Workshop Information
On this page you'll find short workshop descriptions as well as an explanation of workshop levels and partnering info. The workshop levels and partnering policies at this festival may be different than other festivals you've attended, so it's important that you read all the information carefully before deciding on workshops. For information about workshop registration policies, click here. And if you've already read the level and partnering info and want to skip directly to the descriptions, we invite you to jump to them.
The Workshop Levels
The Intermediate Track
The Intermediate workshops at TdlM cover a wide range of experience levels, including what other festivals
call both "intermediate" and "intermediate/advanced". If you...
- Are comfortable in close and open embrace,
- Have good navigation skills and solid balance,
- Listen to the music and let it affect the way you move,
- Can already lead or follow many tango figures such as barridas, voleos, ganchos, etc.
...then please register for the Intermediate track workshops. We will make every effort to balance
the intermediate workshops between leaders and followers. Because we expect the workshops to reach
capacity, priority admission will be given to Springstep Festival Pass holders prior to registration
closing on October 15 and then by order of registration date. (For more information on registration
policies, go the the Register page.) Partner rotation in these classes will be recommended but
not mandatory. If you have a particular partner that you would like to work with in these workshops,
just make sure you both register before the workshops reach capacity, since we can't give anyone
priority over others who registered earlier.
The Advanced Track
The advanced track workshops are intended for the most advanced social dancers and include both the "advanced" and "master" levels that you might see at other festivals. If you...
- Are a professional tango dance instructor or performer,
- Have 4+ years of class and workshop participation in the style of the instructors,
- Have danced in many cities and countries and can dance well on a crowded floor,
- Are able to execute a figure without having to see it demonstrated,
- Can explain the mechanism and technique behind the tango figures listed above,
...then the Advanced workshops may be right for you. As in many advanced and master classes in
Buenos Aires and Europe, there will be no partner rotation in these workshops. The teachers expect
that you have a very high level of skill and will not slow down the class or partner(s)
if you happen to fall behind, and it is for this reason that there will be no partner rotation.
We understand that requiring a partner for the advanced workshops may be frustrating for some registrants,
however, we hope that the benefits of working with a predictable partner will outweigh the benefits
of working with a number of unpredictable partners.
On the registration form, you can name one partner that you will work with for all workshops you register for, different partners for different workshops, or may choose to have a fellow participant of the opposite role assigned to you. The assigned partner option is at your own risk, since we cannot guarantee that you would consider the dancer to be "advanced". (So if you're picky, don't choose this option!) If you do choose the assigned partner option, you will be given the name(s) of your partner for each workshop by October 24th at the latest.
Because we expect the workshops to reach capacity, priority admission will be given to Springstep Festival Pass holders and then by order of registration date. For more information on registration policies, go the the Register page.
Looking for a partner for Advanced workshops? Check out the Forum page!
All Levels Workshops
Technically, the All Levels workshops actually are not all levels. It is preferable if you have at least some basic tango experience in order to give context to the skills you will learn in the men's and women's technique classes. Priority admission will be given to Springstep Festival Pass holders and then by order of registration date (more info on the Register page).
Andres Amarilla and Meredith Klein teaching at TdlM 2007. Photo by Adriana Pinto.
Workshop Descriptions
All levels
Women's Technique - Cecilia & Donato
Walking and turn technique, focusing on the fluidity of movement.
Tango Leader: What Leads You? - Brigitta & Tomas
A class on technique and much more.
 Photo
by Sorin Varzaru, TdlM 2007. |
Intermediate
White Lies - Brigitta & Tomas
A class on amagues and rebote, movements that could be called fakes and a swing.
Barridas and Improvisation - Kara & Yanick
Break the structure, break the embrace, and gain new barridas!
Caressing Ganchos - Luiza & Nick
Work with ganchos that are generated through contact rather than impulse.
Voleos: Technique for Men and Women - Cecilia & Donato
How to lead and perform voleos naturally. (Note: In Argentine Spanish, the "v" is pronouced as a "b".)
Foot Placement: Traps, Pasadas and Sacadas - Luiza & Nick
Learn elements that develop your foot movement skills and see possibilities of creating moves with these
new elements.
Milonga Musicality - Trio Garufa
Improve your understanding
of the tango art form, and specifically of the milonga rhythm. Trio Garufa will demonstrate and
isolate rhythms and accompaniments, as well as melody phrasing concepts unique to Argentine Tango
to help you discover the richness of the music you are dancing to.
Vals - Cecilia & Donato
Moves for tango vals that introduce different possible rhythms.
Tango Internals - Brigitta & Tomas
Otherwise known as, Disguising Argentine Magic. A class from the inside out and for small spaces.
Giros, Sacadas, and Changes of Direction - Kara & Yanick
Do you feel like you're going in circles? Here you learn how to really enjoy it. Understand the structure
and technique behind it all.
Photo by Marty Katz, TdlM 2007. |
Advanced
Skeletal, Effortless Legwraps - Luiza & Nick
Make difficult look easy. Learn challenging combination of leg moves that demand control and precision
with balance, weight and positioning of the bodies.
Voleos and Sacadas - Cecilia & Donato
Combinations of voleos and sacadas for men and women.
Tango Toolbox - Brigitta & Tomas
A class with five tools to enhance your dancing in a sensitive and skillful way.
Combinations of Colgadas and Volcadas - Kara & Yanick
Living on the edge: challenge yourself by going directly from one extreme to the other.
Milonga: dial-up or high speed connection? - Luiza & Nick
Work to achieve a fast and good connection
in order to be able to understand the quick and rhythmical leads that are demanded in dancing
milonga traspié.
Ganchos Out of Axis - Cecilia & Donato
Very advanced material -- ganchos in colgadas and volcadas.
The F in Tango - Luiza & Nick
You'll have to come to the class find out what the F represents, but we
can tell you that this class is all about developing your creativity. Building from a simple structure,
you'll soon find yourselves knee-deep in intrigue.
Embrace and Elasticity - Kara & Yanick
How rubber-band situations create new dynamics between the dancers without causing tension and force.
Musicality - Cecilia & Donato
Exercises to develop your musicality through the connection with your partner.
Photo by Marty Katz.
