4th Annual Michigan Tango Festival

"Winter Light"

About Andres Amarilla

When Andrés started studying tango in 1987, there were fewer than 100 active tango dancers in Buenos Aires. Years of military rule had destroyed the vibrant tango culture that had filled Buenos Aires from the 1920s until the coup of 1955. One of the first young people to take part in tango’s resurgence, Andrés was recruited at age 11 by Gustavo Naveira, with whom he studied and in whose dance company he performed for three years. By age 18, Andrés had studied and performed extensively with two more tango icons—Juan Carlos Copes and Rodolfo Dinzel.

In the early 1990s, Andrés was one of a small group of dancers in Buenos Aires to begin exploring the “nuevo” style of tango. Between 1997 and 1999, Andrés exchanged ideas in nuevo tango with Gustavo Naveira, Chicho Frumboli, Mauricio Castro, Jean Sebastien, Chiche Nuñez, and Milo Quadros Smith in weekly rehearsals organized by Fabían Salas . The group created new steps such as linear boleos and colgadas, and analyzed the ways in which it was necessary to adapt traditional tango technique in order to execute the new steps.

For the past 18 years, Andrés has been an active tango performer, including dozens of performances at Buenos Aires milongas. Andrés’ many choreography credits include three full-length shows, Poesia Amor y Tango (1997), Nada Nuevo (with co-choreographer Marcela Trapé in 2003), and Metangomorphosis (with co-choreographer Marcela Trapé in 2004). As a performer and social dancer, Andrés is known for the fluidity and ease with which he executes the most complicated combinations. A tireless innovator, Andrés is relentless in his search for new elements and steps in nuevo tango. He is particularly known for his unparalleled ability to create and execute combinations using alternative embraces.

Andrés began teaching tango in 1997. He is sought out by Argentines and visitors to Buenos Aires alike for his ability to clearly articulate the mechanics of movement, making complex steps and combinations accessible to all students. With a remarkably keen eye, Andrés helps students pinpoint and correct habits of movement that are limiting their dancing. Students report seeing immediate and significant improvements when they began studying with Andrés. In addition to teaching in Buenos Aires, Andrés spent two years training tango teachers and advanced students at the Escuela de Kina in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Andrés currently partners with Marcela Trapé and Meredith Klein.

More information about Andres can be found at www.andresamarilla.com. Photo courtesy of Deborah Lynne (http://deborahlynne.com).

About Meredith Klein

Meredith Klein began studying tango in Massachusetts in 1999. She visited Buenos Aires for the first time in January 2005 and immediately fell in love with everything: the city, the culture, and the opportunities to improve as a dancer. Within four weeks of her return to the US, she had sold her house, car, and most of her possessions. In April, she returned to Buenos Aires and began training with Andres, working specifically on creating a dance that uses traditional tango technique to execute "nuevo tango" steps.

In October, Andres & Meredith began performing together in Buenos Aires, including a performance at Milonga La Vikinga with live music by electronic tango orchestra Otros Aires. They also danced in "Cabaret Mojado," a piece by Norwegian choreographer Gitte Bastiansen. Meredith will return to the US to teach with Andres Amarilla for six months in 2006, but plans to make a permanent home in Buenos Aires.

More information about Meredith can be found at www.andresamarilla.com.

About Christopher & Caroline

Caroline and Christopher have over nineteen years of tango dancing and fifteen years teaching experience between them. They gained practice dancing on the crowded milongas of their home in San Francisco, as well as Buenos Aires, Germany and Holland. Their forte is teaching tango dancers how to improvise in a social setting without breaking the connection of the close embrace. Genuine and unpretentious, their skilled instruction balances technique and aesthetics with relaxation and intelligent navigation. Student feedback and progress testify to their generosity of spirit and the effectiveness of their approach. Over the years, they have been invited to teach across the country: California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, New York, Massachusetts, Texas, Utah, Arizona, Alaska, Michigan, Minnesota, Florida, and Washington D.C. Their down-to-earth personalities and community-minded approach to teaching and dancing, inspire repeat visits by popular demand to these communities and numerous festivals across the country.

More information about Christopher and Caroline can be found at www.carolineandchristango.com.

Tentative Schedule

Thursday, January 19
8:00pm-10:00pm	Early Arrival Lesson: Analysis of Circular Boleos	Andres & Meredith	Dance Revolution Studio
10:00pm-??	Practica		Dance Revolution Studio
Friday, January 20
8:00pm-9:00pm	Welcome Lesson: Using the Music Let the music inspire your movement and connect you with your partner	Christopher and Caroline	Ballroom, Michigan Union
9:00pm-1:00am	Welcome Milonga	DJ: Vijay Namasivayam	Ballroom, Michigan Union
Saturday, January 21
12:30pm-1:00pm	Check-in and warm up
1:00pm-2:30pm	Nuevo Track: Preparing for Nuevo Sequences to gain fluidity of movement	Andres & Meredith	Ballroom, Michigan Union
	Close Embrace Track: Embrace and Connection The inner space...	Christopher & Caroline	Pendleton Room, Michigan Union
2:30pm-2:45pm	Break
2:45pm-4:15pm	Nuevo Track: Torsion Don't dance tango without it!	Andres & Meredith	Ballroom, Michigan Union
	Close Embrace Track: Rhythm in parallel & cross systems	Christopher & Caroline	Pendleton Room, Michigan Union
4:15pm-5:00pm	Mini Practica	DJ: Adam Hoopengardner	Ballroom, Michigan Union
5:00pm-9:00pm	Dinner break
9:00pm-1:30am	Milonga Picante	DJ: Avik Basu	Ballroom, Michigan Union
2:00am-6:00am	Milonga Till Dawn	DJ: Ramu Pyreddy	Pittsfield Grange
Sunday, January 22
2:30pm-3:00pm	Check-in and warm up
3:00pm-4:30pm	Nuevo Track: Silky Smooth Giros	Andres & Meredith	Ballroom, Michigan Union
	Close Embrace Track: Milonga traspie Accelerating and alternating rhythms in milonga	Christopher & Caroline	Pendleton Room, Michigan Union
4:30pm-5:00pm	Break
5:00pm-6:30pm	Nuevo Track: Gancho Sequences for the Dance Floor	Andres & Meredith	Ballroom, Michigan Union
	Close Embrace Track: Turns and molinetes in close embrace Adapting to small spaces	Christopher & Caroline	Pendleton Room, Michigan Union
6:30pm-7:00pm	Short Refreshment Break		Pendleton Room, Michigan Union
7:00pm-1:00am	Una Milonga Mas	DJ: Shorey Myers	Ballroom, Michigan Union
Monday, January 23
6:30pm-7:00pm	Check-in and warm up
7:00pm-8:15pm	Advanced: The suspended salida	Christopher & Caroline	Pittsfield Grange
8:30pm-9:45pm	Advanced: An Easy Formula for Creating Weird Nuevo Steps	Andres & Meredith	Pittsfield Grange
9:45pm-??	Die-Hard Practica	DJ: Ramji Venkataramanan	Pittsfield Grange

Which workshop should I take?

Both the Nuevo and Close Embrace tracks will get more and more difficult as the weekend progresses. Friday will be for beginners, Saturday for advanced beginners, Sunday for intermediate-advanced, and Monday for advanced dancers. If you are unsure of where you might fit in, please try to attend the workshops which earlier in the weekend.

Enrollment

Please register online for the weekend workshops/milongas. We will not accept email reservations!

Due to the capacity of the rooms, enrollment in each workshop will be LIMITED. As we process registrants on a first-come-first-serve basis, enrolling well in advance will assure you a spot in the workshops and save you money as well (see prices below). It will also give the organizers ample time to handle your requests (we appreciate your early enrollment greatly!).

Pricing

Please note that student rates are available only to FULL-TIME students with a valid student ID.

Package Prices

Early registration prices (postmarked on or before January 18)

• 5 day pass (All events Thurs-Mon): $55 (students) / $110 (non-students)
• 4 day pass (All events Fri-Mon): $45 (students) / $90 (non-students)
• 3 day pass (All events Fri-Sun): $35 (students) / $75 (non-students)
• Milonga-Only Pass (Thursday-Monday, 4 milongas + 2 practicas) : $20 (students) / $35 (non-students)

Late OR at-the-door registration prices (postmarked after January 18)

• 5 day pass (All events Thurs-Mon): $65 (students) / $130 (non-students)
• 4 day pass (All events Fri-Mon): $55 (students) / $110 (non-students)
• 3 day pass (All events Fri-Sun): $45 (students) / $95 (non-students)
• Milonga-Only Pass (Thursday-Monday, 4 milongas + 2 practicas) : $30 (students) / $55 (non-students)

A La Carte Prices (paid at the door)

• Early arrival workshops (Thurs): $15 (students) / $20 (non-students)
• One day of workshops (Sat/Sun/Mon): $20 (students) / $35 (non-students)
• Any Milonga or Monday practica : $5 (students) / $10 (non-students)

Admission to the Friday milonga includes the workshop.
Admission to the Monday workshops includes admission to the Monday practica.

Please note that both the Semester Milonga Pass and the Semester Lesson/Practica Pass will not be valid for the festival milongas. If you are a Semester Pass holder, you must still purchase an Anniversary Milonga Pass for entry to the milongas.

Private Lessons

We have slotted some time on Monday for our guest instructors to give private lessons to dancers seeking individual attention. If you are interested, you must schedule these private lessons through the club by emailing your request to umtango@umich.edu. In your email, please let us know if you have any scheduling preferences. The slots will be filled on a first-come first-serve basis. And all the private lesson will be held at the Pittsfield Grange.

Accomodations

Housing with local dancers may be available for those out-of-towners who register and pay prior to January 18, 2005. If you are interested, please email tangohousing@yahoo.com. The sooner you register, the more likely it is that we will be able to find you housing. Priority will be given to those dancers who register for the whole weekend (either 3-day pass or the 4-day pass).

In the past, we have been able to find housing for almost all of the visiting dancers who requested for housing. However, as the number of out-of-town dancers have increased, we are finding it difficult to satisfy all the housing requests. See the accomodations page for more information on local accomodations.

Local dancers who house out-of-towners will receive a 25% discount on the workshop cost for each individual they host. If you are a local dancer interested in providing housing, please sign up here.

Directions/Locations

Dance Revolution Studios (Map)
603 E. William St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48104

Michigan Union (Map)
530 S. State
Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Free covered parking at specified times on weekends and evenings (please see signage on structure) is available in Thompson Street Parking structure which is right behind the Michigan Union. Thompson street is parallel to and one block west of State St.

Pittsfield Grange (Map)
3337 Ann Arbor Saline Rd.
Ann Arbor, MI 48103-9711

Flying to Ann Arbor

The closest major airport to Ann Arbor is Detroit Metro Airport (DTW).

The airport is about 25 miles east of Ann Arbor. From the airport, take I-94 West and follow it all the way to the State Street Exit in Ann Arbor. Take a right on State St. and continue for about 3 miles until you reach the University of Michigan campus.

Transportation to/from the airport.
Public Transportation from the airport to/from Ann Arbor is limited to taxi-cab or a shuttle. Shuttle services might not run periodically. You will have to call them in advance to schedule a pick-up or drop-off. Check the city's visitor guide transportation page for more information. The area code for Ann Arbor is 734.

You don't a car need that much once you are in town, but renting a car at the airport might not be any more expensive than taking the shuttle both ways.

You may also try the airports at Flint (FNT) and Toledo (TOL). Sometimes airlines have cheaper fares to these cities. Toledo and Flint are about an hour drive from Ann Arbor.

Bulletin Board

We now have a virtual bulletin board available for you to post your messages regarding sharing rides to/from the airport or sharing hotel rooms. If you would like to get housing with local Ann Arbor Dancers, do NOT post here--instead, send an email to tangohousing@yahoo.com.

Questions? Concerns?

The most time consuming thing for us as organizers is when people ask us questions (email, personal, or telephone). We definitely do not mind answering your questions but many of the answers to your questions are available on this website.

If you still have questions, please do not hesitate to email us at umtango@umich.edu. You may also call Avik Basu at 734-262-5800 or Maria Ruggiero at 734-327-4043.