Last Thursday, July 3 - Special birthday of John Wynne

We're still talking about John's wonderful birthday celebration last week. What fun dancing the birthday milonga and tango for John's seventieth! 

Here's John's note, my answer, and his response:

Hi Sue,

I want to say thank you for a wonderful night. Judy and I had a great time. Hopefully all the ladies (and men) I danced with enjoyed the birthday dance as much as I did.  Now, I have to start acting my age...naw, that will never happen!

John

John,

Age is a state of mind, and tango keeps us young.  Everyone, including Fran, loved your birthday celebration. 

Sue

Sue,

Glad everyone enjoyed it. I've always felt you are as old as you feel, which makes me a teenager!

John

Sue,

I'm happy to hear about your resolutions and what you do. Congratulations!!

I notice you follow my work and share that on your newsletter. Thank you very much!! 

I work hard trying to spread not only the dance, but the tango culture. I hope people enjoy my posts. Right now I'm editing the video of 100 años con Troilo we recorded yesterday. Soon that will be online with subtitles in English. 

Tango with love from BA. to the world!!

Monica

Celebrate Tango
Gayatri Martin , Director
220 East 26 Street.
New York, NY 10010

212.725.1078

info@celebratetango.com

http://celebratetango.wix.com/celebratetango#!schedule/con8

10% Firehouse Tango discount valid until 7/14/14 code: 0714FH10

CelebrateTango.com...Your Doorway to a world of Tango

Presents

USA Tango Championship & Celebrate Tango Show Friday, July 18

14th NYC Tango Festival July 14 - 20, 2014

Buy your tickets now from Gayatri, Avis, Eddie, Danny or Baneza at the Early bird prices ...till 10th July.
Come and support the contestants.

Prices, Tkts & Entries: http://celebratetango.wix.com/celebratetango#!tickets/cy
Schedule: http://celebratetango.wix.com/celebratetango#!schedule/con8

[strong style="background-color: transparent;"]Join our Email list for updates: http://celebratetango.wix.com/celebratetango#!form
 

& Celebrate  Tango Show.

Friday July 18, 2014

Baruch Performing Arts Center

Engelman Recital Hall. Enter E 25 St between Lexington & 3rd Aves.

6:00-7:00pm Pizza Party Sponsored by Domingo Tango Club. 

7:00-10:30pm

Amateur Salon, Open Salon & Stage Championship.
Entries are open & Cash PRIZE$

[strong style="font-size: 13px;"]Officials: Nelson Avila, Jorge Torres, Maria Blanco, Guillermo Salvat.
MC: Sid Grant

[strong style="font-size: 13px;"]Celebrate Tango Show: [strong style="font-size: 13px;"]Machiko Ozawa & Octavio Brunetti
[strong style="font-size: 13px;"]Silvia [strong style="font-size: 13px;"]Grynt & Guillermo Salvat, La Mina Fashion Show, Jon Tariq & partner

TKTS: Back $25, Middle $30, Front section $35. VIP Front rows $50

Followed by:

[strong style="font-size: 13px;"]Championship Celebration

Milonga at La Tangueria. 22 W 34 St 4fl 11pm-2am.

Performance by Alejandro Barrientos & Rosalia Gasso. Discount with CT Championship tkts!

Week long:

Free intro classes at Major Studios & locations City-wide 

Thursday 7/17

[strong style="background-color: transparent;"]6-7:45 [strong style="background-color: transparent;"]Carousel Milonga
140 2nd Ave 8-9 streets

Pre show dinner, drinks & dancing. DJ: Anthony Blackwell. Hosts: Jack Hanley & Anthony Blackwell.

[strong style="background-color: transparent;"]8-9pm [strong style="background-color: transparent;"]MALBEC Tango Show 428 Lafayette St at Astor Place

[strong style="background-color: transparent;"]6-7:45 & 9 11pm
[strong style="background-color: transparent;"]Carousel Milonga
140 2nd Ave 8-9 streets

Saturday 7/19

WORKSHOPS for all levels with the Masters: Carlos Barrionuevo & Mayte Valdes, Silvia Grynt & Guillermo Salvat.

[strong style="background-color: transparent;"]Central Park Milonga

6-9pm Dancing at Shakespeare Statue. Walk in from 5th Ave & 60 St. Free

[strong style="font-size: 13px;"]BLACK & WHITE BALL

Pre Ball Meet & Mingle'TASTE OF WINE & TANGO: Free Wine, Tango tidbits and Intro Lesson.

Dancing plus Sizzling Show starring: Nelson & Madalyn Avila,  Jorge Torres & Maria  Blanco, Carlos Barrionuevo & Mayte Valdes, Sylvia Grynt & Guillermo Salvat, Yaisuri Salamnca & John Hernan Raigazo, and 8th USA Champions....

Sunday July 20th

Pugliese Character Traits - Documentary 8 mins
Tango & Fear Narrative 3:40 mins
Milonga Magia
Documentary 9:40 mins

Netherlands

Director: Henryk Gajewsky 

Hearts Of Tango
Documentary 64 mins
Canada

Director Miguel Libedinsky

[strong style="font-size: 16px;"][strong style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"]

[strong style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 16px;"][strong style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"]Compilation 25mins

NYC. Coordinators Gene  Gnesin, Jean Fung
Check schedule on website for venue.
Submissions open for 2015 

Buy  Tickets with credit card on the website or over the phone 917 254 1548 with credit card GoPay or with cash in person at milongas.

Or mail a check to: Celebrate Tango, 220 E 26 St #6L NY NY 10010

http://celebratetango.wix.com/celebratetango#!tickets/cv5z 

Hi everybody, Pat here with your Tango Tip of the Week. For the past several weeks, Fran has been covering some of the fundamental answers to the question, "How do I learn to dance Tango?" If you have missed some or all of these discussions, I urge you to go to the Firehouse website and look them up.

This week, I would like to talk about something that is critical to your dance, but is also a terrifying experience - at least in the beginning, and sometimes later on, too. I'm referring to "Getting time on the dance floor."

I think it would be true to say that almost ALL beginner tango students (and would-be dancers) find the prospect of actually going out onto the dance floor with their newly found obsession and a few lessons under their belt, a truly frightening idea. I have known many students who just don't do it, and instead spend all their time in class.

I believe that the fundamental purpose of learning Tango is to dance with a partner on the dance floor. Amassing steps and figures, technique and style does not make a Tango dancer. Yes, you might be very good at all these elements, but a classroom setting is limited in its ability to teach a student how to use all this knowledge on the dance floor.

I myself remember what it was like to dance as a fledgling Tango student for the first time at a milonga. I sat looking at all the other people dancing, and they all seemed to be so good. I was sure that no one would ask me to dance, and in fact I wished they wouldn't - this would let me off the hook... but soon enough, a guy I knew from class came over. As we started to dance, I suddenly felt that I knew nothing, that my steps were awkward, that I kept missing the lead, and that everyone was looking and thinking how awful I was. Somehow, the dance was over, and I was back sitting on my own again. I thought I would never get used to it.

This is the point at which many followers and leaders are so demoralized that they shy away from the dance floor. But it is exactly the point at which you must continue. Time on the dance floor is essential and with each successive dance, you will eventually feel more comfortable and confident.

I recall some years after that excruciating first experience, that I began to have some trouble dancing with leaders who were clumsy, unthinking and totally self-absorbed, without any hint of thought or care for their partner. The trouble was that I didn't want to dance with these leaders. It was shortly after Fran and I started our beginner practica at Dance Manhattan, and many of the men were asking me to dance. I could not reasonably refuse, as a host of the practica, but it was very difficult, and for a while, I stopped coming to our practica!!

After a short break, I returned and vowed to overcome this dilemma. I turned my focus around and began to dance in a more supportive way with these leaders. In helping them to be more aware of their follower, they were able to become better leaders. Today, I will dance with anyone who asks me, without hesitation. If the guy is a race-around-the-track leader, I have discovered places in the dance where I can slow him down. If my leader is very slow, it allows me to practice my balance, my technique and my styling. I am now comfortable in my own dance, and there is benefit to be had no matter who I dance with.

So, look at it this way - your first time on the dance floor is what really starts your Tango journey. Make sure you continue this lifelong adventure with more and more time dancing. And always remember (as Fran says) to keep your patience, humility, and sense of humor in good supply.

 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, Spanish and Italian  information and a relevant recording. You can see all of them and listen to the recording by simply joining Monica Paz PractiMilonguero Facebook page. Below is a link to the Facebook page, where you can hear the music:

July 4th 1891: CRISTINO TAPIA was born. Singer, guitarist and composer. He wrote rural songs, while his work titled LA TUPUGANTINA was converted into a tango by bandoneonist Roberto Peppe, one of Pugliese's musicians. Tupungato is the name of a volcano and of a village on its slopes. Both are located in the Argentinean territory of the Andes.

Note from Sue: Tupungatina is one of my Pugliese favorites- Listen to it by clicking the link below for July 4th.  By the way, I often add Monica's daily selections to my Thursday playlist.

 https://www.facebook.com/MPTango

And the following one for her latest interview (She regularly posts interviews that she does with surviving old milongueros) : 

MP Tango Interview

MPTango Presents Jorge Garcia at PractiMilonguero

http://youtu.be/iBvxXlJp3FU

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
• Steve Maisch
  
• Steve turi
• Elena Titova
  
• Debbie Glaser
  

• Camille - Chips
• Herb Goodfried - Pretzels

• Bill Krukovsky
• George Ngo
• Fred Meyer
• Camille
• Jean Shedlock
• Enrique Zuniga
• Meryl Shapiro
• Edna Negron
• Flo Salierno
• Horatio Piccioni
• Ferd Ritz
• Bob Brillo
• Eduardo Campos
• Terri Lopez