Students take to Tango

Last Thursday the Latino Club sponsored a Tango demonstration in the lower level of the SUB from 11:30 a.m. – 1p.m. Instructor David Parker and his dance partner Noura Alfadl-Andreasson demonstrated the Argentinean social dance and its basic steps.

Social Tango is a highly improvisational dance that can be danced to any music. Thursday’s playlist included traditional Tango music, Nora Jones, and Beats Antique, a world fusion-electronic group.

About 20 people showed up for the demonstration, most of whom were a part of Scott Estes’s, co-advisor of the Latino Club, Spanish classes.

David Parker, 68, originally from Cleveland, Ohio, began dancing Tango 6 years ago in Spokane. Parker tries to get as many people involved in the dance as he can. In Coeur d’Alene he hosts free Tango lessons at the Iron Horse, 407 Sherman Ave.,  Sundays from 2 p.m. – 7 p.m. and Lemongrass Restaurant, 307 Lakeside Ave., Tuesdays from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Noura Alfadl-Andreasson, 23, a dual enrolled NIC and LCSC student, met Parker at the Iron Horse during one of his Tango classes last October. She said she picked up the dance immediately and began dancing tango as much as possible.

“I love the constant tension that is present between partners,” said Andreasson. “You follow and harness that tension and something beautiful arises from it.”

Both Andreasson and Parker said they would love to see a larger tango community in Coeur d’Alene particularly among the students.

“I would go more,” said Cody Mazzola, a third year NIC student. He and Jessica Lancaster, a second year NIC student, agreed that they enjoyed the demonstration and were able to pick up on some of the basic steps.

“It’s a great dance. I can’t describe it any other way,” said Parker. “There’s no such thing as messing up. We don’t practice anything we do, it’s all improvisational. It’s just like life. Sometimes things don’t always work out. So you change it up and make the best of it.”

Estes said the Latino Club would like to have another Tango demonstration next semester and, if there is enough interest, do it on a regular basis.