La Rogaia-Tango History
Tango at La Rogaia from 1999 to 2009, history and some stories aside
We can hardly believe it ourselves but in the year 2009 we can celebrate the tenth anniversary of our tango classes at La Rogaia. We look back to many wonderful weeks with great teachers such as Gustavo Naveira and Giselle Ann, Fabian Salas and Carolina del Rivero, Chicho Frumboli, Brigitta Winkler and many others.
Here is our story about Tango at La Rogaia:
1999
Everything begann with a workshop of Marina Jablonski, the founder of "Qué Tango", Munich's eldest Argentine Tango school.
When she arrived with her group in the afternoon of May 3rd we where still planting the roses around the dancing terrace and were whitening the walls of the dance studio. Marina almost got a heart attack when she saw it. At that moment neither she nor one of our guests could imagine that everything would be ready the next morning, in time for the class.
Of course everything turned out alright. The workshop was a big success and encouraged by that we grew almost a little bit jaunty and extended our programm to four classes in the following year.
2000
At a Tango ball in Munich we had seen Amira Campora and were so enthusiastic about her, that we invited her for two workshops in 2000. Previously we were not so sure whether Amira would like to stay in our Umbrian "Pampa" far from town. It turned out however that Amira liked La Rogaia as much as we liked her. In consequence Amira every year gave at least one workshop at La Rogaia until her final return to Buenos Aires.
At this point we would like to note something: We have often been asked whether we have named our elder daughter Amira after Amira Campora. This is not the case (sorry, Amira!) though we have to admit that it would be a nice story. How our "little" Amira got her name is another story which we will tell at another occasion.
In the summer of 2000 we had come to know Yvonne Meissner at Florence and organized spontaneously a weekend workshop with her in September with participants mainly from Italy.
2001
In the following year Yvonne returned with her partner Eduardo Aquirre. Yvonne und Eduardo stuck to La Rogaia for several years and everybody who has experienced them in their lessons will never forget Eduardo´s untiring "Ritmo!! Ritmo!!" and his voice filling the dance room and the valley below La Rogaia with tango songs at night.
2001 once again we hosted a teacher couple from Munich: Daniel & Maja Kopper from the "El Corazon" tango school. Amira Campora had recommened the two of them as excellent teachers and she really had not exaggerated.
2002
In 2002 we almost doubled the number of our Tango classes and dared to go for the first time to the absolute top level of the Tango world, not without collywobbles and cold sweat as we have to admit. We invited Gustavo Naveira and Giselle Anne to La Rogaia.
Our fears unfortunately proved to be true. The class was already fully booked in January but at short notice before the start of the class end of September we got hit by the bad news.
Gustavo had injured his leg, had to cancel his complete European tour and we had to find an adequate substitute in no time at all. Fortunately we found it in Metin Yazir who has been a master student of Gustavo and had been recommended by him. He passed the almost impossible challenge with flying colours.
We had known Metin already in Munich and already appreciated him greatly there.
By the way, it is Metin´s fault that we got married. At least we came to know each other at his Milonga.
Apart of that we had a blessing in disguise. After Gustavo Naveira´s recovery he could still hold a spontaneously organized master-class at La Rogaia in November of the same year.
For the first time at La Rogaia were also Graciela Gonzales as well as Alberto Paz and Valorie Hart, a couple from the United States. In the class with Alberto and Valorie we had a record number of different nationalities among the participants: At the farewell evening participants from 16 different nations presented cultural highlights from their home countries, from Slavian folk songs to Hawaian Hula.
2003
2003 was the year with the biggest number ever of Tango workshops at La Rogaia. Nine couples of teachers in a row and there was Tango music floating over the valley of La Rogaia at day and night for weeks ...
2002 we had made the acquaintance of Ines Trosky and Gustavo Vidal, had fallen in love with their heartfelt and yet precise style of dancing and had invited them to La Rogaia.
Munich Tango friends had strongly recommended Fabian Lugo and Laura Cairo and had brought us into contact with them. We succeeded to win them for La Rogaia, as well as the highly renommated Tango teachers Ines Moussavi and Ulrich Demmel from Berlin.
The grand finale of the Tango year at La Rogaia was the class of Mariano "Chicho" Frumboli and Eugenia Parilla. We were not quite sure whether this would turn out well as Chicho had a reputation of being a little bit "special" and not always easy for organizers. Previously indeed it was not quite easy to make a contact with him. To our big relief he belied all our apprehensions, was very nice and wowed the participants of the class as well as the visitors of the Perugian Milongas and the tango dancers that had come to our farewell party from all over Italy.
2004
In 2003 Giselle Ann had given lessons at La Rogaia despite she was 6 months pregnant - to the obvious delight of the participants, especially those from Italy (and accompanied of course by many well meant motherly advices).
2004 she gave birth to her baby and she and Gustavo decided not to travel for the years to follow.
We succeeded replacing them by another top level couple, Fabian Salas und Carolina del Rivero, and some mockers among our friends remarked that by now we only needed to invite Pablo Veron and Harry, sorry, Sally Potter to film a sequel of "A Tango Lesson" at La Rogaia.
We thought that to be a suggestion worth considering especially as in 2004 we hosted another legendary Tango couple at La Rogaia, Kely und Facundo Posadas. Both of them being without doubt an enrichment for every Tango movie.
Yet we had another premiere at La Rogaia. With Christian "El Austriaco" and Andrea we had for the first time Tango instructors from Austria at La Rogaia. They brought with them a group of very sweet Tango novices from Vienna. Two of them, an elderly couple, wrote to us later saying that their stay at La Rogaia had been "the most romantic holiday of our entire lives". Alberto and Valorie from New Orelans returned for another multinational class to La Rogaia.
2005
In April Nancy Louzan und Damian Esell gave a guest performance at La Rogaia. Fabian Salas and Carolina del Rivero came this year for two weeks of workshops followed by a short holiday to recover at La Rogaia from the stress of being on tour for months. They didn´t completely escape without giving lessons though. Of course we used the opportunity of having them for ourselves to take some private lessons.
Also Christian "El Austriaco" and Andrea from Vienna were at La Rogaia again.
And once again the European Tango Metropolis Berlin was represented at La Rogaia by Ines Moussavi und Ulrich Demmel.
2006
In 2006 we saw the debut of Brigitta Winkler at La Rogaia. Annette had seen her at the Broadway with her "Tangomujer" show and was enthusiastic about her dancing. The same enthusiasm was obvious among the participants of her workshop, most of them from the United States and Berlin (what a comparison!). As Britta integrated in her class a lot of body work, exercises for stretching and relaxing (very recommendable!) visitors occassionally dropping in were wondering a little about that tango class where everybody was to be found lying stretched out on matresses all over the dance floor doing strange wrenches. Obviously most of our neighbours had had a slightly different conception of Tango Argentino.
Three other teaching couples we could welcome at La Rogaia:
Let´s start with Steve and Debbie Morrall. We had had them as our guests already in the class with Fabian Lugo and Laura Cairo in 2003. Steve, who also plays the bandoneon in the evenings had improvised tango jam sessions together with Laura who is an accomplished piano player. At the farewell party the two of them also had given a little concert (Laura and Steve please forgive us, the piano wasn´t tuned too well.).
In the meantime Steve and Debbie had dedicated themselves completely to Argentine Tango, given up their former lives, opened a tango school of their own and established a very lively tango community in Southern England. Now they returned to La Rogaia as tango instructors and everybody who had thought the English to be very stiff and formal was disabused very quickly.
On the other hand we experienced the "Los Macanas", the brothers Enrique und Guillermo De Fazio, who pulled out of the hat real fireworks of wit and ideas during the workshop. At the Farewell Gala Night on the banks of the Trasimeno Lake they offered a show so spectacular Perugian tangueros and especially tangueras are crazy about them till this day.
In the end we, Wolfgang and Annette, made our official debut at the program of La Rogaia. We had been for a long time teaching classes to our Italian friends and had organised the very first Milonga ever in Umbria (back in 1999). Apart of that however we had always left the field to better known teachers. Being asked again and again though we finally worked up our courage and decided to accept ourselves in the program of La Rogaia.
2007
In this year we decided to slow down a little. Unfortunately Fabian and Carolina were not working together anymore and couldn´t come to teach. Instead they recommended to us Celine Ruiz and Damian Rosenthal. Celine and Damian introduced to us a completely new way to look at Tango. Not enough that their lessons were excellent and reconciled all those who had been afraid we would not be able to find a teaching couple that could adequately make up for Fabian and Carolina. With their incredibly precise Tango enriched by elements of Modern Dance they have created a completely independent style which appeared to us at the same time dynamic and tender, sometimes almost fragile like a delicate piece of art.
2008
Having organized Tango workshops at La Rogaia for almost ten years now it seems it has got around among tango teachers and dancers that it is quite nice here. Anyway we have a big request by tango instructors who want to come to La Rogaia to teach.
In consequence in 2008 we had invited three new couples to La Rogaia.
Sebastian Missè und Andrea Reyero accompanied by their little french bulldog "Cognac" who gave one of the most fantastic tango shows we ever saw at La Rogaia.
Joseba Pagola und Bakartxo Arabaolaza, dancers from the Basque country whose speciality is to combine a dynamic "Tango Nuevo" way of dancing with traditional tango music. And what is best, they teach to dance their way safely even on crowded dance floors.
Last but not least Andreas von Maxen and Laura Priori from Berlin who gave the participants of their workshop an understanding of Tango Argentino in the nicest way with a lot of patience and love for detail.
2009
And we are going on also this year, with new and "old" faces at La Rogaia:
- three divas of Tango: Brigitta Winkler, Alejandra Mantinan and Carolina del Rivero
- Tango Salon style couples such as Ricky Barrios & Lauro Melo or Walter & MariLynne Kane
- Tango Nuevo style couples such as Celine Ruiz & Damian Rosenthal or Joseba & Bakartxo
And many more ...
May it be another year of swinging and heartfelt Tangos like in all the years before !
Have a look at our latest Tango program
La Rogaia Tango program overview 1999 to 2009
1999
8. - 15.5.1999 Marina Jablonski
2000
27.5. - 4.6.2000 Marina Jablonski
25.6. - 2.7.2000 Amira Campora
30.9. - 1.10.2000 Yvonne Meissner
1.- 8.10.2000 Amira Campora
2001
27.5. - 3.6.2001 Daniel & Maja Kopper
24.6. - 1.7.2001 Amira Campora
2. - 9.9.2001 und 9. - 16.9.2001 Yvonne Meissner & Eduardo Aguirre
2002
13. - 20.4.2002 Graciela Gonzalez
20. - 27.4.2002 Yvonne Meissner & Eduardo Aguirre
4. - 11.5.2002 Metin Yazir
1- 8.6.2002 Alberto Paz & Valorie Hart
15. - 22.6.2002 Amira Campora
21. - 28.9.2002 Metin Yazir
2- 9.11.2002 Gustavo Naveira & Giselle Anne
2003
29.3. - 5.4.2003 Metin Yazir
5. - 12.4.2003 Ines Trosky & Gustavo Vidal
12. - 19.4.2003 Fabian Lugo & Laura Cairo
3. - 10.5.2003 Alberto Paz & Valorie Hart
21. - 28.6.2003 und 28.6. - 5.7.2003 Amira Campora
20. - 27.9.2003 Yvonne Meissner & Eduardo Aguirre
27.9. - 4.10.2003 und 4. - 11.10.2003 Gustavo Naveira & Giselle Anne
11. - 18.10.2003 Ines Moussavi & Ulrich Demmel
15. - 22.11.2003 Chicho Frumboli & Eugenia Parilla
2004
3. - 10.4.2004 Ines Trosky & Gustavo Vidal
17. - 24.4.2004 Kely & Facundo Posadas
12. - 19.6.2004 Yvonne Meissner & Eduardo Aguirre
19. -26.6.2004 Amira Campora
26.6. - 3.7.2004 Fabian Lugo & Laura Cairo
3. - 10.7.2004 Christian "El Austriaco" und Andrea
18. - 25.9.2004 Alberto Paz & Valorie Hart
9. - 16.10.2004 Ines Moussavi & Ulrich Demmel
16. - 23.10.2004 Fabian Salas & Carolina del Rivero
2005
16. - 23.4.2005 Nancy Louzan & Damian Esell
(23. - 30.4.2005 Yvonne Meissner & Eduardo Aguirre)
24.9. - 1.10.2005 Christian "El Austriaco" und Andrea
8. - 15.10.2005 Ines Moussavi & Ulrich Demmel
15. - 22.10.2005 Fabian Salas & Carolina del Rivero
22. -29.10.2005 Fabian Salas & Carolina del Rivero
2006
1- 8.4.2006 Yvonne Meissner & Eduardo Aguirre
13. - 20.5.2006 Brigitta Winkler
20. - 27.5.2006 Steve & Debbie Morrall
23. - 30.9.2006 Los Hermanos Macana
30.9. - 7.10.2006 Wolfgang Sandt
7. - 14.10.2006 Deborah Gutman & Ulrich Demmel
21. - 28.10.2006 Fabian Salas & Carolina del Rivero
2007
14. - 21.4.2007 Steve & Debbie Morrall
5. - 12.5.2007 Christian "El Austriaco" und Andrea
12. - 19.5.2007 Wolfgang Sandt
19. - 26.5.2007 Brigitta Winkler
22. - 29.9.2007 und 29.9. - 6.10.2007 Wolfgang Sandt
13. - 20.10.2007 Celine Ruiz & Damian Rosenthal
2008
26.4. - 3.5.2008 Wolfgang Sandt
3. - 10.5.2008 Steve & Debbie Morrall
24. -31.5.2008 Christian "El Austriaco" und Andrea
13. - 20.10.2008 Sebastian Missè & Andrea Reyero
27.9. - 4.10.2008 Wolfgang Sandt
11. - 18.10.2008 Joseba Pagola & Bakartxo Arabaolaza
18. - 25.10.2008 Andreas von Maxen & Laura Priori
2009
4. - 11.4.2009 Ricky Barrios & Laura Melo
18. - 25.4.2009 Carolina del Rivero & Donato Juarez
9. - 16.5.2009 Brigitta Winkler
23. - 30.5.2009 Alejandra Mantinan & Gregorio Garrido
30.5. - 6.6.2009 Wolfgang Sandt
29.8. - 5.9.2009 Joseba Pagola & Bakartxo Arabaolaza
12. - 19.9.2009 Steve & Debbie Morrall
19. - 26.9.2009 Andreas von Maxen & Laura Priori
26.9. - 3.10.2009 Wolfgang Sandt
3. - 10.10.2009 Celine Ruiz & Damian Rosenthal
17. - 24.10.2008 Walter & MariLynne Kane
31.10. - 7.11.2009 Tangostudio "El Duende"