Author Archives: TangoNova

Dancing on the Halifax Waterfront summer 2022

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Tangonova hosts the  Milonga del Puerto (tango social dance event) on the Halifax waterfront , weather permitting, Saturday June 30 -Mid September. Location: the gazebo located  at foot of Morris  & Lower Water Sts, adjacent to Nova Scotia Power. There is a large high rise being build in front f where we dance. Time: 6:30- 9:15  pm or dew fall, which ever comes first. We dance on sheets of rolled out vinyl, taped together. The floor fee is a suggested donation. Pay what you can,  The typical donation is $10. Everyone is welcome, though no instruction is given unless other wise noted. If you are looking for classes, please contact Tangonova founder Margaret 902-229-8585.

Other details: No spike (pointy) heels permitted (they puncture the floor). Parking: free at Seaport Market and another lot on Lower water , north of Bishop’s Landing. Bathrooms: Closest would be Bicycle Thief restaurant (Bishop’s Landing) or Garrison’s Brew pub (Seaport). Bring your own water.  Dress in layers – it can get cool by the ocean in the evening.

Weather & Other  Cancellations: Often the weather is uncertain up to the last minute.  Cancellations due to rain will be posted between 5 and 5:30 the day of the event.

Always check the web site events listing before attending. 

No Milonga Del Puerto Saturday, Aug 20.

Tango and the lifting of Pandemic Restrictions (March 22/2022)

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Changes are a foot in our province!
As we approach the lifting of the Covid pandemic restrictions in Nova Scotia on March 22, I have a few burning questions: What does it all mean, given that the Covid virus is still around? How does it impact you and your desire to dance tango? Of particular significance to me is whether our community is ready to support a monthly milonga again. I’ve got one booked for April 9!
Read below how tango will change    and/or  join the zoom discussion Saturday,
March 19, 5 – 6 pm.  If you did not receive invite, contact Tangonova.
No proof of vaccine required for attendance, masking optional, no more social distancing or capacity rules, no more contact tracing/reporting/ other than your immediate family.
Masking:Masking on the dance floor will be optional, rather than a studio requirement. That means one might choose to mask while dancing, and not to mask while socializing off the dance floor. Or not mask at all. Previously at numerous milongas during the pandemic, we behaved thus, respecting our partners’ needs. There were no covid outbreaks since Señor Omicron had not yet come to Halifax!
Rotation:Our community is a vibrant mixture of couples and singles. For the Milonga to be a happening event for everyone, rather than only couples, we need mingling, otherwise known as rotation, on the dance floor. How comfortable are you with rotation?
Participation:We need 20 plus people to support a milonga and that means couples and singles. The top attendance at the practica since February has been 12.
Without your support there is no milonga or guest teacher workshops! What matters here is not my  analysis but YOUR COMFORT LEVEL/your willingness to participate. My sense is that people may choose to wait and see what happens after March break when vacationers return, school reconvenes and masks are no longer required.
The Good and the Bad:  Thru out much of the pandemic, we were one of the few tango communities able to dance  regularly  with only short shut downs, thanks to NS flattening the curve and achieving  80%+ vaccine rate.  But Señor Omicron’s contagious personality has been a game changer for our small tango scene.  Full vaccination & booster have proved to be protection from serious covid for most people, but a positive test remains highly inconvenient, especially for those with international travel plans.
I want to see this community reboot, yet the pandemic trajectory is out of my control – it’s all speculation. Come speculate with me – what do you need in order to return to tango?
Join the zoom call this Saturday March 19, 5-6 pm or contact me via email or phone.
Talking together is a good thing.
Thanks,
Margaret
902-229-8585

March 2022: CH, ch, ch changes…re provincial covid protocols!

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Significant changes happening re Covid Protocols. March 22 all restrictions are to be lifted – wow , Covid is still around, though, so how these changes will impact individual tango dancers and their approach to our local events  is yet to be determined. Tangonova founder Margaret looks forward  to dialoguing with you all in the next few weeks. Meanwhile enjoy the return of the light and support tango practica and classes.

January 19, 2022: Report on Halifax Tango events re Omicron

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Jan 19, 2022 Tango events  UPDATE: I am considering holding the first 2022 community Tango practica next Thursday Jan 27, and classes thereafter. Details TBS.

Jan 2, 2022: It is currently not comfortable to gather for group tango lessons, masked or not, due to the highly contagious Omicron covid variant and the number  of tango people waiting for boosters as of Jan 2,2022.

Tangonova will continue to check in with the provincial health guidelines re dance classes, as well as with the local tango community, so that as soon as it is workable and people are ready,  tango activities can resume in one way or another.

If it appears that the current situation is going to continue for a more than a few weeks into 2022, then I will consider creating Zoom classes again.  It is not really my “thing”,  but I managed to offer a few last year,  and learned a lot in the process, so why not try again?

Keep evolving everyone and don’t give up! Happy new year!

Don’t forget to stay in touch, and let me know how you are doing!

New Provincial Proof of Vaccine protocols for Dance events

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Original proof of full vaccination records are acceptable in paper and digital formats, as well as clear photos, screenshots and photocopies. Be prepared to show these the event organizer in one form or another.
NOTE: Tangonova will not be keeping a record of anyone’s vaccination records without their verbal or written consent. By next week, I hope to have the proof and consent process worked out,  as it is going into affect Monday, Oct 4.
Detailed information available here :   proof of full vaccination protocol. 

Fall 2021 with Tangonova

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HI Folks – looking for tango classes this fall? I am starting up my classes & events end of September, early October.

  • A Taste of Tango: Free Trial class for beginners on offer September 30. Pre-registration recommended, and proof of  vaccination required. Contact Tangonova or phone 902-229-8585,
  • Leading Ladies Class in the works: interested students please contact me.
  • Thursday Practica to resume Sept 30th at DanSpace/proof of  vaccination required.
  • Home studio Monday Class will start in October. Possibly one other weekly class.
  • Semi-Private lessons/2 couples/reasonable rates/ arranged at your convenience.
  • Fall Milonga Schedule listed on the  classes and events page. Saturday, Oct 2 is the first one!
  • Just curious about tango? …drop in to a practica or take a private lesson, before signing up for a series.

What is a “Milonga”?

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squeeze-box-argentina_11322_600x450*The word Milonga has two meanings, often confusing for beginner dancers! 1) Milonga, is a gathering/ tango dance party: an event where people are dancing to recordings of tangos, vals or milonga (see second meaning). USE: I am going to the milonga tonight. 2) Milonga, also refers to the name of a dance form  in the tango genre (tango, vals, and milonga)  with  an upbeat 2/4 rhythm, and classes are offered in Milonga.  Historically the milonga dance form pre-dates tango, and has more Afro- Caribbean roots.  USE: Let’s take that milonga class so  we can dance the milonga set at next Saturday’s milonga.

Milonga Event Format:  Tango is a traveling dance that moves counter clockwise along the line of dance. Ideally couples “navigate” respectfully  on the dance floor, not passing one another or colliding or stalling the flow. Music is played by a DJ in tandas (sets) of 3-4 songs of one type (tango, vals or milonga). The end of the tanda (set) is marked by a cortina (curtain) – a short  non-tango riff of 25-35 seconds. This is the time to escort one another off the dance floor and switch partners, if you like. When a couple choose to dance together, it is customary to dance out the full tanda, not rotating until the cortina. Should either  person decide to end the partnership mid-tanda,  it would be considered rude for him or her  to then acquire a new partner for that same tanda. These are customs not rules. If you are planning to dance at milongas in Buenos Aires, additional codigos (codes) may apply, useful to know  and readily available on the internet.

About Halifax Milongas

FALL 2020 Edgett Dance  and Wellness Centre/monthly:  see events listing for fall 202o.

SUMMER  Milonga Del Puerto Mid-June thru mid-September  = look for tango on the Halifax waterfront. Foot of Morris at  Lower Water St/across Cunard parking lot. Likely Saturday evenings. Weather permitting!

For current info, Check web calendar or tangonova  or East Coast Tango Society  FB page  /or get on my email list.

Regular  DJ = Leggy Peggy (mostly traditional tango recordings  from the golden age of tango with  a few contemporary sets. Requests honoured, when in keeping with group spirit.  Occasional Guest DJs,   local or out of town visitors.

 

 

Welcome to Tangonova

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“This is how to dance the tango!
Feel the blood rise to your face with every beat;
While an arm winds like a snake
Around a waist that is about to break.
This is how to dance the tango!”

 

Founded in 2003 by dance instructor Margaret Spore, Tangonova is dedicated to establishing an authentic tango presence in Nova Scotia. Intimate, improvisational and challenging. Argentine tango is truly the dance of fearless passion.

To inquire about classes at any level in Argentine tango, contact Margaret at 902-229-8585.  Tangonova offers classes for both new beginners and experienced students, in all genres of of the dance.  Singles and couples  of all ages welcome, as well as those learning both roles.