[Tango] Tango This Week

[Lois Donnay]

We are continuing to work on vals, except in Following for Leaders class - this has proved to be a little more challenging than some of you thought. That is often the case-it is the basic things that are often challenging or need revisiting. Ladies - come back to the Thursday class! And guys, Saturday morning could use a little more male presence. 

The Tuesday Night party is on as usual - we start about 9:30 PM. This Saturday is the Black Dog Tango Night at 308 Prince Street, by the Farmer's Market in St. Paul. This week we are hoping to be able to stay until midnight! Lesson at 7:30, dance at 8PM.  We are also hoping that we can get a demonstration of Canyengue.

Next weekend is Blues Weekend! We'll do another Blues workshop, Tango to the Blues workshop, party and blues club after.

I am getting lots of questions on when the Tango Boat Cruise will be this year. Yes, I'll do one, but I haven't decided when. 

I got this from someone within our community:  ""The Third Place" is a term used in the concept of community building to refer to social surroundings separate from the two usual social environments of home and the workplace. In his influential book The Great, Good Place, Ray Oldenburg argues that third places are important for civil society, democracy, civic engagement, and establishing feelings of a sense of place.

Oldenburg coins "first" place as our home and those we live with. Our second place is the workplace - where we may actually spend most of our time. Third places, then are "anchors" of community life and facilitate and foster broader, more creative interaction. All societies already have informal meeting places; what is new in our day is the intentionality of seeking them out as vital to our current societal needs. Oldbenburg suggests these hallmarks of a true "third place": free or inexpensive; food and drink, while not essential, are important; highly accessible: proximate for many (walking distance); involve regulars - those who habitually congregate there; welcoming and comfortable; both new friends and old should be found there."

This is an apt description of our tango community, and we are so lucky to have a great community to hang out in, with a variety of venues.  I would like us always to emphasize welcoming and comfortable. This is what I have tried to do with my tango events - if our events have failed to make you feel welcome and comfortable, please let me have it!

Lois Donnay
www.mndance.com
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