Inspired by mindfulness, playfulness and connection, the tango community in the Blue Mountains is building, thanks to Jen Hall who is addicted to the dance.
Hall was introduced to tango early in 2016 by Paul Warren, one of Australia’s most experienced directors of photography. Warren has been dancing tango for over 17 years. Last year he began offering regular workshops in the Blue Mountains to support building the local tango community.
He describes the dance: “Tango by its very nature is an improvised dance relying on intuition and generosity within the embrace, and demands of its dancers, openness to the intuitive moment to create a ‘dialogue’ within the embrace.”
Following her introduction to tango in Sydney, Hall immediately immersed herself in the tango culture, travelling to Sydney most weekends for classes, workshops and milongas, and further afield to New Zealand, Byron Bay and Bundanoon for festivals. She was not disappointed.
She is now trying to build the already growing Blue Mountains tango community.
“We are very excited to have an expanded, exceptional program of Sydney and international teachers in the Blue Mountains in 2017,” she said. She has also developed a website, www.tangobluemountains.org, to gather more tangueros and provide a central place for the community to know what is going on.
“We now have a Sydney teacher, Santiago, committed to coming to Katoomba every Tuesday evening to teach tango.
“Coincidentally, the first six-week course starts on Valentines Day – Tuesday, February 14. What a great way to celebrate with your beloved, or to take the opportunity to make new friends,” Hall said.
Classes are suitable for all levels, including people with no previous experience, beginners and more experienced tango dancers.
Santiago was born in Argentina and started dancing when he was very young. By the time he was 14, he had already appeared in his first performance and taught his first dance class.
He approaches tango from a unique perspective, using energy, relational dynamics, biomechanics, musicality and connection. He has been running his current dance school in Sydney since 2011.
There will also be a tango workshop in Katoomba run by veteran dancer Paul Warren (also known as Pablito) on Sunday, February 19. Warren comes to the Blue Mountains regularly to teach TangoWorks.
Information on classes, the workshop and milongas (social dances) in Katoomba, see tangobluemountains.org or call Jen Hall on 0423 170 881.
Beware, if you do decide to dip your toe in to taste tango, you may not want to stop.
