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The
objective of the Thematic Program Seminars is a deep
developing of a certain element or choreographic idea.
This central theme is studied in its all aspects.
The
Thematic Seminars have a specific program that includes
everything we believe necessary to know really in depth
the given central theme. That means that on one side,
will be studied all the technical specific elements that
belong to the central theme and its application to a
principal sequence, and on the other side, the
development of that central theme applied to the most
usual combinations.
The
developed Seminars until now are:
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"Axis
Inclination - Colgadas & Volcadas"
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“Changes
of turn direction"
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"Rhythm,
Phrasing & Musicality"
(Programmed
for Buenos Aires, Argentina - December 2011)
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"The
Embrace & The Posture"
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"Sacadas & Boleos"
(Programmed
for San Francisco, USA - May 2011)
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"Sacadas"
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"Differences between Tango, Vals &
Milonga"
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"Tango Milonguero"
(Programmed
for New York, USA - November 2011)
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"Deep Basics"
(Programmed
for Boston USA, April May 2011
for Vermont, USA, June 2011
for Buenos Aires, Argentina - August 2011)
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"Tango, Milonga & Vals, for social dancing"
(Programmed
for Boulder, USA - September 2011)
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"Tango & Valz, Rhythm & Phrasing"
(Programmed
for Cesena, USA - January 2012)
Frequently
we give a Thematic Seminar after a General one, in the
same month, but these Seminars are not continuity of any
previous one, therefore, it is not necessary to have
attended a General one to be able to attend the next
Thematic one.
Brief Explanation of each Seminar
Seminar
of " Axis Inclination - Colgadas &
Volcadas":
We
consider the inclination of the follower’s axis, as a
tool capable of bringing dynamism to the dance, which
means that apart from bringing action and risk, it
solves a number of traditionally static situations of
the tango dance, providing more harmony and continuity
to the movement. We will work in this seminar how to use
this tool (the inclination of the follower’s axis) in
all kind of steps and situations, analyzing posture,
arms, hips, resistance of the Man (leader), inclination
degrees of the woman (follower), etc, in order to print
that new dynamics to the dance.
Seminar
of “Changes of
turn direction”:
We will work all kind of choreographic ideas, but through the analysis of the changes of turn
direction of the woman (follower) around the man
(leader), which is something that we are continuously
having while dancing at the interior of the dance
couple.
So
we can say that not only we treat the specific
“changes of turn direction”, that applied to a
principal sequence they result as very beautiful
figures, but also how to apply them to all kind steps
and situations, what provides a lot of new possibilities
to the tango dance.
That
analysis is really deep, and proposes a really
modern view of the tango dance technique. It is
also important to say that this program particularly
contains a lot of material to work with.
Seminar
of "Rhythm Phrasing and Musicality":
The
relation between the movement and the musical
stimulation is (and will always be) one of the basic
elements that build the dance, that’s why it results
of extreme importance its exploration, analysis and
development, for the solidity of the dance.
We
will work on the three areas: rhythm, phrasing and
musicality, using sometimes choreographic sequences and
their multiple rhythmical variations, and sometimes
certain premises tending to exercise specific aspects of
the dance that vary in function of the emergent ambit of
the music. On other side, the sequences and
choreographic ideas used in this seminar, will
correspond to the most usual combinations in tango and
particularly those that frequently present rhythmical
difficulties.
Seminar
of “The Embrace
and The Posture”:
The Posture is theme of the most extended and
unsolved discussions about how must be used in the
dance, probably because it is the most representative
element in the tango image, of the eternal man-woman
relationship that exists within the tango. We firmly
believe that the tango dance must be “functional”,
that means that the quality in the dance doesn’t exist
without the “functioning harmony”, and this harmony
is the result of the correct leading and following, the
correct upper body’s position, the relative use of the
arms, the perception of the base axis, the use of the
spaces, the control of the distances, etc, etc. It is
clear that in all these elements, the Embrace and the
Posture are 100 % involved. So we’ll work all these
elements and others more, to know deeply the problems of
the Embrace and the Posture, in order to improve
fluidity and harmony in the dance, and therefore make it
more pleasant.
We’ll also take care about, as a second priority,
shape, attitude and body lines. The tango dance must be
beautiful to the sight, apart from fulfilling all the
internal requirements of the couple dance.
Seminar of "Sacadas & Boleos"
We consider the Sacadas and the Boleos ,
two of the most important tango choreographic ideas.
The tango has, among a lot of others
things, four or five choreographic ideas. That turn to
be the most important ones, due to their representative
essence, that means they are identifying the tango
genre.
Whenever, that are seen in choreography,
a Sacada, a Boleo, a Gancho, or a Barrida, will be
recognizable, the argentine tango presence.
This program treats, specifically these
two ideas: Sacadas & Boleos, through their complete
constitutive structure, exploring possible variables,
execution technique, rhythmical application, and their
combination possibilities.
This seminar contains a large number of
sequences, steps and variants; it is worked rapidly and
intensively, permitting a vast vision of the
choreographic spectrum.
It also results as a very good
opportunity to board the general technical training of
the tango dance, as are proposed throughout the
sequences many coordination problems, its solution
notably improve the general control.
Seminar of "Tango, Milonga & Vals
Differences"
The idea of this seminar is to study the
existing dance differences between the three typical
orchestra correspondent rhythms: the Tango, the Milonga
& the Vals. These differences are here analyzed through
all the aspects of the dance. Here is a list of these
aspects:
Differences in the structure
Differences in the use of rhythm
Differences in the musicality
Differences in the mechanics of the steps
Differences in the tempo
Differences in the flow
Differences in familiar figures to each
rhythm
Differences in the type of movement
And this list could continue. Must be
understood that each one of these rhythms requires a
different attitude and a different movement texture from
the couple that self expresses dancing. The three ways
of dancing emerge basically from the same system, but
not everything is possible in each one of them, and the
final result is totally different. This seminar brings
to light the type of change that is necessary to apply
to a step or choreography, in order to “convert” it to
one or the other rhythm. It is also an optimal
opportunity to train personally the rhythmical aspect of
the dance, as along the seminar we frequently change the
rhythm, what obliges to a higher adaptation speed to
rhythm and a higher concentration on the listening.
Seminar of "Tango Milonguero"
It is a program based on
the rules of the social tango dance. That means that
we’ll study here all that we believe is necessary for a
good dancing in a “milonga” reasonably crowded. There is
a particular embrace, a kind of steps manageable at
reduced spaces, with lots of rhythm and a high level of
concentration on the music and on the partner. We’ll
work in this seminar, a very subtle technique through
the upper body turns that permits the control of the
space and the movement in all directions, keeping the
minimum distance inside de couple. We also work here on
the attitude that has a great influence on the dance
results, and takes a basic role in the milonga context,
where the social meeting is the regular situation.
Another important element in this ambit is the
particular use of the memory that privileges the
“reaction at the moment”; we look forward to mobilize
the improvisation through the use of small modules or
short sequences, conveniently organized, very useful to
easily solve the dance. We also include in the program
some quotes about historic items of the tango dance
which are the connection that brought us to what the
Tango Milonguero is today.
Seminar "Deep Basics"
The Material will be a special program
that contains a revision of the most important Argentine
tango choreographic ideas, presented through combined
sequences that we do consider them "interesting".
Why are we considering them "interesting
combinations" ? Because of two reasons:
1- These "combinations" are setting
specific coordination problems and the solution notably
helps to improve general dance control.
2- We truly believe these combinations
have, in addition, a particular beauty, sometimes
focused on the "shape", sometimes on “dynamics",
sometimes on "structure".
The program will strive for 2 complete
sequences of at least 3 important ideas each, per class.
One of these sequences will be ample, will have big
movements and changes in the distance of the embrace.
The other one will have smaller movements, less or no
change of the embrace’s distance, and lots of rhythm
that means more socially danceable in a crowded milonga.
Both sequences will require coordination, sensitivity,
adjustment, etc.
Then, through these sequences we arrive
to the detection and isolation of basic problems of the
tango dance that are later deeply analyzed and studied.
At the same time, the usage we are having of these
elements within the sequence becomes an “example” always
useful and applicable to other variations.
Seminar "Tango, Milonga & Vals, for
social dancing"
As you know, dancing in the milonga, ie
the social event of the tango dance, always includes the
three rhythms historically addressed by the “Orquesta
Tipica” (traditional ensemble: piano, bandoneon, violin
and bass), namely: the Tango, the Milonga and the Vals.
In this seminar we study the three rhythms through
sequences and steps as usual, but always bearing in mind
that these figures are only suitable, feasible, and
interesting to be done in the field of social dance, ie
reduced spaces, with other people dancing around and
with the possibility to leave at any time in the
direction needed.
We study how to keep the "walk", the momentum, as to
assert the "lead and follow", how to harness the pace at
our convenience, and how to shape the embrace without
losing the previous ... Moreover, the understanding of
the structure of the three rhythms can develop the
ability to adapt what is already known in a rhythm on
the other. Yes ... we know ... are many things ... but
precisely for this reason is to face it as a seminar.
Dancing in the milonga seems easy but actually is not.
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