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