2008 Portland TangoFest XII
Instructor's Class Description

NOTE: Instructors are listed alphabetically. If you cannot find them below, please find their name on the festival web page, link to their home page and email them directly for questions you may have about their classes.

Carlos & Tova:

Beginning - Different Flavors of Ochos
In this class you'll learn and refine basic ochos in open and close embrace. Then we'll explore different ways of getting into and out of ochos, as well as varying the degree and speed of the pivot which will allow you to navigate the dance floor with precision.

Intermediate - Embrace Diversity: Beautiful Transitions Between Open and Close Learn a handful of our favorite ways to transition between open and close embrace within a dance. We'll explore the concept of slidey frame and learn how to make transitions clear, comfortable and interesting.

Advanced - Sophisticated Rhythmic Play
Now that you can do all the tango moves, it's time to do them with advanced rhythms. You'll learn to dance a variety of tango elements at different speeds, and you'll learn options for expressing fills in the music using quick and double-quick steps.

Advanced Couples - Deconstructing Tango Movement Ever taken a workshop where you learned a cool move or sequence but the explanation of how to actually do it was less-than-satisfying? For purposes of less-frustrating self-study, we will explore how tango movements originate by briefly surveying the muscles used in tango and then you'll apply this knowledge to analyze simple and complex tango moves. You and your partner will practice breaking down complex movements into bite-size pieces and inventing drills for improving these specific aspects of your dancing.

 

Juergen Pichler:

Beginners:

"Basics and variations of the cruzada" Eight different cruzadas to meet the most demanding tastes in time with the music.
"Vals fundamentals" will take you do dance Tango Vals in no time with pointers in how to interpret the specifics in the music of this lyrical dance.

Intermediate:
"Torque, Torso, Technique". If you want to know how become a more efficient dancer using the potential of your body to the fullest, this lesson is for you. Will do figures that will teach you do use your whole body rather than just arms.

Advanced:
"Interleading", If you are enjoying being with a partner that feels comforttable exchanging lead/follow during a set this class is for you. Additionally, if you like to dance tango with alternative ideas in mind you will enjoy this class. Will show you the technique behind a proactive leaders/follwoers exchange during a dance set. This is definitely a lesson that will open New Horizons for you. Recommended requirements: has danced and be comfortable in either -lead/follow- positions.

Advanced Couples:

"Contrepaso", An advanced fun concept teaching you new ways to think about using your cross in conjunction with colgadas and traspie rhytm in tight spaces. Recommended prerequisite: be comfortable with the cross in any position.

Maria & Gustavo:

Beginners:

Milonga--fun with musicality and basic sequences. We’re going to focus on how to step to the beat while we develop the basic movements of milonga, the most playful music to dance to.

Intermediates:

Ellegant and beautiful walking with sacadas and empujaditas. Keeping the contact between the chests, we’re going to study how to do beautiful sacadas and empujaditas as we walk in straight lines and gently navigate on the dance floor.

Advanced:

Create your own tango with improvisation. Improvisation is one of tango’s basic fundamentals, we’re going to study how to combine different tools (movements of the chest and legs) to create original movements.

Advanced couples:

1. Dealing with traffic jams!”- -navigation on a crowded dance floor. One of the biggest problems for dancers is how to keep the movement when the dance floor is full of couples. Working on rhythmic, posture and improvisation we’ll manage how to enjoy a whole milonga without complaining for the lack of space!

2. Milonga traspié--heat up your feet!--Skills and ornaments. Milonga is the most playful rhythm, we’ll work out how to have a lot of fun by combining the movements of our bodies and feet to develop our creativity and play with different ornaments.

 

Melina & Detlef:

Beginners:

Walking in an embrace
Tango is walking in an embrace. During this workshops we’ll work on the different aspects and variations of the "Caminar". We’ll focus on the appropriate inner and outer posture, the expression of each step and elegant movements without the limitations of „clinging to someone“. This class won't hurt more advanced dancers either...

Tango Milonguero – Variations of the Ocho Cortado
We’ll vary the traditional Ocho Cortado in a lot of interesting new ways, that will enhance your improvisational skills a lot and break up fixed patterns.

Intermediate :

Goodbye grapevine: Turning without memorized patterns
Combining the basic elements (steps & pivots) to turns without memorizing patterns. For us, the grapevine (or molinette) is only ONE possibility to turn. Have fun exploring improvised elegant turns. We highly recommend this class, if you want to take our Vals-class during the Festival, even if you are an advanced dancer.

Advanced:
Vals – The music
Exploring the rhythmical variations in Vals and integrating them in variations of the walk and other known movements. This may sound simple, but is it not: there are certain rhythmical variations which are forgotten most of the time and dancing them requires the proficiency to really lead and follow in order to „time“ your movements.

Colgadas de Salón
Integrating turns with shared axis into the close embrace dance. This class requires an awareness of your axis and your partners. We’ll examine different variations of Colgadas depending on your experience.

Advanced couples:

Elegant movements – our favorite steps

This class is about the development of fluent and elegant movements, working on the expression and communication of each step. We’ll show a choice of our favorite steps and vary them according to the music. You won't get away without doing some basic exercises though

Oscar & Georgina:

2 beginners classes
 
FEELING TANGO : this class focuses on the very essence of what it is to dance Tango: the Feeling, the Connection. This class will help you move out of the intellectual, analytical nature of the dance into the intuitive and feeling aspects of the Tango
 
1 intermediate classes
 
DENSITY & ELASTICITY : learn how to project your movement with a simple grace that is extraordinarily elegant and sensuous.
 
2 Advanced
 
LEAD AND FOLLOWING SECRETS: all secrets you will need for lead and follow.
 
ROMANTIC TANGO : this is the sexy, sensuous tango that marks Oscar's & Georgina's stunning style. Learn how they do what they do!!
 
2 Advanced couple classes
 
ADORNMENTS FOR COUPLE: take your tango to the next level in learning how to make adornments with your partner, the connection and the lead. 
 
CHOREOGRAPHIC SHOW SEQUENCES: this class is focuses in the dance show.