Our Taos Tango in Durango weekend workshop was an unqualified success! If you need
superb tango instruction from two dancers who are extremely energetic and
incredibly well-versed in the internal dynamics of tango movement, then call Taos Tango, a.k.a. Carrie Field and Mike Malixi. After fourteen months of flying around the vast planet of tango, I
think the Durango Tango Society has finally found its guiding light.
We are
all problem children in Durango, as far as tango is concerned; misfits in the
middle of nowhere pursuing a dance that has no logical reason for taking root
here in the high desert. We've wandered aimlessly, looking for a guardrail to
bounce off of before careening over the edge into the abyss of frustration at
our inability to achieve proficiency in this fine art.
In
desperation we reached out into the void and grasped for a handhold….and found
another hand, no, a pair of hands, clasping ours! Two strong hands pulled us
into the light of the twin suns that are the blue eyes of Carrie Field shining
on the mountain of a man from Montana, Mike Malixi.
Mike and
Carrie weren’t here just to teach, they came to hang! After teaching a free
lesson Friday night at Durango Dance studio, they joined us for a raucous evening of
dancing tango to country music at the Wild Horse Saloon. It was here that I got to
dance with Carrie for the first of many dances that weekend. She made me
feel like I was her dance partner and not just a student at the workshop.
What I
look for in good tango instruction is the teachers’ ability to build upon a
core concept in multiple layers. If done well, the students are taken to a
level of dancing they did not think they were capable of attaining. Not only
did they take our students to a higher place, they improved Durango Tango Society’s
standing in the community as well with Friday night’s pro bono lesson and a showcase performance.
I promoted
Mike heavily amongst Durango's ladies and he didn’t let me down. It was extremely
important for our tangueras to experience a great leader at this point in their
education. Mike danced with all the women but any insights he gained from his dances he saved for his partner's exercises on Sunday.
Carrie came armed with a bag full of tricks designed
to free our minds so we could be more creative in our dance. She was exceptionally adept at perceiving each dancer’s strengths and weaknesses as well as devising group exercises to address our faults and reinforce our assets.
It needs
to be mentioned that this couple worked extremely well together. Thirty minutes
after their arrival, it was apparent the two were very well prepared for a weekend's worth of classes. They communicated with body language and a bare minimum of
words. Each exercise flowed smoothly into the next and the workshop was over much too soon for all of us.
By Sunday, we were all in love with our new professors of tango.
You’re
probably wondering why I said they were “tangos sexiest teachers.” Well, that
might have been a bit of deception on my part. Mike Malixi and Carrie Field
gave us a lot of personal instruction this weekend and something more. They
gave us a piece of their hearts. They are great instructors. If you want to
find out if they’re the sexiest you’ll have to find out for yourselves at their
marathon milonga in Taos, August 10th, 2013.
For more
info on Mike an Carrie, check out their website at www.taostango.com
Note:
For an in-depth look into the mind of the Kayak Hombre, read his book,
available on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/River-Tango-perri-iezzoni/dp/1453865527/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1369366756&sr=1-1&keywords=River+tango
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