Andres Amarilla--Quotes

Vignette by Lara Triback, Portland, OR

Twelve-hour brunch.
One tango genius.

Meredith`s apartment. Her Argentine boyfriend and tango
savant Andrés, wide-eyed Adam from New York, Andrés`
80-pound partner Marcela and her Bolivian boyfriend,
twice her height and three times her girth. My lindy
hopping-tango practice partner Michael. Two full meals,
two rented movies, X number of hours dancing on the
closed-in patio.

The previous evening Michael and I struggled with at
least fifty other dancers, ranging from intermediate to
international professionals, to figure out advanced
tango combinations offered by Gustavo Naveira. One
young porteno in a sleeveless t-shirt elicited a "Muy
bien" from the Master. Everyone else appeared
exasperated. Someone described dancing with Gustavo
as dancing with God. Due to the comparatively small
class size, Adam ended up spinning Gustavo`s partner,
a visibly pregnant Giselle, and despite my immense fear,
Gustavo successfully executed two of his combinations
with me. For 20 seconds of bliss I was dancing with a
buttery bear.

Michael and I have set aside three hours per day to hone
our technique and further deconstruct the challenging
10-second brain-twisting combinations that we have
been learning at the rate of one hour of practice per
second of successful execution.

At Meredith`s we asked Andrés to help us figure out how
to put together Gustavo Number One: Begin-with-
colgada-then-gancho-the-girl-while-giroing-before-
stepping-immediately-into-a-back-sacada move. Without
a moment`s hesitation, Andrés executed the
combination effortlessly. While we attempted to peel our
jaws off the floor, Andrés added a few alternative
endings. After two hours with Andrés. Adam began to
plan his return to Buenos Aires in order to study tango
exclusively with him.

Andrés is the hidden gem of tango nuevo. He has been
dancing tango for 18 years and as a child studied with
Gustavo and other Masters. Andrés has deconstructed
every permutation of every tango concept, and with
scientific precision communicates these structures to
his students. ("Your feet are facing at this angle. Your
hips are at this angle. Your chest is at this angle. Turn
your head, and she goes." And she does.) Now thanks
to Meredith, next winter Boy Wonder Andrés Amarilla
will take the US by storm.

Tango Friends in America, Mark Your Calendars...

Feedback on Andres's Weekly Seminar in NYC:

I want to give an unsolicited, and admittedly highly subjective,
recommendation for this 90 minute weekly class. Anyone seriously interested in the evolution of tango nuevo who wants to retain the essential feel and connection of more traditional tango, should not miss the opportunity to work with Andres. After returning from two weeks of study in Boulder with Gustavo Naveira (my tango Buddha) y Giselle Anne, I believe that Andres may be the closest I can get in NYC to Gustavo's pedagogical line of tango inquiry.... The 90 minute format is so much more effective than a regular one hour class, it affords time for technical exercises that prepare for the concepts to come, and enough repetition to let it sink in. Andres has shown uncommon patience for my continuous pestering questions on the nuances of the lead and follow, and why a follower will do "this" instead of "that." So, if you are serious about tango as more than a mere social dance, but as an evolving, improvisational art form, you now have a very valuable resource here in NYC.
-- Martin Nussbaum, New York City

Andres Amarilla teaches very much in the same manner he dances: precisely, clearly, comfortably and confidently. His abundant knowledge in his field, gained through almost twenty years of studying, performing and dancing, allows him the insight to see even the slightest technical mistake and explain very comprehensively how to correct it. He is like a doctor who examines the patient, discovers the illness and applies a cure.
-- Adam Hoopengardner, New York City

Andres is a gifted and energetic teacher of "nuevo" style tango. He has a rare ability to break new ground in expressive movement, yet translate the intricate choreographies to students unfamiliar with this demanding, kinesthetically complex, dynamic form of the dance. Andres is utterly unique in his combination of talents and is highly sought-after as a result.
-- Jason M. Andrus, M.D., Cambridge, MA

Andres is at the forefront of a rising generation of teachers fluent in traditional and new styles of tango. A direct descendant of Naveira's investigations, Andres' approach to tango reflects his vast knowledge and love of the dance. In class, he combines an intimate understanding of the body's mechanics with a playful, encouraging manner - helping students both refine their technique and expand their tango vocabulary.
-- Carolyn Merritt, Philadelphia, PA

Andrès teaches interesting tango figures that are deceptively
complicated; he has a talent for methodically building the figures from scratch so students can acquire the new moves easily.
-- Tine Herreman, New Haven, CT

Andres teaches tango nuevo style with clarity, precision and humor. He breaks down challenging moves into simple step-by-step techniques so that even less experienced dancers can perform them with ease. On the dance floor, with his feather-light embrace and keen sense of musicality, andres executes the most complicated combinations swiftly, gently, and sweetly.
-- Lara Triback, Portland, OR