CANYENGUE WORKSHOPS
Taught by Ernest Williams and Linda Sutton
DATE: Saturday, May 20, 2006
LOCATION: Tango House, 1900 Rock Lake Loop, Virginia Beach, VA.
COST: $25 pp/ per class or $65 for all three classes.
PAYMENT: Checks payable to Linda Sutton or at website at www.emotionldance.com.
Please respond between Wednesday,
May 3 and Thursday, May 18.
Noon - 1:30 p.m.:Embrace, Enganches,
Caminar and Quick Review of Previously Taught Moves
The canyengue has a variety of embraces. Ernest and Linda will focus on a
unique embrace that offers a totally different framework and set of rules from
other tango forms.The enganche ("to hook or wrap") is the basic step that is
done often in canyengue. This time there will be two versions of the enganche
taught. La camina ("walk") is another option for progressing forward.
Linda likes to call it the Camina de "Thriller" like a Michael Jackson video,
and Ernest likes to call it the Cat Burglar
Walk.
1:45 - 3:15 p.m.: Boleo, Doble, and Floor Navigation Amongst Non-Canyegueros
This is not your ordinary boleo "boomerang" found in tango. It's a unique way
of walking in a tight circle with a little leg action. The doble is a very
deliberate grapevine without the grapes. What do we do if we are the only
couple at a milonga dancing a canyengue amongst those who are not? We'll show
you.
3:30 - 5 p.m." Orquesta, Doble Adelante, Quebrada
La Orquesta ("orchestra") is a very interesting way of doing the ochos before
they were ochos. The doble adelante is a grapevine only for the coolest of us.
Quebrada? You've never seen a side step like this before.
Linda and Ernest will be available for private lessons on Sunday, May 1.
Limited housing with local dancers available. Contact Minnie Fleming at
[email protected] or (757) 679-3473.
A LITTLE ABOUT CANYENGUE
Canyengue is considered the precursor to the tango that we know today.
Its rise dates around the last decade of the 19th century and remained
popular until the 1920's.
The word itself means "to melt [into one another or into the dance] or "to be
tired" according to Robert Farris Thompson.
It can be a very jovial dance. The style of dress of theera was mainly long
dresses for the ladies that made for short somewhat flat-footed steps.
The canyengue is the child of milonga which is a faster rhythmic dance mainly
attributed to the Afro-Argentines and Afro-Uruguayans of the 1800's.
Canyengue is also considered a dance of the blacks which caught on amongst
non-blacks as did milonga and candombe before
that.
Canyengue music is very rhythmic and appears to sound like a slow milonga.
The musicians most noted for this style in this era was and still is
Francisco Canaro, Roberto Firpo, Juan de Dios Filiberto y Juan D'Arienzo.
Watch out because canyengue is starting to make a come back in Buenos Aires,
and after the appearance of Robert Farris Thompson's new book on tango that
dedicates a whole chapter to canyengue, it's going to grow even faster. You can
get a jump on the masses that will start getting into it in the next few years.
We look forward to seeing you all in
class!!!
www.emotionldance.com
