Daniela Borgialli

Approval Type

Community Based

Artistic Discipline

Dance

Program Type

Performances, Workshops, Residencies, Lecture/Demonstation

Populations/Areas of Interest

After-School / Out-of-School, Young Adults, Adults, Older Adults, Intergenerational

Artistic Approach

Social Argentine Tango as an art form embodies a rich culture, history, music, and politics of a country to which it was born. It originated in the port city of Buenos Aires and Rio de La Plata area of Argentina in the late 1800's. An active recruitment strategy was initiated to bring educated, hardworking Europeans to Argentina to work on the land, railroad and in the arts and sciences. There is plenty of speculation as to the origins of the dance and the music (of the same name) but it is agreed that the signature instrument of the Argentine Tango, known as the bandoneon, came from Germany around the late 1800's. And with the large population of men in the region, the first steps of the tango happened with them practicing amongst themselves. Even though politics sent Tango underground in the mid-1900's a resurgence began in the 1980's with what is known as Tango for Export or Show Tango and since then an interest in its structure, the pedagogy and its evolution has taken root.

For me social Argentine Tango is so much more than learning steps and a fixed routine. It is an improvised dance that deals strongly with connections: connection with your partner, connection to the music, connection to your immediate surroundings and to your community where presumably most of your dancing will occur. Because of this, I enjoy combining performance with lecture/demonstrations to be able to really enhance the context of the artform.

When teaching, I stress the importance of the embrace, I encourage a dynamic connection between partners, and I foster listening to the music. The dance and the music are deeply married, if not the quintessential relationship. I advocate personal exploration by teaching concepts and encouraging students to move beyond learned patterns. Within a positive, fun, and supportive learning environment, I aim to promote confidence as students practice and grow in their individual abilities.

Everyone learns in their own time and I remind my students that there are many layers to learning this dance, as many as they want, like peeling an onion. As dance reflects life so does the Argentine Tango. All of this is to be distinguished from Tango for Export or Show Tango, which is trained dancers learning patterns for a choreographed stage show. Social tango is a combination of presence, a communion with the music and your partner, and creativity through improvisation. With the communication of the dance form it is also important to showcase the product which usually takes place informally, such as after a class, with a partner and sometimes even with a beginning student participating in the class.

As a teacher, dancer, performer, and the only Argentine Tango teacher/performer in Arizona with their Masters of Fine Arts in Dance working as a dancer, I am accustomed to training. It is important for me to stay on the forefront of the field and the understanding of styles as the tango continues to evolve and as the interest in pedagogy increases. I teach every day and travel to festivals, conferences and to Buenos Aires frequently to share with my colleagues and to study from the Masters.

The process is a constantly evolving journey. The Argentine Tango "product" is completely experiential and interactive. It's an immersion into a cultural experience. Those who watch it feel moved emotionally; they usually want to try it right away. They see 2 people in a dynamic embrace, to the music, and they feel moved by this. They want that too. When they take their first steps they are excited and challenged, and usually want to continue to venture on their tango journey. I often perform improvisation with my dance partner and have also set choreography to specific music, often when working with live musicians. I think it is important to stress that my interest lies in a thoughtful, dynamic connection with my partner and with the music and less in performing tango lifts and "tricks" as in Tango for Export. Tango is a universal language and accessible, this is my point of departure.

Teaching Artist Approach

Life...itself...becomes a mirror held up to art, and the living now perform their lives... at each exchange something new is added and something old is lost or discarded". -- Victor Turner

Cultural anthropologist, Victor Turner spoke about the relationship between the arts and real life as a figure eight, like a DNA helix, moving dynamically from one spiral to the other, gaining information and changing and creating and being destroyed or lost as well. Teaching for me is a part of this dynamic process. I see, in my own evolution as a teacher of this exquisite artform, changing my ideas, exchanging processes, watching my students take this dance and making it their own. I see it in my performance process and as I continue to learn and grow in the dance as well.

My teaching philosophy is heavily immersed in a full experience of the dance form and a strong belief in student learning. It is my goal for the student to succeed as much as he/she wants to. I advocate personal exploration by teaching concepts and encouraging students to move beyond learned patterns. Within a positive, fun, and supportive learning environment, I aim to promote confidence as students practice and grow in their individual abilities. My responsibility is to share with the student all the aspects of the Argentine Tango and it is important for me to grow and stay on the forefront of the field as much as possible. I travel to Buenos Aires at least once a year, I participate in workshops throughout the country and I bring National Tango Artists to the area. I use video for discussions on aesthetics and design group projects to further the understanding of the movement material. Discussion of the history of the Argentine Tango, its myths and politics are added to fully understand this couples dance. I use Blackboard and/or yahoogroups! to facilitate the communication and sharing process and continue to encourage growth and exploration. I feel that I serve not only as a mentor and a guide in the dance classroom but also as facilitator in their personal growth as they take the information into their life outside of Argentine Tango.

In this process, student and teacher are interconnected in an endless spiral with mutual experiences that create a new and distinguishable DNA helix.

Program Management Strategies

My managerial role in a residency setting is that of leader, motivator, communicator, educator, and always negotiator.
Learning settings are determined by those who are participating and the expectation of the host organization. Those participating always determine how fast I move with the material. This will often be modified depending on the age of the participants, sometimes determined by gender balance within the group. The material is determined by the length of the residency and the expectation of the group. The material for most of my residencies is set as the basic skills of the Argentine Tango: walking parallel and cross feet systems, la salida, la cruzada, back ochos, molinete turns, the embrace.

Communication is always crucial and a high priority. This is with the organizers with whom I'm working with, my students, and any others who are in the process. I like to meet with those with whom I'm organizing 1 on 1 during the set up phase if possible. Communications are also held via email and via phone. I will always complete a contract with my host organization. My goal is always to communicate and to educate so that all expectations are clearly stated. It is also important to be flexible as sometimes what was initially wanted and agreed upon can change in the moment.

Evaluations are distributed at the end of the residency and follow-up can be held via phone or a live meeting.

Program Description

The program content is decided upon with communications with the host organization. The most successful programs thus far have included a performance as well as a master class. With a longer program, such as a 3 day + (as outlined in the Residency Plan), a detailed presentation on the history of the Argentine Tango and its music can be included to round out the cultural experience. A host organization may want a dance performance and lecture for their multi-cultural school programs, for example.
The goal is to widen the cultural base of hispanic and latin american culture, through the music and the dance.

Learner engagement is addressed through individualized personal attention - I introduce myself to all participants individually prior to the start of a program. Constant positive reinforcement and the use of individuals' names are stressed during the program. Social Argentine Tango is inherently a community builder, as a social dance imbibed with the importance of connection, it brings people together as well as being an integrator of body, mind and spirit.

Age-appropriate material is important with Argentine Tango. With young adults, ie: high school the music used is important as well. I choose a variety of music ranging from the traditional Argentine Tango music to the latest in electronic tango music. The embrace is kept to an open style embrace. With a more mature audience or group more traditional music can be played and used to communicate the same ideas and material.

Technical Requirements

Technical requirements may include a sound system with speakers to connect an ipod OR simply an outlet to plug in portable speakers.

When there is a lecture to be included with the residency a projector with speakers and projection surface are required.

Space Requirements

The space requirements for a residency with performance and lecture would be a wood floor or a clean surface (not carpet).
The space size would be variable depending on the number of participants. For example:

Supply Requirements

A clean surface on which to move, with an outlet or a stereo system with speakers. Prepare the community by suggesting that they bring leather soled shoes that fit firmly on the foot or socks and comfortable but not baggy clothing.

Special Considerations

I enjoy working with a varied number in my groups. This could range from 10 -- 50 participants. It is always preferred or expected that there be an even number of students including equal number of "boys" and "girls". However, it has been my experience that if you don't create a gender bias and instead call it: Leader and Follower - the roles become less important and the focus leans towards the structure and the dance form.
The preferred floor is wood, NO carpet, however, linoleum, concrete, or large tile can be used for short periods of time.

References

Pegge Vissicaro
Arizona State University
Dept. of Dance
480 965-3428

Delisa Myles
Prescott College
928 778-2090 ext. 2241

Sharna Fabiano
Sharna Fabiano Tango Company
202-277-4073

Fees

Please Contact Artist

Educator/Staff Training

NA - I have not been faced with this need yet.

How Arizona State Academic Standards are Addressed

NA