After ten more glorious days in the sun, I'm back to the world's friendliest (and I think the best) milonga. As before, loved
my vacation, but I'm very happy to return to my dear friends at home.
Thanks, thanks, and more thanks to the Firehouse Tangueros
Huge helpings of gratitude go to all of you who brought food and drinks, set up, and cleaned up. I am very aware that my trip would be impossible without an enormous amount of help from the folks back home.
The logistics - The Superhero Team
Special thanks to Terri Lopez, Steve Turi, Fran Chesleigh, and Pat Altman for making the whole shebang such a great success. Terri, with Steve's help, planned; ran operations; and coordinated setup and cleanup (and that's not all.) Fran and Pat executed the lessons to perfection.
These folks fielded the problems and glitches that seem to arise every week. The tasks
involved in running Firehouse are monumental, and we are incredibly fortunate to have so many fabulous friends willing to step in whenever needed.
The newsletter
This Firehouse Tango newsletter has been published nearly every week since March, 2002 and thanks to Fran and Pat, the past two weeks were no exception.
Among his countless talents, our remarkable instructor, Fran Chesleigh, is a professional writer. As
always when I am out, he and his equally extraordinary assistant, Pat Altman, flawlessly and with a style of their own, take over the task of writing the Firehouse Tango newsletter. I didn't have the foresight to take my computer, so our wonderful Tibor did the work for me.
The awesome duo (Fran and Pat) is usually found at "Fran's Table" in the alcove closest to the DJ table. They are always happy to answer your Tango questions or show you how to do something you might
have missed, so make sure to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to learn from the best.
Superman Steve Turi was Clean-up Editor.
The music - DJ Richard Ariza
Richard Ariza has been away from Firehouse for much too long, and many of you have asked when he will be back. I always listen to my Firehouse friends, so while I was away, your tangos, milongas and valses were spun by this fabulous guest DJ.
Aren't we fortunate to have such a him in our Firehouse Family? I heard that the music was marvelous. What a pity I couldn't be there!
Here's some more information about Richard: he hosts the delightful Friday afternoon milongas at Triangulo WWW.TANGONYC.COM. He has guest-DJ'd at many New York and New Jersey milongas, and we've
had the pleasure of his company - not to mention DJ expertise - quite often at the Firehouse. If you haven't been to Triangulo, you don't know what you're missing. You'll find information below in this newsletter about Rich's Friday afternoons at Triangulo.. No celebrations next week, just great music, dancing, learning, and socializing.
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
Contributions for annual More-or-less-kosher-for-Passover Milonga, Thursday, April 13th
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Our annual Firehouse Tango ethnic more-or-less-kosher-for-Passover feast for our fellow tangueros is a few weeks away.
This year's feast will be on Thursday, April 13th. Please let me know if you'd like to contribute something. You don't have to be Jewish to contribute.
Contributions so far
- Sue - As always, I will make brisket with potatoes, carrots, string beans and matzoh balls. I will also bring various desserts and I might also make a turkey.
- Mike Porro - salad (He's already working on the bitter
herbs)
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 for Chuck Berry, who died last week at the age of 90. They bring back many memories of my teen-age years. I also discovered a fabulous West Coast Swing number by this incredible artist, recorded way before there was such a dance. I played it during the Latin set.
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. 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 Katharina R. Gschwend
Hi Sue,
I am forwarding this with the potential that you may know someone or for publication in the news letter. Ana and Diego are very dear to my heart! See you later at firehouse at the best
Milonga! Love,
Tell us your experience.
The Tango For All team is looking to add a new addition to it's Tango Cares Charitable Program. We are looking to interview
anyone with a heart condition and dances tango. Do you or know of someone who has first-hand experience recuperating or suffers from any heart conditions? If so please message us at ana@tangoforall.org. Thank you in advance for connecting with us! We appreciate you being a part of the TFA family.
Best, Ana Ana Padrón| Co-Founder & Co-Artistic Director Tango for all | 615 Fort Washington Ave New York, NY 10040
Hi everybody, Fran here with your Tango Tip of the Week. Does the following describe your situation: You and your partner are up on the dance floor; you're moving around to the music; you're having a great time; and now you've decided that it's time for more? To put it another way: You're a "Stage One" Tango dancer, and you just can't wait to
move up to "Stage Two."
For most of us, the next thing we want after we bite the bullet, and actually muster up the courage to get ourselves out on the dance floor is -- can you guess? Yes, that's right; you want "the steps."
"Okay we're here, we're ready, what do we DO?"
The thing is, that is decidedly NOT "Stage Two" in the process of learning Tango. Before we learn WHAT to do -- before we begin to accumulate those steps/figures/sequences/YouTube fantasies we can't wait to learn -- we first have to address --
1. HOW to use our bodies in moving ourselves as
individuals. 2. HOW to interact as two people, learning the fine art of moving together.
This is the focus of "Stage Two" Tango.
To be more specific, what we need in order to advance from Stage One to Stage Two is to become acutely
familiar with three crucial interconnected, interactive skill sets, and begin the intensely challenging process of incorporating them into our dancing. These three elements are the following:
1. Balance 2. Lead/follow 3. "Progressive"
movement
Stage Two is where the rubber really starts to meet the road in learning how to dance Tango. Without mastering these absolutely vital skill sets, a student's proficiency in Tango simply WILL NOT ADVANCE beyond the most rudimentary level. Unfortunately, this is exactly the place where so many students decide to bail out of the process.
"I'll pick this stuff up some other time, thanks. Right now, just show me the steps."
Ugh! The analogy I like to use here is that making this choice by the student is like being handed a scalpel, and saying, "okay, let's do a little brain surgery." It just doesn't work that way.
We could speculate on why students are reluctant to enthusiastically embrace the challenge of Stage Two Tango:
1. Their teachers don't know what Stage Two is (Very common) 2. Their teachers may realize its importance, but feel that it's not a
money maker (I know, very cynical) 3. Students are caught up in the need for instant gratification in the form of flashy dance steps (Look at me, Mom!) 4. Students perceive Stage Two as just so hard (Yes, but so rewarding, too!)
But you're not like
that. You recognize that in order to become a better -- well, in fact, a competent -- Tango dancer, you simply MUST work your way through the heavy lifting of Stage Two skill development. Congratulations! Let's get to it. Next week, we'll talk about the first component of Stage Two: Balance.
Balance. What is it? Is it necessary for dancing Tango? Do you have it? Can you really find
balance in a dance partnership? I love talking about balance.
Are you ready?
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.) 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, 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
Tuesday, March 28th... Latin Night at La Havana
Hi dancers,
Just a reminder - Latin Night at La Havana 59 is this coming
Tuesday.
We start with an Argentine Tango lesson at 7:00 pm, so everyone can meet and learn a little dancing.
See you on the dance floor...
Lisa Skates
Dinner & Dancing at La Havana 59 in Moonachie NJ.
*Tuesday, March 28th from 7:00 to 10:00 pm
The evening will start off with an Argentine Tango
lesson - Taught by Lisa from Simply Social Dancing.
Then dancing... Mostly Salsa and Argentine Tango, plus Rumba, Bachata, Merengue, Samba and Cha Cha.
An event for those of us who enjoy Latin food, music and
dancing.
The $20.00 cover includes 2 house drinks, or 1 house drink and an appetizer from La Havana's Latin Night menu.
You can, of course, order dinner from the main menu as well.
La Havana 59 110 Moonachie Avenue Moonachie New
Jersey 201-964-9515 http://www.lahavana59.com
lisa@simplysocialdancing.com
*******************************
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Our cancelation policy - We STILL rarely cancel
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Even though we had to cancel once this year because of a blizzard, 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 my cell
phone 201-826-6602. Feel free to leave a message.
We cancel only when absolutely necessary (only about eight or nine times in all these years - including, unfortunately, the Thursday that I was in Florida, 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 Syrett
- Daniel and Georgina
- Barbara
- Mike Porro
- Elena Titova
- Jesse Barton
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 - - Henry Kim - Rice Crackers
And these people brought wine
- Bill Auer
- Barbara Lombardi
- Mary Pagano
- Carl Schaefer
- Jack
Messing
- George Ngo
- Donna Rydu
- Nancy Gerardi
- Edna Negron
- Jonh
Barous
- Jesse & Cathy
- June Stahl
Tango in New Jersey and New York |
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