Celebrations - August at Firehouse |
August at Firehouse Tango
No celebrations - Just great dancing, socializing, eating and learning. In all,
it will be a great month.
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 I'm waiting for more suggestions for cortinas. Let me know if you have some favorite non tango music, and I will try to play it. This week's cortinas were all Tony Bennett.
A cortina (curtain) is a short piece (20–60 seconds) of non-dance music that is played between tandas at a milonga (tango dance event). The cortina lets the dancers know that the tanda has ended. The partners can then without insult thank each other and return to their own tables, to find a new dance partner at the next tanda. Cortinas are used at many of the milongas in Argentina and Uruguay but are increasingly common elsewhere. - Wikipedia
Let us know if you are celebrating an occasion and would like to request special music for that night’s cortinas.
We will try very hard to accommodate you.
Tibor out - Thank you to Elena for taking over |
Tibor will be away for a few weeks, and Elena Titova is seamlessly taking over the door. To make it easier for her, please try to bring exact change for the next few weeks.
Cleaning up - Note from Tsipoyra |
Dear tango dancers,
Please do
not leave your wine and water glasses under the chairs, as the liquid often spills, and we have to clean it up. We would appreciate it if you would throw your garbage out before you leave.
Sincerely Tsipoyra 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
From Tonia Shahsovar
Hi, Sue, Thank you very much for mentioning me in your Newsletter and for the suggestion about the party. It was a blast. I enjoyed it very much. I thank everybody who participated in any shape or form, giving me: attention, congrats, presents, dancing with me, filming and photographing me, baking for us, even giving me a
parking spot! I will have such a great memory about the event. Tango Tip of the Week
Hello everyone, Pat here. Last week, Fran talked about the lead for la pausa, or the pause, in which he described what the leader does -- which is in fact … nothing! There is no active lead for la pausa. This week, I will address this lack of lead and of movement from the
follower’s point of view. Many of you may actually wonder what we are talking about, since it is far more common these days to see a couple on the dance floor whirling about and racing around without stopping once, from the beginning to the end of the dance. When people dance this way, they ignore one of the most crucial elements that makes Tango such a unique and alluring dance. To use la pausa in your dance is to acknowledge, between the partners, the fundamental emotion of
the dance and the music. Practically speaking, it may sound as if the follower doesn’t have anything to do, when there’s no lead. In fact, she really does have a most important and difficult job: She doesn’t know what her leader will plan to do next, so she must pay careful attention, be able to recognize when she senses no lead, and execute la pausa (or stop) comfortably as well as in balance. All of this within a split second! The leader may take his initial step
and then pause. The follower must recognize la pausa and wait – in balance – for the next lead. During the dance, the leader may decide to pause following a multi-step sequence of dynamic movement. This will be somewhat more difficult for the follower, since “movement inertia” may have set in. To be successful in executing la pausa throughout the dance, the follower must be alert and must pay attention to her leader at all times! You cannot assume or think
you know what he’s going to do next! If you’re lucky, followers, your leader might slow down in preparation for a pause, or he might stop suddenly from a “full gallop” (in which case it’s not really your fault if you take an unintended step of your own). Frankly, stopping in la pausa is not as easy as it may sound, and I wish I could say that there’s a special trick for a follower to know when her leader is going to pause – but there isn’t. Every dance is different. Every
leader is different. What you must do, therefore, is develop the unique skill of being able to prepare yourself to either continue moving, or to pause at the end of every step.
Not easy.
Saturdays with Fran and Pat at Dardo Galletto Studios
|
Please join us for our Saturday Practica at Dardo Galletto Studios, 151 West 46th Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues), 11th floor; 2-4pm, $10 per person. (Bringing a partner isn't necessary.) We think it’s just like being in Buenos Aires! Pat and
I will both be on hand to answer any questions you may have about your dancing, and to help you with material you're working on. Plus you get a new “must-have” tango move each week! If you’d like a private lesson, call Fran directly at 212-662-7692, or email him at franchesleigh@mac.com
Don’t forget to visit our Web site at www.franchesleigh.com and join is on Facebook at www.facebook.com/franchesleighllc
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: Calendario Milonguero
OSVALDO PUGLIESE dies. At the end of his performances in the local clubs his many admirers used to scream out loud “To the Colón! To the Colón!” Such desire, repeated again and again over the years, became reality on December 26th, 1985 when
his orchestra was invited to perform alone in the famous Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. Let’s listen to the last tango they performed that night. ♫ LA YUMBA. Osvaldo Pugliese (1946)
⊙ CD Nº07 Colección Natucci (40 CDs) +info
Note from Sue - I am amazed to see that Osvaldo Pugliese died so recently. If I had known in December, 1985 what I know now, I would have boarded a plane and attended the Master's last performance at Teatro Colon. Below is a link to Monica's interview with Juan Carlos Pontorielo from February 8, 2011. He passed away recently. How wonderful to have this video history and othes like it that Monica has preserved.
Un bello recuerdo
Juan Carlos Pontorielo Q.E. P.D.
https://youtu.be/CiEib0rZ92Q
Our cancellation policy - We STILL rarely cancel |
Even though we had to cancel once 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 my cell phone 201-826-6602. Feel free to leave a message on either of these lines.
We cancel only when absolutely necessary (only about eight or nine times in all these years - including, unfortunately, the first scheduled milonga of March, 2015), 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.
The following folks helped set up, break down and clean up before and after the milonga. Without them, there would be no Firehouse Tango. - Elena Titova - and thanks for handling the door
- Tsipoyra Sartan - and thanks for helping Elena with the
door
- Steve Maisch
- Steve Turi
And of course, without Terri Lopez and Steve Turi we would have to close up shop.
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 these people brought wine - Marta
- Meril Shapiro
- Bob Brillo
- Eduardo Campos
- Jorge - Continuing our wonderful Pugliese and champagne tradition
Tango in New Jersey and New York
|
|
|
