Zebra Room – Analog Artist Digital World

The dance class began in the Zebra Room (2609 Gower Street), at 2 A.M. Tango Productions run by Amy Allison, featured Victoria Sarquisse and Federico Jorquera, for the first time teaching workshops in Orlando. Victoria and Federico were both born and raised in Argentina and have been teaching Argentine tango in the Tampa area for the last 5 years.

Students arrived slowly, socializing and changing their shoes. The workshop began with Victoria leading everyone in warm up exercises. They all faced the mirrored wall stretching along with Victoria. I only had enough time to sketch Victoria with her hands stretched over her head. Men and women then separated into two groups. Frederico showed the men how to lead and the women were shown their embellishments.

Victoria explained that walking with dignified intention can be the most beautiful aspect of any Tango. The movement is initiated from the chest. She plucked the fabric of a participants blouse to demonstrate. Every step had deliberate confidence. The first important thing in Tango is a good embrace and the second is walking. There are many nuances built around every deliberate move. When men and women danced together, with volcadas in close embrace, they were instructed to feel the connection. In one exercise the men were instructed to take a small step back and the women would lean forward into his chest. Even though there was often space between them, every nuance needed to be communicated and felt. Victoria stressed that they needed to enjoy the journey. With the lessons complete, everyone danced with abandon, learning from each new partner.

After repairing my computer, Damon Natch Burke and his wife, Amy Davenport were going to take a Blues Dance Class at the Zebra Room (2609 Gowen Street, Orlando) . Damon suggested I meet him there so he could give me my repaired tablet. Of course I asked if I could stay and sketch. Damon talked to the instructors and they were fine with the idea. Cars drove inside what looked like a residential backyard and parked on the lawn between orange trees. I arrived at the same time as a petite girl from Knoxville Tennessee.

Unfortunately the air conditioning in the Zebra room was broken. That didn’t stop this group of dancers. People kept arriving with fans and one couple showed up with three huge industrial fans. It was bliss when the breeze hit. With all the fans on however you couldn’t hear the instructors talk, so the fans were turned back off. I liked the premise that dance is an intuitive dialogue, or conversation between couples. Simple exercises started with couples facing each other and touching palms. They needed to stand close and move as one. They stepped together forward and back to the beat of the blues. When a lead dancer would spin his partner, she could go with the flow of his up beat pace or slow down the spin at the apex and dip in slow motion. Her desire for a slow sensual movement could then be followed up by the lead. The sensual dance conversation could continue without a word.