Caileen Brison, David Beaumier and Grupo Gotan
Contact: WWUgttango_at_gmail.com
The number one question I get asked as a tanguera is “What made you want to dance tango?” and I always wish I had a more witty response. The truth is, I’ve always had a passion and desire to pursue tango, and I was just waiting for the opportunity to arise. I grew up in a small town with no access to tango (or much of anything, really), so as soon as I moved to the West Coast, I started tango full force.
I have been dancing tango for about four years now, and I have loved every second of it. I do have history in other dances, such as jazz, modern, and blues, but I find that tango provides me with connection and a whole cocktail of emotions. My primary goals in tango are to maintain the connection, culture, and history of the Argentine tango. When tango was more accepted by the middle and upper classes in Buenos Aires during the Golden Age of tango (1940’s-1950’s), the “porteños” (local people from the port city of Buenos Aires) danced tango for the intimacy and connection two bodies create when dancing the tango. It’s my goal to maintain that personal relationship with tango, and to share my love and passion with others. Learning in tango is a lifelong challenge willingly and whole heartedly accepted by whoever decides to dive in: young, old, tall, short, native, foreign, and anyone. If I can help you to love tango not for the dashing dresses, or fancy fedoras, or perfect pisos, but for the rich culture and warming embrace, then I have done my job successfully as an instructor.
Thus being said, I teach tango classes with Grupo Gotan through Western Washington University, and, up until recently, taught with the wonderful and knowledgeable Layton Miller. While living in Argentina for a year, Layton picked up tango with passion and enthusiasm, and I am forever thankful and indebted to him for the vast sea of tango knowledge he has exposed me to. I am now teaching with David Beaumier, a tango dancer with 6 years’ experience and an unprecedented enthusiasm. I have been taught by a wide range of instructors from Buenos Aires, New York, Berlin, Los Angeles, Seattle, Vancouver, Denver, and many others (including Bellingham). My preferred tango style is milonguera, a very traditional and close embrace style of tango that is considered to be the “Godfather” of tango.
So what do I do with all this tango passion?
Class – a class is the place where you go to actually learn tango or work on your technique. A practica is a time to work on your tango skills, but not necessarily be instructed.
Tuesday’s from 4th full week in September to 2nd week in June (school year)
Multi Purpose Room at Western Washington University
Beginner/technique class: 7:00-8:00
Intermediate class: 8:00-9:00
Practica: 9:00-dancing is over
FREE
Milonga del Centro – a milonga is a place you go to dance tango. Milonga del Centro is a traditional milonga with traditional tango, milonga, and tango vals hosted by myself through Grupo Gotan.
Milonga del Centro
At Blue Horse Gallery
301 West Holly St # 101 Bellingham, WA 98225
$5 Entrada
9:30pm-1:00am
2nd Friday of the month
NOTE: This event is now private, so please come in through the back door because the front main doors will be closed to the public.
Come join us at Grupo Gotan!
Besos y abrazos,
Caileen Brison, David Beaumier and Grupo Gotan
Contact: WWUgttango_at_gmail.com
