Zoraida Fontclara y Diego Alvaro

Our Teaching :

Personalized Instruction - We provide individual attention and instruction to you within the framework of group classes. We appreciate that each dancer has his or her own needs and interests.

Developing the complete dancer

A full range of tango skills means the ability to dance with everyone regardless of their experience, level, age, size or personal style. We see new situations and new partners as positive opportunities for growth and learning.

Finding solutions

We are skilled and experienced at understanding and analyzing your dance needs. We offer simple and practical solutions.

Group Class Structure

Everybody dances - In our classes, both men and women request dances from each other. Make the most of your class time with us. Don't sit.

Change Partners

Constant partner rotation allows you to develop the perception, movement and overall understanding that is essential to tango. However, please keep the same partner for two to four dances.

Ask questions!

We encourage you to ask questions and to seek our guidance. Help us work with you by approaching us during class.

Accept all Requests to Dance -

Please, always say yes when asked to dance. We strive to build confidence in our students and to create a comfortable and warm envi-ronment in our classes. And of course enjoy yourself!

Q: So a little background first because I know there is a history between the two of you and Daniel Trenner.

Zoraida: In 1995 we traveled to Italy and Switzerland. Then Diego went to the States in 95 to Stanford University. Not to teach. I was invited by Trenner and was a responsible for the music in the classes. After that, in 1996 we went together to Europe and the States. In 97 I traveled to Europe as a partner with Juan Bruno and then alone. In 1998 I traveled to Europe, in 99 Diego was in the States and Zurich while I was pregnant. After that I did not travel much.

Q: How old are your kids?

Diego: Almost 6 and almost 4.

Q: How did you meet? Diego: We met in 87.

I am an actor and was doing a play. The Director of the play asked Zoraida to be the Choreographer of the piece. We became friends. Zoraida: Then I invited him to do a piece where we mixed theatre and dance in 87. Diego: Then I started dancing tango in 88. In 93, I started taking classes with Zoraida and then we decided to be more than friends.

History:

Diego: My first teacher was Hector Avena who died recently. In 89, I went to Italy and stopped dancing. Zoraida continued dancing tango with Daniel Trenner. In 93, I began taking classes with her. I almost quit again because I was paralyzed with the tango. It was too difficult... too much. Zoraida: I called Juan Bruno's friend, Alcibiades, and asked for his help. I said, "Diego is feeling that the dance is not for him. Please meet with him and help him with his con-fidence". Diego: I was born into a house of dancers and singers, so Tango was in my blood as a kid. The problem was to put what I had in my head in my feet. Zoraida: So Alcibiades started teaching him about the basics, the quality of the move... and Juan Bruno too... a meeting of men... 3 - 4 hours every Saturday... just walking, ochos, etc. for 3 months. Diego: It changed me because I felt that I could do it. Only the basic step in cross step and ochos.

Q: Who was following?

Diego: Al and Juan both followed. I know how to follow too. And in class, I pay a lot of attention to the women. After that, Naveira was key for me and Zoraida. Zoraida: Also the Dinzels. Naveira helped me understand the movement in a more ef-ficient way. What he said always worked. Diego: For me, he is a maestro. You can find many very good teachers...but as good as Gustavo Naveira... not really. Zoraida: He was the first to analyze the movement and the relationship between the couple.... one head and 4 legs.

Q: Who do you think has the most impact on tango?

Diego: Definitely Gustavo. Zoraida: For me is the same, but beside him, Petrolio- Carlos Esteves , who invented the movements that we continue today. They made me understand the soul of tango. The essence of tango - 1935 - 45. Todado and Petrolio. Gustavo and Fabian Salas were both investigating how to think - what some people call new tango. Diego: I don't think it is new tango... it is just more options on the same structure.

Q: How do you define your style of dance?

Diego: Our style of dance is undefined. We try to open our heads and do all the styles... close embrace, open, nuevo... Zoraida: I think the different styles are just tools for the dance.

Q: How do you define the style of your teaching?

Diego: It is personal. She's more precise, technical and I try to give them something that they can do quickly. Zoraida: A good teacher makes people feel that they can dance. I like to think that if you know how to do it, you can do it better. I want the movement to be clean. If a student wants to be more precise, Diego sends them to me. If the student starts to feel overwhelmed, I send him to Diego. Diego: In Budapest, I did a 3 day workshop... 9 hours a day... and there was a man about 35 years old. He did everything for the 3 days. Sunday when we finished, he came to me..." I have taken a lot of workshops in my life. You are a great teacher be-cause you make things happen. You make difficult things easy... you make the dance happen." Zoraida: I was teaching in Norway and I was focusing on the quality of the movement... about the lead and the follow. A woman was smiling and she said, " Zoraida is showing us "how" to dance." I felt as if she was discovering the meaning of Tango. It's funny, when you travel, the people seem so open... so when they say something it feels serious.

Q: You are in a very interesting location. Why La Ideal?

Diego: In 94 we were teaching close by but after we came back from Europe, the place was closed. So Zoraida found La Ideal. We invented the matinee tango and the noon classes. I put out a big sandwich sign... Do diet... do tango. We had 10 men and two ladies. People thought we were crazy to have classes at noon. We started with the first milonga in 96 in the afternoon at La Ideal. The last March we celebrated our 10th anniversary.

Q: In the States, I have heard many dancers mention that they really enjoy Laq Ideal.

Diego: La Ideal is more relaxed. Zoraida: Our students asked us to do an afternoon milonga. We didn't think that we were starting a new trend. It's not only about the time... we were also changing the style of the milonga..the idea that people were coming to meet and dance. Some of the people used it as a trick so that their spouse wouldn't know. If you are working, you are working. Your husband doesn't know that you are at the milonga. Diego: If some people are filming, the dancers may ask if it is for private or public use. Maybe these people have a problem in their homes. Zoraida: Once a lady said, " What do you want? Do you want me to lose my job, my husband, my family?" I was not purposing anything wrong to anyone.

Q: Do you have any advice?

Zoraida: All the teachers are putting too much attention on the steps themselves. They need to take time and focus on embrace and connection.... to communicate clearly, gently, softer, efficiently and to the music. Most forget the embrace, connection and music. The ladies tend to have "spaghetti" arms. Diego: Overcooked spaghetti. Zoraida: This is a movement, so she must have two opposite physical forces. The right tonality (muscle tone)... not too much.. not too weak. If you respect the direction of your muscles and bones, it is comfortable and natural. Respect your body and from there find the energy, the connection and the music....but they focus too much on the steps. For me, the steps are tools .. not the objective. The objective is to share with my partner the 3 minutes. Zoraida: To dance for 3 min. a dream Diego: Sometimes it is a very good dream and sometimes not. Z: Yes and it's part of life.

They teach and they call their group the El Abrazo Tango Club

Tuesday/Thursday/Friday from noon to 3pm with a milonga matinee El Abrazo: Friday from 2 - 8:30pm at Confiteria La Ideal in Suipacha 384 2nd floor in Buenos Aires.

elabrazo@elabrazotango.com

elabrazotango@uolsinectis.com.ar