For residents bored or feeling adventurous on a Thursday evening, step out to the gazebo at Pier A Park in Hoboken and learn to tango. Bring a friend or come alone; everybody is invited.
Hobokenite and dance instructor Amy Valent offers "Tango on the Hudson" on Thursdays at 7 p.m. Valent’s classes begin with one fundamental element, which is usually posture. It is important to understand posture in order to maneuver through the dance floor adequately, according to Valent. The dancers practice to hold, and are taught the basic moves of the dance. The music’s rhythm is always addressed in the free lessons, and when the lessons are over, the dancers are paired up with a partner and practice what they’ve learned. The sessions bring people from different backgrounds together, partly the dance’s mission, said Valent.
"Tango on the Hudson" will be offered through the end of summer.
Hoboken resident Jason Walker read about "Tango on the Hudson" in a local newspaper, and thought it might be worthwhile. Last Thursday, he ventured off to the gazebo at Pier A to meet Valent and a dozen other people. It was his first time learning tango, and initially it was challenging.
"I said, ‘What the heck,’ let me try it," he said. "So I came out here and started dancing. I don’t consider myself a good dancer, but I’m always willing to try."
According to Valent, tango was meant for everyone. No one should feel they are too old or too young to study the dance.
"The Argentine tango is a celebration of the individual. It is a vast and diverse form of statement," Valent said. "The dance transformed into an intimate exploration of myself."
Valent has been dancing tango since 1992. She began organizing classes in Hoboken in 1995, teaching with her dance partner. A year later, her dance partner moved out of New Jersey, but Valent said she continued to study tango for a few years before returning to the dance instruction profession.
"In order to teach this dance, one should study the role of the follower and then the leader," Valent said. "This is necessary in order to understand how the dance feels on both sides of the embrace."
According to Valent, tango began more than 150 years ago in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It provides a mild form of exercise and it brings couples closer.
"Tango on the Hudson" is offered on Thursdays from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Gazebo at Pier A Park in Hoboken. Admission is free. For more information visit www.hobotango.com. And every Tuesday at the YMCA on Washington Street in Hoboken, she teaches tango from 8:30 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. Valent also offers private lessons. – E. Mulero q