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 "Tango is a sad thought
that is danced." “The tango can be debated,
and we have debates over it, "The tango is a man and
woman in search of each other.
ANGEL ECHEVERRIA
grew up dancing tango in the crowded clubs of Buenos
Aires. As a teenager, he was taken under the wing of the
old milongueros. His distinctive
style carries all the hallmarks of the authentic
tanguero -- extraordinary musicality,
a subtle lead and classic foot work. These qualities,
plus five decades of dancing experience, make Angel an
unparalleled teacher whose joy in teaching and whose
love of the Tango infuse every class.
CLASSES EVERY THURSDAY
Beginners 7:30
- 8:30 PM Fundamental
steps and combinations with emphasis on the
correct technique.
Practice & Warm-up
8:30 - 9:30 PM Beginners
can practice what they have just learned.
Intermediates and Advanced can warm-up.
Intermediate &
Advanced 9:00 - 10:15 PM At
the beginning of every month a combination of classic
tango figures is presented to the students. Each week for the
rest of the month the combination is worked on step by step
focusing on the techniques needed to execute the steps easily,
with emphasis on partner connection. By the end of the month,
students can execute the combination on the social floor with
confidence, fluidity and musicality and, subsequently,
integrate all combinations into their repertoire with their own
style.
We also focus on helping you begin to develop a tango “ear”. It is not uncommon for beginning students to say “I can’t hear the rhythm”. And they’re right. Unlike other Latin dances that have one particular rhythm, tango’s genius is in its layers of rhythms and melodies. It takes time to learn how to hear them and then dance to the thousands of tangos that exist. It is a joy to watch that moment when a beginner gets the connection between his/ her body and the music.
Wednesdays 7:30pm - 8:30pm Once a student has achieved basic mastery of the fundamentals, it is our delight to welcome them into an intermediate class. These classes cover steps (pasos) and combinations of steps, such as
There is also a stronger emphasis on musicality with the goal being to help the student identify the various orchestras and the style of tango appropriate to them.
Tuesdays 7:30pm - 9:00pm Under Construction!
Thursdays TBA Proficiency in executing the steps taught in the intermediate class is crucial to becoming an advanced dancer. In addition to learning the more difficult steps such as colgadas, volcadas, planeos, we work on helping you unlock your improvisational abilities. Tango is not a grid upon which one dances. Our goal is to help you unleash the creative tango dancer inside.
Thursdays 9:00pm - 10:00pm Vals...one of the most beautiful musical experiences in tango! Vals is the Argentine Tango version of waltz. Unlike Tango and Milonga, there are no stopping figures. The vals is danced in a continuous movement. In this class students learn how to combine the basic tango steps into the rhythm of the tango vals. Focus is on interpreting the music, complementary posture, embraces and balance. Basic knowledge and experience in tango is advisable. Tuesdays 9:15pm - 10:45pm Milonga is the wise-cracking, joke-telling, high energy sibling of tango or its playful cousin, if you will. Its rhythms originated in Africa and Uruguay. Milonga uses the same basic elements as Tango and requires a greater relaxation of legs and body. Movement is normally faster, and pauses are not made. It is rather a kind of rhythmic walking without complicated figures, with a much more "rustic" style than Tango. There are different styles of Milonga: Milonga Lisa (Simple Milonga), in which the dancer steps on every beat of the music; and Milonga con Traspié, in which the dancer uses Traspiés or contrapasos (changes of weight from one foot to the other and back again in double time or three steps in two beats) to interpret the music. Thus, dynamics may be danced without having to run fast or without the use of much space. TBA Under Construction!
Thursdays 8:30pm - 9:00pm Under Construction!
1st Saturday
of the Month
3:00pm - 6:30pm TANGO TUNE-UP with Angel & Julie Anything about tango you don't understand? Any step giving you trouble? Bring us any and all problems and we'll help you solve them. Tuesdays
7:30pm - 9:00pm
$15
Darío Aro & Barbara Martínez
Dario comes from a
family of tangueros. He learned to dance tango
in Buenos Aires almost 15 years ago & has been
dancing ever since. He has excellent posture and balance, a
crystal clear lead, & crisp, clean technique Barbara has danced, taught, and performed throughout Southern California, including UCLA & Cal Tech. In 2006, she performed at the International Day of Tango at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. More recently she was invited to perform at the Lobero Theater in Santa Barbara for BASSH 2008 and the NoHo Carlos Gardel Tango Festival 2008. She was also featured on Telemundo and KTLA and will be a showcased dancer in both the upcoming Fashion-Fusion Tango Fashion Show (which is a benefit for the National Breast Cancer Foundation) and the upcoming tango show Flamenco Loves Tango. Barbara is an authentic milonguera who comes from an Argentinean family of performing artists in the tango, Argentinean folk dances, theater, music and singing. Barbara's crisp, clean technique and her strong yet distinctly feminine styling have made her one of the most respected and sought-after Argentinean tango dancers and a model for aspiring women tango in Southern California.
Rafael Galante Buenos Aires-born and raised, Rafael Galante is a tango dancer equally at home in the milongas of both BA and LA. His father was a well-respected professional bandoneon player and Rafael grew up surrounded by tango. It's no surprise that he went on to express the 2/4 on the dance floor. Having spent his life as an avid jazz fan and musician, the parallels between jazz improvisation and the intimate "conversation" of tango become an integrated force in his dancing. While he has studied with some of the greats, he considers Manuel Martinez his true mentor. Martinez is a maestro of the Villa Urquiza style, which Rafael considers the best and personally most enjoyable tango form. As a teacher, he now spices his excellent training with his own style, imparting the essentials of classic tango technique, while encouraging students to find their own tango voice. If you frequent the milongas of Southern California, you surely have witnessed his personality on the dance floor.
Lisa Cristiano Lisa is a lifelong dancer. Ballet was her first love, but tango is without a doubt her passion. Drawn in and enthralled initially by the music, she embraced Argentine tango and has never looked back. While in Buenos Aires, Lisa studied with many of the best known and well-respected maestros there as well as back in the States. An extremely dedicated, lyrical, and intuitive dancer, she enjoys teaching ballet to young students and imparting her love of tango to students of all ages. Rafael and Lisa have performed at Opera Pacific, REDCAT, John Anson Ford Amphitheater and many other esteemed venues throughout California.
(Social Tango Dance
Parties)
We now have a new milonga on
Wednesdays at
The Tango
Room:
Milonga "El Portenito"! Hosted by Miguel Cardoso, Dario Aro, & Barbara
Salas. The exceptional music of DJ Miguel Cardoso will keep you dancing all
night long! Come share some pizza & Tango... Hope to see you there!
Every Wednesday 9:30 pm - 12:30 am Admission: $7
Every Saturday night of the year, The Tango Room magically transforms into EL ENCUENTRO (The Encounter) ...a tango club much like you would find in Buenos Aires, Argentina. An intimate gathering place for the tango experience at its raw, hypnotic, pulsating best!
Please join us and step back into an era when people
dressed up and danced close. 9:30 p.m. - until the
candle lights go out. (Admission includes a light
buffet)
Well-lit parking on street and behind the building. Several nice restaurants nearby. Beautiful, medium-sized floor. Hosted by Julie, Angel and Alexis. Every Saturday -
(Even During Holidays, Inclement Weather & Other Acts of
God...) EL ENCUENTRO was the first milonga to open in Los Angeles with a true Buenos Aires flavor, introducing among other things; tandas (musical sets), cortinas (breaks), classes with an emphasis on tango etiquette, the first All-Night milongas and the only (and still) weekly late-night milonga. Several years later it continues to be one of the most popular gathering places for tangueros. Each and every Saturday night guests are greeted in the Argentinean style, with abrazos and besos (hugs and kisses).
For many dancers in the
L.A. area, Saturday night at
EL ENCUENTRO is de rigeur.
Even dancers from Santa Barbara and San Diego make it a
regular part of their weekend. Visiting dancers from all
over the country, all over the world, repeatedly tell
the hosts that El Encuentro holds its own against the
best milongas in Buenos Aires and New York.
Whenever they are in town, world-renowned dancers make it a point to stop by EL ENCUENTRO and always grace the milonga with unforgettable exhibitions. Masters such as Osvaldo & Lorena, Fernanda & Guillermo, Chicho & Lucia, Gavito, Julio & Corinna, Fabian & Carolina, the cast of Forever Tango…and on and on. Even famous tango musicians love to come by to visit, such as Coco Trivisonno, Horacio Romo, etc. And they all come for the same reason as regulars dancers do because as one enters EL ENCUENTRO, they do indeed encounter a warm atmosphere, a bountiful buffet, great music, a great dance floor filled with wonderful dancers to watch and to dance with. In fact, everyone says that a night at EL ENCUENTRO is like a party. So, come join the party! We will be waiting for you every Saturday Night! Some of our visitors comments: "…As a longtime
tanguero who has traveled the world over, I feel at home
here". "…this is one of
the two best milongas in the USA." "…one of the best
milongas I have been to in North America" "Congratulations.
This place reminds me of tango in Montevideo and Buenos
Aires" "…the music here is
as good if not better than in Buenos Aires. " "Word gets
around…this is one great milonga" "A totally
unexpected surprise" "I love this
place!" "Always great
energy and vibes here" "A fun and genuine
place. I never miss it when I am in town" "I always find
interesting music and great people to dance with." "It is fantastic
what you have created here"
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along with an impressive repertoire & an
energetic, vibrant creativity that always make
him a pleasure to watch on the dance floor.
