Tangowest is an established School of Tango with a track record of twelve years experience, dedicated to authentic Argentinian Tango. During the last decade the three teacher/directors have committed themselves to promoting and developing this unique dance in Bristol, staying true to the traditions and spirit of the dance.
Tango West is unique, and one of only a tiny handful of groups in the country dedicated to presenting the Tango in a form closest to the way it is danced in the traditional Salons of Buenos Aires --- the spiritual home of Tango. Many seek to change the dance (often with limited knowlege) into a form more familiar or readily acceptable for mass consumption. We in contrast aim to show how and why the rich traditions of the Milongueros of Buenos Aires, developed over decades, to create the perfect environment for the dancing of social Tango. It is well worth the effort studying these traditions; and we believe that we should be cautious before discarding them.
Who are Tango West Teachers?
Michele Tedder and Andrew Oldroyd, are Tango West's principle Directors and Teachers. They have acquired the reputation locally forgiving a very solid foundation in the basic principles of ArgentineTango and in providing a friendly and supportive atmosphere, conducive to systematic and progressive learning. Their inspiration is the social dancing of the great Milongueros of Buenos Aires, whose style of dancing is rarely taught outside of Argentina.
Michele and Andrew have combined, over 20 years tango knowledge andexperience. They have studied extensively in the UK, Europe and BuenosAires with maestros including the following Tango Legends at Tango West in Bristol: Nestor & Patricia Ray, Ricardo Vidort, Stefan & Komala, Eric Jeurrissen, El Pajaro & Mecha, Eduardo Bozzo, Leandro Palou & Andrea Misse, Thierry le Coq & Veronique Bouscasse, Fernando Galera& Vilma Vega, Yvonne Meissner & Eduardo Aguirre, Stella Barba, Diormar Giraldo, Cesar Velasquez & Carolina Prado Gonzalez. Paul Lange & Michiko Okazaki
Tango West teachers continue to travel and study with acclaimed teachers based in European cities and Buenos Aires, at the same time looking for new and exciting teachers to bring to you.
Tete Rusconi
Tete
We were saddened to hear of the death of one of the great Milongueros of Buenos Aires: Pedro Rusconi, better known as Tete. Click here for more information and clips of Tete's wonderful dancing.
Tete is remembered by Tango West as one of the teachers oftango who influenced us most. Christime Denniston strongly recommended him to us when we made our first trip to Buenos Aires in 1998.
We remember his structured classes with the emphasis on walking technique, timing and listening to the music – Golden era tango. His encouragement and inspiration were second to none and I recall that he once personally got me back on the dancefloor (me having been temporarily defeated by another student)! I owe it to him on that occasion that my confidence was restored to keep learning tango!Michele
We met him again in some of the milongas he frequented in Milan a few years ago and I had the pleasure then of dancing with him. More recently in Buenos Aires two years ago I remember that Tete hailed down a taxi for me outside El Beso in the early hours after a milonga – courteous to the last! We will miss him.
Below is an extract, forwarded by El Once, of an interview with Tete and his partner Silvia in Chicago in 2007. The messages resonate with us. Also, from our archives an open letter concerning the drift away from traditional tango – something we here are dedicated to reversing!
Scroll down for some fabulous clips of real Tango dancing
Tete : Before a lot of people from
Argentina were dancing tango in the milongas but now there are people from
all over the world. Everybody has always known tango, but nobody ever gave
it any credence. They opened the doors with all these tango shows that had
different figures and boleos. Who would have known that England wanted to
have tango? England didn’t buy anything. In the U.S., if they sell it people
wanted to buy it. Korea, China, what do they know about tango? But now they
dance tango. Who would have known?
Silvia: We can use the phrase of Milena Plebs (the famous tango dancer)
“Tango is the best excuse to embrace yourself with someone unknown.”
Interviewer TN: Do you think it is possible for foreigners, non-Argentines, to truly and
honestly dance tango or do you think that there is something in the
Argentine culture, history, and way of life that is inexplicable from the
dance?
Tete: If you dance tango well, then you dance tango well. You don’t have to
be Argentine. And not everyone in Argentina dances tango well. In Germany,
Switzerland, and Holland there are many good dancers.
TN: I read somewhere that you do not like electronic tango, is this true?
Tete: You have to respect the music that people like. I respect all the
people that dance to all other types of music. Electronic music is not
tango. The more they put bandoneón into electronic music does not make it
tango. You don’t have to call it tango. Piazzolla came here and
tango. The more they put bandoneón into electronic music does not make it
tango. You don’t have to call it tango.
Open Letter from Tete to Tango Dancers Around the World
Buenos Aires, December 11, 1998
On the National Day of Tango December 11 I would like to address myself with
all due respect and affection to those around the world who have in some way
or other learned to love tango as much as we do.I would like you to dance
better, for your own satisfaction but within the music that is so
passionate.
The tango is a feeling.It is not difficult to learn.Nor is it easy.But
it is not danced by figures and steps.It is danced to the music.I know
of no dancer anywhere in the world who dances without music.You cannot be
mistaken for so long.Dancing without music, you will never learn tango.
You choose your teachers and invite those from whom you want to learn.You
deal with the issues of tango from another point of view, and I'm going to
tell you why.Because tango is and always will be music and learning how to
walk it, to listen to it, to feel it=85because it becomes a part of you that
you cannot detach.After that, each person, each dancer learns his or her
own style.Men and women.
Enough of lies.Don't buy repetitive forms.If you want to buy tango, buy
tango.
Why don't you enjoy the milongas of Buenos Aires much?Because the
milongueros and milongueras really dance.They were the ones who taught the
current generation how to dance.
However, the path you are on seems to be another, one with a different
tango, a tango in disguise.For the sake of tango, and for the sake of all
of us and with my heart in my hand I say to you: Dance the music.Because
the music is the tango.
I take my leave of you with much love.
Dance well, have a good journey,
My companion and I,
Tete and Silvia
See us in action
Take a trip with us over the past 10 years. The following clips are just a small selection of the countless Tango events we have organized together with some of the many people who we have taught to dance and a few of the wonderful teachers from all over the World who have visited us. Some shots are from Buenos Aires and other places we have visited to dance Tango.
Redland Club on YouTube
Your teachers, Michele and Andrew dancing to Tanturi in the Milonguero Style
The following clip shows more of the wonderful teachers who have visited bristol in the past 11 years. They taught, inspired and helped us grow into an enthusiastic and dedicated group of dancers.
Some of these shots are with famous teachers in Buenos Aires.
