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Home > Dance
Hosts
Dance Hosts!!!
Yes!! Of course!!
We want our lady dancers to have
happy feet. Check out the backgrounds of our Hosts.
Tango at Sea wants to see you on board to enjoy the
fun!!
MICHAEL
Dance
Host
I am a native San
Franciscan. Dancing is my wonderful passion in life.
My dancing experiences began at the age of 5!! San
Francisco is where I find many options to dance the
current styles, such as Swing, Salsa, Cha-Cha and various
Latin dances.
The “Tango
Argentino” show arrived in
San Francisco early in 1986. Following the first showing,
I was hooked completely and started taking classes.
The show came again in 1988 and some performer/instructors
stayed and started teaching workshops. I have studied
under the most amazing and talented Argentine Tango
instructors as they came to my city. At that time there
were only two Milongas in San Francisco, Nora Dinzelbacher’s
and Ruvanos Dance Studio.
Following “Tango Argentino” the hit show
of “Forever Tango” came for a very short
stay in 1990, but ended up staying for several years.
It was during this time that I really excelled while
studying with the cast members of this great show.
My style of Argentine Tango is similar to what you
see in productions and is referred to as “Stage
Tango”.
Along with Argentine Tango I am also very skilled
in Salsa, Merengue and Cha-Cha. I look forward to dancing
my heart out in Venice and Panama!!
Michael’s
fantastic dance abilities will be enjoyed by our
ladies on board the Venice, Panama and Savona sailings. |
JAIME
Dance
Host
I have been a Maryland resident since my
fourteenth birthday, after emigrating from Colombia,
South America.
I studied dancing after raising my family, beginning
with line dancing, country dancing and some ballroom.
I became comfortable with West coast and Hustle. While
dabbling in Argentine Tango, I realized the extreme
difficulty in mastering Tango. I would go back to
what was comfortable and demonstrated my mastery
for dance while placing at the West Coast Boston Tea
Party, Swing Fling Competitions, U.S. Open Swing Championships,
Disco America, and International Hustle and Salsa competitions.
Over the past two years I have concentrated my
efforts on Argentine Tango exclusively. While studying
with visiting instructors from Buenos Aires, Argentina,
I have found my own style.
In February and March, 2008, I tested my new
skills while visiting Buenos Aires. I took private
classes in the morning and danced in the usual afternoon
Milongas where the lessons could be applied. During
the late hour of the night I refined my newly found
skills.
The influence of my instructors and the feedback
of my many followers have enabled me to have a lead
that is clear and succinct while retaining the creative
interpretation of the music. While continuing with
lessons, I strive to increase my dance vocabulary —
seeing the music in the dancer is what makes a gooood
dancer!!
I also enjoy outdoor sports like bicycling, hiking,
and kayaking. My girlfriend, a certified skipper,
has recently rekindled my former interest in sailing,
both for leisure and in competitive racing.
Jaime has other plans in January ’09 so we will
see him dancing with the ladies in Venice and then
again in Savona, Italy on October ’09.
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HANK
Dance
Host
My education as
a dancer began twenty years ago. At that time I started
taking ballroom classes that included what are
called smooth and Latin dances. I enjoyed them
all, in particular swing, hustle, cha-cha and samba.
One of the dances that I wasn't overly enthusiastic
about was called American Tango. I enjoyed the
music, particularly the dramatic tone, though it
wasn’t jerky like international Tango, it
lacked much complexity and all the figures ended
on the eighth beat. There were no pauses or other
ways to play with the timing. At that time I wasn't
even aware that there was an original Argentine Tango.
In 1993 my former
ballroom teacher took a few of us to a club/studio
in Bethesda for a lesson in the Argentine style
of Tango. It was given by Bette Runge whom I did
not know but is generally given credit for bringing
Tango Argentino to the Washington area. I can't
say that I was totally captivated by it at that
time and neither can I explain how the music and
dance made me return to it (could be a memory issue).
But with periods of disinterest, return to it I
did again and again, always at Bette's place. About
five years after this pattern began, something
changed. Bette brought in a new teacher and I found
a partner. Those two events helped to cement my interest,
and shortly thereafter, a passion for the dance that
endures to this day.
In 2000 I went
to CITA in Buenos Aires and it was a magical experience.
There is a lot of romance in that city and the old
halls where the Milongas were held dripped with character.
Also, the older milongueros made it seem as if you
were walking back into history. Four years later,
I returned to Buenos Aires and took classes with
milongueros and teachers of Nuevo and Salon styles.
With me, if my
partner desires, she determines a close or open embrace.
If a preference is not indicated and depending on
our energy, chemistry and the music offered within
the dance, I will sometimes alternate the open and
close embrace within one song. Occasionally I get
carried away with the music and the dance, but most
of the time I want all the feedback my
partner is offering as we dance.
Lastly, I must
mention the bandoneon. I feel it is possibly
the best gift that Argentine Tango music has ever
received—if you have a chance to listen to Diana's
friend, Daniel Diaz, play this lovely instrument
in person, do not pass it up!! Tip: when you go
to hear Daniel play, sit close to watch his fingers
and the bandoneon and, as you listen, see
if the hair on your arms stands on end, like mine
did!!
Hank
will be joining us on the Panama
Canal/Caribbean sailing!! |
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"We had just come on board,
in our 4th hour, ready to start our first gathering of
guests. An instructor who was hesitant to book my event
pulled on my skirt and with a special glow of excitement
said to me, "Diana, if I knew how much fun this
cruise would be, I would have told the whole world."
Diana Jensen |
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