El Gato Valdez and Andrea Monti will be at the Lake Merritt Dance Center,200 Grand Avenue,at Bay/Harrison Streets, Oakland in September and October, 2006.
El Gato Valdez and Andrea Monti dance "Tango Salón" and are known for their elegance, technique and musicality. They are considered representatives of the typical tango "porteño". Thorough and dedicated, they know how to break patterns and technique down for students. Their teaching method based is based on proper posture, balance, axis, weight change, rhythm and especially the tango walk, emphasizing interpretation of the music, and encouraging students to express their feelings when dancing. They have taught in Argentina, Brazil, the United States, including the 2004 Portland Tango Fest, Central America, Europe, including the Valencia Tango Festival 2004, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. http://www.gatotango. September 16th, Saturday 2 to 3 pm - Technique (for leaders and followers, all levels) posture, balance, axis, walking technique, changes of weight exercises, ochos technique, leading ochos, pivot technique, molinetes, waist rotation, double time exercises. 3 to 4 pm - Tango Salón II (low intermediate to advanced) simple patterns with "entradas" and "paradas"; "barridas", double time sequences. Combinations. September 17th, Sunday 2 to 3pm - Technique II (for leaders and followers, low intermediate to advanced) general review of the previous class, complete molinetes, rhythm, low and high voleos, leading technique for forward voleos, ganchos exercises, pivots. Lapiz and enrosques exercises for leaders. 3 to 4 - Tango Salon III (intermediate & advanced) line and round displacements. Turns to the left and "enganches". Combinations. October 7th, Saturday 2 to 3pm - Ladies Technique (especial class only for ladies). Style, body attitude and embellishments for walks, ochos and turns. Stretching exercises at the end (bring comfortable clothes). 3 to 4pm - Tango Salon VI (advanced), double time turns, sacadas and "rompe medias" step. Combinations. October 8th, Sunday 2 to 3pm - Vals (intermediate to advanced tango dancers) 3 to 4pm - Milonga (low intermediate to advanced) El Gato and Andrea will teach the Monday class on September 18th and 25th; and October 2nd, 9th and 16th. 7:30-8:15 p.m. - Beginner class without practice $10 Beginner class with practice $15 8:30-9:30 p.m. - Intermediate class with practice $20 (Both classes plus practice $25) 9:30-10:30 p.m. Practica alone $5 For more information, please contact Jeanne ("Jan") at [email protected], (925) 283-0191, http://lakemerrittdancecenter.com/_wsn/page5.html Jeanne ("Jan")
