Exploring the African diaspora of Argentina

Argentina Rediscovers Its African Roots
by Michael T. Luongo, The New York Times, September 12, 2014

TIPDI: Go to adult dance camp this summer in New York City!

Artistic Director Paula Wilson invites you The International Partner Dance Intensive (TIPDI), a three-day, four-night multi-dance intensive for adult dancers, August 15-18.

"TIPDI," Wilson says "is 72 tracked/leveled classes in ballet, Argentine tango, salsa, modern, West Coast swing, and Afro-Haitian dance, taught by a world-class faculty, with social dancing every night, all geared towards adults. In a nutshell, it's a rigorous, friendly, conservatory-style dance training program for adults."

Click here for complete program and registration information.

Tango in Finland? Yes.

Finnish Tango: The Passion and the Melancholy
by John Tagliabue, The New York Times, July 15, 2013

Belly dance, past and present

92Y's Fridays at Noon series presents Blanca Curates Belly Dance Past and Present, a survey of raqs sharqi, belly dance and other Middle Eastern dance traditions.

Fri, Dec 2, 12 pm (free admission)

Join an array of NYC's belly dance master dancers and teachers for performances of raqs sharqi, belly dance and other Middle Eastern dance traditions. Originally a celebratory folk dance, belly dance is evolving into a sophisticated dance form as it continues to play a jubilant role in the society of family and friends of both genders and all ages. Artists include luminaries Blanca, showing her dances The Fool and Filii Neidhardii, Zenaide, (Night of Love and Bamby Drum Solo, two dances in the classical Egyptian sharqi style), Anahid Sofian, and Fayzah Fire, with her characteristic blend of tango, tribal dance, popping and belly dance. Plus, a chance to learn some basic belly dance moves yourself!

92nd Street Y
1395 Lexington Avenue (at 92nd Street), Manhattan
(directions)

Brooklyn's new center for African/diasporan dance

Cumbe Dance | Center for African and Diaspora Dance to open in Brooklyn in early January 

Cumbe is the new home for African and diaspora dance in Brooklyn, bringing together – under one roof – classes and cultural education for dances from Africa, the Americas and the Caribbean.

West African, Sabar, Congolese, Samba, Afro-Brazilian, Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Colombian, Cumbia, Salsa, Tango, Hip Hop, Yoga and more.

Wow! Find out all about it: Click here!

New York loves Latin dance

A Latin Dance Scene Spreads Across New York

by Larry Rohter, The New York Times, July 22, 2010

"We are a dance band!"

Benjy Fox Rosen (left, bottom); Rima Fand (right)
(c)2009, Eva Yaa Asantewaa


Rima Fand (left), Sarah Alden (right)
(c)2009, Eva Yaa Asantewaa


Yes, they are.

That would be Brooklyn's Luminescent Orchestrii, with their waltzes for the proletariat, their mashups of klezmer and Jimi Hendrix, their transformation of what they called Andy Statman's "quiet mandolin thing" with its droning, pleasing dragginess into something raucous, their Yiddish songs that proclaim things like "I can't dance/my shoes are broken/I will dance in my socks!" These musician/singers are peppery and irresistible, and it did my heart good to see a couple of totally unselfconscious dads twirling and frolicking with their joyful tots right in front of the stage. Any band that can get a couple of (presumably straight) guys to cut loose like that will surely stir your weary ass, too.



Rima and Sarah (left); Sxip Shirey (right); Sarah (bottom)
(c)2009, Eva Yaa Asantewaa


Sxip (c)2009, Eva Yaa Asantewaa


So, if you missed today's show at World Financial Center Plaza, you can catch Luminescent Orchestrii at Celebrate Brooklyn, where they will open for the Kronos Quartet in a free show on Thursday, July 16 (7:30pm).

Check out some LO music here.

Brenda Neville: Body and Soul podcast

This season, Brenda Neville's Neville Dance Theatre brings a contemporary Nutcracker with a world of difference to Brooklyn's Kumble Theater for the Performing Arts (Long Island University). With a Brooklyn-based setting that features techie toys for kids of all ages and a party mix of capoeira, tango, Irish dancing and more, this production puts a fresh spin on the beloved winter classic.

(c)2008,Eva Yaa Asantewaa

MP3 File

Program Notes: Upcoming on "Body and Soul"

This season, Brenda Neville's Neville Dance Theatre brings a contemporary Nutcracker with a world of difference to Brooklyn's Kumble Theater for the Performing Arts (Long Island University). With a Brooklyn-based setting that features techie toys for kids of all ages and a party mix of capoeira, tango, Irish dancing and more, this production puts a fresh spin on the beloved winter classic.

Thursday, December 18th, 2008 (Gala) at 8pm
Friday, December 19th, 2008 at 7:30pm
Saturday, December 20th, 2008 at 3:00pm (Family Performance) and 7:30pm

Kumble Theater for the Performing Arts
1 University Plaza, Brooklyn
Information and ticketing: 718.488.1624 or Web site

Brenda R. Neville (Director/Choreographer), has spent the last two decades performing and choreographing ballet, modern, Argentine Tango, Flamenco and other ethnic dances in over 18 different countries with companies such as the Milwaukee Ballet, Indianapolis Dance Company, AllNations Dance Company, Marc DeGarmo & Dancers, Covenant Dance Theatre and in numerous musical theatre productions. Her expertise covers a vast array of dance styles giving her choreography exceptional diversity and color. She has trained and performed with some of the top talents in dance today, including Juan Carlos Copes, Soledad Barrio, Sean Curran, Elizabeth Parkinson, Marjorie Mussman and Graciela Kozak.

An active dance teacher in the New York City area, she is a current faculty dance instructor at The Ailey School and Covenant Ballet Theatre of Brooklyn. Her students have been accepted by some of the most reputable dance programs and schools in the country, including American Ballet Theatre, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, and LaGuardia Performing Arts High School. An expert ballet pointe shoe fitter, she has assisted in the development of the Gaynor Minden pointe shoe and currently works with Freed of London. She is a cum laude graduate of Butler University, receiving a B.A. in Dance Pedagogy, and is a co-founder of World Dance Theatre.

Tango lessons at Lafayette Grill

Dardo Galletto and Karina Romero will offer a tango lesson, followed by practice/milonga, every Wednesday and Saturday at Lafayette Grill.

Wednesdays at 8:30 PM, followed by a Milonga, 9:30 to 1 AM
Saturday from 12pm-5pm

Lafayette Grill, 54 Franklin Street (between Broadway & Lafayette Street), Manhattan

$15 (Wednesday); $20 (Saturday)

Whether it's your pleasure to observe, dance, and/or dine, you're invited to join two of New York's premier teachers of Argentine Tango, Dardo Galletto and Karina Romero, for an evening of tango. The couple taught for several years at the Sandra Cameron Dance School and are also directors of New Generation Dance, which will appear at Symphony Space November 7 & 8 with superb tango dancers Guillermina Quiroga and Natalia Hills as guests.

The Argentinean husband and wife moved to New York several years ago and have established themselves as major figures here in tango. Their recent productions have featured other tango greats, including Carlos Copello and his son Maxi, as well as guests from American Ballet Theater.

Dardo and Karina seem to have the town covered - their classes are held downtown at Lafayette Grill, on the West Side at the Ailey School (Sundays only), and the first Saturday of every month at the 92nd Street Y on the East Side.

Franganillo's free tango class at NYOC

This coming Monday, the New York Open Center will offer a free Introduction to Argentine Tango, taught by Mariela Franganillo of the Broadway production of Forever Tango:

A gifted teacher who has given workshops across the U.S., Canada and Japan, Mariela Franganillo is known for being the first to begin a tango practica (an extensive tango instructional program) in NYC. She brings a fresh enthusiasm for tango that is melded with polished skills, years of experience and a legacy that stretches back to the golden era of tango.

In a safe, noncompetitive atmosphere, we will be taught how to properly connect to our partners, to the music and others around us. We will learn to lead, follow and walk. By the end of the class, we will be able to dance the powerful and sensual Argentine Tango.

Note

For beginners and experienced dancers. No dance experience is required. Leading and following open to both sexes. Bring comfortable clothes and shoes in which you can easily slide and turn.

Monday, April 14 (6pm)
Code: 08WSL09T
FREE

Weekly class begins the following week:
(5 sessions) Mondays, April 21–May 19 (6pm–7:15pm)
Code: 08WSL09T
NYOC Members: $80 / Nonmembers: $90

Mariela Franganillo, born and raised in Argentina, is a dancer, choreographer and producer, has taught at Stanford and now resides in NYC. She has performed at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall and is currently on Broadway in Forever Tango.

Parkinson's patients benefit from tango

Exercise: Parkinson's Patients Benefit from Tango
by Eric Nagourney, The New York Times, February 12, 2008

The results of a new study indicate that when Parkinson’s patients took tango classes, their balance improved.

Click here to read this story.

Scherr on that Buenos Aires sizzle

'Tango Fire' sizzles at the Joyce Theater
by Apollinaire Scherr, Newsday.com, December 18, 2007