Join Sue and Joe in celebrating their 25th anniversary next Thursday
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Sue and Joe Dallon Anniversary - Thursday November 14
The chances of us making 50 years are slim, so please come and celebrate this milestone with us.
Joe and I have been married for twenty-five years, and I can't think of a better way to mark this event than to share a celebratory tango with our dear Firehouse friends - the more of them the better. Please join us on Thursday, November 14th (next week) for this joyful event. What woman of my age - indeed any age - would not be excited about a long line of tangueros waiting just to dance with her? Joe is equally excited to tango with the ladies.
Gretchen Janssen, an old Firehouse friend who left us for the west coast, will join us for the celebration.
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
Halloween prizes awarded one week late
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The winners Since I forgot everything having to do with prizes last Thursday, we held the drawing and distributed all awards this week. Finally, the winners and their prizes are listed below:
Halloween costume prizes
Most Creative - Simon K. - Boxer - complete with swollen jaw and black eye
Funniest - Steve Turi - Devil with horns
- Four boxes of Ciao Bella sorbet. This is his favorite food, and he was in ecstasy.
Best Couple - Elisa and Frank - Pope and angel - you had to be there.
Sexiest - Barbara - Pocahontas
Door prizes
The winners were: - Judy Assisi
- Rachelle Unter
- John Wynne
- Judy Wynne
- Bonny Yankauer
- Jack Block
- Heidi Fedor
No hanky-panky, just strange coincidence. John picked Judy and Bonny picked Jack.
Two mysteries have been solved. Joe's hat was on the hanger beneath his jacket. Lou's jacket, similar to Joe's, hung on a hatless hanger. Joe took Lou's jacket but couldn't find the hat. Someone found the hat - presumably on the hanger with Joe's jacket. Joe left with Lou's jacket, a fact that became apparent when Lou left. Sue's newsletter drew an immediate response from Joe. Mystery solved and jackets restored to their rightful owners.
Note from SteveI think it's great that the Renowned Firehouse Lost and Found Department did another fabulous job of reuniting people and their stuff.
PARKING
Do not block the side door. It's a fire exit! There is plenty of close, legal parking on the local streets right around the Knights' Hall. Please do not block anyone in the parking lot; do not park in the four car private driveway across from the Knights Hall; don't park within 50 feet of a stop sign, and don't block any of our neighbors' driveways. Most importantly, do not block the side door. It is a fire exit and must be left vacant for access to the outside in case of fire.
People have been ticketed for illegal parking, so be careful.
FOOD, WINE AND OTHER GOODIES Every week, Firehouse Tango provides plenty of food including main course, salad, appetizers, desserts, water and much, much more. We do not provide wine. You are welcome to bring wine to share with the Firehouse community. Some folks bring a bottle of red or white every week, some every few weeks, and some on occasion. Other generous souls ease our load by bringing appetizers, cake, cookies, water, soda, ice cream, snacks, and sometimes even main dishes. We truly appreciate your generosity, and all contributions are acknowledged in our newsletter. PORTION CONTROL
Please take a reasonable amount of food and wait for everyone to get firsts before going back for seconds so that we can continue our very generous policy of providing milonga, lessons, and dinner for only $15. DISCARDING YOUR GARBAGE We ask that you discard your dishes after eating. You can also mark your water and wine glasses, use them for the entire evening, and throw them in the garbage before leaving. PREVENTING DRINKS FROM SPILLING
Spilled drinks are dangerous! Also, the wood finished dance floor we all enjoy at the Knights of Columbus Hall will only stay in good condition if we treat it well. And that means especially keeping drinks from spilling on it. If you do bring a glass of wine of soda into the dancing area, please place it on one of the tables (not the DJ table) while you're dancing, then retrieve it afterward. Don't under any circumstances place your drink under a chair or anywhere on the floor.
THE HALL The Knights have requested that we do not allow people to touch the air conditioning controls. Though you may feel warm on the dance floor, lowering the temperature causes cold air to blow right over the tables, making everyone sitting at them very uncomfortable. Instead, bring problems to the attention of one of the organizers.
November 14 - Celebrate Sue and Joe's 25th anniversary with us
See information above.
November 21st - Anniversary of Walter Monteblanco and and Gay Fallows Monteblanco
Their actual anniversary was September 5, but with the Monteblancos' busy schedule, we're just now getting around to celebrating.
Can it be four years since we rejoiced at the marriage of our very good friends Walter and Gay? We will celebrate their anniversary with great joy - the tangueros dancing with Gay and the tangueras with Walter. I can't wait.
Walter has been a close friend and supporter since the very beginning at Paramus Firehouse # 4, and Gay came soon after. When they aren't traveling, they come to Firehouse often. Walter also teaches private lessons by appointment.
November 28th - Thanksgiving day - no Firehouse Milonga
Firehouse Tango will be closed on Thanksgiving Day: Thursday, November 28th. We hope you'll enjoy the day with your family, as we all will - and, of course, we'll look forward to seeing you on the following Thursday evening, December 5th. Happy Thanksgiving!
Stardust Dance Productions Presents a weekend of Ballroom Dancing, over 50 hours of workshops, 7 meals, cocktail party/open bar & more.....Rates starting at $385 PP November 22-24, 2013
Honor's Haven Resort & Spa 1195 Arrowhead Road, Ellenville, New York SPECIAL WORKSHOPS · 2 Hour Salsa · 2 Hour West Coast Swing · 2 Hour Argentine Tango ·
2 Hour Hustle 4 Great DJ's on 4 Wood Dance Floors MB Music Michelle & Bob Friedman-Your Ballroom Favorites Ilene Marder-Buenos Aires Style Milonga John ElGringo-Hippest, Hottest Latin Beat Louis Del Prete-Hustle/West Coast Swing Appearing on our Stage Eduardo Goytia & Valeria Solomonoff (World Class Tango Specialists) Mark James & Karen Lupo (Latin, Hustle, Adagio) Michael Jagger & Evita Arce (Swing, Decade Dance) Richard McMurrich & Suzanne Mosley (Country, West Coast Swing, Country 2 Step) Lou Brock & Heather Gehring (Theatre Arts) ·
Sunday morning, November 23rd - 2 HOUR ARGENTINE TANGO WORKSHOP (Intermediate and Advance) TAUGHT BY Eduardo Goytia & Valeria Solomonoff (World Class Tango Specialists) · ARGENTINE TANGO SALON with DJ Ilene Marder Call Stardust at 800-537-2797 or www.stardustdance.com for reservations.
Tango Loco - Saturday, November 30
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From Mike Porro - Tango Loco IV November 30th in Midland Park
We'll be hosting as Tango Loco IV on November 30th
at Grand Ballroom another After Thanksgiving Milonga & Auction to raise money for our local food banks. We raised $2,370 last year and decided that this would be a great tradition to continue. We'll fill in the particulars over the next several weeks, but want to get a SAVE THE DATE notice out now in order to avoid conflicts with other activities that could be scheduled on this date.
For more information, e mail Mike Porro at porro@erols.com
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 Bill Krukovsky
Tango: The forbidden dance - CBS News Video http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50158403n -- Note from Sue - Thanks to Bill for sharing the link to this terrific segment from last week's Sunday Morning.
Hi everyone, Fran here with your Tango Tip of the week. Last night, Pat and I went out Salsa dancing. Yes, that's right -- Salsa! In case you're wondering, we had a terrific time from start to finish. And both of us noticed a very sharp contrast between our experience with Salsa and the people of that community on the one hand, and the Tango community on the other. Today, I'd like to share some of our observations with you.
As some of you may know, Salsa -- or what used to be called "Mambo" -- was the first dance I became deeply involved in as a young adult. (Actually, you could say that Lindy was my first dance, but since I was about 11 years old at the time, I don't really remember much about that very early experience.) During my years of dancing Salsa, I formed a good many friendships in that community, and last night Pat and I must have met at least thirty people whom I remembered fondly from those days, and who remembered me. What Pat and I were both impressed by is the fact that the Salsa community is so openly friendly and so welcoming -- not just to us, but to everybody! The music was lively; the dancing was great fun. And our overall impression was that people were either smiling, or about to smile all night long.
By contrast, the Tango community in the Tri-State area can often be anything but friendly, as many of us have noticed with confusion and a sense of regret. I'm not talking about the Firehouse, of course, in which people are always very warm and very welcoming, thanks in no small measure to Sue and Joe Dallon's lead. But as I'm sure you're aware, this is unusual in the Tango community at large. Most venues -- I hate to say this -- tend to be cliquish and elitist, and often make newcomers feel they really shouldn't be there. Women won't dance with anyone but their small circle of intimates. Men are constantly teaching (well, no great surprise there, I suppose). And the people who run most Tango events make no attempt whatever to encourage people to interact in a friendly way.
Why is this? Frankly, I don't get it. I know that Tango is difficult to learn. I also know that some people feel that if they themselves have made the intense effort necessary to get somewhere in Tango, everybody else should make the same effort -- and that those who don't are somehow lesser beings. Okay, as a dance teacher, I would love it if my students were all as committed as I am to this unique dance. But if they're not, I'm not going to start being mean to them. I'm not going to shun them as if they were somehow unworthy. This kind of antisocial behavior is, in my opinion, nothing short of reprehensible. And yet, so many people in the Tango community treat their peers this way as a matter of course.
What can any of us do about this depressing situation? I'm not really sure. I think it may start at the top, with people who run Tango events actively discouraging this kind of behavior. In my practica on Saturdays, for example, I tell people that if I catch them mistreating anyone, I'll kick them out of the room. I will, too, and I have. It may start with dance teachers, bringing this behavior to the attention of their students, and admonishing them to monitor their own behavior toward others. In the long run, though, I think it's up to you. Ultimately, you have to decide what kind of Tango community you want to be a part of, and to insist everywhere you go that you're not willing to put up with anything short of common decency among your peers.This will take courage on your part, and perseverance, and a very strong commitment to human values.
But I know you can do it.
Take Your Tango over the Top! 10 Must-have Tango Moves! with Fran Chesleigh and Pat Altman Sunday, November 17 12:30 -- 3:30 p.m. All levels welcome
For this one-of-a-kind, 3-hour intensive Tango workshop, Pat and I have picked out a special selection of some of our very favorite Tango moves. Once you grab these unique figures from the classic Tango repertoire, your friends will all be asking "How did you do that?' ... that is, when they stop saying "Wow!" Here are a few highlights: · Unlock the secrets of the back sacada · Pull out a showstopper from the Virulazo legacy · Capture the moment with Pat's favorite adornment combos
· Make magic with surprise variations on la cruzada · Burn the floor with hot traspie sequences And lots more! Fran Chesleigh and Pat Altman's "10 Must-have Tango Moves" offers you a unique opportunity to transform your Tango, Vals and Milonga into the polished, seriously authentic dances you've been working so hard to achieve. Don't miss it! Standard pricing: $35 per person Purchased by Friday, November 15: $30 per person
No refunds no exchanges Dance Manhattan
Fran and Pat's Milonga DVD series now available |
If you haven't gotten your copies of Fran and Pat's Milonga DVDs, make sure you pick them up soon. This is a series of four DVDs, which cover everything we've done during our four weeks of Milonga at the Firehouse, along with lots of steps we didn't have time to work on. The series of 4 DVDs costs $100, and is packed with information about Milonga right from the basics all the way to some very challenging advanced material. People who already have these DVDs think they're great (thank you very much!), and we think you will, too. Be sure to add them to your collection.
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.
Firehouse Tango hot line - We rarely cancel
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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 - - Terri's son Tony
steve turi - Steve Maisch
- Tsipoyra Sartan
- Mike Porro
- Jesse Barton
- Rudy and Camille
- Debbie Glaser
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
- Herb Goodfried - Candy
- Bonny Yankauer - Chips, Guacamole & Hummus
- Jack Block - Cheese
- Flo Salierno - Baked Green Tomatoes & Apple Crisp (Tomatoes and apples from Charles Moorman Garden)
- Carl and Jan - Carrot cake
- Heidi Fedor - Chips and bean dip
And these people brought wine
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Barbara Lombardi
- Heidi Fedor
- Bill Krukovsky
- George Ngo
- Bob Brillo
- Liz Contreras
- Horatio Piccioni
- Eduardo Campos
- Terri Lopez
Tango in New Jersey - Milongas |
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