[TSOM-Announce] : Everything is it's Own Reward :

Dear Friends and Minnesota Tango Students:

David Rost host of El Alma milonga and myself, Gretchen Larson announce our debut teaching engagement at Four Seasons, home of David's popular El Alma milonga. Florencia Tacchetti, long time teacher, organizer and performer has invited us to teach as she returns to Argentina permanently this spring. I would like to recognize her unique contributions to our community and thank her personally for generously sharing her knowledge and passion for Tango. We wish you happiness in your new endeavors Florencia!

Our goal is to foster self motivated learners that can perform, respond and create in a positive, thoughtful and energetic fashion.

So what is an Advanced Beginner?

We had a lot of fun talking this over and here's a short self test:

Do you think and move in circles or straight lines?

Are you in continuous motion even during a pause? Are you dancing even when standing still?

Are you aware of and use asynchronous energy in the embrace? 

Are you aware of and use disassociation? What the heck is this?

What is your relationship with the music?

We all have had a magical tango moment, the Grail that keeps us taking lessons, spending vacations in odd locations and putting on our glam when it's below zero and dark at 5 o'clock. These transcendent moments center on HOW WE FEEL.

Winding and unwinding is one of our favorite sensual experiences in tango and essential to several basic skills. We will introduce this concept and give you tools to assess your awareness,  structured exercises to experience torsion and room to experiment.

We expect you to come with basic tango vocabulary and skills, an open mind and heart and an active learning attitude.

We are looking forward to sharing what we know in this more formalized environment.

About Dave and Gretchen

David has been dancing long enough that he doesn't keep track anymore. He has led several successful practice groups and was the first to teach a leading for women class in Minneapolis. He has a love affair with music dating back to his teens and a special spot for Tango which he shares with us as host of El Alma milonga which celebrated it's 10 th birthday recently. He travels regularly to dance and learn including annual excursions to San Francisco. He has also taught math and practices the creative process in his Clark Kent mode as a graphic designer.

Gretchen Larson has been studying social tango for twelve years. She travels regularly to continue her formal training and dance in social settings, including two extended trips to Buenos Aires.

Her teaching experience includes k-12 and adult learners, distance learning settings and a background in gymnastics instruction. She currently teaches at the Cowles Center for the Arts and by invitation.

She is especially interested in the impact of social dance on communities and dance pedagogy.

In her professional life she has worked at Nordstrom for as long as she can remember fulfilling a variety of roles and reveling in the ever changing world of fashion retailing.