Argentine folk dance classes in December at the Om

I am very excited to co-teach a series of classes on Argentine folk dance with Sole Avila this December!

This all started when Sole Avila showed up for my Chacarera class that I taught during Portland Tangofest week. Sole was extremely excited to find us, told me that she had studied folk dance and the traditional drum, and asked when my next class would be.

I had not planned on teaching more classes. However, I have missed teaching folk dancing since I moved up to Portland in 2008. I had studied a bunch of folk dances when I was in Argentina, but I hadn't taught them for ten years. Perhaps it was time to change that!

I asked Sole if she would co-teach with me, and she agreed. We are still hashing out all the details, but the plan is to teach Argentine zamba, chamame, chacarera doble, and perhaps the escondido and/or gato.

Come dance with us!

A bit about Sole:

Sole comes from Santiago del Estero, the heartland of Argentine folk dancing. She studied folk dancing and music intensively for six years, and performed with the Cruz del Sur performance group. Sole also attained the title of "Bombo teacher" which is the traditional drum used in folk dance music. She first came to Portland in 2004, and became a U.S. citizen last year. This will be her first time teaching the dances that she loves.

Chacarera class coming up for Buenos Aires night at Norse Hall!

Because I came to tango from a folkdance background, I have always loved chacarera. Julio Gordillo taught me: he traded me hours of English lessons for hours of folkloric dance. I couldn't find a clear video of him dancing chacarera, but there's a fuzzy one below. I've attended evenings of folkdancing in Buenos Aires, as well dancing sets of chacarera at milongas. Recently, I've reviewed with Oscar and Georgina, so I've included their video below as well.

There are chacarera dobles and simples. The simples have 6- or 8-count forms. I think the 8-count form is easier to learn, so that's what I always teach. We will leave the other forms for another time. Those of you who are coming to chacarera class on September 8th at Norse Hall at 7:30-8:30, spend a few minutes going over this order, and it will help stick it in your head for the class!

Chacarera simple (8 count)

• avance y retroceso (advanced and retreat): 4 sets of "1-2-3" movement in a diamond shape CCW
• giro: 4 sets of "1-2-3"  in small CCW circle that meets your partner in the middle and keeps going back to own side
• vuelta entera: 8 "1-2-3"s of CCW trade places with your partner to the other side of the dance, and come back
• zapateo y zarandeo: 8 "1-2-3"s of what I tend to call "the stampy bits" for the guys and flourishes for the women (key: If you say "Talega de pan" over and over, it gives you the right beat for the moves for the guys)
• vuelta entera: same as above
• zapateo y zarandeo: same as above
• media vuelta: 4 "1-2-3"s to change places with partner CCW
• giro con coronacion: 4 "1-2-3"s to do a small giro and end in the center, facing partner

 A couple versions to watch and get ready for Buenos Aires night:

Oscar Mandagaran & Georgina Vargas dance social chacarera

Julio Gordillo dancing chacarera (a bit fuzzy, sorry!)

Crazy things to dream about while doing the zapateos!

OK, that's enough to get you excited, I hope!