Four special events planned for April

Spring is here! The rain and mild weather will result in flowers bursting out in Princeton. Read about the four events planned for your dancing pleasure. Also keep reading about the wonderful choices there for socialization before and after the milongas here in Princeton.

APRIL’S HIGHLIGHTS

April 7^th  MayoK, aka Urszula, our world traveling DJ has just left Marrakech in Morocco. She will appear at VivaTango to host the first milonga in April.Pablo Garcia Gomez and Iwona Ionescu will teach a lesson before the milonga. The lesson title is “Extra fun playing with soltadas”. This intimate step can be invited by followers and leaders and danced in small or large spaces. Lesson starts at 7:00 and milonga starts at 8:15. Lesson $15, Milonga $15, Both $20. All dancers must show proof of full vaccination on first visit. Masks are recommended, but are optional. EVENT LINK

April 14^th  Meredith Klein with dance partner Andres Amarilla will host the milonga and teach a lesson. Lesson starts at 7:00 and milonga starts at 8:15. Lesson $15, Milonga $15, Both $20. All dancers must show proof of full vaccination on first visit. Masks are recommended, but are optional.EVENT LINK

April 21^st Will feature a Performance by Helen Wang and James Archambault. They will also teach a lesson and host a milonga. Lesson starts at 7:00, milonga starts at 8:15 and performance at 10:00. Lesson $15, Milonga $15, Both $20. All dancers must show proof of full vaccination on first visit. Masks are recommended, but are optional. EVENT LINK

April 28^th  Live Music Milonga will feature the Yasmina Rais Trio. This outstanding instrumental tango trio emerged in the city of Buenos Aires in early 2018. They are on their North American Tour and this will be their first time performing at VivaTango. Their sound incorporates modern sounds with harmony and tempo changes, and with dynamics of great character. The three instruments play equal roles, thus exploiting the technical and expressive possibilities of each one of the instrumentalists. Meredith Klein and Andres Amarilla will host the milonga and DJ between sets of live music. The Philadelphia Argentine Tango School is bringing the trio to the area, and offering these additional events: Friday, April 29:  “Charla” (Chat) with the band & Potluck Dinner; and Saturday, April 30:  Concert + Live Music Milonga Qilombo with DJ Craig Herrington. Lesson starts at 7:00 and milonga starts at 8:15. Lesson $15, Milonga $15, Both $20. All dancers must show proof of full vaccination on first visit. Masks are recommended, but are optional. EVENT LINK

WHAT TO DO BEFORE AND AFTER MILONGAS IN PRINCETON

Princeton during the spring is a most charming location for a Tango venue. VivaTango dancers have the opportunity to leverage their trip to milongas by taking in some of the wonderful opportunities that Princeton offers. Almost one million visitors come to tour the campus each year, and the visitors to the town number about two million a year. With such an attraction at hand, would it not be a benefit to take pleasure from the combination of what the area offers along with the emotion of the milonga? The pace of a milonga and the music volume make it difficult to have an in-depth conversation between tandas. So, what does the area offer?

Two hundred years ago, the answer was the area offers a chance to have dinner. The trip from New York City to Philadelphia was a two-day journey by stage coach. Princeton is exactly in the middle, so passengers would stop for dinner and stay the night. You can still dine at the same inn today. The tap room there now has a mural painted by Norman Rockwell titled Yankee Doodle. Princeton has a town green. Palmer Square is a charming collection of shops, restaurants and residences surrounding the town green and the Nassau Inn, the historic inn for the stage coach stop. This shopping district includes many stylish clothing stores, spatiality shops and food stores. I am definitely not a shopper, but some of the specialty shops have lured me inside to satisfy my curiosity.  A walk around Palmer Square is most interesting. Most of the restaurants are on the streets that surround Palmer Square.

Princeton offers a great place to dine before a milonga, or if not dine, get a great quick meal or takeout.  Princeton’s restaurants draw diners from far and wide. There is a whole spectrum of dining options within walking distance of the Tango dance floor. The closest, and one of my favorites for a quick but tasteful dinner, is Jammin Crepes  at 20 Nassau Street, with outdoor and indoor tables. My favorite choice for a meeting place with light food and good wines before a milonga is the Tapas Bar at the Mediterra Restaurant , which also serves elegant Mediterranean food. There are many choices for ice cream, but the Halo Halo Pub is the clear winner. Halo has real ice cream and also beautiful ice cream creations that are amazing to look at as well as to eat. And if you do not get enough time to talk with your favorite partner during the milonga, the Alchemist and Barrister  Alchemist and Barrister is the center of the late-night life in Princeton.

There is much more to tell about the Princeton’s architectural gems, sites of American history and of course one of the most beautiful campuses in the United States. But this writing has gotten too long, so I will leave the rest for a future article. But one last fact. There is train service from NYC and Philly that drops you off right in the middle of all this. Let the April Thursday Tango nights be all that is possible.

Where do you go and what do you like to do before and after milongas in Princeton? Reply to this email and tell me about them.

MASK POLICY

Mask wearing is now optional. Each dancer can decide what is best for their safety. VivaTango wants to assure everyone that we are still working to create a safe environment to dance. Everyone is still required to show proof of full vaccination on their first visit, and to fill out a short health questionnaire each time they check in. There will be sanitation stations, the superb ventilation system and no open food.

Tango tradition has a wonderful etiquette that unites race, religion, political differences. Dancers should feel comfortable wearing a mask. In the true spirit of Tango traditions eye contact plus a cabeceo seals a contract to dance a tanda. In the spirit of Tango etiquette, the right thing to do is if one of the partners is wearing a mask, the other should be prepared to wear a mask also. So, if you choose not to wear a mask you should have one handy in case the partner of your choice is wearing one.

Philadelphia Tango Festival – June 2-5

VivaTango Newsletter – March 31^st 

Spring has arrived! Along with the mild weather, the requirements for wearing masks have been relaxed. We have a lot to celebrate. Celebrate with your Tango friends this Thursday. Maurizio and Shinjoo will be playing live music for your dancing pleasure, and Svetlana will be DJing between sets. 

Blue Moon Milonga on March 31^st. Tango restarted in Princeton this March. The Blue Moon Milonga will complete March with a celebration. The milonga will feature Maurizio Najt playing piano and Shinjoo Cho playing the bandoneon. Four hours of dancing. The guest DJ this week is the popular Svetlana Howells. She will be playing a great mix of carefully arranged tandas and cleaver cortinas. EVENT LINK

APRIL’S HIGHLIGHTS

April 7^th  MayoK, aka Urszula, our world traveling DJ has just left Marrakech in Morocco. She will appear at VivaTango to host the first milonga in April.Pablo Garcia Gomez and Iwona Ionescu will teach a lesson before the milonga. Lesson starts at 7:00 and milonga starts at 8:15. Lesson $15, Milonga $15, Both $20. All dancers must show proof of full vaccination on first visit. Masks are recommended, but are optional. EVENT LINK

April 14^th  Meredith Klein with dance partner Andres Amarilla will host the milonga and teach a lesson. Lesson starts at 7:00 and milonga starts at 8:15. Lesson $15, Milonga $15, Both $20. All dancers must show proof of full vaccination on first visit. Masks are recommended, but are optional.EVENT LINK

April 21^st Will feature a Performance by Helen Wang and James Archambault. They will also teach a lesson and host a milonga. Lesson starts at 7:00, milonga starts at 8:15 and performance at 10:00. Lesson $15, Milonga $15, Both $20. All dancers must show proof of full vaccination on first visit. Masks are recommended, but are optional. EVENT LINK

April 28^th  Live Music Milonga will feature the Yasmina Rais Trio. This outstanding instrumental tango trio emerged in the city of Buenos Aires in early 2018. They are on their North American Tour and this will be their first time performing at VivaTango. Their sound incorporates modern sounds with harmony and tempo changes, and with dynamics of great character. The three instruments play equal roles, thus exploiting the technical and expressive possibilities of each one of the instrumentalists. Meredith Klein and Andres Amarilla will host the milonga and DJ between sets of live music. The Philadelphia Argentine Tango School is bringing the trio to the area, and offering these additional events: Friday, April 29:  “Charla” (Chat) with the band & Potluck Dinner; and Saturday, April 30:  Concert + Live Music Milonga Qilombo with DJ Craig Herrington. Lesson starts at 7:00 and milonga starts at 8:15. Lesson $15, Milonga $15, Both $20. All dancers must show proof of full vaccination on first visit. Masks are recommended, but are optional. EVENT LINK

NEW MASK POLICY

Mask wearing is now optional. Each dancer can decide what is best for their safety. VivaTango wants to assure everyone that we are still working to create a safe environment to dance. Everyone is still required to show proof of full vaccination on their first visit, and to fill out a short health questionnaire each time they check in. There will be sanitation stations, the superb ventilation system and no open food.

Tango tradition has a wonderful etiquette that unites race, religion, political differences. Dancers should feel comfortable wearing a mask. In the true spirit of Tango traditions eye contact plus a cabeceo seals a contract to dance a tanda. In the spirit of Tango etiquette, the right thing to do is if one of the partners is wearing a mask, the other should be prepared to wear a mask also. So, if you choose not to wear a mask you should have one handy in case the partner of your choice is wearing one.

OTHER SPECIAL EVENTS IN THE AREA

Milonga at Moulin Rouge – April 1^st

The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia is holding a Moulin Rouge event. As part of this there will be a milonga and beginner classes organized by Meredith Klein. Tickets are $40 in advance and $45 at the door. Registration is at: https://www.fi.edu/.

Philadelphia Tango Festival – June 2-5

More information and registration at https://www.philadelphiatangofestival.com/

I hope you have enjoyed this newsletter. If you have any comments, suggestions, questions or just want to say hello you can reply to this email.

Dennis

March to end with Live Music Milonga

Big Plans for April

Mask requirement to change

This newsletter has lots of good news and exciting events to announce. Read every word. Your Tango life is about to become exciting!

MARCH MADNESS CONTINUES

TWO BIG EVENTS FOR YOU

Celebrate Spring with DimOn! Pablo Garcia Gomez and Iwona Ionescu will be the featured instructors and DimOn the Tango DJ will host the Milonga at the March 24^th VivaTango event. The lesson title is “Make it round, make it sharp: the full beauty of turns!”  DimOn the TangoDJ will turn the milonga into a celebration of Spring. EVENT LINK

Moon Milonga on March 31^st. Tango restarted in Princeton this March. The Blue Moon Milonga will complete March with a celebration. The milonga will feature Maurizio Najt playing piano and Shinjoo Cho playing the bandoneon. Four hours of dancing. EVENT LINK

APRIL’S HIGHLIGHTS

April 14^th  Meredith Klein with dance partner Andres Amarilla will host the milonga and teach a lesson.

April 21^st Will feature a Performance by Helen Wang and James Archambault. They will also teach a lesson and host a milonga.

April 28^th  Live Music Milonga will feature the Yasmina Rais Trio. This outstanding instrumental tango trio emerged in the city of Buenos Aires in early 2018. They are on their North American Tour and this will be their first time performing at VivaTango. Their sound incorporates modern sounds from its harmonies and tempo changes, with dynamics of great character. and where the three instruments play equal roles, thus exploiting the technical and expressive possibilities of each one of the instrumentalists. Meredith Klein and Andres Amarilla will host the milonga and DJ between sets of live music. The Philadelphia Argentine Tango School is bringing the trio to the area, and offering these additional events: Friday, April 29:  “Charla” (Chat) with the band & Potluck Dinner; and Saturday, April 30:  Concert + Live Music Milonga Qilombo with DJ Craig Herrington.

NEW MASK POLICY

The mask requirements for our dance floor have just been modified to allow masks to be optional. This change was made in response to CDC guidelines that were revised three weeks ago. Many of you have asked when this was going to happen. Some of you have not been dancing at VivaTango because masks were required. And, some of you were coming because we were requiring masks. The obvious dilemma is that not everyone will be pleased with this change. VivaTango wants to assure everyone that we are still working to create the safest environment possible, we will continue to require everyone to show proof of full vaccination on their first visit, and to fill out a short health questionnaire each time they check in. There will be sanitation stations, the superb ventilation system and no open food.

Those who wish to wear face coverings are welcome to do so. Dancers have told me that they have gotten used to masks and can dance comfortably in them now. Tango tradition has a wonderful etiquette that makes race, religions, politics and masks non factors. In the true spirit of Tango traditions eye contact plus a cabeceo seals a contract to dance a tanda. In this context the right thing to do is if one of the partners is wearing a mask, the other should be prepared to wear a mask also, or not accept the cabeceo. So, if you choose not to wear a mask you should have one handy in case the partner of your choice is wearing one.

OTHER EVENTS IN THE AREA

Last chance for the Intensive Class on Milonga

More details at EVENT LINK

Milonga at Moulin Rouge – April 1^st

The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia is holding a Moulin Rouge event. As part of this there will be a milonga and beginner classes organized by Meredith Klein. Tickets are $40 in advance and $45 at the door. Registration is at: https://www.fi.edu/.

Philadelphia Tango Festival – June 2-5

More information and registration at https://www.philadelphiatangofestival.com/

Mask requirement to change

March to end with Live Music Milonga

Big Plans for April

The mask requirements for our dance floor have just been modified to allow masks to be optional. This change was made in response to CDC guidelines that were revised three weeks ago. Many of you have asked when this was going to happen. Some of you have not been dancing at VivaTango because masks were required. And, some of you were coming because we were requiring masks. The obvious dilemma is that not everyone will be pleased with this change. VivaTango wants to assure everyone that we are still work to create the safest environment possible, we will continue to require everyone to show proof of full vaccination on their first visit, and to fill out a short health questionnaire each time they check in. There will be sanitation stations, the superb ventilation system and no open food.

Those who wish to wear face coverings are welcome to do so. Dancers have told me that they have gotten used to masks and can dance comfortably in them now. Tango tradition has a wonderful etiquette that makes race, religions, politics and masks non factors. In the true spirit of Tango traditions eye contact plus a cabeceo seals a contract to dance a tanda. In this context the right thing to do is if one of the partners is wearing a mask, the other should be prepared to wear a mask also, or not accept the cabeceo. So, if you choose not to wear a mask you should have one handy in case the partner of your choice is wearing one.

TWO BIG EVENTS FOR YOU TO END MARCH

Celebrate Spring with DimOn! Pablo Garcia Gomez and Iwona Ionescu will be the featured instructors and DimOn the Tango DJ will host the Milonga at the March 24^th VivaTango event. The lesson title is “Make it round, make it sharp: the full beauty of turns!”  DimOn the TangoDJ will turn the milonga into a celebration of Spring. EVENT LINK

Blue Moon Milonga on March 31^st. Tango restarted in Princeton this March. The Blue Moon Milonga will complete March with a celebration. The milonga will feature Maurizio Najt playing piano and Shinjoo Cho playing the bandoneon. Four hours of dancing. EVENT LINK

APRIL’S HIGHLIGHTS

April 7^th  MayoK aka Urszula, our world traveling DJ has left Europe is now in Morocco but will return to host this milonga.Pablo Garcia Gomez and Iwona Ionescu will teach a lesson before the milonga.

April 14^th  Meredith Klein with dance partner Andres Amarilla will host the milonga and teach a lesson.

April 21^st Will feature a Performance by Helen Wang and James Archambault. They will also tach a lesson and host a milonga.

April 28^th  Live Music Milonga will feature the Yazmina Raies Trio.

OTHER EVENTS IN THE AREA

Last chance for the Intensive Class on Milonga

More details at EVENT LINK

Milonga at Moulin Rouge – April 1^st

The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia is holding a Moulin Rouge event. As part of this there will be a milonga and beginner classes organized by Meredith Klein. Tickets are $40 in advance and $45 at the door. Registration is at: https://www.fi.edu/.

Philadelphia Tango Festival – June 2-5

More information and registration at https://www.philadelphiatangofestival.com/

I hope you have enjoyed this newsletter. If you have any comments, suggestions, questions or just want to say hello you can reply to this email.

Dennis

Saint Patrick’s Day Celebration Milonga!

VivaTango reached a milestone last week. Two hundred dancers have signed in at our events since the post Covid restart in July of 2021. Some of the dancers have been part of the 20-year pre Covid Thursday Tango dance community here in Princeton, but may of the names are new. VivaTango and the Tango community want to thank all 200 dancers for their support. 

The Irish are fun loving people and experts at celebrating. We join in that tradition and will party hard and celebrate this Thursday. Come join in the fun and dancing. It has been a long time since Saint Patrick’s Day landed on a Thursday. My big question is will we see any kilts on the dance floor again? Wear some green.

This week, Andres and Meredith’s lesson topic is Rhythmic Movements for D’Arienzo-style music.  They will teach how to change your movement style to better reflect the rhythmic cadences of D’Arienzo, and how to make better choices of material to embody this iconic music. Andres & Meredith are looking forward to exploring this topic with you on Thursday! Lesson starts at 7 PM and Milongas starts at 8:15. Lesson $15, Milonga $15, both $20. Proof of vaccination and masks are required.

Read about more upcoming events in Princeton and the surrounding Tango Territory.

Meredith Klein with dance partner Andres Amarilla will host the milonga March 17^th. Come celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day at this milonga. Meredith and Andres  are Instructors, performers and event organizers. They provide a wide scope of Argentine Tango dance and music events in the Philadelphia area, including the Philadelphia Tango Festival. They are well known in the international Tango community. They are looking forward to seeing all their friends at VivaTango Thursday. EVENT LINK

Celebrate Spring! Pablo Garcia Gomez and Iwona Ionescu will be the featured instructors and DimOn the Tango DJ will host the Milonga at the March 24^th VivaTango event. Pablo, who is originally from the suburbs of Buenos Aires, has studied tango with various master teachers in his home country and in the United States. Iwona explored a few other forms of dance before taking up tango, which she has studied in depth. Pablo and Iwona teach the Argentine tango classes at Princeton Adult School and they teach regularly at Viva Tango in Princeton, where they are artists in residence. DimOn the TangoDJ will turn the milonga into a celebration of Spring. EVENT LINK

Blue Moon Milonga on March 31^st will celebrate the restarting of Tango in Princeton. Save the date for this celebration!

Intensive Class on Milonga by Helen Wang in NYC

Celebrate Spring! Pablo Garcia Gomez and Iwona Ionescu will be the featured instructors and DimOn the Tango DJ will host the Milonga at the March 24^th VivaTango event. Pablo, who is originally from the suburbs of Buenos Aires, has studied tango with various master teachers in his home country and in the United States. Iwona explored a few other forms of dance before taking up tango, which she has studied in depth. Pablo and Iwona teach the Argentine tango classes at Princeton Adult School and they teach regularly at Viva Tango in Princeton, where they are artists in residence. DimOn the TangoDJ will turn the milonga into a celebration of Spring. EVENT LINK

Blue Moon Milonga on March 31^st will celebrate the restarting of Tango in Princeton. Save the date for this celebration!

Intensive Class on Milonga by Helen Wang in NYC

More information and registration at https://www.philadelphiatangofestival.com/

First 10 persons who register for the Festival’s full package will get a free pass to the Milonga at Moulin Rouge Event.

I hope you have enjoyed this newsletter. If you have any comments, suggestions, questions or just want to say hello you can reply to this email.

Dennis

Weekly Milongas are back!

Tango is back! Last week’s Welcome Back Milonga was attended by 70 dancers. VivaTango is very thankful for all who attended to support Helen Wang. This week we have another very special event planned. We are pleased to announce that Jon Tariq will host the milonga and teach a lesson. This is Jon’s first visit to VivaTango, so come this week to welcome and support him.

Jon is one of the most sought-after instructors in NYC because he is one of the few teachers who specializes in traditional close embrace. Jon runs weekly and monthly milongas in midtown New York City and Paramus, and has continued Michael Nadtochi’s popular Milonga Fernet after Michael moved to Russia. Milonga Fernet is still held on the 1^st Saturday of the month in East Brunswick. Speaking of Michael, we hope to see him back at VivaTango to see his friends here. Michael recently wrote “I may be stuck here in Russia for indefinite time. The way things are going, traveling isn’t getting any easier.”

Read about the upcoming events below. Also, read about an exciting Tango event at the Franklin Museum and an update on mask requirements.

Jon Tariq will host the March 10^th Milonga. Jon’s talents span the entire spectrum of Argentine Tango skills. Argentine Tango Instructor, Performer, Choreographer, DJ and more. His fun approach to teaching inspires students of all levels to grow. Jon’s philosophy is that technique is the grammar that holds the language of the dance together. His mission is to pass on the in-depth knowledge he has acquired from his many great teachers, contribute to the growth of the tango community and help preserve the traditions of Argentine Tango. EVENT LINK . 7PM Lesson, 8:15 Milonga. Lesson $15, Milonga $15, Both $20. Dancers must have shown proof of full vaccination and wear a mask.

Meredith Klein with dance partner Andres Amarilla will host the milonga March 17^th. Come celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day at this milonga. Meredith and Andres  are Instructors, performers and event organizers. They provide a wide scope of Argentine Tango dance and music events in the Philadelphia area, including the Philadelphia Tango Festival. They are well known in the international Tango community. They are looking forward to seeing all their friends at VivaTango Thursday. EVENT LINK

Pablo Garcia Gomez and Iwona Ionescu will be the featured instructors at the March 24^th VivaTango event.

Pablo, who is originally from the suburbs of Buenos Aires, has studied tango with various master teachers in his home country and in the United States.

Iwona explored a few other forms of dance before taking up tango, which she has studied in depth. Pablo and Iwona teach the Argentine tango classes at Princeton Adult School and they teach regularly at Viva Tango in Princeton, where they are artists in residence. EVENT LINK

Blue Moon Milonga on March 31^st will celebrate the restarting of Tango in Princeton. Save the date for this celebration!

Milonga at Moulin Rouge Event

The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia is holding a Moulin Rouge event on Friday April 1. As part of this there will be a milonga and beginner classes organized by Meredith Klein. She still has a few free tickets to give away – contact her at meredithklein@gmail.com to request a free ticket. After that, tickets are $35/person. Registration will open shortly at: https://www.fi.edu/.

Update on Masking

To mask or not to mask? Later this week, the PSRC board will be meeting to discuss revising the mask requirements for the dance floor that VivaTango rents.

The CDC’s current recommendations for our area no longer require masks for indoor group events. We believe that it is possible that we will be allowed to make mask wearing at future VivaTango events a personal choice. Some of you come to the VivaTango events because of the safety that everyone wearing a mask provides. If you have a strong feeling about keeping masks required or about making masks a personal choice, please share that with us by using this link to send an email: Viva Tango princeton.vivatango@gmail.com

I hope you have enjoyed this newsletter. If you have any comments, suggestions, questions or just want to say hello you can reply to this email.

Dennis

Weekly Milongas are back!

Celebrate the revival this Thursday. Tango in Princeton with your friends. Engage in the physical and social activity of dancing – a magic tonic for stress relief, mood therapy, exercise and making friends – no prescription needed for this powerful medicine.

Read about the talent and fun that is lined up for March in the sections below. Also read about the new CDC guidelines. 

This year, March comes with 5 Thursdays. It will be packed with the best Tango talents from NYC, Philly and NJ.  We will have a Blue Moon Milonga celebration on the 5^th Thursday.

Helen Wang will headline the first milonga on March 3^rd. Helen, always lovely, always smiling will be instructing a lesson, DJing the milonga and dancing with you during the milonga. The original plan for February was for her to celebrate the Chinese New Year at the milonga. Covid got in the way of that plan, but every time Helen is hosting a milonga, it’s a celebration! Celebrate on March 3^rd with Helen and your VivaTango Friends. EVENT LINK  . 7PM Lesson, 8:15 Milonga. Lesson $15, Milonga $15, Both $20. Dancers must have shown proof of full vaccination and wear a mask.

Jon Tariq will host the March 10^th Milonga. Jon’s talents span the entire spectrum of Argentine Tango skills. Argentine Tango Instructor, Performer, Choreographer, DJ and more. Jon is one of the most sought-after instructors in NYC. Jon’s progressive and fun approach to teaching inspires students of all levels. His mission is to pass on the in-depth knowledge he has acquired from his many great teachers, contribute to the growth of the tango community and help preserve the traditions of Argentine Tango. EVENT LINK . 7PM Lesson, 8:15 Milonga. Lesson $15, Milonga $15, Both $20. Dancers must have shown proof of full vaccination and wear a mask.

Meredith Klein with dance partner Andres Amarilla will host the milonga March 17^th. Come celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day at this milonga. Meredith and Andres  are Instructors, performers and event organizers. They provide a wide scope of Argentine Tango dance and music events in the Philadelphia area, including the Philadelphia Tango Festival. They are well known in the international Tango community. They are looking forward to seeing all their friends at VivaTango Thursday. EVENT LINK

Pablo Garcia Gomez and Iwona Ionescu will be the featured instructors at the March 24^th VivaTango event.

Pablo, who is originally from the suburbs of Buenos Aires, has studied tango with various master teachers in his home country and in the United States.

Iwona explored a few other forms of dance before taking up tango, which she has studied in depth. Pablo and Iwona teach the Argentine tango classes at Princeton Adult School and they teach regularly at Viva Tango in Princeton, where they are artists in residence. EVENT LINK

Blue Moon Milonga on March 31^st will celebrate the restarting of Tango in Princeton. Details of this celebration will be developed and announced later.

Update on Safety

The chart below shows the number of new cases daily (blue) and average number of cases per 100.000 people in New Jersey. There has been a remarkable reduction. In addition, the number of infections that lead to sever medical issues has been significantly reduced for persons who are fully vaccinated. And, the availability of antiviral medicines has also significantly reduced the number of significant medical symptoms after a Covid infection. All these positive developments, taken together, have improved the safety for indoor group events. The CDC’s current recommendations for our area no longer require masks for indoor group events. The CDC does recommend that all persons be vaccinated and boosted, and that person with weakened immune systems should wear a mask. VivaTango rents our dance floor from the Princeton Senior Resource Center (PSRC). The PSRC monitors the CDC’s guidelines, and sets the safety requirements for VivaTango’s milongas. The PSRC has noted the updated CDC recommendations and will be meeting on March 15^th to discuss changing the requirements that our milongas need to meet. So, for the next two Thursdays, we will continue to with the policy that masks will be required for our milongas. Also, anyone who has not already shown us their proof of vaccination will need to show that on their first visit to a VivaTango event and sign a waiver. We hope to have a new policy later in March.

I hope you have enjoyed this newsletter. If you have any comments, suggestions, questions or just want to say hello you can reply to this email.

Dennis

VivaTango Resumes Next Thursday

The world is making rapid progress towards returning to normal. Many Tango dancers are beginning to think about how to celebrate the return to dancing in 2022 to make up for the opportunities that were lost in the past two years. Festivals are the answer for many dancers. At the end of this newsletter we share suggestions about the best festivals, and how to connect to these festivals. Keep reading.

Weekly Milongas Resume March 3^rd

This year, March comes with 5 Thursdays. It will be packed with the best Tango talents from NYC, Philly and NJ.  We will have a Blue Moon Milonga celebration on the 5^th Thursday.

Helen Wang will headline the first milonga on March 3^rd. Helen, always lovely, always smiling will be instructing a lesson, DJing the milonga and dancing with you during the milonga. The original plan for February was for her to celebrate the Chinese New Year at the milonga. Covid got in the way of that plan, but every time Helen is hosting a milonga, it’s a celebration! Celebrate on March 3^rd with Helen and your VivaTango Friends. EVENT LINK

Jon Tariq will host the March 10^th Milonga. Jon’s talents span the entire spectrum of Argentine Tango skills. Argentine Tango Instructor, Performer, Choreographer, DJ and more. Jon is one of the most sought-after instructors in NYC. Jon’s progressive and fun approach to teaching inspires students of all levels. His mission is to pass on the in-depth knowledge he has acquired from his many great teachers, contribute to the growth of the tango community and help preserve the traditions of Argentine Tango. EVENT LINK

Meredith Klein with dance partner Andres Amarilla will host the milonga March 17^th. Come celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day at this milonga. Meredith and Andres  are Instructors, performers and event organizers. They provide a wide scope of Argentine Tango dance and music events in the Philadelphia area, including the Philadelphia Tango Festival. They are well known in the international Tango community. They are looking forward to seeing all their friends at VivaTango Thursday. EVENT LINK

Pablo Garcia Gomez and Iwona Ionescu will be the featured instructors at the March 24^th VivaTango event.

Pablo, who is originally from the suburbs of Buenos Aires, has studied tango with various master teachers in his home country and in the United States.

Iwona explored a few other forms of dance before taking up tango, which she has studied in depth. Pablo and Iwona teach the Argentine tango classes at Princeton Adult School and they teach regularly at Viva Tango in Princeton, where they are artists in residence. EVENT LINK

Blue Moon Milonga on March 31^st will celebrate the restarting of Tango in Princeton. Details of this celebration will be developed and announced later.

Tango Festivals 2022

Tango festivals offer total immersion in Tango spirit for an extended weekend. It is an intense experience and has a totally unique feeling. VivaTango dancers have attended many tango festivals in the past. Some attend many in a typical year, and some treat themselves to one special event, and some are like me who has had attending an international Tango festival in a spectacular venue on my bucket list for some years. The last two years have shown that the future in unpredictable, and the saying “dance while you can” has relevance. Here are links to the best possibilities to dance while you can at festivals in 2022:

The Philadelphia Tango Festival, June 2-5 is the most accessible festival opportunity. This is always well organized and well run by Meredith Klein and her Philadelphia Argentine Tango School team. It should be on your do not miss list.www.philadelphiatangofestival.com!

I have shared information about the new Tango Partner App in previous newsletters. They are celebrating having 10,000 Tango dancers using their app. This app’s members and event listings are very international and provide a good connection to connect to festival information, and to the dancers who go to the festivals. You should download this app to power your 2022 tango life. The Tango Partner news letter recently included a list of recommended festivals. Here is their festival suggestions list:

A milonga full of amazing dancers. Would you miss it?
Most social dancers don’t realize that tango championships usually come hand in hand with amazing milongas.
The dancers that come to compete, also participate in the milongas, making them ideal places to dance.
There are three championships/festivals that you might want to join:
The Argentine Tango USA Official Championship & Festival.
The 1st Mediterranean Tango Championship.
The Metropolitano Tango Italia.

Tango is coming back!
As restrictions soften, here are 11 tango events we can’t recommend enough:
Germany: Munich Tango Weekend 20-05-2022
Albania: Tirana Tango Marathon 06-05-2022
Poland: Krakus Aires Tango Festival 05-05-2022
Cyprus: Elegante Tango Marathon 07-04-2022
USA: San Antonio Tango Festival 23-09-2022
France: El Motivo Tango Marathon 15-04-2022
Poland: La libertad Tango Marathon 25-03-2022
Italy: Festival Internazionale Palinuro in Tango 26-05-2022 
Bulgaria: Tango Aficionado Fest 13-05-2022
Italy: Workshops with Juana and Chicho in Rome 06-05-2022
Montenegro: Montenegro Tango Weekend 22-04-2022

I hope you have enjoyed this newsletter. If you have any comments or suggestions or just want to say hello you can email me at PrincetonTiger74@gmail.com

Dennis

In this week’s newsletter we begin the countdown to the kickoff of Tango dancing in Princeton again. We will also explore the impact of Covid for the past two years on beginner Tango classes. Keep reading.

MILONGAS START- TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY

Milongas Resume March 3^rd at VivaTango in Princeton. March will be packed with the best Tango talents from NYC, Philly and NJ.  And as a March bonus, there is a 5^th Thursday when we will host a Blue Moon Milonga celebration.

Helen Wang will headline the first milonga on March 3^rd. Helen, always lovely, always smiling will be instructing a lesson, DJing the milonga and dancing with you during the milonga. The original plan for February was for her to celebrate the Chinese New Year at the milonga. Covid got in the way of that plan, but every time Helen is hosting a milonga, it’s a celebration! Celebrate on March 3^rd with Helen and your VivaTango Friends. Lesson starts 7:00, Milonga starts 8:15. Lesson $15, Milonga $15, Both $20.

Jon Tariq will host the March 10^th Milonga. Jon’s talents span the entire spectrum of Argentine Tango skills. Argentine Tango Instructor, Performer, Choreographer, DJ and more. Jon is one of the most sought-after instructors in NYC. Jon’s progressive and fun approach to teaching inspires students of all levels. His mission is to pass on the in-depth knowledge he has acquired from his many great teachers, contribute to the growth of the tango community and help preserve the traditions of Argentine Tango. Lesson starts 7:00, Milonga starts 8:15. Lesson $15, Milonga $15, Both $20.

Meredith Klein with dance partner Andres Amarilla will host the milonga on March 17^th. Celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day at this milonga with Meredith and Andres. They are instructors, performers and event organizers who host a wide variety of Tango dance and music events in the Philadelphia area. This year, their well know Philadelphia Tango Festival will be held June 2-5, 2022. They are well known in the international Tango community, and they are looking forward to seeing all their friends at VivaTango Thursday March 17^th. Lesson starts 7:00, Milonga starts 8:15. Lesson $15, Milonga $15, Both $20.

Pablo Garcia Gomez and Iwona Ionescu will be the featured instructors at the March 24^th VivaTango event. Pablo, who is originally from the suburbs of Buenos Aires, has studied tango with various master teachers in his home country and in the United States. Iwona explored a few other forms of dance before taking up tango, which she has studied in depth. Pablo and Iwona teach the Argentine tango classes at Princeton Adult School and they teach regularly at Viva Tango in Princeton, where they are artists in residence.

Blue Moon Milonga on March 31^st

We will celebrate the restarting of Tango in Princeton with a special milonga. Details of this celebration will be developed and announced later.

BEGINNER TANGO LESSONS MISSED FOR PAST TWO YEARS

Tango has been the fasting growing dance over the past decade. The Tango world has been particularly hard hit by Covid. Those instructors who taught full time were particularly hard hit. The growth of tango that existed through 2019 was a result of a demand for beginner Tango lessons, and these instructors. This supply line of new Tango dancers vanished for much of two full years. It is just now beginning to ramp up again. Pablo Garcia Gomez andIwona Ionescu will be teaching a beginner Tango class here on the dance floor used by VivaTango on Tuesdays from March 15^th to April 19^th. The classes are hosted by the Princeton Adult School. In these classes, participants will learn the fundamentals of Argentine Tango, the way it is danced, and its social significance in Argentina and around the world. Students will also explore the history of Tango and its various musical forms. Class size is limited and there are just a few spots available so register soon.

Beginner Tango

Also the Philadelphia Argentine Tango School has ongoing beginner Tango classes, and will be starting a 4 week absolute beginner class starting on March 3^rd. Check that class out here:

PATS 4 week beginner Tango

TANGO SAFETY

The CDC recommends that everyone who is eligible stay up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines, and everyone should properly wear a well-fitting mask indoors in public in areas of substantial or high community transmission. VivaTango’s rental of the dance floor requires that we continue to follow this CDC guidance. As the chart below shows, the level of transmission of new cases has been falling substantially, it still is not at the levels where we were able to dance with masks being optional. So, for our kickoff, we will continue to require proof of full vaccination and the wearing of masks. For the 185 dancers that have already shown their proof of vaccination at a previous VivaTango event, they will not need to show that again. Other dancers just need to show their proof of vaccination on their first visit. These requirements guard your safety at our events. We look forward to the day we can go back to masks being optional.

Three years ago, Valentine’s Day took place on a Thursday, and Magic happened once again at VivaTango. Were you there? VivaTango wishes all our dancers a Happy Valentine’s Day.

In the following sections of this newsletter read about the exciting programming coming in March. As a Valentines gift to all our dancers, click on the link at the end of this newsletter to see our nomination for the Most Romantic Tango Performed at a VivaTango Event.

Weekly Milongas Resume March 3^rd

This year, March comes with 5 Thursdays. It will be packed with the best Tango talents from NYC, Philly and NJ.  We will have a Blue Moon Milonga celebration on the 5^th Thursday.

Helen Wang will headline the first milonga on March 3^rd. Helen, always lovely, always smiling will be instructing a lesson, DJing the milonga and dancing with you during the milonga. The original plan for February was for her to celebrate the Chinese New Year at the milonga. Covid got in the way of that plan, but every time Helen is hosting a milonga, it’s a celebration! Celebrate on March 3^rd with Helen and your VivaTango Friends.

Jon Tariq will host the March 10^th Milonga. Jon’s talents span the entire spectrum of Argentine Tango skills. Argentine Tango Instructor, Performer, Choreographer, DJ and more. Jon is one of the most sought-after instructors in NYC. Jon’s progressive and fun approach to teaching inspires students of all levels. His mission is to pass on the in-depth knowledge he has acquired from his many great teachers, contribute to the growth of the tango community and help preserve the traditions of Argentine Tango.

Meredith Klein with dance partner Andres Amarilla will host the milonga March 17^th. Come celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day at this milonga. Meredith and Andres  are Instructors, performers and event organizers. They provide a wide scope of Argentine Tango dance and music events in the Philadelphia area, including the Philadelphia Tango Festival. They are well known in the international Tango community. They are looking forward to seeing all their friends at VivaTango Thursday.

Pablo Garcia Gomez and Iwona Ionescu will be the featured instructors at the March 24^th VivaTango event.

Pablo, who is originally from the suburbs of Buenos Aires, has studied tango with various master teachers in his home country and in the United States.

Iwona explored a few other forms of dance before taking up tango, which she has studied in depth. Pablo and Iwona teach the Argentine tango classes at Princeton Adult School and they teach regularly at Viva Tango in Princeton, where they are artists in residence.

Blue Moon Milonga on March 31^st will celebrate the restarting of Tango in Princeton. Details of this celebration will be developed and announced later.

Click this link to view the video of
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SR90f6-rhrpM0x-IetTj2XGCjKF2L8uq/view?usp=sharing

Guillermina and Mariano VivaTango 6 June 2019
This is our nomination for the Most Romantic Performance at VivaTango. Romantic in the sense of connection between the dancers and graceful movements. VivaTango’s Happy Valentine’s Day gift to you.

If you look at the photo you will see that 4 of the 9 spectators videoed this performance. There were seventy some dancers at this Valentine’s milonga. At least 9 videos were made. If you have a personal collection of videos of performances at VivaTango that you would be willing to share with VivaTango, please email me at PrincetonTiger74@gmail.com