Wrap up of 2013

Welcome 2014!

What a year 2013 was … 

Highlights:

We started the year with Practilongas at the Art Zone where we covered different orchestras and I remember you all being very surprised at Piazzollas early traditional works.  Most of you also fell in love with Migal Calo's orchestra.  We all loved that space and were sad to see it close.

The third Summer Tango in Nelson in March was the largest so far with well over 100 tangueros getting together for three days of dancing.  We had great Djs again this year, Cecilia Trini from Auckland, Stephan Reisch also from Auckland and Marion from Christchurch who stepped up to the mark at the last minute as our Sunday DJ was unable to come.  But Maida will be back in 2014 - so you can dance to her very special tunes then! 

Quique Miller and Fabian Rodriguez visited again from Argentina with Quique teaching workshops and Fabian singing for us not only at a Special Milonga at Bar Berlin but also in the classes - I am sure we all still get goose bumps when we remember that.  Being serenaded with live music in classes is definitely the way to go!  That was truly a highlight for me.

Movie and Milonga nights on the third Friday of the month proved to be a real treat through the winter months and we kicked off the the first one with "Tango with a Twist", the documentary made about my Sydney students who accompanied me on a tour to Buenos Aires a few years ago.  This movie highlights the complex journey that tango can be and brings to the fore our own vulnerabilities to consider.  There were a few wet eyes in the room that night - mine included. 

In September a group of us headed over to Pohara for the annual Golden Bay Tango Weekend.  We all stayed at Reto and Vera's eco friendly Sans Souci Inn, and they treated us like royalty once again!  I taught workshops and we had a great milonga at the Wholemeal Cafe.  The intimate gathering brought us all closer together and we shared some really lovely moments.

Then in Ocotber we had the wonderfully inspiring Musicality workshops with Phil Ragg from Christchurch!  He danced with his eyes and we danced with our feet, learning new ideas for Musicality and working on connecting in close embrace.  We all felt snuggled up and loved up after that weekend.
(hopefully we will see him again in 2014 :-))

Ines Rossetti and Pablo Tamburini from Argentina spent a week here giving private lessons, workshops and milongas - another action packed weekend of dancing and fun for all.  We had a special Dj as well  -  Grigor from Auckland Djed the Bar Berlin evening and his music was superb.   It was a pleasure to host Ines and Pablo in our new home and upon departure I found that Pablo had snuck a pottle of Dulce de Leche into the fridge without me knowing.  YUM!  

Christmas Milonga went off without a hitch and we had 50 tangueros and our very talented DJ Santa performing his own "special" performance and plying the dancing tunes tillI took over and we partied till midnight.

Nelson tangueros - you have done us all proud!

Whats in store for 2014?

Jan - Dec
Classes and monthly events starting with the Milonguita at Bar Berlin on the 8 Jan and the formal Welcome Back milonga on the 18th Jan.

March
Summer Tango in Nelson 7 - 9 March

May
Very Special Argentinian teacher coming

July
NZ Tango Festival 1 - 9 July

September
Golden Bay Tango Weekend

AND MORE!

See you all on the dance floor and thanks for being an inspiration to me and keeping me teaching!

A very Happy New Year to you all - may this year be filled with more love, laughter and tango than you have ever imagined possible!

Anne-Maree

Pablo and Ines in Argentina once again!

Pablo and Ines have arrived safely back in Argentina to spend Christmas and New Years with family and friends.  They have just completed a fantastic Austraslian Tour and are ready to relax!

Here is a video compiled by Mark Jones with some additions by Pablo - what a great recap of the weekend it was.  Thanks Mark and Pablo for the great video.

Enjoy viewing it!

Santa DJed and we had a ball!

Thank you to everyone who came to the Christmas Milonga.  What a fabulous evening it was with dancing till midnight (yes we went an hour over the time as we were all having so much fun :-))

A special thanks to all those who supplemented the main menu with the following delicious additions:

Gwenny's captivating Corn Pie
Nicki and Mike's Special and Delicious Christmas Cakes
Kay and Jacky concocted a storm in the dessert department - WOW what a surprise that was ( a HUGE thank you chicas)
and did you taste Stevan's Really Good Dutch Mayo? - YUM!!

Stevan and our lovely Golden Bay tangueros Julie and Mark helped me set up in a flash - what stars! Then all hands were on deck for the big clean up, thanks Nicki, Jon, Kay, Jacky, Chris, Bevan, Petra and anyone else I may have missed out - it made such a big difference having you there to debrief and clean at the same time, while just about falling over with exhaustion :-) 

Of course none of these milongas are fabulous without you, the dancers and the DJs.  SANTA made a special appearance from the North Pole via an Estancia sporting a  rebenque whip and boleadoras.  He made quite an entrance ringing himself in and was on fire with his superb music.  Thanks Granta Claus!

So now we have 2 more classes then we herald in the New Year.

Last Sunday class today and last Monday class tomorrow followed by drinks at Bar Berlin tomorrow (Monday night) at 7.30.

Monday night's class is students choice!  What will it be?

See you soon :-)

Christmas Milonga

See you all Friday night at the 

Christmas Milonga

Masonic Hall, 107 Nile St, Nelson

Doors Open 6.30pm

Dinner at 7pm

Guest DJ plays Traditional Tunes to get us starting dancing till about 9.30 followed by 

D JAM with a mix of Traditional and Nuevo till 11pm.

Dine and Dance $30

Dancing only (after dinner) $15

Come and join us for a wonderful evening as we farewell 2013!

Christmas Milonga 20 December and January Tango Activities

Yes it is almost upon us, Christmas - Can you believe it!

RSVPs are coming in fast in for the Christmas Milonga and if you have not already responded please do so soon as I will be buying goodies for the party and need to know numbers :-)

I would like to extend a special offer to the beginners who have just completed their 1st Taste of Tango course.  You are invited to attend the Christmas Milonga for $15, dinner and dancing included as a congratulations for finishing your course.  Usually we hold a special milonga for you but as it is so close to Christmas we can't do that tis year!  So please come to the milonga and meet all the other tangueros who share your passion for dance!

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Tango for the rest of the year and January 2014

Sunday Technique Class
1 more Sunday Technique Classes left for this year.
Sunday 22 Dec

Monday Beginners Class
Monday 16 Dec 6pm - 7.15pm
Tonight heralds the end of the beginners course.  I look forward to seeing you all tonight for the final  wrap up class.

Monday Intermediate Class
2 more Intermediate Classes left for this year
Monday 16 Dec 7.15pm - 8.45pm (boleo combinations)
Monday 23 Dec (for the die hards!) 6pm - 7.30pm

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CHRISTMAS BREAK

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IMMERSION SESSIONS

I am available for Intensive Private lessons over the January holiday period.  Book in for two or three hours a day for two or three consecutive days and feel your tango improve substantially.  Private lessons are a way to hone in on any issues and learn new steps, deeper connection or focus solely on musicality with the repertoire you have.  These sessions are tailored specifically for you and include a yummy little snack as well!  POA

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1st MILONGA of 2013
Wednesday 8th January
Bar Berlin
8 Church Lane, Nelson 
6pm - 10pm
$5

For those of you who will be in Nelson and who will be bereft without a tango over the holidays - come straight from work or the beach and have a bite to eat and let's dance up a storm!

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WELCOME 2014
FLORAL MILONGA
Friday 17th January
Masonic Hall
107 Nile St, Nelson
7pm - 11pm
$15

Don those pretty dresses and flowery shirts guys and gals and let's all meet up again for the formal beginning of the Tango Libre year.  Door prizes and fun guaranteed.  As usual soft drinks and nibbles provided.

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Sunday Technique Class @ St John's Hall, Casual $15
Recommences 19 Jan 5.30 - 7pm

Monday Classes @ St John's Hall, Casual $15
Recommences 20 Jan 6pm - 7.15pm
Improvers (continuation of the beginners course or need a refresher ) 6pm - 7.15pm
Intermediate 7.15pm - 8.30pm

NEW BEGINNERS COURSE

Please let all those you know who want to start learning tango that I will be teaching at Waimea College from 19 February - 2 April 2014 on Wednesday nights - the fee is $75 for the course and people can contact Trish Armstrong at Waimea College directly on the following email address to book (must have a partner) Trish.Armstrong@waimea.school.nz  Mininum numbers required for course to proceed - she'll let applicants know the status.

ST JOHN'S

The next beginners course at St John's will be at the beginning of the second school term of 2014. 

8 week course held on a Monday night

12 May - 30 June 2014

Hope to see you all at the Christmas Party to farewell the year.