Tango de los Muertos is an Argentine tango music and dance festival designed to enhance the quality of live tango music being created for social dancing; to connect and enlighten the young and growing tango music scene; to deepen dancers' knowledge and appreciation of Argentine tango music and dance; and to have a hell of a good time!

Tango Brunch - Milonga Info - Dance Class Descriptions - Music Event Descriptions - Cabeceo - Costumes - Private Lessons with Jean-Sebastien Rampazzi

Tango Show and Brunch

Saturday October 29th, 10:30am - 1:00pm at Ryles Jazz Club
Listen to fiery, sophisticated Argentine tango music by Bernardo Monk's quartet MassTango with master bandoneon player Hector del Curto; watch dancing by some of the best new generation tango dancers, Mariana Galassi from Argentina and Murat Erdemsel from New York City; Maria and Pasi Lauren from Finland; Somer Surgit and Agape Pappas from Chicago; Isaac Oboka from Denver and Mylene Pelletier from Montreal; and eat a delicious brunch buffet catered by the award winning S&S Restaurant. Come just for the Tango Brunch or stay to participate in workshops and dances throughout the weekend.

Brunch Menu: Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice, Apple Juice and Cranberry JuiceCarved Fresh Fruit with Berries Fluffy Scrambled Eggs Double Smoked Bacon Breakfast Potatoes Freshly Baked Bagels, Danish, Muffins, Coffee Cake and Croissants Cream Cheese Spreads, Sweet butter and Preserves Freshly Brewed Coffee, Decaffeinated Coffee and Herbal Teas If you're a musician, stay for the Music workshop, "What makes a tango a tango?" at Ryles, 1:00 - 4:00pm. Details below. If you're a tango dancer or want to become one, walk over to Extreme Dancesport for a day of workshops with incredible visiting teachers. Details below.

Pajama Milonga with DJ Homer Ladas
Friday morning milonga with breakfast included. You bring your pajama-clad selves (or just-plain-clad selves!) we provide food, some of the best traditional and alternative music, chosen by DJ Homer, and a great space. There's also been a special request for bed hair.
Location: Extreme Dancesport

Cabeceo Milonga with DJ Eray Yuksek
Friday night milonga with a twist or two. The room will be set up to encourage the traditional Argentine eye game called cabeceo, in which dances are arranged through eye contact alone. If you're brave, fun, and elegant, please wear a costume that celebrates tango's Golden Age.
Location: Filarmonica Santo Antonio

Costume Ball with live music by Tango Lorca and DJ Tine Herreman
Saturday night in the lovely Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center you can wear any fancy, scary, or unusual costume you desire - just make sure it's danceable! The critically acclaimed Tango Lorca will play (as always) luscious, sizzling tangos and Tine as DJ will spin great classics and a few 'found' tangos.
Location: Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center

After-hours Underground Milonga with DJs Ben Bogart and Homer Ladas
Saturday night after the ball, dress down and dance all night to a mix of traditional and alternative tangos! As at all milongas during the festival, snacks will be provided to keep you going. But, unlike other milongas, this is a "private party". Tickets will not be sold at the door for this milonga, but must be purchased online by October 28th or in person at festival events on Friday and Saturday.
Location: Brazilian Cultural Center Downstairs

The End Milonga with DJ Avik Basu and the Monster Orchestra
Sunday night milonga at the beautiful Jorge Hernandez Cultural Center in the South End. Avik will primarily play classic tango music, but dancers are encouraged to wear costumes that show where tango fashion is going. Featuring a set of live music by the Monster Orchestra, led by Hector de Curto, which is composed of 20 professional and amateur musicians from Boston, Buenos Aires, New York, Kansas City, Providence, Ann Arbor, and elsewhere.
Location: Jorge Hernandez Cultural Center

Dance Class Descriptions Extreme Dancesport

To give participants a general idea of dance level: the Beginning to Bgn/Int workshops are good for dancers with 0 - 40 hours of Argentine tango experience; Intermediate is for 60 - 120 hours of experience; Intermediate and Advanced workshops for 60 and up hours; and the Advanced workshops are good for dancers who are really good (400 and up and up hours).

(Intermediate) La Caminata - Jean-Sebastien Rampazzi
From A to Z, work on walking technique that combines elegance and power; align your posture and learn how to use the legs from the tips of the toes to the hips; learn how to use the weight and axis in order to make the couple balanced while moving. Friday 2:00 - 3:30pm, Extreme Dancesport

(Intermediate) Boleos - Jean-Sebastien Rampazzi
This specific movement requires a very high control of the weight for leaders, and for followers an absolute relaxation of the leg with the paradox of giving a shape to the boleo. Getting these elements under control allows for complete freedom with dynamic changes, and enables dancers to reach an extreme sensitivity towards their partner. Friday 3:30 - 5:00pm, Extreme Dancesport

(Intermediate) Musicality - Tango Lorca
The musicians of Tango Lorca will demonstrate each instrumentalist's role and how they execute common tango devices as well as how we communicate. And most importantly, how we tell the dancer what's about to happen in the music. Friday 8:00 - 9:30pm, Filarmonica Santo Antonio

(Beginning) The Walk and Ochos - Thuy Lam
Thuy will take students through some of the basic movements of the Argentine Tango, walking with a partner, and ochos, a common pattern that involves cross-body motion that sometimes looks like a figure 8 (ocho is the Spanish word for 8). Saturday 1:00 - 2:30pm, Extreme Dancesport

(Intermediate and Advanced) Changes of Dynamic - Jean-Sebastien Rampazzi
Using the elasticity in the body and in the embrace, learn how to deal with the energy when switching from a very slow motion to a very fast one. Dancers will also experience one of the most important points that transforms "moving" into "dancing" through breath. Saturday 1:00 - 2:30pm, Extreme Dancesport

(Beginning- Beginning Intermediate) The Connection - Jackie Wong
Saturday 2:30 - 4:00pm, Extreme Dancesport

(Intermediate and Advanced) Changes of Embrace - Jean-Sebastien Rampazzi
The embrace in tango is too often seen as rigid and unmoving, but in fact, the movements in the arms - even though small compared to the moves of the legs - are essential to keep the dance playful, comfortable, relaxed. We will see that close and open embrace belong to the same dance technic and that it's indeed possible to switch from one to the other within the same movement. Saturday 2:30 - 4:00pm, Extreme Dancesport

(Beginning-Beginning Intermediate) Navigation and Turning - Tova and Carlos Moreno
This class will give you the basic tools to dance at a milonga, or social dance. Students will learn basic turning techniques common in Argentine tango and how to use them to navigate around the dance floor.
Saturday 4:00 - 5:30pm, Extreme Dancesport

(Intermediate and Advanced) X-session - Homer Ladas and Rebecca Shulman
A tango exploration & exchange - kind of like a guided practice developing a specific theme - characterized by intense dancing and creative people. Saturday 4:00 - 6:30pm, Extreme Dancesport

(All levels) Chacarera - Gabriel and Daniela Paez
Chacarera is an Argentine folk dance that has become popular in some tango coummities across North America. It's a partner dance that's done in two lines, with a basic movement pattern that is repeated each time with slight variations. Several chacareras will be played during the milongas over the weekend, so come out to join in the fun! Saturday 8:00 - 9:00pm, Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center

(Intermediate and Advanced) Musical Feet - Rebecca Shulman
Tiny quick steps and adornments can express the quick scintillating rhythms of tango music, and flowing or hesitating footwork can express the dramatic contrast in the music. Rebecca will give very specific suggestions for you to play with. Sunday 1:00 - 2:30pm, Extreme Dancesport

(Advanced) Giros with Boleos & Ganchos - Jean-Sebastien Rampazzi
Difficult combinations of these three elements: turns for leaders while leading boleos the followers, and turns for both dancers while ganchoing for both. Students will learn both traditional and non-traditional combinations. Sunday 2:30 - 4:00pm, Extreme Dancesport

(Advanced) Colgadas & Volcadas - Jean-Sebastien Rampazzi
Extreme combinations and how to make these physically demanding movements look tension-free, like a breath in the dance. This class is for dancers who are already profiecient with colgadas and volcadas. Sunday 4:00 - 5:30pm, Extreme Dancesport

(All levels) Tango Games - Homer Ladas
Think of this workshop as the spoonful of sugar that helps the medicine go down. You will work on tango skills such as balance, creativity and connection through a variety of playful exercises led by the masters of tango games. Learn activities you can use later to practice with a partner. Have a more equal dose of concentration and laughter - tango is supposed to be fun, remember? Sunday 7:00 - 8:30pm, Jorge Hernandez Cultural Center

Music Event Descriptions    Zeitgeist Gallery                            Tango Jam at Providence Tango

(All levels) Tango Jam led by Ben Bogart
Friday and Saturday evening, musicians of all levels playing any kind of instrument get together for two hours to jam together on tango music. See tangojam.com for more info. Download the music to practice beforehand! Bring your own copies of the music and a music stand (if you have one).
Friday and Saturday 7:00 - 9:00pm, Zeitgeist Gallery

(Intermediate and Advanced) What Makes a Tango a Tango? - Hector del Curto, Tango Lorca, and Bernardo Monk
This workshop is designed for musicians seeking to introduce themselves or expand their knowledge of Argentine Tango interpretation.
During the first hour, Hector del Curto, master bandoneonist from Buenos Aires, will show how a tango arrangement is built and talk about the function of each instrument in the orchestra. Then the critically acclaimed quintet Tango Lorca will demonstrate rhythmic and stylistic devices common to tango and present a brief overview of tango orchestras and their important contributions. Finally, Bernardo Monk, tango saxophone player and leader of MassTango, will discuss how to incorporate non-traditional instruments (like saxophone, tuba or electric guitar) into a tango group, and how to use compositional or stylistic elements from other musical genres while still retaining the core that makes a tango a tango.
Saturday 1:00 - 4:00pm, right after the Tango Brunch, Ryles Jazz Club

(Advanced) Rehearsals for the Monster Orchestra, led by Hector del Curto
This invitation-only orchestra is composed of a mix of professional and amateur tango musicians who have a solid understanding of music theory, their instrument of choice, and tango music. The orchestra will rehearse in two groups for three hours each (strings and piano followed by bandoneon and accordian) on Friday from 12:00 - 6:00pm at Zeitgeist Gallery and all together on Sunday from 11:00am - 5:00pm at Jorge Hernandez Cultural Center, where they will perform that evening. It is strongly suggested that all orchestra members attend the music workshop on Saturday.
If you are a part of the Monster orchestra please download this Word document (or this smaller one for slow internet connections), fill out the form on the second page and send it as an email attachment to 'morenotango at gmail.com'. I f you have questions about this process, please email us or call 617-435-2284.




Cabeceo Talk for the Friday October 28th Milonga
During Friday night's milonga dancers are encouraged to use cabeceo more than usual. Why do we love cabeceo? Let us count the ways in a minute, but first, we'll explain what cabeceo is to all of you who may not know...

Cabeceo, sometimes called the eye-game, is the spanish word that means "I'd like to dance with you, sweet lady sitting across the room, so I'll just look at you until you notice and either gently avert your eyes (meaning no dance for us now) or notice, nod yes to me and I'll come sweep you onto the dance floor." Or it means "Sir, I'm looking at you to ask, 'Would you like to dance?'. Please answer me back soon with a twinkle of your eyes or a nod of your head."

What's so lovely about cabeceo? It's gentleness. It is comfortable like a nice tango leader. It patiently lets connection develop, and allows for a graceful exit if something is not clicking. It is never rude, overbearing, or controlling. True, it is not always clear (sometimes there are mix-ups!), and overly aggressive dancers may have trouble adopting it even for one evening, but when it works it is sooo satisfying.

This milonga will be held at Filharmonica Santo Antonio, a venue that is neither too big or too small (as Goldilocks would say, "It is juuuust right."!) Tables and chairs will be set up along all four walls and dancers will be able to sit wherever they want (meaning: we will not have men and women separated as at very traditional milongas in Buenos Aires).

Note about Danceable Costumes    Clark Gable and Norma Shearer and Tova and Carlos Moreno in examples of danceable costumes

For those who already love costumes:
Be careful when choosing your costumes to make sure there is nothing that will prevent you from having a nice comfortable embrace, nothing to trip on, and nothing to prevent a free range of movement. Also, keep your head pretty simple: certain types of hats, most masks (so popular on Halloween), and pancake makeup that rubs off on your partner do not work well. Perhaps that sounds like a lot to worry about, but it's just an added creative challenge that I'm sure you're able to take on!! (I'm sure you know that limits can make us more creative.) If you wear something a little bit on the edge that you're not sure you'll be able to dance in, then don't forget to bring a backup!

For those who don't love costumes:
First, certainly there's no reason why you can't dress however you want all weekend! But you may be asking - why so many costumes? Well, it really it comes down to this: there's a collective joy and unity that we get out of seeing someone be creative, take a risk, and dance around peacefully with total concentration on their partner while wearing a two-foot-tall purple wig and go-go boots or as a cross-dresser for the evening in a vampy 1930s gown or a tux with tails. It's just delightful.

Golden Age Costumes
Several people, wondering about the Friday night milonga, have asked: what did dancers in the Golden Age wear? The Golden Age (or Golden Era) is usually considered to be from about 1930 to 1945, so think glamourous, drapey, bias-cut evening gowns and dashing, dapper suits or tuxedos. Emulate Carlos Gardel and his leading ladies, or Rudolph Valentino, Joan Crawford, Mae West, and a host of others from the 1930s and early 1940s.

Private Lessons with Jean-Sebastien Rampazzi
Jean-Sebastien Rampazzi has extensive knowledge of Argentine Tango, body mechanics, music and performing. His instruction is tremendously helpful - sought out by some of the best teachers and dancers in the world! He is one of those dancers that is impossible to classify style-wise because he does everything well - close embrace and open embrace; new movements and classic ones. He is both elegant and edgy.
Jean-Sebastien is available for private lessons in Boston for just over a week - from October 27th (Thursday) through November 3rd (Thursday). To schedule a lesson with Jean-Sebastien, contact Simonida Cekovic-Vuletic at simonida@stanfordalumni.org