NYC loves the tango

Author: By Erickson S. Blakney, Globe Correspondent

Date: SUNDAY, September 28, 1997

Page: M11

Section: Travel

Hardly a new dance, tango can trace its origins to the arrabales or ``poor outskirts'' of Buenos Aires in Argentina sometime in the 1880s. It was an impromptu creation fusing the Spanish-Cuban habanera, the Argentine milonga, and the dance traditions of Buenos Aires's black community. The accompanying music is often characterized by the bandoneon, a relative of the accordion.

OK, those are the nut and bolts; however, Argentine tango is much more than that. It's poetic, romantic, seductive, and stylishly sexy. Danel Bastone explains, ``It's a way of life, a way of thinking, a way of feeling.'' Danel is half of the ubiquitous Argentine duo, Danel and Maria, who perform and give lessons all over the city.

One intriguing aspect is how keenly aware couples are of one another. There's a guide and a follower. It's quite a contrast to today's club scene where throngs of woefully indifferent individuals wriggle toward self-destruction.

So intrigued was I with the dance that I decided to take a couple of lessons. There are several places to learn Argentine tango in the city. The makeup of classes usually resembles that of the UN General Assembly: young, old, black, white, Latin, Asian. And although classes are generally designed for folks to take a series of them, there are numerous opportunities for would-be tangoers, in town for a day or two, to take a mini lesson and then stick around for the practice session or social that follows. You, of course, are not going to master the dance in one class but you'll certainly have a blast trying.

My first class was with Danel and Maria. They're the one's Madonna came to when she needed a crash course in the tango for her role in ``Evita.'' The dynamic duo start people off by getting folks comfortable with walking and then walking together. Sounds basic but it's very important. Because halfway through the class, I began thinking about liability insurance as I was leaving clumps of crushed toes throughout the room. You then learn how to hold your partner. (I was relieved I was packing breathe mints, because you get up-close and sort of personal with a complete stranger.) Next, you learn a couple of steps. Danel and Maria teach with patience and enthusiasm, even holding your hand to help you along. They're also a thrill to watch, executing the dance with an unhurried elegance.

One Saturday a month, they put on a social for their many students and others who like to watch and dance at the 92nd Street Y (Lexington and 92nd Street) in conjunction with the Harkness Dance Center. A lesson precedes the 9:30 p.m. dance with refreshment and a live band, the New York Tango Trio. On Thursdays, Danel and Maria host a Tango Dance Salon at the Sandra Cameron Dance Center, a beautifu,l high-ceilinged space in the village (20 Cooper Square at East 5th Street; telephone 212-674-0505). They teach from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., and at that time the practice begins running until 11:30 p.m. Danel and Maria also avail themselves to out-of-towners for private instruction. For information, call (718) 325-6579.

Another stop was a Wednesday evening Tango in Tribeca at a quaint little Argentine restaurant with a tasty menu and a lot of character called Sosa Borella (460 Greenwich St. at Debrosses; 212-925-7302). The Sandra Cameron Dance Center hosts these workshops starting at 8:30 p.m. The space is tight, so initially it has all the feel of a mosh pit, but instructor Jenni Breen takes command teaching the foundations of tango, starting with posture and how to walk and listen to the music.

With ambient light and the convenience of movable walls, the classroom space at Dance Manhattan (39 East 19th St. at Fifth Avenue; 212-807-0802) evolves into a smart little nightclub on Mondays from 9:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. and one Friday a month. Friday salons ($10) are run by teacher Fabienne Bongard. It's not too crowded to cramp your dance style nor too sparse to make one feel as if he or she is on display. The Friday night class I took before the practice was a lot of fun. Instructor Madalyn Klein had the class walking, posturing, and even attempting to execute some trickier steps. In practically all classes, teachers have you switch partners so folks can get used to a variety of partners. Initially, it has all the awkwardness of those eighth grade dances, but it sure forces you out of your shell. I had numerous partners that night. There was Merrily, Mayrose, Sondra, and Steve. . . . Steve?! Same-sex partnering in tango is quite common and actually pretty important. Klein explains that men need to learn both male and female steps so they can better understand how to lead when dancing with a female partner. The same goes for women when dancing with a male partner. The guys who are novices are kind of goofy about this at first, but for us untrammeled types, it's no big deal!

Dancesport boasts of being one of the biggest independent dance studios in America. Owner Paul Pellicoro is best known as the man who taught Al Pacino to tango for the Academy-Award-winning flick ``Scent of a Woman.'' Paul and his partner, Eleny Fotinos, host a practica, or practice session ($10), from 9:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. every Wednesday at their West Side studio near Columbus Circle. On Fridays, a lesson and party are offered for $20. The Friday parties are quite a hit, featuring live music, perfomances, and food. Carlos Gavitos from Broadway's ``Forever Tango'' runs a workshop in Argentine tango and milonga, a close relative, on Sundays at Dancesport. At 7:30 p.m., there's a basic class followed by the practice from 8 to 11 p.m. ($10). Dancesport is at 1845 Broadway at 60th Street; (212) 307-1111.

On Thursdays, one of the hottest tango events takes place at Il Campanello, a flashy Italian restaurant in the West 30s. This evening is electrifying and a lot of fun to watch. People are very social and after my week of tango, faces were looking pretty familiar. Raul Jaurena and his New York Tango Trio provide live music. Native Venezuelan Marga Mitchell passionately sings for a couple of sets. Her voice, luxuriantly powerful, envelops the restaurant. She's followed by Paul Pellicoro and Eleny Fotinos and the Tango Nights Ensemble who put on this evening.

At this point, I'm sure you're beginning to notice the tremendous overlap of names and schools that make up New York's tango scene. Paul, darkly handsome and Eleny, 5 foot 8 inches of lithe beauty, perform a mix of more theatrical tango styles. The floor then opens to the rest of the crowd: the aficionados, the romantics, and those who simply live to tango. By the way, the food at Il Campanello is very good so if you work up an appetite while tangoing, you're in the perfect place. Il Campanello is at 136 West 31st between 6th and 7th avenues; (212) 307-1111; event admission $10.

In Central Park on Saturdays, there's a nifty little party called ``Hit and Run Tango.'' This is the brainchild of Louise Krasne, who has initiated tango salons in other unlikely places like the Staten Island Ferry. The Central Park party starts at 5 p.m. The setting is almost magical, with the brick terrace surrounding the Bethesda Fountain. Couples whirl and swirl and onlookers hang out until fairly late. Fabienne Bongard helps to run this free event, which will continue says Krasne, ``until there's snow on the ground.'' Bethesda Fountain is on 72nd Street.

You really shouldn't miss out on this experience. Watch it. Take a class. Don't be shy because you think it's too hard or that you might not get it right. As teacher Jenni Breen says, ``You can dance the dance very simply or take it to as deep and exquisite a level as you want to.''