FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15th, 2006

Instructors: Brandon Shaw & Dinah Grossman

Brandon Shaw has been a tango dancer, enthusiast, and performer for over six years. He is the founder and primary teacher of the U. Mass Argentine Tango Club in Amherst, where he teaches bi-weekly lessons, large workshops, and individual lessons.

As a teacher, Brandon is noted for his attention to technique for both followers and leaders and for creating a fun environment where dancers can learn quickly. Brandon ís dancing style is characterized by its rhythmicality and sensuousness, as well a playful, experimental nature. He has spent several months in Buenos Aires training under such teachers as Pablo y Dana, Gustavo Naveira, El Pulpo, Ana Maria Shapiro, and the late maestro Carlos Gavito. On his most recent trip, Brandon was filmed for ABC Primetimeís feature on Americans dancing tango in Argentina.

Dinah Grossman grew up in Maine, where she studied classical ballet under Andrei Bossov, former principal dancer and choreographer for the Kirov Ballet. In 2004 she traveled to Buenos Aires to study Argentine Tango under Claudia Bozzo and Augusta Balizano. Her training there focused on follower's technique and musicality.

Workshops Infomation:

6:00-7:00pm:
Enganches and Preparation for Volcadas: Volcadas are a kind of graceful trust fall between the leader and the follower, where the woman leans into her partner in a controlled shift of weight.
In this hour we will briefly discuss technique for followers and leaders in enganches (leg wraps). Next we will explore how leaders can most effectively signal and lead a follower through a volcada, and the techniques which followers can employ to help create safe, dynamic, and beautiful volcadas. This first workshop will aim to executing Volcadas to one side.

7:00-8:00pm:
Volcadas: Technique and Execution As a sequal to the earlier technique class, we will learn volcadas to the front. Depending upon the skill-level of the students, other volcadas may also be taught, such as interchanging volcadas, volcadas including an enganche (wrap) and arrastre (drag), and volcadas from ochos.

8:00-9:00pm:
Colgadas: Colgadas are rather recently developed figures in tango where dancers typically lean away from each other in order to perform spins. The rotation can be slight or involve several full turns.
We will begin with learning to lean comfortably from our partners, then begin exploring colgadas. As with the volcada workshop, the variety of colgadas we learn depends upon how quickly the students learn the material.

Workshops Prices

$15 per lesson (door price)
$12 per lesson if registered by September 10th/06
3 Workshops plus Milonga $42 (package)

SOCIAL DANCE
9:00 - 11:00 pm: "Milonga Los Compadres"
General dancing, light buffet, wine sampling, show.

LINK TO NEXT MONTH'S SOCIAL DANCE

LINK TO NEXT MONTH'S WORKSHOP

Location: Elmwood Community Center
1106 New Britain Avenue, CT. 06110 West Hartford.

Directions: RT. 91 South to Rt. W - Exit 42 - bear right, 2 or 3 blocks to end of Trout Brook, right at light onto South Quaker Lane, up hill take first left on Burgoyne St. by the ECC sign (before New Britain Ave.)

I-84 East. Take exit 41; South Main street.-turn right at the end of ramp continue to second light. turn left onto New Britain Ave. Continue on New Britain Ave. - turn left onto South Quaker Lane (Walgreen's will then be on your right). Turn right onto Burgoyne St. (first street on right). Follow the signs to Elmwood Community Center parking lot.

Information & Registration
oped/dance world & tango mundo
info@tango-mundo.org or oped@prodigy.net
www.tango-mundo.org    www.opeddanceworld.org 

(860)922-1420 (413)585-9695