Tango Classes on Maui
Love of Tango Maui is offering Tango classes at the MACC in Kahalui and at the Studio Maui in Haiku. Come and learn this wonderful and exciting dance. If you decide to come to the classes we would like there to be a balance of leads and follows, so bring a partner if you can although if you can't we can work with that as well. The classes are taught by Gawain Bantle who has danced professionally (ballet and flamenco) for many years in Europe and the U.S. and who is now absolutely in love with this Argentine Tango.
El Abrazo de Tango
a New Milonga at Mapa (Maui Academy of the Performing Arts):
This Saturday April 12th from 9 pm- 1 am.
There will be pupus onsite. Please bring your own drinks and glasses (plastic please). The space is located at the corner of Main and South Market. Go into South Market from Main street into the first parking lot to your right. The entrance is all the way in the back) of that parking lot. Dress up if you want and have a great time.
There will also be some performances during the Milonga and the DJ's will be Shastro and Gawain
When: Saturday, April 12th 2008
Where: Mapa studios, Wailuku
Time: 9:00pm -1;00 pm
Price: $10
Intermediate Tango
These classes will deal with how to open you energy for contact with another in the dance using simple steps. The focus is on connection and it is for all levels, beginning and intermediate. You might be amazed what can happen if you find a way to be open to flow and contact in the dance. That is where the nourishment in the dance comes from for me. Afterwards we will have a practica where you can ask about any steps or technique you want to ask about and I will try to answer it and we will all practice it.
Thursday April 10th
6:00pm-7:30pm ($15 drop in or $55 for the series of 6 classes).
Practica 7:30 - 9:00pm
The classes will be held at the Gawain;s house in Lower Kula: 10 Lopaka Place, Kula
For a master schedule for all Maui Tango activities click here:
A few general ideas related to Tango...
Music. Tango arises out of the music. If you want to dance Tango you must love and enjoy the music. The beat in Tango music can be difficult to hear, so in order to dance well we need to listen to the music often and begin to recognize the various patterns that are inherent in it. Check out Gawain's Tango Music Suggestions.
Enjoyment. Dancing is about enjoyment. That is why at least I am doing it. You can have fun at any level. Fun in dancing has little to do with skill. In my time as a professional ballet dancer I have seen many people loose their joy of dancing while acquiring the technique and that is such a pity. So find a way to enjoy it. Usually that happens when you get into the music and forget about the steps. In my lessons I will always provide time for forgetting about the steps and just getting into the music and the dance. At other times we will be working with the steps and the structure but the enjoyment in dancing is primary. Obviously the more skillful you are the more enjoyment it can add to your dance. But our skill has really nothing fundamentally to do with it. Just look at children. They play and don’t think about if they do things really well or not.
Here at Love of Tango we will encourage you to have fun regardless of your skill level. Of course as I said in class there will be frustration every so often. That happens whenever you acquire a new skill. So just try to flow with it.
Shoes. Tango is supposed to be a fun thing to do, so make sure that your feet always enjoy it by wearing comfortable shoes. Here are a few tango shoes websites:
www.22tangoshoes.com
http://www.tejastango.com/tango_shoes.html
http://www.mrtangoshoes.com/
http://www.cambridgetango.com/site/info/shoes.asp
Also, if you have sensitive feet, inserts within your shoes (sold through Birkenstock, for example) will help you to stay on your feet much longer. Also if you dance for more than 2 hours it is often helpful to switch shoes. You can switch into dance sneakers when you are practicing.
Personal Hygiene. Since this is a close dance and we live in a hot climate just deal with this appropriately using common sense.
Tango Etiquette. Please don’t criticize your partner when they do things wrong. You are in class because you don’t know. Stepping on people’s feet is part of it. After the dance you might say, "Can I give you a suggestion?" If your partner says yes, you give it. If they say no, you don't say anything. Nothing destroys the joy of dancing faster than uninvited criticism.
Making Time to Practice. In order to really enjoy tango and begin to “make it your own” you need to find a time to practice. It is of little benefit to your tango experience if you only learn steps upon steps and don’t practice them. Tango takes time to filter into your muscle memory. With that in mind next to the Love of Tango dance series, we will have practice sessions (in the tango world, we call these “practicas”), to practice our just acquired skills. If you want to really accelerate your learning practice during the weeks with friends or book a private with Gawain.
Private Lessons
Private Tango lessons with Gawain will greatly speed up the learning process for you. The lessons will be held at his dance studio in lower Kula and the cost is $40 for one hour.
For an appointment call Gawain at (808) 876-0485.
Gawain's Tango Music Suggestions
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