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CLASSES & MORE
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Passport to Live, as part of its Dance for Your Health program, holds Argentine Tango classes each week on the following days and times, and at the following locations:
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| Passport to Live can arrange for a specialized set of Dance for Your Health classes for your group. Use our contact form on the Contact Us page or email ljmathe@gmail.com to request more information regarding specialized classes for your group. |
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COURSE
DESCRIPTION |
Dance for Your Health Program
Course Description This program is a set of classes designed to teach its participants the
basics of Argentine Tango for the purpose of improving their physical, mental
and emotional well-being. It is also hoped that participants will take advantage of the
opportunities to dance at other dance venues. And, if they are so inclined,
take lessons and workshops available in the local dance communities and
societies, such as TSOM (the Tango Society of Minnesota). A list of tango
instructors and tango societies can be found on our website at www.passporttolive.com. This program is as much a social group as it is a dance program. The true
objective of the program is to provide its participants with a healthy, fun and
social activity. |
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About Argentine Tango Argentine Tango Defined Argentine
tango is a collaborative, vibrant and playful walking-with-balance
dance done by two persons in true leader and follower fashion. It is a
conversational no-step required format performed with a strong physical
connection and done in a very playful, romantic, passionate,
syncopated,
interpretative, expressionful and improvisational style. Argentine
Tango is one a the few dances styles that includes contra steps. This
is when both the leader and follower are moving on the same foot one
each step. In
tango there is a 'leader' and a 'follower'. Through the embrace, the leader
offers invitations to the follower on where and how to step and move. The
follower decides how they will accept the leader's invitations. Both leader and
follower try to maintain harmony and connection through the embrace, and with
the music, and so the dance is born. Argentine Tango is danced in both modern and traditional styles and the partners
dance “in” the music not “to” the music. At the heart of Argentine
tango is the desire of both the leader and follower to listen to, understand
and converse with each other through the unique language of dance, mostly
through weight or balance shifts and with very little arm leading. So tango can be many things for different people. Almost any type of
music that can be walked to can be tangoed to, which means just about anyone
can do it! "When
I tango it's like there is no past or future, there is only my partner and the
music, in constant flow." "Tango
is sharing a moment of intimacy and understanding with another person." "Tango
lets me forget my worries and remember what it's like to let the music take
over." "It's truly magical and amazing, how two people can really move as
one, so connected with each other and the music - that's tango.” Argentine Tango Dance Music The types of
music played at an Argentine tango event are Tango, Vals (waltz), and Milonga.
These types of music are differentiated by the speed of the music, the beat and
the rhythm. The dance steps and moves are basically the same just done with
different style, speed and musicality. The tangos,
valses (waltzes), and milongas are usually played in sets of 3 or 4 songs,
called a tanda. At the end of the tanda a small snipet of a non-tango style
music is played to signal the end of each tanda. This snipet of non-tango music
is called a cortina or curtain. When a person is invited to dance it is
expected that the partners will dance an entire tanda or the portion of the
tanda remaining. Upon completion of the tanda, the cortina or curtain, the
dancers are free to accept invitations from other dancers. Changing partners in
dancing during Argentine tango events is encouraged and almost expected. Argentine Tango Events There are two types
of Argentine tango dance events. They are a milonga and a practica. A milonga
is an actual dance event where
tangos, valses, and milongas are played in sets or 3 or 4 songs, called
a tanda
and the end of each tanda is signaled by a small snipet of non-tango
type music
played for a brief period of time. Milongas are held in dance studios,
public
dance venues and are usually open to the public. During a milonga it is
poor etiquette to do any form of tango teaching on the dance floor
during the event. A practica
is a practice event of
Argentine tango dancing. The music is the same as it is for a milonga
event, and
may be played in the same tanda form as is used during a milonga.
Practicas are
primarily held in dance studios, but from time to time they are held in
public
venues. The primary purpose of a practica is to provide Argentine tango
dancers with an opportunity to share, teach and assist other dancers in
learning and improving their Argentine tango dancing skills. The Basic Elements of Argentine Tango Dancing The basic
elements of Argentine tango are etiquette, frame, style, and actions. Etiquette -
Etiquette is how one person invites another to dance (cabeceo), how the dancers
will navigate the dance space including floor-craft, and how each dancer should
behave with respect and dignity to their dance partner and other persons at the
dance event. One unique item of etiquette used at Argentine tango events is
cabeceo. Cabeceo is the act of communicating
a dance invitation, and its acceptance or non-acceptance, by using eye contact. Cabeceo may occur from totally across the room. Frame – The frame is how the leader and
follower setup for the dance with their posture, the type of embrace (open,
closed, or practice), and the connection. This frame influences the style of
the dance the partners will do and it may be influenced by the type of music
being played (tango, vals or milonga). Style – The style is how the partners lead
and follow the music. It is also how the leader implements and performs actions
in the combinations of the following ways: tempo (fast or slow), movement (abrupt
or smooth), and the style is usually influenced by the speed of the music (tango,
vals, or milonga). It is also very much dependent upon the leader’s musicality
and both of the partners’ level of syncopation. Actions – The basic actions or movements in
Argentine tango are any step, no step, any adornment, any displacement, any figure,
any pivot, any pause, any pass or any turn. There are 3 segments to each action. They are the setup, the weight shift, and then the collect or return to axis. Every action is performed by doing the action, and is completed when the dancers collect or return to their point of axis.
The next action then begins. |
| HISTORY OF ARGENTINE TANGO Back to top |
History of Argentine Tango |
| ARGENTINE TANGO DANCER LEVELS |
Argentine Tango Dancer Levels Beginner Level (Level 1) An Argentine Tango beginner will learn the following information, steps, figures, and movements to advance to the intermediate dancer level:
To start Argentine Tango intermediate level lessons, the dancer should have a reasonable ability to execute with balance and control the elements for the beginner dancer level, as listed above. In the intermediate dancer lessons the dancer will learn the following elements:
To start Argentine Tango intermediate level lessons, the dancer should have a reasonable ability to execute with balance and control the elements for the intermediate dancer level, as listed above. In the advanced dancer lessons the dancer will learn the following elements:
Other Elements to Improve Argentine Tango Dance Style The following elements are dance steps and movements that can be added to advance a dancer's style and flourish on the dance floor.
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| ARGENTINE TANGO TERMS Back to top |
Argentine Tango Terms Rather than re-inventing the wheel here, we have chosen to provide links to a couple of websites that contain some extensive lists of tango terminology. |
| ARGENTINE TANGO MUSIC LINKS Back to top |
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| ARGENTINE TANGO DANCE TIP LINKS |
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