Firehouse Tango New Year's Milonga next Thursday, December 26

Published: Fri, 12/20/13

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December 19, 2013 Newsletter

Firehouse Tango New Year's Milonga next Thursday, December 26 - Food contributions welcomed

   

December 26  New Year's

 

We will repeat the entire wonderful holiday milonga process on December 26th for New Year's.

 

 

The New Year's milonga will feature:

 

  •  Fabulous door prizes
  • An extra half hour for dancing
  • Special food
  • Festive atmosphere with decorated hall
  • Dress up for the holidays
  • Holiday cortinas
     

 

As always, our $15 milonga admission charge will include beginner (7 - 8) and intermediate (8 - 9) lessons taught by Fran Chesleigh; a buffet dinner; and dancing and socializing with some of the nicest folks around.

 

 

Bring a dish to our New Year's Milonga

 This is what we have so far:

  • Sue Dallon        Roast pork in gravy, lasagna  and sweet potato souffle
  • Terri Lopez        Arroz con Pollo
  • Mike and Debbie - salad
  • Judy Assisi       Dried fruit compote with Grand Marnier
  • Rose Whitehill    Variety of bagel crisps with dips
  • Eva Roth            Lamb stew
  • Judy and John Wynne   Banana nut chocolate bread
  • Faye and Lou    Fresh pineapple

 

If you would like to contribute something for the  New Year's milonga, please let me know.  You can send an e mail to firehousetango@gmail.com  or tell Tibor at the front desk.  It can be an appetizer, main dish, or dessert.  It doesn't even have to be home made.

 

 


 

Celebrations 

 

Last Thursday, December 19 - Cris Grapa birthday


What a wonderful birthday celebration for our dear Cris Grapa!  What a beautiful dancer!  She started with Carl and then the Firehouse tangueros rushed to cut in.


After the dance, we shared her delicious chocolate cake brought by Mona.  It was a perfect evening.


  


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



We miss you Jan, Please come back quickly

 

Our dear Firehouse friend Jan Folmsbee has left us for the warm Florida winter.  Jan, we will miss your bubbly personality and your delicious food.  We hope you come back very quickly. 


 

View Monica Paz' terrific tango Facebook posts

 

 Every day, our dear friend and teacher in Buenos Aires posts a historical tango fact of the day. These interesting and informative tidbits always include English and Spanish information and a relevant recording.  You can see all of them by simply joining Monica Paz PractiMilonguero Facebook page. Below is the post for December 11 and a link to the Facebook page.

 
14 DE DICIEMBRE DE 1900

Calendario Milonguero

December 14, 1900: Birth of JUAN D' ARIENZO, violinist and conductor. He was a great musician and the orchestra he founded in 1935, fascinated young people. It's massive sound, intense and festive, contrasted with the slow pace and the martial style people used to dance in those times. In 40 years he recorded almost 1000 musical pieces. And it took some time to give birth to a social phenomenon: an entire city danced!


Nace JUAN D'ARIENZO. Violinista y director. No fue un gran músico. Pero la orquesta que fundó en 1935 fascinó a la juventud. Su masa sonora, intensa y festiva, contrastó con el ritmo lento y marcial que había entonces para bailar. En 40 años grabó casi 1000 temas. Tardó poco en iniciar un fenómeno social: una ciudad se puso a bailar.


Here is a link to her Facebook account

 https://www.facebook.com/MPTango

And the following one for her latest interview (She regularly posts interviews that she does with surviving old milongueros) : http://youtu.be/EUjsOreThMc

 

 

Reader's 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 Mike Porro

Well, all accounting is done and checks have been issued. We had only 23 attendees this year, excluding hosts, but still raised $1,394.50.  Thank goodness Rafael outbid someone by .50 Cents. This put us over the top!
 We sent three checks of $465 each to:

 Direct Relief for Haiyan Relief
 Center for Food Action
 Social Services of Ridgewood

Thanks to all of you who participated and helped make this a success.

Sue, please post to your Firehouse mailing list.
 
Many thanks!!



From Camille

Hi, Sue,

I'm surprised to hear there was sweet potato casserole left over last week.  I thought I ate all of it!!!  (It was delicious.)

I'll see you next Thursday.


Note from Sue - I guess you did like my sweet potatoes.  Make sure to enjoy them again next Thursday.




From Estelle Stanger


Dear Friends, My friend,Sarah Rice, is performing in Teaneck,N.J.. If you are not busy, you might
enjoy her show.


Hope your Holidays are filled with joy, love and light.

We are hoping you will join us for a gorgeous evening of good cheer, beautiful music and tasty food. We make a great Christmas/Kwanza present! Our last show of 2013! What a way to ring in the NEW YEAR!

Where else can you get an evening of great NYC professional entertainment, delicious food in a cozy and lovely environment, all for around $20 ($10 cover / $10 food/bev. min.)? Oh, and did I mention, parking is convenient and free!

We also got a fabulous review in Cabaret Scenes by Peter Leavy:
http://www.cabaretscenes.org/cabaret_reviews/2013/jun13/rice_sarah_6-13.html

Hope to see you there. It is a different show every month. Please put us in your calendar and tell your friends.

Reservations recommended.
201-692-0150 (CAFE reservations and info)

We will be appearing at CLASSIC QUICHE the last Friday of every month in 2013!
Looking forward to 2014 with you all.
Thank you so much for supporting us all year.

Our next date is
12/27
.

All shows at 7:30PM. Doors open at 6:45.

See you in December!

XOXO,
Sarah & John
Broadway Concerts Direct

Holiday Milongas  

Firehouse Tango New Year's Milonga next Thursday, December 26

 

 

 See the beginning of this newsletter for details of our holiday milonga, next Thursday, December 26.

 

 


Los Pitucos Milonga this Saturday 

 

 

 A little bit of Buenos Aires in Caldwell, NJ



 You are invited to join our monthly event on  Saturday, December 21st, 2013
Guided Practica from 7:00pm, social dancing from 8:00pm till 11:00pm
Admission $15, including home cooked "delight"

Location:  Dancesport4YOU
                       31 Westville Avenue
                      Caldwell, NJ 07006
                                                 (formerly, Women's Club Of Caldwell)

For more information contact us at: info@lospitucos.com and visit our new website (still under construction) at http://lospitucos.com

For information about Tango in the New York metro area visit http://newyorktango.com

Also, please sign up for the Yahoo group NewYorkTango by sending email to
newyorktango-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

This Yahoo group is a place for Tangueros in the New York/New Jersey area to communicate with each other and get announcements about virtually all the local Tango events
-------------------------------------------------------
About us

Los Pitucos is a Monthly event which is held on the Third Saturday of the month...

We have been bringing the finest Tango events and music to New Jersey since 2009

 

Tango with us every Third Saturday @ Milonga Los Pitucos

 

 


Hora Cero holiday milonga this Friday

 

Holiday Hora Cero milonga..
Friday Dec. 20
Special Guest DJ and Performer LEXA
8 - 9 pm worshops with Silvana,Brizuela,  Ninah Beliavsky and LEXA
Dancing to a great music selection by LEXA
and
AUTHENTIC Argentinean Food !!!

Dancing til 12:30 am

Only $ 15 pp

STARLIGHT DANCE CENTER
7 High Street
Nutley NJ 07110

Our Holiday Hora Cero is becoming a Hoilday Tango Spectacular Friday Dec. 20 from 8 pm until 12:30 am +

We are proud to announce that Octavio Brunnetti (Piano) and Machiro Ozawa (Violin) will be playing exquisite traditional Argentine Tango... LIVE MUSIC! Also in the breaks DJ Lexa will play hers and your favourite tunes. Authentic Argentinian food will be served. At 8pm we starting the night with a workshop by Silvana Brizuela, Ninah Beliavsky and Lexa.
All three will also be performing. This Friday Dec 20 only $ 15 pp




Esmeralda's New York December 23 and 25

 


MONDAY, DEC. 23 ¡ESMERALDA'S TANGO OESTE!-Upper West Side Milonga @Mamajuana Cafe!
540 Amsterdam, bet. 87th and 88th St. o  212) 362-1514

Divine dining (optional but fabulous) and dancing to LEXA's music! She wowed us!
6:30-7:30 All Level Class w/guest teacher, MATTHEW Liam--and Lucille. Add $5

7:30-11:15-$10 Dance in the MOST CHARMING SPACE--everyone LOVES this venue--you will too!

Near all West Side subways & buses  o  Parking after 7 or meters earlier.

SPECIAL! SPECIAL! SPECIAL! XMAS DAY MILONGA
WEDNESDAY,
Dec 25--ESMERALDA'S EAST VILLAGE MILONGA

& Supper Club  
140 2nd Av, between 8th (St Marks & 9th)
@ UKRAINIAN EV Restaurant

(NOTE TIME CHANGE FROM OUR REGULAR NIGHT)
5:00 to 10:00 welcoming back LARISA Vasilyeva, popular DJ!

WEAR RED &/OR GREEN. ANYONE COMING AS SANTAS OR ELVES IN COMPLETE REGALIA (and I mean "complete"! ) I WILL JUST HAVE TO LET YOU IN FREE and offer A FREE GLASS OF WINE! (Well, there won't be many of those appearing I suspect!)

FAMILY AND FRIENDS WELCOMED WHO DO NOT DANCE
--AND NO ADMISSION IS CHARGED! It will be fun & friendly with the tango family and your family-- a real Holiday party!

Also delicious eats and drinks (optional)--
There will be entire HOLIDAY DINNERS offered
or eat just your favorites there--blintzes, pierogis, borscht, etc)

For more info, please call me: LUCILLE  212 777o6053.




Tango Tip of the week

Hi everybody, Fran here with your Tango Tip of the Week. How do your feet connect to the floor, when you dance Tango? One of the special techniques that makes Tango different from American/European progressive ballroom dancing is the manner in which Tango dancers' feet address the floor. The unique way in which Tango dancers move through space -- and the way they come to rest -- has a defining effect on how they look (aesthetics) as well as how they achieve optimum balance at the end of every step they take (functionality).

When we walk down the street, most of us plod along more or less unconsciously, not aware of the physical impact our movements are having against the surface we're walking on. If we're on a marble or wood floor, for example, and wearing shoes with leather bottoms, we can hear ourselves clattering along as we take each step.

This changes -- or should change -- when we dance Tango. I have often heard teachers suggesting that Tango dancers look "like cats sneaking along the floor." This seems to me to be an excellent metaphor for what we actually do during Tango movement. With each step we take, we address the floor as carefully and quietly as possible, actually trying to put as little weight on the surface as we can. One teacher of mine suggested treating the floor as if it were rice paper that we had to attempt not to disturb in any way as we moved. When we address the floor in this way, our individual steps become far more controlled and elegant -- which gives us the characteristic look of Tango. Furthermore, by taking such complete physical control over our steps, we tend to achieve far more accurate balance at the end of each movement -- which is a crucial component of high-level Tango movement.

Of course, the way of moving/balancing that I'm describing here calls for major skill development over a long period of time. Most beginning Tango students are appropriately focused on so many preliminary dance skills that they simply aren't ready to concentrate on such an undertaking. Nonetheless, the time will come -- perhaps the time is now -- for you to consider taking up the challenge of improving the functional and aesthetic integrity of your individual Tango movements.

This will eventually enable you to achieve a whole new level of Tango dance excellence.

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
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. 
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's son Joe
  • Terri Lopez
  • Elena Syrett
  • Steve Maisch
  • steve turi
  • Bob Brillo
  • 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 -

    • Eva Roth - Meat Ravioli with Sausage and Yellow Rice
    • Bonny - Chips, Spread & Eggplant
    And these people brought wine
    • Barbara Lombardi
    • Mary Pagano
    • Dan & Georgina & Guests
    • Carl Schaefer
    • George Ngo
    • Tom Rodgers
    • Bill Krukovsky
    • Fred Meyer
    • Bob Brillo
    • Eduardo Campos
    • Terri Lopez
      Tango in New Jersey - Milongas