwell, NJ 07006
(formerly, Womens Club Of Caldwell
Note from Carolina Jaurena I am happy to announce that I will be teaching and performing with my two loves this Saturday at Milonga los Pitucos in Caldwell New Jersey. Join us if you can!
Kisses, Carolina & Andres
Stardust Dance Weekend (This weekend) at good rates
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There are a few spots at this week's Stardust Dance Weekend at good rates.
www.stardustdance.com
If you are interested, please contact Linda Gilberg and tell her that you found out about it from Firehouse Tango.
LAST CHANCE TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE & INTO THOSE DANCING SHOES!
SIT IT OUT OR DANCE You only have one week to decide...quickstep over to www.stardustdance.com and book your reservation for our fabulous weekend of Ballroom Dancing. September 20-22, 2013 Honor's Haven Resort & Spa, Ellenville, New York.
Ballroom DJ Michelle & Bob Friedman Argentine Tango DJ Ilene Marder
Hustle West Coast DJ Louis Del Prete Latin DJ Franklin Ayala
Your package includes: - 7 Multi-course meals
- Lodging
- Champagne & Wine Reception
- Open Bar Cocktail Party & Smogasbord
- 60 Dance Workshops
- Day & Night Dancing to 4 Great DJ's
- Nightly Shows in Nightclub
Entertainers/Instructors:
Tybaldt & Hazel Ulrich * Jameson Kilburn & Christy Kam *Daniel Ridriguez & Valeria Carmel * Alfred Pena & Aleksandra Kozlowska * Daniel McGee & Ginny Carey Instructors: Donna DeSimone * Teddy Kern * Simone Onnis * Wingo Hom * Frank Elia * Joseph Smith * Galina Nikitina * George Maderska * Jon Gatyas
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.comNotes from readers about last week's blackout
From Pat Altman
Hi Sue, Pat here. My goodness, that certainly was a night to remember - quite amazing!! I know that everyone there truly appreciated the stoic efforts of you, Joe, Terri, Steve T. and everyone else who pitched in to try to keep everything afloat (sorry, I couldn't help that...)
In your Firehouse history below, I just wanted to clarify the date that that Fran actually started teaching for Firehouse. According to an email in our archives from you - likely to have been one of the very first Firehouse Tango Newsletters dated May 4, 2003 (yes, we actually go back that far!!!), Fran had been teaching already for 3 weeks at Firehouse ( i.e. Thursdays 4/17, 4/24, 5/1) and was again teaching for the next milonga on 5/8; On Thursday 5/15/03, Walter taught the lesson. Then on Thursday 5/22, Fran came back ..... and the rest (as they say) is history!
Many thanks, Pat
Note from Sue - Thanks to Pat for that clarification of dates. I will change the dates in the official Firehouse history. From Naum and Slava
Unfortunately we can't make it to the Firehouse tonight. Please accept a "rain check". We will make sure to bring something delicious the next time. Note from Sue - Naum and Slava brought the deviled eggs this week. They were delicious.From Debbie GlaserDear Sue, I tried braving the torrential rain,lightening and flooding but was unable to make it to Firehouse. I so looked forward to a wonderful evening. Thankfully , I arrived home safe but sad. Debbie From Norma AriasHi, It's pouring here and I can hear the thunder. OMG!! I made all these carrots and fennel -- not sure if I'll get there. Love, Norma
From Edna Sawady
Sorry I missed it. I actually made it to Grove Street and looked around, but since it was so dark I thought I'd better go. Glad you had fun. Best, Edna From Estelle StangerI loved being there with you last night Glad you all stayed and managed to have a fun evening under the circumstances. When you get lemons you really know how to make lemonade. I may come next week for Walter and Gay. Hope to see you soon. Love you so much. Estelle From Judy and Jon (Tango teachers and Firehouse friends)
congratulations Susanne. You and Joe not only know how to put on a super event but you know how to give out the kudos in massive doses. You are amazing!! We miss you a lot. And your holiday dishes sound so yummy. Wish we were closer. all the best for the new year love Judy & Jon http://www.tangowithjudy.com
More from Debbie Glaser
Wow! That's incredible ,dancing without electricity. Wish I was there....
From Consuelo Evans
That is simply spectacular! You guys are amazing and an inspiration. Consuelo
From Gretchen Janssen
Sue,
This reminds me of a similar night in BA. I was the only one of us to go out to Porteno that night after having been part of the demonstration about The Disappeared. The storm grew stronger and the lights went out. The studio was in total darkness. Jose and Tango Protesta were re-enacting the experience of the metaphorical 'lights going out' in Argentina when those arrests and killings had taken place. The fact that the lights actually did go out just emphasized that fact. They had a generator and a spotlight worked to illuminate the continued enactment of the arrests and then one person; in this case, Jose, going to each fallen dancer and drawing them forth and lifting them up from the floor, indicative of a community being able to restore each other. It was powerful! See you in November! Gretchen
Hello everyone, Pat here. This week and next, Fran and I are going to talk about a subject that is becoming more and more prevalent in Tango -reversal of traditional roles; i.e., women leading and men following. For various reasons, the former is far more commonly found these days, than the latter. However, there is wide agreement that when leaders learn to follow it makes them better leaders. The question is: does learning to lead help a follower become better at her traditional role? When a follower decides that she wants to learn to lead, she very quickly finds out how many things a leader has to do at the same time. Her first thought may be that this is difficult! So many differences, so many choices.
Our new leader must form the embrace in the opposite way, she must think about how comfortable it is for her follower, make sure both she and her partner are in balance, decide which foot will start the dance, make sure her follower is weighted appropriately, and finally move into her follower's space - hoping the lead will be appropriately received, and that the partnership will be balanced at the end of each step. This is a lot to think about!
If a follower decides to continue learning to lead, and single step movement gradually turns into a more fluid dance, leading doesn't get easier, it actually gets harder. The constant awareness of your space on the dance floor as a couple, how this affects what you can lead at any given moment, choosing what to lead throughout the dance, reacting to other couples nearby who may not be aware and may suddenly take an unexpected sidestep into your space. Not to mention the need to be thinking of what your follower is doing, and how comfortable she is. Despite all of the above challenges, there are many positive aspects for the follower in learning how to lead. She can experience, through a wide range of partners, what actually happens to the leader when a follower has some of the bad habits that we have discussed in former tango tips. For instance,
what it actually feels like when a follower drapes herself over the leader, leans, anticipates the next move, takes tiny steps, gets her toes bumped into and stepped on, is out of balance and falling to both feet all the time. It can be next to impossible for such followers to be properly led -- and it's not the leader's fault!
A follower who leads has almost certainly experienced these situations, and it can be of great help in examining her own dance as a follower, making sure that she is working on her balance and her movement, and is listening to her leader. Conversely, when our new leader dances with a good follower, the difference is dramatic and leading seems effortless. I have experienced all of the above as a leader, and find that the mental agility required to lead definitely takes some getting used to! It is a completely different mindset from that of the follower, who must not be thinking at all, but must be ready and waiting for the next lead. When followers lead, does it make a better follower? I would say yes, for the reasons I have described above. For myself I have always been more comfortable as a follower, but one of the most wonderful things about Tango is that you can choose!!
Be a follower, be a leader, or do both.
Saturdays with Fran and Pat at Dance Manhattan |
For Firehouse dancers who might enjoy a day in the Big Apple on Saturdays, Fran teaches from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. every week. 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 figures you're working on. If you want to take Fran's classes, call Dance Manhattan at 212-807-0802 to register. 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!
Firehouse Tango hot line - We rarely cancel (I guess we proved that during last week's blackout)
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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.
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. 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
steve turi - Steve Maisch
- Jesse Barton
- Tsipoyra Sartan
- Debbie Glaser
- Mary Epiphan
- And lots of other folks for so much help. I was ready to pack up and send everybody home
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 - and last
- Barbara Lombardi - Cup Cakes
- Judy & Herb - Ice Cream Cake & Compote
- Eva Roth - Noodle Kugel
- Judy Koski - Popcorn
And these people brought wine
- Barbara Lombardi
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George Ngo
- Jean Shedlock
- Enrique Zuniga
- Dan & Georgina
- Fred Meyer
- Hilda Genni
- Bob Brillo
- Horatio Piccioni
- Edna Negron
- Jesse Barton
Tango in New Jersey - Milongas |
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