Friday, May 16^th at Sally Loo's, San Luis Obispo

6:30 – 7:30 pm Chamuyo and
7:30 – 9:30 pm Milonga

There is so much more to Tango than just dancing! Kick off the evening with a free discussion group (chamuyo). Jonathan & Olivia, will discuss the music, dance, and culture of Tango, as well as the topics of their upcoming classes. Bring your questions and enjoy meeting these wonderful teachers.

Continue the evening with great food, drink, music, and most of all dancing. No cover for this social dancing event at Sally Loo's Wholesome Cafe, 1804 Osos St., San Luis Obispo (near the railroad station).

Saturday, May 17^th

12:00 – 1:30 pm The Tango Walk - same technique for all styles of embrace

ARE YOU WALKING WITH BEAUTIFUL TECHNIQUE?

Many Central Coast tango dancers know countless steps, but lack the technical refinements to execute their movements with beautiful technique. All tango steps, even the most complex movements -- originate from the walk. One must first master their walking technique before they will be able to proficiently execute movements (steps) that they have learned. It is not uncommon for dancers who have been "dancing" 5-10 years or longer, to come to us and share that they are thinking about giving up because they are unhappy with their tango and/or are not experiencing satisfaction and/or are not getting invited to dance when attending milongas. The first thing we analyze is their walk -- the root of all problems. Once our students develop a beautiful walk with excellent technique, then their entire vocabulary of moves that they have learned rises to a higher level of dance that they never thought imaginable. The walking technique we teach is the same in the apilado embrace, salon embrace, or open stage embrace.

Leaders, learn how to incorporate contra body technique with your lapiz, while maintaining balance on your axis throughout multiple turns. Followers, can you do perfect multiple molinetes without pulling your leader off his axis? The molinete for this move requires perfect walking technique. It is highly recommended that you take our workshop “The Tango Walk” as a prerequisite to this workshop. We will teach you the technique that you witness in tango performances which incorporate molinete/lapis combinations.

In a crowded milonga, can you dance rhythmically to an entire song within the area of four tiles? Learn the technique to dancing in Buenos Aires milongas (or locally in a very tight space) which will empower you to develop a vocabulary that can lead and follow with confidence in your next milonga - tonight at the Carlton.

Sunday, May 18^th

12:00 – 1:30 pm Strictly Gavito I

To quote Gavito: "To dance slowly and beautifully is the most difficult tango to dance well." This is because it requires excellent walking technique and balance to beautifully execute slow and sensual movements in the salon milonguero apilado style -- which incorporates the most sensual and intimate styles of close embrace Argentine tango. In Gavito’s later years, he reduced his movements to a simplistic elegance. Learn Gavito’s signature moves. Jonathan studied in Buenos Aires with Gavito during the last 4 years of his life and will share the technique necessary to execute Gavito’s movements that were learned and mastered by few.

More advanced movements not to be missed! Gavito said: "You can't teach the feeling." Jonathan and Olivia will teach you the technique that will give you the key to experience the feeling of being in another euphoric dimension while dancing even the most complex of Gavito’s movements.

In this workshop, we will teach the technique to beautifully execute forward, side colgadas, and, time permitting, the back colgada.