May 23 - Firehouse Tango Tenth Anniversary
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In 2003, our friends Carlos and Rosa announced their move to Paris and asked if we wanted to take over their milonga. Though terrified, we agreed. Just one year later, Paramus Firehouse # 4 had become too small, and we found our current home at the Maywood Knights of Columbus.
Now it's ten years, and we are celebrating in a few weeks.
The extra delights include.
o A visit by Monica Paz, our dear tango teacher from Buenos Aires
o A special treat from Fran and Pat
o A performance by Monica Paz and Johnny Tablada
o Extra hours of fun and dancing
o Door prizes
o Pictures to be posted on our web site, so make sure to dress to impress
o 1 hour combined lesson to provide time for even more dancing
o Belly dancer Brenda Gaines
What: Firehouse Tango 10th Anniversary Milonga
Where: Knights of Columbus Hall 105 Grove Ave. Maywood NJ 07607
When: Thursday, May 23rd, 2013 7:00 pm to 12 midnight
Cost: $15
Dress: It's a special night - Dress to impress
Information: Call Sue at 201-825-1470 or 201-826-6602
The schedule for the evening is:
7:00 - 8:00 All-level Argentine Tango lesson with Fran Chesleigh & Pat Altman
8:00 - 10:00 Buffet opens and recorded music for dancing by DJ Joe
10:00 - Performances and drawings
10:30 - 12 Dancing to recorded music by DJ Joe
As always, admission includes dinner, lesson, dancing and socializing with some of the nicest folks around.
Marta Bautis - Documentary Global Tango screening - Friday, May 10th, 6:30 in Boonton
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Marta Bautis is new to Firehouse but has been around tango for a long time. It was wonderful celebrating her birthday at Firehouse on May 2. Horacio started the birthday tango, and the Firehouse tangueros just loved cutting in. We are delighted to have her for a Firehouse friend.
Marta baked an absolutely delicious custard, coconut, strawberry cake for her birthday, and we devoured every morsel.
Marta is an Argentinean filmmaker who began her career as a photojournalist and has worked throughout Latin America. She is an award-winning documentary filmmaker whose work has been screened at numerous national and international film festivals. She is also a faculty member at the School of Contemporary Arts, Ramapo College of New Jersey and founder of Tiempo Azul Productions.
Marta's documentary, Global Tango, will be shown at Artistic Impression Studio, 100 Morris Avenue Boonton, NJ 07005. Call 975-3-257-1500 for information. Flyers are available at Firehouse.
May at Firehouse
May 16 - Belated Birthday of Walter Monteblanco
Our dear friend Walter celebrates a belated birthday with us after his extended world travels. If we want to see Walter and Gay, we have to catch them in between globe trotting adventures.
Walter has been teaching Argentine Tango since way before Joe and I (Sue) even knew it existed, and his loyal students wait for every opportunity to take private and occasional group lessons with him at Rogers Dance Studio in Hackensack (see listing under Tango in New Jersey Milongas at bottom.) He comes to our Firehouse Milonga every chance he gets, and he's my absolute favorite Argentine Vals partner in the whole world. He also dances and teaches about a million other dances. His lessons are great, and everyone loves Walter's large and happy personality.
Our belated birthday celebration will be worth the wait. Gay will start the celebratory dance, I will try very hard to be next. Each of the Firehouse tangueras will have her turn, and I'm sure that some of the tangueros will as well, since Walter follows as flawlessly as he leads.
May 30 - Belated Birthday of Gay Fallows Monteblanco
Gay returns to Firehouse in between extensive world travels with her husband and our dear friend, Walter. We are thrilled to have her whenever we can. Gay has been a Firehouse friend for years, and we are always happy to celebrate with her. Walter will start the birthday dance, and then all of the Firehouse milongueros can join in.
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
My Resolutions through April
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Sue's resolutions for 2013 - Update
Here were my resolutions for 2013
1. Keep improving my español and study Spanish every day
2. Keep visiting Buenos Aires
3. Shorten this newsletter (HaHa)
4. Exercise every day when I'm at home and try to continue when I'm on the road
My Resolutions - How they are going?
April - a good report
Every month I update my readers on the progress of my New Year's resolutions. I was great this year until my Buenos Aires vacation, where I blew it big time. The good news is that I'm back on schedule, where I will hopefully remain for a while.
Exercise - Good
I exercised every day in April.
Espanol - yes!
Every single day, I either take a class or spend time reading or listening to espanol. I'm happy with my progress.
March - Newsletter by Sue
As anyone who knows me realizes, brevity is not my strong suit. I do try, but there's always so much to say.
Tango on the Hudson - Sunday, August 25, 2013Don't miss our annual Firehouse Tango on the Hudson Outdoor Picnic Milonga Sunday, August 25 from 4 to 8 pm. The event will be held at the Alpine Pavilion; one of the loveliest spots in this area, right on the Hudson River.
Monica Paz to visit New Jersey - May, 2013 - Private Lessons Available
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Great News! Great news! Monica Paz, our dear friend and teacher from Buenos Aires will be in New Jersey from Thursday, May 23 to Monday, May 27. Luckily, (admittedly with a bit of manipulation on our part) she will be able to join us for Firehouse Tango's tenth anniversary celebration that Thursday. About Monica
Monica Paz was born and raised in Buenos Aires, and tango has been her full time profession for almost 20 years. She specializes in Tango Milonguero style (with its strong chest-to-chest connection) which she loves to dance with the best old milongueros in the best milongas of Buenos Aires.
Last year, Monica realized her dream of opening her own studio in Buenos Aires (at 30 Riobamba near the Congresso.) Two of the best of the wonderful milongueros, Nestor La Vitola and Osvaldo Natucci, teach group lessons on Tuesday and Thursday nights with Monica translating when necessary. Monica, La Vitola and Natucci also teach private lessons. If you are in Buenos Aires, I highly recommend checking out these lessons. Monica has taught extensively all over the United States and Europe, as well as in Australia and much of South America. Monica's web site and Interviews of old Milongueros
Monica is passionate about preserving the traditions, codes, and history of tango. To this end, she continues pursuing her project of interviewing the precious few remaining old milongueros of Buenos Aires. Their stories and the videos accompanying them, as well as other wonderful videos of Monica can be found on her web site at www.mptango.com Scroll down for English or Spanish selection. My favorite video of Monica and Nestor dancing to Poema
This is the video that made us fall in love with Monica. it's my favorite.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWRBZ-Uku68&list=UU5UKKJeGowH6cGdYatKcKkw&index=10
And now for the best news! Lessons with Monica available in New JerseyMonica will be available for private lessons in Maywood or Ramsey from Thursday, May 23rd through Monday, May 27. You can e mail me at firehousetango@gmail.com or call me at 201-826-6602 for information. I recommend that you take advantage of this terrific opportunity.
40 CD Package from Buenos Aires
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Osvaldo Natucci, one of the finest and most well known DJ's in Buenos Aires, has compiled a magnificent 40 CD package of tango selections. The set contains 1000 of the best tangos of the Golden Age: the ones played in the milongas of Buenos Aires. I brought two sets home with me.
If you are interested in purchasing these CD's, send an e mail to firehousetango@gmail.com or call me at 201-826-6602.
Lucille Krasne's Esmeralda's East Village Milonga and Supper Club - Wednesdays at 6:00 and Sunday brunch 12 noon to 4 pm.
We went to this terrific milonga last Wednesday night and had a wonderful time. I recommend it to everyone.
"DANCE & DINE-- IT'S DIVINE" (my brilliant poem) ---6 to 11:30
At the Ukrainian East Village Restaurant--140 2nd Ave. between St Marks Pl & 9th.
Eating and drinking help make the restaurant love us a lot---Join all the others dining around the dance floor (definitely optional though).
Admission $10
For more information Lucille 212 777 6053
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 Mary Epiphan
Dear Sue,
I just wanted to let you know that I'm so sorry I wasn't able to attend the Milongas at the Firehouse these last two weeks. I really miss you all and being there. However, in spirit, I WAS there because I so wished to go. I am very sad and dissapointed that physically I couldn't make it. I had every intention to go both times, and only last minute, after working unexpectedly long hours both days, coming home late, and (to top it off) suffering from spring allergies worse than usual recently, I was just way too exhausted when evening came (absolutely good for nothing - not even enough pep to take out my recycleables for the bi-monthly pickup this AM, much less) to pull myself together and out of the house. I hope to make it next week?
Regards to Joe.
Hugs and kisses,
Mary (the tall blond) ***Note from Sue - That's an inside joke
Hi everybody, Fran here with your Tango Tip of the Week. Question One: What is the greatest difficulty leaders have to deal with in dancing Tango? Question Two: What is the greatest difficulty followers have to deal with in dancing Tango? For this week's Tango Tip I'm going to address the first of these questions. Next week, Pat will tackle Question Two. Let's assume that a leader has learned how to lead/invite the fundamental elements of Tango - forward, backward, side, and in-place movements as well as pauses. Let's assume further that he has learned how to lead pivots -- which enables him to invite forward and backward ochos as well as molinetes
in either direction. If he spends time practicing these elements accurately again and again - preferably with several partners -- he will eventually be able to dance what we'll call basic-level or social Tango with considerable skill. But ... if he chooses instead to memorize pre-ordained figures, learned from a class, from a video, or from YouTube -- and then to try imposing these movements on his followers as a substitute for good leading practice - he will be succumbing to the greatest difficulty a leader can have in learning to dance Tango. When I first started to learn Tango from teachers who were skilled in social dance, every one of them said over and over that "there are no steps in Tango."
What they meant by this was that one doesn't dance from the head. One doesn't simply walk onto the dance floor with a notebook filled with memorized figures, and robotically carry out a pre-planned agenda, hoping that one's follower will somehow be able to do her job without knowing what's going on. In choreographed dancing, of course - dancing for the stage or for competition, for example -- this is essentially what happens, but in such cases both leader and follower know the steps in advance, and mechanically practice them together until they achieve the appropriate amount of fluidity and drama.
Dancing from the head in this way is bad social dance practice. It is, of course, very seductive, because it makes the offender half believe that he actually looks as if he knows what he's doing (almost never true!), and that his followers will think he's a skilled dancer (absolutely never true!!). On the other hand, if the leader can temporarily put aside his burning desire to go too far too fast, and concentrate on fundamental elements as described above, his dancing will definitely improve over the course of time, and he will find himself in demand as a partner by most followers. Who could possibly ask for more than that?
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 |
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
- Debbie Glaser
- Edna Negron
- Marta Bautis
- Jesse Barton
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 -
- Bonny - Chips & Guacamole
- George Ngo - Bread
- Eva Roth - Chicken, tomatoes & Saffron Rice
And these people brought wine - Frank Rawlinson
- Bonny
- Eduard Simpson
- Jean Shedlock
- Enrique Zuniga
- George Ngo
- Carl Schaefer
- Jack Messing
- Bob Brillo
- Edna Negron
- Dan & Georgina
- Marta Bautis
- Horatio Piccioni
- Judy Koski
- Eduardo Campos
- Terri Lopez
Tango in New Jersey - Milongas |
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