Tango Buenos Aires
Extended Residency Pilot Program Fall 2007
The fall residency on Latin dances and culture was offered Oct. 22-Nov. 9, 2007 to under-served upper elementary and middle-school students at three St. Louis public schools: Shaw Visual and Performing Arts Elementary School, Carr Lane Visual and Performing Arts Middle School, and McKinley Classical Jr. Academy.
For the first three weeks, instruction was provided by a local social dance company, Convergence Dance and Body Center, led by artistic director Roxanne McKenney. Thomas Reale and Mariana Galassi from Argentina came all the way to St. Louis to teach the fourth week of the residency. Instruction included dancing the merengue, salsa, and tango, and how these dances relate to the culture and history of the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Argentina respectively. Individual study guides created by Dance St. Louis provided further geographic and historical context, information about traditional Latin music and musical instruments, as well as a costume design activity for students to complete.
Photo: Students at Carr Lane VPA learn Rueda with Roxanne McKenney-Maier