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La Chispa Tango Práctica - Parallel & Cross Systems
The practical tango spark - Parall & Cross Systems
Event by: La Chispa Tango Práctica, Sabrina McEwan, André Plombe, Becky Brod, Willem Wiggers
Location: Gedempt Hamerkanaal 149, Gedempt Hamerkanaal 149, Amsterdam - Amsterdam-Noord
About event
Chispas,
The theme (20-30 minutes in the midst) this práctica is parallel vs cross systems / how to move in & out of them.
Parallel system: leader and follower step right-left or left-right at the same time
Cross system: leader and follower step right-right or left-left at the same time
How to change from/to parallel to/from cross system -either with an extra step or with a suspension- and how many lanes you can walk in.
🔥Free entrance for you (and you only) if you bring someone with you who has never been to La Chispa before!
As to the founding principles of La Chispa Tango Práctica:
📌 Less advanced/skilled/experienced dancers primarily practicing with more advanced/skilled/experienced dancers - as was done in Buenos Aires in the Golden Age of tango. Two beginners practicing together usually means doubling the mistakes and perpetuating bad habits. No offense, just reality. This ‘knowledge transfer’ also allows the supposedly better dancers to test and transfer their understanding.
📌 Please don’t play the teacher - even when you are ‘higher level’ and ‘know better’. You can learn something from almost everyone as one person may be better in technique or sequences and the other in musicality or connection, et cetera.
We encountered and heard of people who - no doubt with the best intentions - gave unsolicited advice to their practice partners - which evidently is not always appreciated. So be sensible; ask if you can give feedback, or use an indirect, impersonal approach (e.g. “can we try this again? because I feel we lose connection during this move”). Be patient, be open yourselves to receive feedback, etc.
📌 Also -reminder- practicing does not merely mean dancing a couple of songs with someone. La Chispa is not a milonga-without-cortinas; it is a práctica. Think of a plan - to work on connection, posture, certain steps, sequences, pausing, pacing, walking, turning and so on, instead of merely seeing what will happen.
📌 It is expected you don’t practice with only one person during our práctica - as La Chispa is community-focused - but indeed, this principle does not mean you need to practice with everyone! As long as you change around a bit, with whomever you feel comfortable practicing. We acknowledge that you might not want to invest in or receive feedback from everyone random. Although there is no mirada/cabeceo, to just walk over to someone and expect that person to practice with you is quite another extreme. You obviously are free to decline if you are approached like that.
‘PRACTICA’-LITIES:
Entrance fee €5 - in CASH! Free entrance for you (and you only) if you bring someone with you who has never been to La Chispa before!
BYOD: bring your own drinks – and snacks!
LOCATION: Gedempt Hamerkanaal 149, 1021 KP Amsterdam (Weagree offices). Indication: is on the former Stork HQ and factory site aka Kromhouthal in Amsterdam-Noord.
BY BICYCLE / WALKING: at the backside of Central Station (Muziekgebouw side), take the ferry to IJ-Plein. Off the ferry, go straight ahead on the Meeuwenlaan. After some 800 m passing the DIRK supermarket, turn right. At the end of that street, in front of Foodmarket, cross the parking area diagonally to the left. Ring the doorbell at 149 (Weagree). Alternatively, it is some 14 minutes walking from the ferry.
BY METRO: 52, NOORD-ZUID LIJN; exit at Noorderpark. Walk via the Johan van Hasseltweg, Meeuwenlaan, Hamerstraat – then walk past the gates to the bell board for no. 149.
BY CAR: always park on the streets outside the gate – free after 19:00h; €1,60 p/h before 19:00h. Either tune your GPS on Boorstraat 3, 1021 JZ Amsterdam - park on the street and walk to the other side of the building, or go to Gedempt Hamerkanaal 149, 1021 KP Amsterdam but do not drive beyond the gate - park on the street and walk past the gate.
⭐ What is La Chispa?
La Chispa is a social tango práctica inspired by the oldskool Golden Age tradition. Dancers of all levels are encouraged to learn from each other, with more experienced dancers supporting those with less experience—just as it was in the prácticas of Buenos Aires. There are no rigid structures, just a space for exploration, learning, and community.
Abrazo,
André, Becky, Iulia, Sabrina, and Willem
The theme (20-30 minutes in the midst) this práctica is parallel vs cross systems / how to move in & out of them.
Parallel system: leader and follower step right-left or left-right at the same time
Cross system: leader and follower step right-right or left-left at the same time
How to change from/to parallel to/from cross system -either with an extra step or with a suspension- and how many lanes you can walk in.
🔥Free entrance for you (and you only) if you bring someone with you who has never been to La Chispa before!
As to the founding principles of La Chispa Tango Práctica:
📌 Less advanced/skilled/experienced dancers primarily practicing with more advanced/skilled/experienced dancers - as was done in Buenos Aires in the Golden Age of tango. Two beginners practicing together usually means doubling the mistakes and perpetuating bad habits. No offense, just reality. This ‘knowledge transfer’ also allows the supposedly better dancers to test and transfer their understanding.
📌 Please don’t play the teacher - even when you are ‘higher level’ and ‘know better’. You can learn something from almost everyone as one person may be better in technique or sequences and the other in musicality or connection, et cetera.
We encountered and heard of people who - no doubt with the best intentions - gave unsolicited advice to their practice partners - which evidently is not always appreciated. So be sensible; ask if you can give feedback, or use an indirect, impersonal approach (e.g. “can we try this again? because I feel we lose connection during this move”). Be patient, be open yourselves to receive feedback, etc.
📌 Also -reminder- practicing does not merely mean dancing a couple of songs with someone. La Chispa is not a milonga-without-cortinas; it is a práctica. Think of a plan - to work on connection, posture, certain steps, sequences, pausing, pacing, walking, turning and so on, instead of merely seeing what will happen.
📌 It is expected you don’t practice with only one person during our práctica - as La Chispa is community-focused - but indeed, this principle does not mean you need to practice with everyone! As long as you change around a bit, with whomever you feel comfortable practicing. We acknowledge that you might not want to invest in or receive feedback from everyone random. Although there is no mirada/cabeceo, to just walk over to someone and expect that person to practice with you is quite another extreme. You obviously are free to decline if you are approached like that.
‘PRACTICA’-LITIES:
Entrance fee €5 - in CASH! Free entrance for you (and you only) if you bring someone with you who has never been to La Chispa before!
BYOD: bring your own drinks – and snacks!
LOCATION: Gedempt Hamerkanaal 149, 1021 KP Amsterdam (Weagree offices). Indication: is on the former Stork HQ and factory site aka Kromhouthal in Amsterdam-Noord.
BY BICYCLE / WALKING: at the backside of Central Station (Muziekgebouw side), take the ferry to IJ-Plein. Off the ferry, go straight ahead on the Meeuwenlaan. After some 800 m passing the DIRK supermarket, turn right. At the end of that street, in front of Foodmarket, cross the parking area diagonally to the left. Ring the doorbell at 149 (Weagree). Alternatively, it is some 14 minutes walking from the ferry.
BY METRO: 52, NOORD-ZUID LIJN; exit at Noorderpark. Walk via the Johan van Hasseltweg, Meeuwenlaan, Hamerstraat – then walk past the gates to the bell board for no. 149.
BY CAR: always park on the streets outside the gate – free after 19:00h; €1,60 p/h before 19:00h. Either tune your GPS on Boorstraat 3, 1021 JZ Amsterdam - park on the street and walk to the other side of the building, or go to Gedempt Hamerkanaal 149, 1021 KP Amsterdam but do not drive beyond the gate - park on the street and walk past the gate.
⭐ What is La Chispa?
La Chispa is a social tango práctica inspired by the oldskool Golden Age tradition. Dancers of all levels are encouraged to learn from each other, with more experienced dancers supporting those with less experience—just as it was in the prácticas of Buenos Aires. There are no rigid structures, just a space for exploration, learning, and community.
Abrazo,
André, Becky, Iulia, Sabrina, and Willem
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