Practice, Classes, Workshops
PRACTICA COLLECTIVE:
Takes place every Tuesday evening 7:30-9:30pm at School of Visual & Performing Arts (SVPA) 554 Main Street (between 5th & 6th Streets), Stroudsburg, PA 18360 570-424-5285. This is a place to practice and improve. We share our tango knowledge, relax and enjoy dancing together.
COST: Collective Membership obligates you to pay at the beginning of the month at a cost of $25.00 per month.
Drop-in: $10.00 per class.
Students and Beginner Class Attendees: Please inquire about special rates.
WEEKLY CLASSES:
On-going Beginner Class: Every Tuesday evening 6:30 - 7:15pm at School of Visual & Performing Arts (address above).
Cost: $10 per person (includes Practica) / $18 per couple (includes Practica) or $25 for the month (includes Practica)
The class will introduce students to the techniques, concepts and step patterns of Argentine tango, a social dance that originated in Buenos Aires in the late 19th century, and which has enjoyed a strong revival in recent years. Today it is danced by thousands of enthusiastic dancers in major cities and on college campuses around the world, at tango festivals, and in dance parties called "milongas." The goal of the course will be to provide students with the basics to quickly develop the foundations for enjoying social dancing at milongas. Students with some experience are also welcome, because the perfection of basic techniques is the key to greater success in social dancing, and also the key to mastering more difficult movements, patterns and sequences.
The classes will be taught by one of the Collective Members.
Members include:
Dr. Elizabeth Gibbons, East Stroudsburg University
Liz has been dancing and teaching modern and ballet, improvisation and choreography, and other facets of dance for many years; but only started studying tango in 2007. Argentine Tango is something that she's always wanted to study for years. Liz says that it combines the best of
everything she likes about dance: connection with a partner, form and technique, and individual
expression. Pocono Tango is very fortunate to have someone of her professional dance background
be part of our collective!
Perri Iezzoni
Perri started dancing four years ago, mostly studying swing, Latin and smooth dances at a local dance
studio. Two years ago, after being bitten by
the tango but, he began pursuing quality tango instruction everywhere he could within a 50 mile
radius of home. He found the best instruction in the area at Sharon Hillman's Buenos Aires Tango
Survival course in Bethlehem, PA. From there he began attending Pocono Tango Practicas and
shortly afterwards began attending milongas at Firehouse Tango of Maywood, NJ, where Fran
Chesleigh and Pat Altman teach a dynamite intro to tango and intermediate tango class prior to
the milonga. Finally, Perri began attending Dragan Ranitovic's tango workshops in Stroudsburg, PA
at the SVPA and at You Should Be Dancing Studio in NYC. Perri credits Dragan with being the
main inspiration for his understanding and execution of fundamental movements while dancing tango.
Perri's enthusiasm, dedication and memory are all assets to our group!
Graham Stanford
Graham Stanford credits the Pocono Tango crew and Dragan Ranitovic for helping him advance to a level where he can really enjoy the dance (and have fun at New York City milonga). It had been a more hate than love relationship with the dance, but since picking it back up in 2009, after a long break, Graham says it's been a great experience. He's been actively dancing for less than a year but was fortunate to have Sharon Hillman as his first teacher, who instilled solid fundamentals when he started tango. Graham hopes to continue advancing in musicality, clear lead dynamics, simple (but fun) movements and being a good listener to the followers...and perfecting the embrace.
Olga McGuire
Olga McGuire has been studying Argentine Tango for three years. Along with the musicality evident in her earlier studies of piano, her discipline, dedication, natural grace and commitment have accelerated her learning process and she has become a skilled and beautiful dancer in this relatively short period of time. Dragan Ranitovic is her principal teacher, and under his critical eyes she has developed the technique and ease which are the marks of an excellent dancer. Her continued participation in Dragan’s classes and the NYC tango scene assures us exposure to the latest skills we need to improve our own dance.
Ann Sheps Francois
Ann Sheps Francois has been dancing and studying movement since she was five years old…beginning with ballet and modern dance as a child, Tai Chi with Grand Master Jou Tsung Hwa, Belly and Meditation Dancing with Adnan Sarhan and Mahasati Meditation (Meditation in Movement) with Luangpor Thong. Ann brings this previous learning to her perception and performance of Argentine Tango where she strives for balance, relaxation, beauty of line and harmony with her partner. Her principal teachers have been Steve Cook and Dragan Ranitovic along with private instructors in Buenos Aires, including Monica Paz. Ann first brought tango to the Poconos over five years ago. She has a BA in Psychology from Douglass College and a MA from Rutgers University.
Willy Francois
Willy Francois was born dancing, or so it seems. Social dancing was part of his childhood and he learned swing and tango from his parents. Later, Willy met Adnan Sarhan (see above) in Paris and the meditation dance so changed his life, he left France to travel through Africa and eventually to the U.S. Although Willy has only been studying Argentine Tango for a short while, as he embraces it, his natural talent and affinity for dance makes him stand out in every class and on the dance floor. He brings his natural style, fun, musicality and his French charm to the dance …a gift to every woman who dances with him. His teachers have been Dragan Ranitovic, Steve Cook, Fran Chesleigh and Monica Paz.
Graham Stanford
Graham Stanford credits the Pocono Tango crew and Dragan Ranitovic for helping him advance to a level where he can really enjoy the dance (and have fun at a New York City milonga). It had been a more hate than love relationship with the dance, but since picking it back up in 2009, after a long break, Graham says it's been a great experience. He's been actively dancing for less than a year but was fortunate to have Sharon Hillman as his first teacher, who instilled solid fundamentals when he started tango. Graham hopes to continue advancing in musicality, clear lead dynamics, simple (but fun) movements and being a good listener to the followers...and perfecting the embrace.
Collective members will conduct the Beginner’s/Technique Class during the first 45 minutes of the Practica (7:00-7:45pm) on Tuesday evenings. Intermediate students will have the choice to participate or use the time to practice on their own. The teachers will rotate every week insuring students exposure to emphasis on different aspects of the dance.
ONE SUNDAY A MONTH
3:00 - 6:30pm (followed by Supervised Practica)
With Dragan Ranitovic
3:00-4:30pm: Technique.
Highly recommended for every level.
Beginners welcome…..$20.00 for this class only
4:30-6:30pm Combinations
Intermediate and above only…$40 for this only
Both classes: $45.00 with advance registration/$55.00 at the door.
PLACE:
School of Visual & Performing Arts
554 Main Street (Between 5th 6th Streets)
Stroudsburg, PA
Contact: Olga: 570-476-7663 or 570-730-0269
Email: mcquireo@ptd.net
