Anne-Maree

Anne-Maree is classically trained in ballet and has 15 years experience dancing the Argentine Tango.

Originally trained in New Zealand she became an assistant teacher with Tango Tiempo and then made the life changing decision to travel to Buenos Aires to further her dancing skills and to learn the essence of teaching the dance.

Training

Training began with watching Tango movies, in awe of the slicing leg movements, the seamless change of direction and intricate footwork that seemed to fit together like a jig saw puzzle. I quickly sought a place to learn. The steps were not too difficult but I had yet to find the deep tango connection. The music always resonated with me but the conmection truly flourised in Buenos Aires.

I trained in Buenos Aires with masters among them Gustavo Naviera, Fabian Salas, Carlos Rivarola, Pulpo, El Indio, Claudio Estaban, Leo and Martin Fandango.

Philosophy

Tango is the quintissence of communication. It is about finding the inner place that resonates and dancing it with someone else with unprescribed moves.

Tango is about Loss and Possibility - this is my personal experience with the dance. The music and the movements, the close embrace, the opening up of the embrace to allow for full expression of movement, the possibility of energy and trust built between two people through a three minute dance never ceases to amaze me. The soul overflows with such joy. To communicate through dance with a stranger, without talking - purely through energy, interpretation of the music and trust between the dancers are the key elements of the dance that make me keep going back for more. It is a fun dance with exploration of space and it is dynamic and serene at the same time.

Tango is an addiction, it is an excuse for yet another black top/dress/ pair of pants (never have so many black items crept into my wardrobe - and I am from Auckland!), the collection of sparkly Tango shoes to match the outfits, it is social events and meeting interesting people from all walks of life, it is different styles of dancing taught by different teachers, it is beauty in movement, it is understated at times and wildly eccentric too, it is the freedom and possibility to create and explore the dance floor and your inner limitations, it is a melancholia which can settle over you with a simple parada and be blown away by a carefully placed voleo. It is old (traditional) and new (newtango). And if you don't know what a parada or a voleo is then it is time to enrol for a class.