(Experiential) Learning Argentine Tango

A social bridge between cultures, races and identities; an opportunity for interpersonal exchange; a ritualistic embodiment of artistic forms; a lyrical and sensorial experience; a political stance. That is the Argentine Tango. The course Spanish 43: Tango Argentino: Music, Dance, Poetry, and Community is designed to help students think critically and interdisciplinarity about Argentine tango dance, music and poetry, as well as other intriguing aspects of this globalized commodity. Students will benefit from intellectual inquiries and discussions and will engage with the materials in unexpected ways inside and outside the classroom.  Outside the classroom, participants will be given the option to engage in tango activities with senior groups in the Upper Valley for a community-based final project. Inside the classroom, there will be plenty of opportunities to embrace kinetic, sensory and hopefully emotional aspects of the tango genre with texts, film, audio recordings, dance footwork weekly practice and with two special visits: Pedro Giraudo’s Tango Quartet from New York City and a guest dancer and tango teacher Guillermo Merlo from Boston.  Professor Cirnigliaro is working closely with Adam Nemeroff, Learning Designer at DCAL to coordinate the experiential learning-based components of this course, which will be possible through the generous sponsorship of DCAL and The Center for Social Impact.