Twinkle your toes at September dance workshops

By Michaela Payne

The dance department will kick off the fall semester—and twirl, slide and hop—with two September workshop nights featuring Romanian dance and Argentine tango.

Romanian dance duo and special guests Sonia Dion and Cristian Florescu revisit City College on Sept. 12 after spending the year teaching classes and choreography around the world since their first-ever workshop at the college last fall. Check out the duo’s website for videos of their energetic Romanian folk dances featuring intricate footwork at high speeds from dancers who link arms and perform each step in precise unison. This workshop will cover the basic steps of Romanian folk dancing to traditional music. All are welcome to attend this free workshop held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m in the Wellness Center.

City College’s own faculty tango teacher Chelsea Eng will lead the Sept. 17 Fall Harvest Milonga to teach the basics of tango partner dancing. This community milonga—the name for any tango-dancing place or event—brings the technique, traditions and music of romantic tango which evolved from Argentina and Uruguay 150 years ago to the jazzy and electric new tango styles of today.

Eng’s workshop will get everyone moving in the sensual moves of tango to the musical selections of guest tango DJ Bobbi Noyer. The milonga will start with an intro lesson for absolute beginners at 7 p.m. followed by a social dance party from 8-10:30 p.m. The door fee has a sliding scale fee from $5-$10.

Both events will be held in the Performance Studio, Room 301, at the Ocean Campus’ Wellness Center. Both workshops welcome beginners to learn alongside dancers of all ages and all skill levels from City College and beyond.