History
Where is Tango From?
Tango emerged during the 1890s in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It was originally a social dance that blended choreography and music from many different cultures such European waltz and polka, the Habanera from Cuba, the African candomble, and a Argentine country dance called Milonga. The original instrumentation used in tango groups was flute, guitar, and violin. It wasn't until the 1920s-1950s that tango was played in tango orchestras. The Argentine tango orchestra, usually 3 violins, 3 bandoneons (an accordion-like instrument that gives tango its typical sound), piano, and bass is the typical ensemble used in recorded DJ music for tango dances.
What Style of Tango is Taught in the Grand Rapids Tango Community?
There are many different approaches to tango dancing and they are all valid. What really matters is that the approach a dancer uses is appropriate for the environment. For example, dancers move differently if they are performing on a stage, dancing in a wide open practice space, or dancing on a crowded milonga floor. In Grand Rapids we focus our lessons and milongas on social dancing, especially in a close embrace with 2-3 step sequences that are based on improvisation. The goal of GR Tango teachers is to maximize social energy through building good navigation skills, comfortable embraces, and musical dancing.
What are some of the formalities in tango?
At tango dances, called milongas, dancers generally dance 3-4 dances with one partner. This is called a tanda or round of dances. In between the dances is a cortina, or curtain, that serves as a musical cue for the partners to switch.
What type of shoes should I wear?
Shoes with leather or suede soles are needed in tango because you must be able to pivot freely without sticking to the floor which could hurt your knee or ankle. Other than that, the more comfortable the shoes, the better.
Do I need a partner?
No. Argentine social tango thrives on social interaction. Not only will frequent partner switching help make you a better dancer, it will facilitate good social energy.<back to top>
Tango Folias
Tango Folias is a tango band formed by Folias that specializes in live Argentine tango music for milongas (tango social dances).
Carmen Maret, flute and dance instructor
Carmen Maret began dancing tango and performing tango with the Kansas City, MO based group, Tango Lorca in 2001. Later, she studied tango as an ethnomusicology Masters student at Michigan State University, and produced a Master's thesis in 2005 that looked at tango in the Michigan Argentine Tango club based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Carmen Maret is a co-founder of the Grand Rapids Tango Community where she works as a tango teacher and tango musician. She has been performing live tango music for dancers since 2003 when she joined with her husband guitarist Andrew Bergeron to form their duo called Folias.
Andrew Bergeron,guitar and dance instructor
Andrew has performed tango music for dancers since 2003 when he joined with Carmen Maret to form their duo called Folias. Originally from Holland, Michigan, Andrew Bergeron splits his creative efforts between composition and performance. During his Master's degree in composition at Michigan State University, Andrew Bergeron composed music for a variety of ensembles including, solo guitar, guitar and flute, electro-acoustic music, chamber music, and tango. He has taught tango in the Grand Rapids tango community since co-founding it in 2005.
Debbie Crosser, violin
As a tango dancer and tango violinist, Debbie Crosser merges dance and music performance. She is currently working toward a degree in Music Education from Calvin College, and is an active teacher and is in her 6th year of teaching Suzuki violin for Grand Rapids Community College's Arts Outreach Program. In addition to playing and performing chamber music and the Grand String Quartet, Debbie currently performs and is a founding member of Grand Rapids Community Colleges Mariachi Azul y Oro, a Mexican folk music performing group. She has been a recipient of several music scholarship awards including the Clossen Jones and Budres Music Scholarship.
Dean Windemuller, guitar and vocals
A jack-of-all-trades musician, Dean Windemuller is trained in classical, jazz, finger style blues, and tango. Born and raised in West Michigan, Dean Windemuller attended Wheaton College in Illinois before returning to Grand Rapids where he works as a free-lance musician. He is also a trained singer and doubles as a guitarist and vocalist with Tango Folias.
Tango Folias Sound Bytes
<back to top>GR Tango Lessons Practice CD Track Listing
1. Re Fa Si 2:36 Francisco Canaro
2. La Cumparsita 2:38 Francisco Canaro
3. La Morocha 3:02 Francisco Canaro
4. Quejas de bandoneon 3:21 Julio De Caro
5. La casita esta triste 2:22 Julio De Caro
6. Gallo ciego 2:36 Julio De Caro
7. Lloraras, Lloraras 2:52 Anibal Troilo
8. Romance De Barrio 2:33 Anibal Troilo
9. Palomita Blanca 3:15 Anibal Troilo
10. A La Gran Muneca 2:34 Carlos De Sarli
11. El Amanecer 2:28 Carlos De Sarli
12. El Choclo 2:47 Carlos De Sarli
13. Yo soy el tango 2:45 Miguel Calo
14. Lejos de Buenos Aires 2:51 Miguel Calo
15. Que falta me haces 3:15 Miguel Calo
16. La Punalada 1:56 Juan D'Arienzo
17. Echague 2:24 Juan D'Arienzo
18. De Antano 2:35 Juan D'Arienzo
19. Canaro En Paris 2:36 Juan D'Arienzo
20. Felicia 3:01 Juan D'Arienzo
21. Viejo Smoking 2:43 Juan D'Arienzo
22. Derecho Viejo 2:11 Osvaldo Pugliese
23. Recuerdo 2:38 Osvaldo Pugliese
24. El Sueno Del Pibe 2:53 Osvaldo Pugliese