14-07-17 - One Hundred Years of Troilo

Published: Fri, 07/18/14

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July 17, 2014 Newsletter
One hundred years of Troilo
Our dear friend Monica Paz recently celebrated one hundred years since the birth of Anibal Troilo at her studio in Buenos Aires.  Here is a link to the entire presentation, given by tango maestro and milonguero Osvaldo Natucci, who teaches at Monica's studio.

Warning - The talk takes almost 50 minutes, but I think it is well worth the time and effort.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVUrZxnvCpM&feature=youtu.be For English subtitles, click on cc. 

Celebrations

No celebrations next Thursday - Just great dancing, eating, and socializing with wonderful friends



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



It was a good run,  Argentina

 

Though Argentina lost in the finals against Germany, they put up a great fight and treated us to a very exciting World Cup. 


Los Pitucos Milonga this Saturday, July 19

 


A little bit of Buenos Aires in Franklin Lakes, NJ

Independence Month Milonga - Saturday, July 19th, 2014

Special guest instructor - Grand Master Facundo Posadas and Ching-Ping Peng

 

Facundo Posadas is an icon in the world of Argentine Tango and travels the world to share the roots of this dance

 by teaching Milonga, Vals and Tango.

Grandson of Don Carlos Posadasuthor of more than 40 tangosacundo

has participated in tango shows and festivals around the world since the age of 18

Facundo's lesson at 7:00pm


social dancing from 8:00pm

Couples, singles and beginners welcome!

Admission $15, including home cooked "delight"

VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars)
725 Franklin Ave.
(corner of Pulis Ave.)

Franklin Lakes NJ 07417

For directions click here

For more information contact us at:
info@lospitucos.com

and visit our website 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/Conecticut

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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

 




Celebrate Tango Week in NYC July 14 - 20 - Firehouse Tango discount

 

Firehouse Tango folks get into the Black and White Ball for $25 on Saturday, July 19. You can get information on line. 

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 (extended to July 14.)
Come and support the contestants.

 

 

Celebrate Tango Week NYC Program July 14-20 2014

All events Beginner Friendly except Int/Adv classes Sat & Sun

FRIDAY 18th

4:30-6p       CT suggests        Triangulo 135 W 20 St 3fl (6-7) 212 633 6445

6 - 7p       Pre-Championship Pizza Party by Domingo Tango Club.

 

7-10:30    USA TANGO CHAMPIONSHIP & SHOW. Amateur, Open, Stage DJ: Ilene. Silvia Grynt y Guillermo Salvat, Renee Rouger y Pedrito, Jon Tariq & partner, La Mina Fashion Show.  Baruch E 25th St (Lex-3)

11p-2a    Championship Celebration Milonga at La Tangueria Alejandro Barrientos & Rosalia Gasso: Sarah & Claudio. DJ:Yesim Sezer 22 W 34 St 4 fl.

Classes Dance Manhattan

SATURDAY 19th            39 W 19 St 5fl 5-6 Aves)

                    ALL LEVELS                         INTERMED. - ADVANCE

1:00-2:30p  1.Clinic: SILVIA Y GUILLERMO

Musicality for dancers                                     2. MAYTE & CARLOS milonga sequences for small spaces

2:30-4:00p  3.Clinic: MAYTE & CARLOS

Getting around... Navigation                            4. SILVIA Y GUILLERMO the key to all sacadas

7:30-8:30       Free Beg Intro Central Park-Shakespeare Statue, enter 5th Ave 60th walk to loop.

7:30-8:30p       Pre Ball Taste of Wine & Tango Free wine, intro class, no partner necessary (Avail with ball ticket) Ukrainian Ballroom 140 2nd Ave. 2 fl. 8-9 Sts.

8:30p-1:30a BLACK & WHITE BALL & 10:30 SHOW:Nelson & Madalyn Avila, Maria Blanco

&Jorge Torres, Silvia Grynt&Guillermo Salvat, Carlos Barrionuevo&Mayte Valdes, Yaisuri Salamanca&John Hernan Raigoza, USA Champions. DJ:Ciko 140 2ndAve 2 fl

Classes Dance Manhattan 212.807.0802  SUNDAY 20th     39 W 19 St 5fl 5-6

1:00-2:30p  5. Clinic: MAYTE & CARLOS are you moving or dancing?          6. SILVIA Y GUILLERMO

giro technique for leaders & followers

2:30-4:00p       7. Clinic: SILVIA Y GUILLERMO 'must have' moves for the floor  8. MAYTE & CARLOS circular & straight boleos

 

4:30-6:30      FILM FESTIVAL: St Peters Church 619 lexington Ave at 54 St.


 

 

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.


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

 

Tango Tip of the week

Hi everybody, Fran here with your Tango Tip of the week. "How do I learn to dance Tango?" For the past several weeks, we've been exploring multiple responses to this question. On June 12, we suggested one possible answer -- to imitate our favorite dancers. On June 19, we examined the importance of becoming a good student. On June 26, we looked at how getting the right information is crucial to the learning process. On July 3, we discussed the role of getting a good teacher. And last week, July 10, Pat talked about the need to spend time on the dance floor from the follower's point of view. (If you'd like to read the full text of these Tips, you'll find them in our Tango Tip of the Week archives on the Firehouse Tango Web site.)

Today, I'm going to wrap up this "How do I learn to dance Tango" series by once again stressing the need to practice your developing skills on the dance floor, this time from the point of view of the leader. There's little doubt that a leader can increase his general skill level just by spending as much time as possible on the floor with one follower after another, trying again and again to "do the right thing." Unfortunately, what this means for most leaders is that they elect to concentrate more or less exclusively on memorized, stage-oriented sequences -- which have been derived from YouTube, from so-called "teaching" DVDs, or from dance school classes and private lessons. I certainly agree whole-heartedly that practicing these kinds of things can be fun -- and that they can fulfill our lust to move up a little higher on the competitive food chain. But at the same time, I believe that it is crucially important to continuously work on becoming a better dancer. To this end, I recommend that some part -- maybe even most -- of the leader's practice regimen be devoted to the precise skills necessary to achieve this goal.

The following, therefore, is a checklist of the kind of things I'm talking about. These activities may not provide instant gratification, but they'll go a long way toward taking your overall skill as a Tango dancer to a significantly higher level than it might be right now.

Practice basic lead/follow.

This is a really big deal! Most leaders (and followers) either have no idea -- or at best a misguided idea -- of what constitutes the most comfortable, most effective way to collaborate with a dance partner. In my observation, what currently tends to pass for lead/follow is little more than one form or another of wrestling. Find a teacher who understands the lead/follow mechanism, learn once and for all what you're supposed to do, then practice it forever! This is the one focus that will absolutely make you a better dancer and a more desirable leader.

Focus on balancing at the end of every step.

One of the hardest parts of dancing Tango is to find your own individual balance between steps. This difficulty can come from your own misconceptions about how to achieve such balance in the first place -- or it can derive from problems which your partner may be having -- either her fault or yours! -- which may pull you off balance. Solving the balance issue is, of course, part of learning basic lead/follow; but I think it needs to be addressed as a separate element with your teacher in the process of learning the art of interacting with a partner.

Employ good floor craft.

Yes, it's true -- there are other people on the dance floor. And everybody is vying for the same space. Try not to think of these people as the enemy, but instead as your friendly neighbors, who have just as much right to be on the floor as you. As a leader, don't send your partner careening into the couple behind her. And whenever you need to move backward (the single most dangerous step in Tango!), check out who's there before you commit to that backward step. If and when you accidentally bump into another couple, say you're sorry -- no kidding -- say you're sorry -- even if you think it was their fault.

Overcome "step static."

The easiest way to completely forget about using good lead/follow technique is to walk onto the floor with a head full of memorized dance steps. If you're like most leaders, you'll find yourself concentrating far too intently on getting your own steps right -- and you'll totally neglect what you need to lead your partner to do to make each figure work. I'm going to call this "step static." The only way to overcome this dreaded disease is to carefully break every memorized figure down into its individual elements -- in advance -- and make certain that you lead your partner through each movement during your execution of the figure, waiting for her to be ready to continue before you proceed to the net element within the figure. The result might not look like it did on stage, but at least you and your partner will live through the experience.

Stop worrying about always moving with the music.

One of the common problems that inexperienced leaders have is believing that every move in tango must inevitably be rigidly dictated by the music. They'll do anything to stay on the musical grid, having heard from teachers, friends, and would-be dance experts that keeping in time with the music is paramount in Tango. This is just not true. What is true is that after you've been dancing for ten or fifteen years, you'll find it more possible to maintain a precise connection with the music; it will tend to come quite naturally as a result of becoming more experienced as a dancer. But for now, your primary concentration needs to be on the comfort and well being of your partner. Don't try to force her into a step she's not ready for. Let her get her balance together at the end of each element within whatever figure you're attempting to lead, and only then invite the next part. Does this sort of sound like overcoming "step static?" It should, because they're both part of the same thing -- dance skill.

Be nice.

There seem to be a lot of people in the Tango community who are just plain not nice. Have you noticed this weird phenomenon? I don't know why it is, but I see leaders bullying -- or arrogantly attempting to teach -- their followers on the dance floor. I see followers humiliating inexperienced leaders for their (temporary) ineptitude. I see cliques which exclude rather include. I see all kinds of mean, antisocial behavior that has no place in any society, much less in an environment which should be open and welcoming. Do you see things like this? Are you part of the problem? There's nothing you as an individual can do about other people who are like that. But you don't have to be that way. And if enough people decide individually that they don't want this cancer in their community -- and that they won't put up with it -- the community will ultimately evolve in a more socially acceptable direction.

It all starts with you. Take the first step. Be a leader. Be nice.

Saturdays with Fran and Pat at Dance Manhattan
Every Saturday, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Dance Manhattan, Fran and Pat host a special beginner/intermediate practice, geared toward helping you bring 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'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.

View Monica Paz' terrific tango Facebook posts - my pick from this week is below 

 

 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 11th, 1914: ÁNIBAL TROILO was born. A genial tanguero. He started to work at 11 playing bandoneon during the showing of silent movies. Soon he becomes integral part of the tango world. At 22 he made his debut with his own orchestra. He parted from his bandoneon in 1975, fifty years after he had started by playing in movie theaters. Let's listen to one of his tangos.

Here is a link to Monica's 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) : 

 

MP Tango Interview

MPTango Presents Jorge Garcia at PractiMilonguero

Jorge García: "the things I learned from Pugliese are humility and equality, manifesting them in the form of cooperative that formed the Orchestra."

http://youtu.be/iBvxXlJp3FU


 

Reader's Corner 

We welcome readers' contributions about Argentine Tango in general and Firehouse Tango in particular. Send your thoughts to firehousetango@gmail.com  We welcome readers' contributions about Argentine Tango in general and Firehouse Tango in particular. Send your thoughts to firehousetango@gmail.com




Our cancellation policy - We STILL rarely cancel
    
In spite of the fact that we have cancelled twice this year, we STILL 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  seven or eight times in all these years - including, unfortunately, the first scheduled milonga of 2014), 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, please come back.  We need you! 

Terri wasn't feeling well tonight, so she stayed home.  All I can say is that we appreciate her more than ever. 

  • Terri Lopez - in absentia
  • Tony Mele - in absentia
  • Tsipoyra Sartan
  • Steve Maisch
  • Steve turi
  • Elena Titova - who always helps
  • Flo Salierno - who saw the desperation and pitched in to finish cleanup. 


    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


    • Judy & Herb - Cale Slaw


    And these people brought wine
    • Bill Krukovsky
    • George Ngo
    • Jerry & Adele Kline
    • Bob Brillo
    • Flo Salierno
    • Horatio Piccioni
    • Francis & Marie
    • Eduardo Campos
    Tango in New Jersey and New York