MELINA & CLAUDIO This Wednesday 10/24 at Corazon!

On October 24, Corazon proudly presents two of the world's most exciting tango dancers, Melina Brufman and Claudio Gonzalez.

They have just finished a sold-out run of their show "Tango Episodes" in DC, and have accepted our invitation to be special guest teachers and performers at Corazon!

Melina and Claudio will teach the intermediate class at 8:30pm, and later in the evening they will give a special fifteen-minute performance from their controversial, groundbreaking show.

You can check out their bios, or read more about Tango Episodes in a recent article from the Washington Post.


They will also be available for private lessons for a limited time. Please email laturca.yesim@... for more information.

See you October 24 at Corazon – a taste of Buenos Aires in New York!

This Wednesday 10/3 at Corazon - JUDY & JON

This week, Corazon welcomes Judy & Jon, that rare American couple that has earned the respect of the Argentines! They are praised for their technique, their musicality, and their connection, and will be making a rare appearance outside Buenos Aires, at Corazon!

Their topic for the intermediate+ workshop is "Dancing the Phrases", a study on musicality. From these two, it is definitely not to be missed! As you can see in the clip below, these are two dancers who most definitely understand the music.





Buenos Aires comes to you this Wednesday at Corazon!

This Week at Corazon: Daniela y Luis

Join us this week at Corazon as we welcome Daniela Pucci y Luis Bianchi! They are quickly becoming two of America's favorite tango couples, and are known for their beautiful technique, which they pass on to their lucky students. Come take the lesson at 8:30, and then see them perform! Their connection is beautiful, as you can see in the clip below.

See you Wednesday at Corazon - a taste of Buenos Aires in New York!

Hector, Ruben & Sabrina, and more!

First of all, thanks to all of you who came to dance to Hector and the entire Eternal Tango Orchestra! Nearly one hundred fifty tangeuros came out for this rare chance to dance to a full tango orchestra, Buenos-Aires style!


Here's a picture of Hector looking very intense! And a picture of some of the orchestra (too big for one photo!):



For some more great pictures from this amazing night, check out Kai's page.

And it just keeps going with great news: Corazon will be welcoming SABRINA & RUBEN VELIZ this week, September 19! They've performed in Forever Tango, for royalty, and for television, and Sabrina and Ruben are making their New York debut at Corazon; you can see them later in the fall in Mariela Franganillo's Tango Connection show, but you can catch them first at Corazon! We're incredibly excited to have them; check out their technique in the clip below, where it takes two to tango -- with a football!



Hope to see you Wednesday at Corazon - a taste of Buenos Aires in New York!

Let the good times roll!

Silvina and Oliver are somewhere in this crowd...see if you can spot them!

This month at Corazon has been fantastic, thanks to great teachers, performers, and tangueros who come create the perfect atmosphere for tango! And it's only going to get better - we're wrapping up the summer in style, and starting fall with a bang.

This Wednesday, Jorge Torres will be teaching, Chinese treats will line the buffet, and Felina Shoes will be bringing the best of Neotango to help you show off your new moves. Jorge's classes are famous the world over, and we're very happy to have snagged him in the middle of a hectic touring schedule; come and say hello, take the class, have a bite, and dance all night!

Then September 5, Corazon is starting the fall season with a rare treat. We will be hosting Hector Del Curto's Eternal Tango Orchestra.

The entire orchestra.


That's right - the full Eternal Tango Orchestra will be playing for us September 5. It's going to be absolutely amazing, and definitely not to be missed! Mark your calendars now for Wednesday, September 5.

See you every Wednesday at Corazon - a taste of Buenos Aires in New York!

Summer Tango & Film Festival

Thank you everyone who helped make the festival such a success - it was great seeing all of you at Corazon for the USA Tango Championship Finals, at the Black & White Ball, at Central Park, and at Esmeralda's!

The Championships were a huge success, and drew the support of the entire tango community! I am hoping to get videos of the finals to post on my YouTube channel; the night of the competition I was too busy and forgot! Corazon was packed, with over 200 tangueros coming out to see who won.

Lexa and Kumi made history by being the first same-sex tango couple to be officially recognizd by the Campeonato Mudial in Buenos Aires. They came in 3rd; it was a huge step for women leaders (and male followers) everywhere!

The winners, Eduardo and Cyrena, will be flying to Buenos Aires to compete in the Campeonato there.

Two of the judges of the Tango Championship were renowned milongueros Alejandra Arrue and Serio Natario, veteran judges of the Campionato Mundial in Buenos Aires. They are great performers and amazing teachers - they don't let you get away with anything. I highly recommend them!

Friday was the Black and White Ball, and great performances by all the artists in the Festival. One of my favorites is this milonga by Mariela and Jorge, because it captures the atmosphere of the evening, right down to them asking for audiences votes of what to dance next. The milonga is great, of course - it's Mariela and Jorge, what else would you expect?

First Annual USA Tango Championship Semi-Finalist Videos are Up!

Last night, the First Annual USA Tango Championships held the qualifying round for the Salon division; La Boca was packed with people cheering on their favorite couples!

Each set of 4 couples danced three dances (an instrumental Di Sarli, a D'Arienzo vocal, and a Pugliese). Out of the 16 couples in the semi-finals, 6 were chosen as finalists, and will go on to the Finals being held TONIGHT at Corazon! It's going to be a fantastic night!

I've put videos of all the semifinalists on my YouTube Channel; for a taste of the competition, here's Set 2, dancing their instrumental Di Sarli.

The Celebrate Tango Festival - Teaching, Hosting, and DJing

Celebrate Tango Week is coming!

I will be teaching two classes:

Wednesday, July 18, 7-8pm: FREE INTRO CLASS, Corazon at Studio 101

Sunday, July 22, 10-11:25am: Elegant Paradas, Stepping Out Studios

This week at Corazon, we will be Celebrating Tango!

After an intermediate lesson July 18 at 8pm by Sergio Natario & Alejandra Arrue, Corazon will be hosting the finals of the First USA Tango Championship! Come and cheer on your favorite couples; the winner will be flown to Buenos Aires to represent the USA in the semi-finals of the prestigious V World Tango Dance Championship (V Campeonato Mundial de Baile de Tango.) To check out these beautiful instructors, and to get a feel for the championship, check out the videos below.

After the championships, dance until 1am! (I'll be DJing, obvio.)

I will also be DJing the Black and White Ball on Friday, July 20 at Stepping Out Studios! It's a beautiful


Sergio and Alejandra:






Quarter Finals, Campionato Mundial de Tango:

July 11 at Corazon: Claudio Asprea

First of all, thanks to all the great tangueros who made July 4 such a success! The picnic dinner disappeared, the dance floor filled up, and outside the fireworks lit up the sky. Maria Ybarra taught a beautiful combination with sacada, and Alberto Dassieu performed two beautiful dances, a tnago with Jan LaSalle and a very sweet vals with his wife Paulina. (Check out my YouTube channel for the videos!) It was a wonderful party, and a great milonga.

Now check out this week, as Corazon is delighted to welcome Claudio Asprea as the guest teacher July 11. Claudio has some of the fastest feet in Buenos Aires, and is known for his teaching style, which is engaging and relaxed (just like his dancing!), with attention given to the individual dancer.

Claudio will be arriving fresh from Buenos Aires, so see him first on July 11 at Corazon - a taste of Buenos Aires in New York!

Celebrate the 4th!

It's the 4th of July - and we are OPEN!

Burn off your afternoon barbeque (or just enjoy the air conditioning!) at Corazon this Wednesday. Our intermediate class will be taught b Maria Ybarra, a portena and popular social dancer admired for her great partner connection.

Later in the evening, we'll have a full dinner spread -- just to make sure no one's dancing hungry -- and we're planning a few other surprises to spice up the night.

Our performer will be Alberto Dassieu, a milonguero of the old school known for his precepts about musicality and connection: "To walk, to stop, to know how to dance the pauses and the silences, and the steps to be made must be done with all sobriety and to the beat". It's a beautiful description of the tango as it is meant to be danced socially, and he brings 'a fantastic sense of rhythm to his performances. Check him out in action !

Tango Videos!

So, I can work a camera after all! Check out my new YouTube channel, with some of the best performances from Corazon!

I'm especially proud of the videos of Tete y Silvia and Martha y Manolo; they are true legends, and it was my honor to host them. There was an amazing crowd to welcome them, which was even better - thanks to everyone who helped make it such a memorable night!

(I also have video clips from the class where Tete made everyone boogie to jazz music - awesome!)

There are pictures to come, but for now, enjoy one of Tete y Silvia's performances, and check out the rest of the videos on YouTube! I'll be posting them every week I remember to take them. If you want to be updated when I put up a new batch, check back here often or join my mailing list! (You can sign up on the sidebar; it's low-traffic, I promise.)

This Week at Corazon: Jorge Torres

Jorge Torres - the legend! (Or so he says.) Star of Forever Tango, master choreographer, snappy dresser; Jorge is one of tango's most accomplished ambassadors, having danced his way across the globe in tango shows and workshop series. We've been lucky to have him in New York from time to time, but Forever Tango is currently on tour and it's been a long time since he's been around...

Luckily, Corazon has managed to convince him to come back! Jorge is stopping by New York for only a few days before flying out again on tour, and he'll be at Corazon this Wednesday.

Anyone who has taken classes with him knows he teaches an elegant style of social dance and provides individual attention to each student in a relaxed atmosphere - expect to laugh!

It's his only group class while he's in town, so check him out before he's gone.




Even better, Chino will be visiting, showing off her newest NeoTango shoes direct from Buenos Aires! Stop by the Felina Shoes display and try on that pair you've been dreaming of.

See you Wednesday at Corazon - a taste of Buenos Aires in New York!

At Corazon June 6 - Anton Gazenbeek

This Wednesday, June 6, Corazon welcomes Anton Gazenbeek. Many of you know him - he is a renowned tango historian, and he is a guest of the New York Tango Festival this year.

I am excited to welcome Anton because of the great program we have lined up; it is a unique approach to tango, almost a one-night festival preview!

In the early days of tango, men practiced exclusively with each other to prepare for dancing tango with women in the milongas. Anton will be bringing this tradition to Corazon with an exclusive workshop in leaders’ technique. This is an amazing opportunity for anyone who leads or wants to better understand leaders; role reversal and focus on clarity, form, and intent - a chance to perfect your technique (or take on a new role entirely) sets this workshop apart from the crowd!

Later in the evening he will be giving a pair of rare performances. Anton will be dancing with Sergio Segura in the style of the all-male, turn-of-the-century practicas. Then, proving that good leading works on anything, he will be performing with a wooden stick!

You can catch Anton at the Tango Festival, but this workshop and performance can only be seen on June 6 at Corazon – a taste of Buenos Aires in New York!

Huge Thanks to Tete y Silvia and Manolo y Martha!

I just want to thank Tete y Silvia and Manolo y Martha for making Wednesday's Corazon so memorable. Tete and Silvia gave a great class and an even better performance which I recorded (I think, this camera is tricky). Hopefully all is well and I can post it here soon.

Martha celebrated her birthday with us and she and Manolo performed a canyengue! I don't think I recorded this one, but plenty of other people had their cameras handy, so we will see if it shows up! I will be keeping my eye out; it was a wonderful performance in front of a wonderful crowd - thanks to everyone who came for making it such a great night.

Next week we have Anton Gazenbeek teaching and performing with a couple of unusual partners - stay tuned for more information!

This Week at Corazon, TETE Y SILVIA

Join us MAY 30 at CORAZON as we welcome TETE & SILVIA!

I can't tell you how excited and honored I am to have Tete and Silvia at Corazon to come and perform. They are amazing dancers, so respected for their style and grace, and they travel so rarely that it's unlikely we'll ever see them again outside Buenos Aires. His naturalistic, relaxed style is absolutely perfect for social dance, and anyone who has taken classes with him knows what a fantastic teacher he is. Not only will he be teaching, but he and his partner Silvia will be performing for us! We invite you to join us at this very special event.

Chino will be visiting with the newest arrivals from Felina Shoes for anyone who needs new shoes (and let's face it, it's always time for new tango shoes)! Besides her great collection of NeoTango heels, she has shoes for leaders and unisex dance sneakers for praticas - come and have a look!

We'll see you this Wednesday at a very special Corazon!

Coming to Corazon - Walter Perez and TETE Y SILVIA

First of all, thank you to all the tangueros who have made Corazon such a success so early! The atmosphere where people come to talk with friends, to dance to their favorite orchestras, and to enjoy watching others dance is truly the "taste of Buenos Aires" I set out to create. We hear nothing but good things from first-timers - who usually become regulars themselves, and we are going to continue bringing you the best teachers (and the best music, obvio!).

Next week, May 23, come and enjoy a class by Walter Perez, a popoular tango teacher at Dance Manhattan whose classes are always engaging and funny - the perfect medicine for any frustrated tangueros.

Have you seen this man's shirt buttons? If you can help, please come to Corazon.

And to finish out the month, clear your calendars for Wednesday May 30, because Corazon is truly bringing you a taste of Buenos Aires. We are proud to present TETE Y SILVIA.

Tete is a tango legend; he has taught some of today's most famous and influential tangueros, and his natural, easy valsing style is his trademark. Join us for an unforgettable night at Corazon, as Tete y Silvia teach and perform. For those of you who have visited Buenos Aires, you already know what a great night this will be; for those of you who haven't visited Buenos Aires yet, now's your chance to see what it's like!

Enjoy this video of Tete doing what he does best - and see you May 30 at CORAZON!

Coming Up at Corazon!

Corazon this month has a fantastic lineup of teachers, including some very special guests from Buenoes Aires.

THIS WEEK, MAY 2 - Cesar Coelho is teaching. His classes are wildly popular, and his energy is infectious!

NEXT WEEK, MAY 9 - Guillermina Quiroga will be teaching. When she was in New York last fall she taught a class that began with a sidestep - hers was about eight feet long! This is one class you don't want to miss.

Just in case you need any further incentives to learn from these two masters, here's a video of them dancing together - when someone can left her leg to her head, it speaks for itself, if you ask me...

Website problem

Well, I updated my website to tell you all that Armando was going to be at Corazon, but my site seems to be having some problems. Sorry about that.

For any questions in the meantime, please email me (the link is in the sidebar) or check out the direct pages, which are still working:

My Schedule or

Corazon.


See you tonight at Corazon!

NEY AND JENNIFER AT CORAZON APRIL 4

SPECIAL EVENT!

Tangueros y tangueras, mark your calendars:

Jennifer Bratt and Ney Melo are in New York for one night only at CORAZON!

Happy Birthday, Ney!

Jennifer and Ney will be special guests at Corazon April 4, teaching and performing, and you are invited to join us and celebrate Ney’s birthday!

It’s going to be a night to remember. We’re pulling out all the stops for a fantastic party, so come early and snag a seat, snag a partner, and snag some treats – after all, every birthday needs a cake!

Ney and Jennifer are extraordinary dancers whose demand is worldwide, both as dancers and as teachers. Each hosts a great YouTube channel: Ney at TangoTelevision, and Jennifer at LaMaleva.

Beginner Lesson: 8:00pm

Intermediate Lesson: 8:30pm

Milonga: 9:30pm until 1am – because it’s not over until Echague sings!

Cash bar available all night; snacks are complimentary.

With the smoothest dance floor, the richest sound system, and the best of Argentine tango played by your DJ Yesim 'La Turca', Corazon brings you a taste of Buenos Aires in the heart of New York.

For another taste of Buenos Aires, below is a video from Ney and Jennifer, danced to one of the most beautiful tango songs ever recorded, Canaro's "Poema".





See you Wednesday, April 4, at Corazon!

Corazon this week - March 28

This week at Corazon, we are proud to announce guest teacher SILVINA VALZ.



She is dancing candombe with "El Flaco" Dany. Look at her FEET! (Look at HIS feet!) She's finding time to throw embellishments! I could cry!

Her ankles are perfect, meaning GLUED TOGETHER whenever possible, and this video is a great way to get a look at her trademark grapevine. The only better way to get a look at technique like this is to take a class from her!

This seems all very exciting for the followers, but gentleman, guess what: she is one of the most precise leaders around, and her technique exercises are priceless.

Make sure you catch her at Corazon this Wednesday before she disappears on tour!

After the class, you'll be inspired to take to the floor in some new shoes - or you've been so dedicated to her technique exercises that you've snapped your current heels! Don't worry, we've planned ahead and invited Felina Shoes to Corazon this week. Chino will be there with a brand-new shipment of gorgeous footwear coming straight from Buenos Aires - the easiest way to look like Silvina in under an hour! ;)

See you Wednesday at Corazon!

Corazon March 21

Next week, Corazon presents guest teachers and performers Thomas Reale and Marina Zisk. If you are on the New York scene, you've envied them - perfect social dancers, with musicality and embellishments right out of the milongas of Buenos Aires.

On March 21, join us as they share some of their secrets to achieving a masterful connection and moving precisely and beautifully within the embrace.

Here is a video of them performing at the Milongueros' Tango Weekend, along with Ivan and Sarah, Oliver and Eva, and Michael and Angeles, who taught and performed at the first Corazon on Valentine's Day.

See you Wednesday at Corazon!

Mariela and the New York Tango Marathon

Thanks to everyone who came to Corazon and danced all night, and a special thanks to Mariela, who taught the intermediate class. If you missed her and can't wait for the next time she visits Corazon, you're in luck - she and Jorge Torres will be teaching 4 classes as part of their New York Tango Marathon in April. You'll be hard pressed to come up with two better teachers, and with milongas included, to boot, it's the deal of the year.

The lineup of teachers represent the best of Argentine tango:

Jesus Velasquez

Valeria Solomonoff

Sarah Grdan and Ivan Terrazas

Carolina Zokaslski and Diego Di Falco

Oliver Kolker

Armando Orzuza

Nuria Mendez

Daniela Pucci and Luis Bianchi


I will be anchoring the festival, DJing the all-night milonga on Saturday, April 7. The crowd for this event should be phenomenal, and I can't wait to see all of you at Studio 101.

DC Tango Marathon - March 15

I'll be DJing the opening milonga of the DC Tango Marathon this Thursday, March 15, at the Eastern Market! Check the Tango Marathon website for more information.

Mariela is at Corazon this week!

This week, Corazon is proud to welcome Forever Tango star Mariela Franganillo as a guest teacher!

Born and raised in Argentina, Mariela is one of the world's finest tango dancers, and her classes are invaluable to anyone who wants to improve their technique, musicality, and tango vocabulary.

I have had the good fortune to study with Mariela, and I can tell you that she is a dynamic, passionate teacher who brings the dance to life from her head to the tips of her toes (literally - look at these feet!).



The worst of it is that she can do this in combat boots...

Though most of us will never look this good, Mariela refuses to believe it, and after a lesson on making the most of your feet, your rhythm, and your dance, you'll believe it, too.

See you on Wednesday at Corazon - a taste of Buenos Aires in the heart of New York!

Javier and Geraldine

This is a video of Geraldine Rojas and Javier Rodriguez, one of the most beautiful tango couples ever. There's so much in this video to watch, it's worth looking at three or four times, I think.

It reminds me of Buenos Aires, where I learned to walk all over again, and where I learn to walk again every time I go back.

Every follower should watch her feet, which are absolute lessons in how to step. Her weight is on the inside of the ball of the foot, the heel never touches the ground, and the foot never rolls out. Her ankles are always, always together.

When she steps backwards, she keeps her foot on the ground and skates it backwards rather than lifting it. She also points with the toes rather than stepping back with the whole foot, which makes the legs look longer and the feet look more elegant, and helps keep the balance by securing the weight on the ball of the foot rather than on the heel of the shoe. It's a lifetime of work to step like Geraldine, but it's clearly worth it.

This Week's Corazon - March 7

This Wednesday, we're very excited to be hosting Nito Garcia's American farewell at Corazon! He will be teaching the 8:30 intermediate class and performing with Rosa Collantes.

We're in the beautiful ballroom at Dance Studio 101, a block from the Canal Street subway stop. As usual, we have great refreshments and a well-stocked bar with beer, wine, soda, milkshakes - the works.

For more details, check out the Corazon page on my website.

See you all on Wednesday!

DC Tango Marathon

I've been asked to DJ the opening milonga of the DC Tango Marathon, being held at the Eastern Market. You can check out information on the instructors, schedule, and even carpooling on the Tango Marathon site.

Hope to see a lot of great dancing.

Corazon - More Pictures

Tiger has a great post with pictures from Corazon - check it out here.

Corazon, Valentine's Day

This past Valentine's Day, we held the first Corazon milonga. As per the Weather Channel, it was the worst weather of the year, but tangueros aren't easily scared, and so a bunch of them showed up for the class, taught by Angeles and Michael. The open-level class was a great success, proving one more time the teaching skills of these two amazing dancers.

After class, more and more dancers showed up with snowboots in hand, and everyone hit the dance floor and danced til 1am. Jeanine, our friendly bartender, took special care of the thirsty dancers, who kept coming back for more wine, beer, sodas, or delicious Ben & Jerry chocolate milkshakes!

Lexa Rosean, tango's favorite witch, gave out love spells to everyone, and donated one of her custom candles to the raffle - guaranteed to make everyone fall in love with your dance. Mark won it! (Get in line, ladies!)

Later, Angeles and Michael delivered an awesome performance - these pictures speak for themselves.

Thanks to Tiger for the pictures

Bottom line: thanks to all of you who showed up and danced. You made our first-ever Corazon a great success, and we look forward to seeing you all every Wednesday when Corazon becomes a regular event, beginning March 7.

See you at Studio 101!