10/31/2024
In a few weeks, “Denver Close Encounters" will be sending out invitations to the third Memorial Day Encuentro. We’re calling it the Denver Close Encounter of the Third Time”.
One question we wish to respond to is “What is an Encuentro?”
We’ve all had that experience of a magical transcendent tango dance; a “Zen” experience, that ephemeral dance moment that appears unexpectedly, and then it’s gone.
A Tango Encuentro is a curated tango weekend of social dancing designed to create a weekend of magical and transcendent dances. Within each couple but also across the entire room has a shared energy as if it is one large, multi-person tango creature. The magic is carried over from partner to partner and tanda to tanda.
The short answer: Encuentros are a weekend dedicated to traditional social tango dancing.
Several things differentiate Encuentros from other big tango events, like tango Festivals.
(1) The music is foremost, and the DJs are selected for their deep knowledge of and artistry for playing tango music across the arc of the evening.
(2) We share multiple hours of dancing so you can get into the “zone”.
(3) No interruptions to disrupt the zen flow: no performances, no classes and no show tango.
(4) The shared embrace is more valued than athletic moves. Attendees are invited because they very good at musicality, navigation and close-embrace dancing; many have 20 or 30 years of tango experience.
(5) Traditional tango codes are maintained: Seating, Cabeceo, Floorcraft,
(6) The weekend is sold out so there are no drop-in milongas. Since everyone has a single ticket for the whole event you get to know everyone in the community.
These expectations might seem restrictive to some, but for many long-term tango dancers, Encuentros have developed a fanatical fan base and a shared international community. Many travel to multiple Encuentros per year. The most popular Encuentros across the US and Europe sell-out six months or a year ahead of time.
Here are a couple videos showing the "encuentro style"
49 seconds:
https://youtu.be/KKN78FKYda0
2:24 minutes:
https://youtu.be/-Bjf-hYEknw
2024 Denver Close Encounters
Between songs at an Encuentro Style event in Denver, CO
08/03/2024
Interview Part I with Eric Jorrissen.
los Mayordomos del Tango - S01E05. - Eric Jørissen (Nijmegen, the Netherlands)
Interviews with people that dedicate their lives to the estate of tango. In this episode, we meet Eric Jørissen. Eric is a true pioneer of tango, having star...
07/06/2024
Really good Interview with Melina Sedo on Structured Tango Teaching, and Teacher Trainings.
Teaching teachers in tango - The rise of systematic instruction for tango teachers - Melina Sedó
SUBTITLES:Revised English subtitles are available with automated translations into many languages. You can activate the subtitles by clicking on the CC/Subti...
06/13/2024
Tom and Analii Stermitz - Milonga Traspié
Tom & Analii Stermitz teach Social Style Argentine Tango in Denver, Colorado. Here they demonstrate Milonga Traspié to "Milonga del Aquatero" by "Orquesta Tí...
06/13/2024
Milonga Traspié.
Tom and Analii Stermitz - Milonga Traspié
Tom & Analii Stermitz teach Social Style Argentine Tango in Denver, Colorado. Here they demonstrate Milonga Traspié to "Milonga del Aquatero" by "Orquesta Tí...
04/29/2024
"Ageism in Tango". Great interview on a sensitive but important topic with Melina Sedó . Since the revival of Tango in the 1990s, we have lost virtually all the great "Elders of Tango" from the 1930s & 1940s. And now the "Youngers of Tango" who started dancing in the 1990s are aging into our 60s, 70s and older.
It is obvious that stage tango shows emphasize youthful and athletic movements. On the other hand, one of the great characteristic of Social Tango is that it is basically a walking dance, which you can do as long as you can.... well, walk.
And, like many things in life tango improves with age and the miles you have danced.
This interview is worth spending time with. (Also, check out the other interviews on youtube by "DonAgucho")
AGEISM IN TANGO - Women and ageism: a real problem, but there are ways around it. Guest: Melina Sedó
AGEISM... oh, boy. So, I posted a really interesting collaboration with Robin Thomas, a man who has been either brave enough, or (in his own words:) stupid e...
04/16/2024
Beautiful, slow dancing from El Chino Perico. Lot's of Milonguero salidas! Hat tip Dan Yahnian.
Milonga Gente Amiga - El Chino Perico y Paola Tacchetti
Cena Show y Noche de Homenaje a Nito y Elba, queridos Maestros y reconocidos Embajadores de nuestro Tango Argentino en el mundo.
03/06/2024
Why I LOVE the Milonguero Salida! Tango-life Lessons from el Chino Perico & Paula Taccetti. Di Sarli, of course.
Observe the first steps of his dance at around 40 seconds in...
EL CHINO PERICO Y PAOLA TACCHETTI. FLOREAL 1/3
BAILAN EN LA MILONGA DEL FLOREAL, CON LA ORQ. DE CARLOS DI SARLI, EL TANGO "TU INTIMO SECRETO". BUENOS AIRES 2018
01/13/2024
Social Tango.....
Spoken without words
Language is universal
Unexpected is inevitable
Social Tango - A Short Film
so·cial tan·go | noun | \ ˈsō-shəl ˈtaŋ-(ˌ)gō \ - an improvised partner dance of Argentine origin, popular around the world and accessible to people of all b...