wow! what a weekend!
perseverence furthers, not only in learning to dance tango, but definitely in learning how to organize the best annual tango event of the year....watching "Moonlight in Vermont" from birth through toddler stage, and experiencing the currently mature and exciting festival in just four brief years, has been nothing short of amazing....thanks so much to Gerd Hirschmann for sticking with this great event, and bringing to fruition a warm and welcoming, professional level tango festival that may, perhaps, have even surpassed his own wildest dreams..five heavy-hitting tango couples headed up an impressive list of teachers and despite last-minute visa problems which prevented Michael and Beatrix from appearing, the other four couples filled various dance floors with energy and focus on both fundamental skills and a few new tricks :) a handful of local and regional instructors, including "yours truly", added their own sprinkling of diverse and interesting workshop topics to the mix, which was attended by no less than 120 dancers from New York to Boston and Montreal -- and lest we forget our homegrown Vermont and New Hampshire dancers, the point is that "Moonlight in Vermont" is hardly a roll in the cornfields -- it is an elegant and incredibly tasteful weekend, in a lovely and historic setting......do i have to say that i had a blast, or can you tell???
friday night, along with my favorite singing DJ from NYC, one of my other favorite dancers turned up....at one point i had my partner crooning tango lyrics in my ear, while Richard was (as he often does) singing his heart out at the DJ desk -- as we danced by, i was treated to a rare and very special duet....and i got to dance with Richard, too.....it was almost like being back in Buenos Aires.....sigh......
saturday night another very special tango friend from Montreal unexpectedly walked into the lobby of the inn and practically swept me off my feet....we danced later, of course! there were lots of old friends, who have been at this event every year, and i met new people -- special people.....wonderful people, both on and off the dance floor.....beginner dancers and world class professionals -- and all those somewhere in between....the whole weekend was like that.....high energy, but this was not (and has never been) a wild party.....maybe it is the cultural difference between wine-tasting, as opposed to passing around a flask or bottle of tequila.....and yet this is not a snobby event at all.....it is down to earth, inclusive, serious, and also fun :) what i can say is: put this event on your calendar NOW for 2009.....it does not get any better than this.....thanks again to Gerd.....and to all the great teachers and dancers who put Brandon, VT on the tango map! Judith Schwartz