Dear Tango Aficionados, One of the reasons we (Deb & Brian) organized the TangoIntensivo(tm) sessions with Luciana Valle was to provide ourselves a way of continually renewing our own awareness and raising our own skill level in the art of tango dancing by "returning to the source" ourselves, over and over again. We're about to start our eleventh trip to Buenos Aires in a few days, to both organize and participate in our third year of TangoIntensivo(tm) sessions - to date, a total of 156 hours of intensive workshops in Buenos Aires. We'll be back again in May and in October 2007. It is both intensely exhilarating and deeply humbling to discover anew how much more there is to learn, at every level, far beyond what we thought we had mastered with such comfortable certainty. In our experience, some of the most important lessons - about profound connection, deeply rooted musicality-made-flesh, and emotional openness to the richness of the tango encounter - can only effectively be mastered in repeated opportunities to join in a heart-to-heart embrace with several truly skilled partners, dancers who are themselves steeped year-in and year-out in the silent language of tango as it is spoken at its best in Buenos Aires.
Many of us take a trip or two to Buenos Aires, have strong and memorable experiences, filter out and forget the lessons we're not yet ready to learn, and come home full of certainty and confidence, blissfully unaware of the gaps in our experience, and overflowing with tales to fascinate the even more inexperienced dancers around us. That's what I did, six years ago, after my first few trips. But...somewhere around our fourth or fifth trip to BsAs, it really came home to us: Argentine tango dancing is an incredibly complex and many-faceted jewel, far more so than we first thought, which doesn't give up its deep secrets easily to the casual or occasional visitor. So we set out to create a "Buenos Aires Tango Program" that WE would want to do, over and over again - and here it is. Over the years, as we've widened and deepened our relationships with our circle of Argentine partners, it's become clear to us that tango itself is changing and growing, rendering many old ideas and myths progressively less relevant with the passing of time. Preserving the best of the old myths and welcoming the best of the new myths is an art in itself. As full-time dancers and teachers, we delight in lending our shoulders to the intercontinental wheel of "La Vida Tango", working with our cherished Argentine colleagues in this never-ending cultural quest. The core of the experience we offer is to discover FOR YOURSELF what it is to dance your tango, for hours and hours, twenty-five hours in six days, with multiple leaders and followers on our staff who draw from you your best, consistently working with you on your own tango frontiers, under the warmly supportive guidance and supervision of a brilliant maestra of the art of teaching tango. Entering into the arms of these open-hearted dancers, over and over again, you discover for yourself the deeply intimate magic of the Argentine tango embrace. But you don't need to believe US...read the testimonials on our website of our TangoIntensivo(tm) repeat customers, then come with us and discover (again) for yourself what tango can be! == PROGRAM STATUS UPDATES == The TangoIntensivo(tm) sessions in February/March are nearing their final preparations, and some of you are already on your way to Buenos Aires. We are no longer accepting registrations for the TangoIntensivo(tm) Session I (February 19-24). It IS still possible to register for the Session II (February 26-March 3), although to be able to assure you a partner, we will need to hear from you before Sunday, February 18. Some of you are already in Buenos Aires, and have expressed strong interest, but have been unable to confirm your schedules until your arrival. Please contact us as soon as your plans become clear!! As long as we can reach an understanding of your plans by Sunday February 18th, it should be possible to pay in full onsite on the first day of class, February 26th. If you are paying in Argentine pesos, the exchange rate will be calculated as of the first day of class. CAN I TAKE SESSION II IF I HAVEN'T TAKEN SESSION I? Apparently some confusion still exists about the relative level of Intensivo I and II. These two programs are taught AT THE SAME LEVEL, so THEY CAN BE TAKEN IN ANY ORDER. YOU CAN TAKE SESSION II WITHOUT TAKING SESSION I. These programs are aimed at those who are comfortable with the basics, but who want to take their tango to the next level through an intensive program with a brilliant teacher and a talented dedicated staff of dancers to partner you. WHAT IF I CAN'T ATTEND THE WHOLE SESSION? If space allows, it may be possible to take just the first half of the program (Feb 26-28), but we will need to know ASAP from you if you are interested in order to make proper staffing arrangements. Because the material is sequential within a session, you will not be able to take just the second half of the program (March 1-3). Under no circumstances will you be able to drop-in unannounced and take the program, whole or in part, unless you are a couple who agree to dance the entire time together. Even if you attend in this way as a couple, PLEASE contact us ahead of time, to avoid the risk of arriving only to discover a full program. OUR MAESTRA, LUCIANA VALLE Luciana Valle (www.lucianavalle.com) is justly famous worldwide for her clear and powerful teaching in a warm and engaging style. Master of both leading and following roles, a gorgeous improvisational social dancer and a peerless technician of the structure and technique of the dance, the intensity and comprehensiveness of her tango mastery is the cornerstone of these programs. She has taught in cities and festivals around the world, and is a featured teacher at this year's CITA Tango Congress in Buenos Aires. Luciana handpicks the partners you'll dance with, our TangoIntensivo(tm) Assistants, from among her students in Buenos Aires. A WELL-EARNED REPUTATION FOR QUALITY Our students not only enjoy themselves and the challenges we present them, but they keep coming back - and bringing their friends! At the start of our third year, we've had six programs already, and some people have returned for second, third or even FOURTH helpings at the "TangoIntensivo Buffet!" ENJOY THE MUPTIPLE TANGO DELIGHTS OF THE BUENOS AIRES TANGO FESTIVAL! As in past years, your time spent with us during the day is enhanced by the incredible range of evening and nighttime tango cultural events put on by the City of Buenos Aires in its annual Tango Festival, now in its ninth year. DATES: Intensivo I: REGISTRATION CLOSED Intensivo II: February 26-March 3, 2007 DURATION Each program is 25 hours long: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday are 5 hours each. Wednesday and Saturday are half days of 2.5 hours each. On a regular day, we start around 11 and finish around 5:30 or 6pm, including a break for lunch and an afternoon breather. COST The programs are US$650 per person. Airfare, meals and lodging are extra, but we have extensive experience on what has worked for our customers in the past. Credit card payment available on our website. After you register, we're happy to provide you with the benefits of our experience. CLASS SIZE STRICTLY LIMITED To insure that you're given the best chance to improve rapidly, and that you get the most benefit from dancing with our talented staff, we've strictly limited the size of each session to a maximum of 20 students, first come first served. We also reserve the right to deny registration, or to terminate participation with possible partial refund, at our discretion. Dont miss this opportunity for world-class tango teaching high quality tango partners all while sharing the sights, sounds and feelings of the home of tango during the Buenos Aires Tango Festival with a great group of dancers! Please contact us if we can answer any questions - we look forward to hearing from you ASAP! Abrazos, Brian Dunn and Deborah Sclar (and Luciana, claro!) Dance of the Heart 775 Pleasant Street Boulder Colorado 80302 USA 303-938-0716 www.danceoftheheart.com Building a better world, one tango at a time
