2622 Community Building Ideas
Date: Mon, 9 Aug 2004 14:50:30 -0500
From: Stephen Brown <Stephen.P.Brown@DAL.FRB.ORG>
Subject: Community Building Ideas
In the Dallas/Fort Worth area, we have always had success in holding
community-wide open houses to promote Argentine tango.
The key elements in these open houses are:
1) extensive advance publicity
2) free admission
3) demonstrations of social dancing
4) free instruction
Recently a number of instructors in the Dallas/Fort Worth area
collaborated to create a much bigger event: a TANGOTHON which the
principal organizers modeled after a similar event in Miami. The
Tangothon consisted of open social dancing and free introductory classes
from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and a milonga (with a $10 admission) from 8
a.m. to midnight. Although we have used hit and run milongas a the
primary means to publicize past open houses, the advance publicity for the
Tangothon was primarily through the internet and a webpage for the event:
https://www.tejastango.com/tangothon.html
Attendance averaged 30-40 students in each of the six classes. The
milonga was quite well attended, and many of the people who had just begun
showed up just to see what a tango dance was like. Hopefully, some of the
150-200 people who attended the free introductory classes will find their
way into regular classes.
With best regards,
Steve
Date: Mon, 9 Aug 2004 17:20:56 -0700
From: Michael <michael@TANGOBELLINGHAM.COM>
Subject: Re: Community Building Ideas
Stephen Brown wrote:
> In the Dallas/Fort Worth area, we have always had success in holding
> community-wide open houses to promote Argentine tango.
>
> The key elements in these open houses are:
> 1) extensive advance publicity
> 2) free admission
> 3) demonstrations of social dancing
> 4) free instruction
>
> Recently a number of instructors in the Dallas/Fort Worth area
> collaborated to create a much bigger event: a TANGOTHON which the
> principal organizers modeled after a similar event in Miami. The
> Tangothon consisted of open social dancing and free introductory classes
> from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and a milonga (with a $10 admission) from 8
> a.m. to midnight. Although we have used hit and run milongas a the
> primary means to publicize past open houses, the advance publicity for the
> Tangothon was primarily through the internet and a webpage for the event:
> https://www.tejastango.com/tangothon.html
>
> Attendance averaged 30-40 students in each of the six classes. The
> milonga was quite well attended, and many of the people who had just begun
> showed up just to see what a tango dance was like. Hopefully, some of the
> 150-200 people who attended the free introductory classes will find their
> way into regular classes.
>
> With best regards,
> Steve
>
How did you finance these events?
--
Michael
Tango Bellingham
www.tangobellingham.com
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2004 20:47:01 -0500
From: Michael Figart II <michaelfigart@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: community building ideas
Hello to all,
Here in Houston we have a somewhat fractious community with many
teachers and their students sticking to their own little community.
Tango Houston, a non-profit organization in the fashion of Tango
Colorado was formed several years ago to try to help this situation, and
to promote Argentine Tango in general. I have a theory that the
Denver/Boulder communities are so strong because they had a central,
non-aligned organization in place before they really had any regular
teachers, whereas Houston has had these competing teachers for years
before Tango Houston came along. So it's gonna take some time, but it's
getting better, slowly.
One of Houston's best events (not sponsored by Tango Houston) is the
recent development of the "All Houston Milonga", an idea advanced and
promoted by Robert Schoenberg, whereby each teacher, in rotation, every
3-4 months, sponsors an elegant milonga, and this event is promoted and
attended by all the teachers, and their students. It has proven
remarkably successful, despite all my original doubts! We all get
together for a meeting after each event to make comments and
suggestions, and to plan the next event. It's quite a treat to see all
of Houston's teaching organizations cooperating.
Aside from this, to bring in new blood, Tango Houston looks for any
chance to put Argentine Tango in front of the general population. We
have done presentations for the "Catholic Charities", "Carnave 2003",
the "Hispanic Heritage and Culture Convention", senior citizen's
centers, private parties, William's Energy Multicultural Luncheon, the
Houston Rotary Club, The American Turkish Association Ball (which was so
successful we sponsored a five-week session of beginner classes,
inviting all the local teachers to take part), and for the next two
weekends, we have high hopes for our upcoming two-hour presentations at
a branch of The Houston Public Library. We are hoping that this leads to
opportunities to perform at many of the other branch locations, (in
fact, I need to be working on scripts right now!)
It is extremely important that these events promote ARGENTINE Tango
first, with enthusiasm and energy, and all the teachers second, but
vigorously, and without favoritism. The history and culture of Argentine
Tango is so magical and interesting when presented correctly, and when
combined with a performance of the dance, can work wonders in attracting
new people to our world.
Tango Houston also maintains a library of audio and video available to
anyone who may like to check them out. See www.tangohouston.org
<https://www.tangohouston.org/> and click "library"! We also sponsor our
own milonga about twice a year, complete with live music by Glovertango
www.glovertango.com <https://www.glovertango.com/> at a local club. Our
next will be Nov 21, if any of you are in the Houston area at that time.
I highly recommend it; Glover and his band are extremely talented and
play the most danceable "Golden Age" music of any group I've ever seen.
Somebody on the list asked how do we finance this? Mostly from our
Sunday Night Practica/Milongas, $3.00 for members or $5.00 for
non-members, which we split with our hosts, and from donations from
those to whom we provide our little presentations. We always ask for a
small donation, and a letter of thanks to add to our file!
Above all.....although we tangueros are opinionated, hard-headed, and
obstinate, we have to remember that we love Tango first, and that to
grow, we must project and transmit an attitude that mirrors the feeling
that we experience on the dance floor; a giving, sharing, and loving
exchange of our highest emotions, with the utmost attention to our
partner's needs and desires.
Abrazos y besos to all my friends, and many thanks,
Michael
www.tangohouston.org <https://www.tangohouston.org/>
michael.figart@tangohouston.org
281-731-5237
Date: Wed, 11 Aug 2004 16:09:21 +0000
From: Oleh Kovalchuke <oleh_k@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: community building ideas
Michael Figart II presented this theory:
"I have a theory that the Denver/Boulder communities are so strong because
they had a central, non-aligned organization in place before they really had
any regular teachers, whereas Houston has had these competing teachers for
years before Tango Houston came along. So it's gonna take some time, but
it's getting better, slowly."
I have different theory on this. I think that Denver tango scene is strong
because there was one (now more than one) main _nonpartizan_ venue (Mercury
Cafe) for people to come and dance. I think you confirm my theory with your
Houston example:
"One of Houston's best events (not sponsored by Tango Houston) is the recent
development of the "All Houston Milonga", an idea advanced and promoted by
Robert Schoenberg, whereby each teacher, in rotation, every 3-4 months,
sponsors an elegant milonga, and this event is promoted and
attended by all the teachers, and their students. It has proven remarkably
successful!"
Cheers, Oleh K.
https://TangoSpring.com - 10 days till nonpartizan "Tango in the Park"
milonga in Manitou Springs
>From: Michael Figart II <michaelfigart@YAHOO.COM>
>Reply-To: michaelfigart@yahoo.com
>To: TANGO-L@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
>Subject: Re: [TANGO-L] community building ideas
>Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2004 20:47:01 -0500
>
>Hello to all,
>
>
>
>Here in Houston we have a somewhat fractious community with many
>teachers and their students sticking to their own little community.
>Tango Houston, a non-profit organization in the fashion of Tango
>Colorado was formed several years ago to try to help this situation, and
>to promote Argentine Tango in general. I have a theory that the
>Denver/Boulder communities are so strong because they had a central,
>non-aligned organization in place before they really had any regular
>teachers, whereas Houston has had these competing teachers for years
>before Tango Houston came along. So it's gonna take some time, but it's
>getting better, slowly.
>
>
>
>One of Houston's best events (not sponsored by Tango Houston) is the
>recent development of the "All Houston Milonga", an idea advanced and
>promoted by Robert Schoenberg, whereby each teacher, in rotation, every
>3-4 months, sponsors an elegant milonga, and this event is promoted and
>attended by all the teachers, and their students. It has proven
>remarkably successful, despite all my original doubts! We all get
>together for a meeting after each event to make comments and
>suggestions, and to plan the next event. It's quite a treat to see all
>of Houston's teaching organizations cooperating.
>
>
>
>Aside from this, to bring in new blood, Tango Houston looks for any
>chance to put Argentine Tango in front of the general population. We
>have done presentations for the "Catholic Charities", "Carnave 2003",
>the "Hispanic Heritage and Culture Convention", senior citizen's
>centers, private parties, William's Energy Multicultural Luncheon, the
>Houston Rotary Club, The American Turkish Association Ball (which was so
>successful we sponsored a five-week session of beginner classes,
>inviting all the local teachers to take part), and for the next two
>weekends, we have high hopes for our upcoming two-hour presentations at
>a branch of The Houston Public Library. We are hoping that this leads to
>opportunities to perform at many of the other branch locations, (in
>fact, I need to be working on scripts right now!)
>
>
>
>It is extremely important that these events promote ARGENTINE Tango
>first, with enthusiasm and energy, and all the teachers second, but
>vigorously, and without favoritism. The history and culture of Argentine
>Tango is so magical and interesting when presented correctly, and when
>combined with a performance of the dance, can work wonders in attracting
>new people to our world.
>
>
>
>Tango Houston also maintains a library of audio and video available to
>anyone who may like to check them out. See www.tangohouston.org
><https://www.tangohouston.org/> and click "library"! We also sponsor our
>own milonga about twice a year, complete with live music by Glovertango
>www.glovertango.com <https://www.glovertango.com/> at a local club. Our
>next will be Nov 21, if any of you are in the Houston area at that time.
>I highly recommend it; Glover and his band are extremely talented and
>play the most danceable "Golden Age" music of any group I've ever seen.
>
>
>
>Somebody on the list asked how do we finance this? Mostly from our
>Sunday Night Practica/Milongas, $3.00 for members or $5.00 for
>non-members, which we split with our hosts, and from donations from
>those to whom we provide our little presentations. We always ask for a
>small donation, and a letter of thanks to add to our file!
>
>
>
>Above all.....although we tangueros are opinionated, hard-headed, and
>obstinate, we have to remember that we love Tango first, and that to
>grow, we must project and transmit an attitude that mirrors the feeling
>that we experience on the dance floor; a giving, sharing, and loving
>exchange of our highest emotions, with the utmost attention to our
>partner's needs and desires.
>
>
>
>Abrazos y besos to all my friends, and many thanks,
>
>
>
>Michael
>
>www.tangohouston.org <https://www.tangohouston.org/>
>
>michael.figart@tangohouston.org
>
>281-731-5237
>
>
>
>
>
>
Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2004 15:31:49 -0500
From: Stephen Brown <Stephen.P.Brown@DAL.FRB.ORG>
Subject: Re: Community Building Ideas
Michael of Bellingham asked about the financing for some of the community
building ideas I mentioned.
To the extent that these events have required financing, some of the
teachers and other dancers have reached into their own pockets to pay the
expenses. Among the expenses for these events are printing costs for
flyers, snacks and beverages, and sometimes studio space. In the most
recent cases, however, the space was provided for free.
Hit and run milongas are a low-cost activity that can build enthusiasm
among the dancers in a community and at the same time create publicity.
Obviously, sponsorship could help defray some of the expenses.
--Steve
