At appropriate times during the year, we take a look back at some Firehouse Tango highlights.  We sincerely thank all of you who have been with us from the start, the newcomers, and everyone in between.  Every one of you contributes to making us who we are. 

03/20/2003     Argentine Tango instructors Carlos and Rosa announce they are leaving for Paris and ask if we would like to continue Pasional, their weekly milonga at Paramus firehouse # 4. 

03/27/2003        Sal and Laura Zullo host first session of Tango Co-op while Sue, Joe and Eva are in Buenos Aires.

04/1/2003         Sue Dallon publishes first weekly newsletter.

04/17/2003      Fran Chesleigh teaches first lesson as guest instructor.

06/12/2003      Tango Co-op members vote to change name to Firehouse Tango.

07/20/2003      Fran has accident - recommends Jak Karako as replacement.

07/29/2003      CJ Puotinen publishes interview of Fran Chesleigh, first of a series of Firehouse Tango instructor interviews.

09/4/2003      Jak Karako teaches first lesson as guest instructor.

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02/3/2004         Goodbye party for Jak

02/10/2004      Fran is welcomed back as permanent instructor.

03/16/2004      First Firehouse Tango trip to Buenos Aires. Fran Chesleigh and    Pat Altman run milonga and buffet and write newsletter.  They call it the Cat's Away Milonga, and it becomes an annual tradition.

04/20/2004      Firehousetango.com web site is launched.

04/29/2004      Firehouse Tango outgrows firehouse and  moves to Maywood Knights of Columbus Hall.

05/6/2004      Firehouse Tango celebrates first anniversary in new home with live  music by Hector Del Curto trio.  The anniversary celebration will become an annual event.

06/17/2004      Fran's half-hour basic tango class is expanded to full hour.

07/2004        Fran adds one hour intermediate lesson and teaches from 7 to 9 pm   every week

08/30/2004      First Firehouse Tango on the Hudson picnic milonga.  These will  continue as an annual tradition.

06/15/2006   First Fran Chesleigh Tango Tip published in Firehouse Tango newsletter

09/2006        Firehouse Tango's first Milonga Month.  Fran Chesleigh teaches a     two hour milonga lesson for entire month.  This becomes yearly tradition. 

05/31/2008      Monica Paz from Buenos Aires visits Firehouse Tango and gives   first Saturday workshop.  She will continue to visit Firehouse on her yearly trips to the U.S.

02/31/2009   New Year's Eve is Thursday night, and Firehouse Tango has New Year's Eve Milonga

03/2011        Rich Ariza, Hector Scotti and Felix Pacheco join Firehouse as guest DJ's while Joe recuperates.  Sue then takes over and when Joe returns, they begin to alternate weeks.   

12/23/2011    Norma, Terri and Marion suggest a Christmas/Hanukkah party inviting everyone who wants to bring a dish.  It's a resounding success, and we decide to continue the tradition every year.  It's so much fun that we add a new year's party, as well.

1/5/2012    Firehouse Tango starts its tenth year with Fran Chesleigh's Argentine  Vals lessons.  This, too, becomes an annual tradition.

05/23/2013    Firehouse Tango celebrates its tenth anniversary with lots of original friends starting the anniversary dance and new friends joining in.

09/12/2013        A night to Remember.  Lightning, thunder, floods, and no electricity could not keep the Firehouse folks from dancing the night away by flashlight, proving once again that we are, indeed, a very special place.

12/26/2014        Good-bye to Joe Dallon, co-founder of Firehouse Tango.  His spirit dances on.

05/2742018          Firehouse Tango celebrates fifteenth anniversary

Thank you all for a great anniversary celebration

Our friends packed the Knights of Columbus Hall to celebrate our fifteenth anniversary.  We missed all of you who couldn't come, and we appreciate your messages of congratulations and good wishes. Firehouse Tango started in 2003 and has been going strong ever since.  We want to thank all of the wonderful folks who have supported us over the years and who  do so now.  We truly love being with you.
 
 Thank you all - old friends and new- for making this an unforgettable night.  

 


The food
 

• Terri Lopez made a tray of incredible arroz con pollo
• Sue Dallon (me) made brisket with potatoes, carrots, and string beans . 
• George Ngo brought a huge tray of vegetables and orzo.
• Mike and Debbie brought a huge salad.  He is AWESOME!
• Ingrid Jacob brought a delicious tiramisu.
• ​​​​​​​Sandor and Brigitte brought ribs
• Francis and Marie Gregoire brought oxtails
• Elena Titova brought a fresh berry tarte
  

Door prizes

 
 
The winners were:  I didn't write them down, so I don't know

Next week, May 31

There are no celebrations next week, only great dancing, eating, and socializing with some of the nicest folks around.

Hi everybody, Fran here with your Tango Tip of the Week. If you’ve been reading these Tips lately, you know that for the past several weeks I’ve been concentrating on my own pedagogy for teaching social Tango. I’m doing this in order to show you as clearly as I can how very complex this dance is, and how important it is for you as a student to work with a good teacher, if you really want to learn.

As mentioned last week, “Part 2” of my method focuses exclusively on what is known as the “crossed system” of movement. In this system, both leader and follower move with the same leg at any given time — rather than with opposite legs (as in the “parallel system.”)

My general approach to teaching the crossed system involves the following elements:

·      General introduction to the crossed system

·      Elements of the crossed system

·      Special use of the “small” pivot within the crossed system

·      Definition of single step movement within the crossed system

·      “Sequencing” (limited continuous movement) within the crossed system

As always, what makes the crossed system in social Tango possible is a thorough mastery of the lead/follow mechanism. Right now, I’m going to begin describing in as much detail as I can what needs to happen in order to enter, to move in, and to exit the crossed system. My hope here is that this description will clearly demonstrate how important it is for you as a student to develop this absolutely essential lead/follow skill set.

This week, I’ll describe how to enter the crossed system. During subsequent Tango Tips, we’ll focus on how to move within the system, and ultimately how to exit back into the parallel system.

Entering the crossed system

(There are actually many ways to enter and exit the crossed system. I’m choosing what]

might be considered to be the most direct way for the sake of this discussion.)

1.     Using the parallel system, the leader first insures that his follower is positioned with her weight on her left leg and that he is positioned with his weight on his right leg. One effective way for him to do this is to make one or two gentle changes of weight, communicating his lead through lateral movement of his torso, making sure his follower moves in place with him by monitoring her actions in response to his lead.

2.     Next, the leader invites the follower to step backward with her right leg as he steps forward with his left leg. As you may remember, he does this by lowering his torso slightly through a small softening or bending of his knees in order to communicate to her that he is about to travel through space, followed immediately by his actual forward traveling step. As the leader lowers his torso, the follower reads this as an intention to move, and as he takes his forward step into her space she responds by executing a backward step.

3.     Now comes the actual entry into the crossed system. (There are at least four ways to make this happen, but I’ve chosen the one I think works best for American/European dance students.) The leader changes his weight in place to his right leg. Normally, as he does this, the follower would make a corresponding change to her left leg. However, in this case, the leader rotates his torso slightly counterclockwise just before he makes his weight change. A good follower will read this movement as an invitation to pivot slightly (thereby creating the beginning of a small backward ocho), using the ball of her right foot. As she pivots, her weight remains solidly on her right side, and the leader is able to successfully change his own weight to his right side without the danger of his follower attempting to change with him. If this all works out as it should, the couple now find themselves in the crossed system.

Next week, we’ll continue this detailed discussion by talking about how a couple might travel down the line of dance, using the crossed system, I hope it’s now very clear to you how important lead/follow is in executing the complex transition from parallel to crossed, and that you’ll work diligently with your teacher to make certain you eventually master this essential ability.

Every Monday at 8:30 p.m., Fran and Pat teach a one-hour class entirely devoted to the study of adornment for both leaders and followers. We focus on the precise way in which dancers should use their legs in order to move in the appropriate style of Tango. We also help you build a powerful vocabulary of exciting adornments, which you can incorporate into your dance.

People have been asking us to teach this class for years – and now, at last, we’re delighted to offer it. Be sure not to miss this opportunity to learn the art of adornos right from the ground up! And while you’re at it, why not enroll yourself in our 7:30 p.m. Intermediate Tango Class. This will give you a full Monday evening of Tango.

See you then.

If you like the idea of keeping American social dance alive -- not competitive or performance dancing, but real social dance the way it was traditionally done -- we invite you to join us every Tuesday evening at 7:30 p.m. for a fun-filled 2-hour social dance fix.

Class One

Concentrating on authentic American Foxtrot, Triple Swing and Salsa

Class Two

West Coast Swing, Waltz and Rumba

Tuesdays, 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

Studios 353, 2^nd floor

353 W. 48^th Street (between 8^th & 9^th Avenues)

New York City

 AFTERNOON  PRACTICA
 
CANCELLED FOR MAY 26

We wish everyone a very happy

Memorial Day Weekend!

WE WILL LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ON

SATURDAY JUNE 2
2-4 pm

when we will resume our Saturday Practica!

The longest-running and friendliest practica in NYC! Come join our happy group of social tango dancers, whose sole purpose is to enjoy dancing and to practice what they’re learning. Everyone dances! Essential Tango Therapy! Pat and I will be on hand to answer any questions you may have, and help you with material you’re working on. Plus you get a new “must-have” move each week! No partner required, all levels. Dardo Galletto Studios, 151 West 46^th Street, 11^th floor, (bet. 6^th & 7^th Aves) www.franchesleigh.com

If you’d like a private lesson, you can visit our website at www.franchesleigh.com, call Fran directly at 212-662-7692, or email him at franchesleigh@mac.com Join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/franchesleighllc

Thanks to all who helped throughout the night.