Thursday Classes

 

Katya will be teaching a Tango Basics class for new dancers and those wishing to work on fundamentals to help them improve on Thursday’s at 7:00 starting Jan 5th 2023. There will be an intermediate class that follows from 8:00-9:00! Come bring a friend and enjoy a nice evening with us.

 

We teach two classes: Fundamentals and Intermediate:

• Fundamentals:  This is the class that’s fun — it’s a great way to learn Argentine tango.  Walking smoothly in parallel and crossed systems, connection, embrace, the cross, ochos, and molinetes.  Recommended for beginners but also suitable for more advanced dancers who want to perfect their basic skills.  If you know this stuff well, you’re good to go at any tango dance.
• Intermediate: If you’ve already been dancing tango for awhile  and have mastered the techniques taught in Fundamentals class, this class offers more advanced steps — giros, sacadas, paradas, planeos, embellishments, etc. 

Fundamentals and intermediate classes are taught by several teachers — Count Glover, Lisette Perelle and Glenn Corteza are old friends from the Bay Area and Katya Sazonchik is our brand new local teacher.  No partner required.  $10 for one class; $15 for both classes; practica free with a paid class, $10 otherwise.   From 7 – 10 pm at the House of Four Winds unless indicated otherwise.  For more complete descriptions of our teachers, go to the Classes page.

 

 

 

 Class Schedule

 Note also the addition of a short practica following the Fundamentals Class.

• Fundamentals: 7:00-7:45 pm.  For beginners and anyone wanting to polish their basic skills.
• Short practica: 7:45-8:00 pm. For all levels.
• Intermediate: 8:00-8:45 pm. For dancers already proficient with the basic steps. (See below.)
  
• Practica: 8:45-9:00 pm. For all levels.

Classes are at the House of Four Winds.  See below for biographies and prices.

 

Am I Ready for Intermediate Class?

For those of you who are fairly new to tango, we’d like to remind you that it is in your best interest to focus on mastering the fundamentals before moving on to the intermediate level.  The fundamentals include:

•    For everyone, walking smoothly to the beat of the music;

•    For men, the ability to lead clearly and confidently, and to change systems from parallel to cross system;

•    For women, the techniques for the cross, ochos, and molinetes. The intermediate class assumes functional knowledge of these fundamentals.  If you have any doubts about whether the intermediate class is appropriate for you, please ask the teacher for advice.

 

Lisette Perelle

Dancing since the age of 5, Lisette began her training in gymnastics. From there her education continued to Hula, Ballet, Jazz, Modern, Ballroom, Argentine Tango and Theater. She received her B.A. Degree from Northeastern University in Speech Communications concentrating in Television and Film production. She has worked in the film industry for over 14 years and has won Canada’s Lotus award for Producer of the Best PSA commercial in 1996. Her Minor was Theater.

She danced and performed with Northeastern Dance Theater Company in 1986-88 where she did choreography under the direction of Sarah Umberger. She was very involved in theater since childhood where she not only acted, sang and danced, but also choreographed numbers for the musicals, “Ghetto” and “Working”. She has since done choreography for a music video for the singer Jenifer Taylor. She was a member of the Argentine performance company called Ballet Pampa Argentina under the direction of Pampa Cortes for 2 years. She has starred in 2 tango film shorts, “Burn” and “Tango in the Park” as well as performed on television for KQED in San Francisco. Lisette trained in Argentine tango with Julian “Miller” Ramil, Pampa and Valeria Cortes, Fabian Salas, Mariana Flores and Eduardo Cappussi, Julio Balmeceda and Corina de la Rosa, Mariano “Chicho” Framboli, Mariana Dragone, Sabastian Arce and Mariana Montes, Carlos Gavito, El Flaco Danny Garcia, Omar Vega, Daniel Juarez and Alejandra Armenti and many others. She spends extensive time in Buenos Aires each year training as well as teaching. She has taught tango in the Bay Area including San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Monterey, Santa Cruz, Sacramento and Mendocino. She has also taught in Palm Beach, Florida and Buenos Aires, Argentina. She has not only performed in her home state of California, but also in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Presently, she is teaching locally in the Bay Area and is currently Directing and Shooting her own Documentary on tango. She is an elegant dancer and patient teacher who concentrates on the techniques necessary for smooth, powerful and beautiful dancing. She works with the whole body focusing on connection, alignment, lines and beautifying steps. To see Lisette dancing, go to her website at lisetteperelle.com . 

 

Glenn Corteza

Glenn Corteza is one of San Francisco’s best teachers. He focuses on the essentials of social dancing and promotes mastery of the basics. Students enjoy his classes on musicality and core building fundamentals which includes ear training, mastering rhythms, and dance technique. Students get a broader perspective of the dance and not just memorization of flashy sequences. He promotes creativity and incorporates exercises to build on each individuals potential to improvise on their own. Glenn’s classes are fun and he keeps the it light and simple. His outrageous comments and humorous visual analogies will have you laughing while learning.  Glenn has been dancing for 14 years and has studied with many of the Argentine masters. He has performed on stage productions, appeared on commercials, and performed in many public and private events. He is also a member of the group,  Quinteto del Bailongo, where he plays the double-bass. .

 

Katya Sazonchik

Katya began her dance career in Russia at age 8, regularly combining lessons with performances in various competitions. In Russia, she started her own dance school for both children and adults, notably including Argentine tango. In addition to studying with many well-known Argentine tango maestros, she has attended tango festivals throughout Russia and Europe. Now in Monterey, she brings to us her unique style accompanied by her husband and dance partner Isaac Kaminer.  

 

 

Classes and Practicas

Beginners welcome, no partner needed

Thursday Class and Practica

Classes and practicas are at the House of the Four Winds

• • Fundamentals: 7:00-7:45 pm.  For beginners and anyone wanting to polish their basic skills.
  • Short practica: 7:45-8:00 pm. For all levels.
  • Intermediate: 8:00-8:45 pm. For dancers already proficient with the basic steps. (See below.)
    
  • Practica: 8:45-9:00 pm. For all levels.Note also the addition of a short practica following the Fundamentals Class.
• Class $10 for one class or $15 for both classes
• Practica only – $10

 

Tuesday Practica

Practica with Charlie at The House of the Four Winds 7-10pm   $10

The House of the Four Winds, 540 Calle Principal, Monterey

Contact Charlie 831-601-7199 or  tangomontereybay@yahoo.com