ESTELA ALONSO IN ATLANTA!

It’s that time of the year again, choreography is already in progress for the showcase in November! As I ascend the staircase I am captivated by the energy of Antonio, Maxi and Mario as they are in deep concentration, and I am almost too intimidated to enter the space where they are working. Antonio invites me to come into the studio and I get warm hugs from everyone before they go back to work. I take a few moments to absorb the excitement; I learn so much from watching the different choreographies take form. Soon I start on the warm-up and piece together the exercises that Antonio and Maxi have given me. Whether or not I am in the studio I can devote some time each day to these exercises which include leg raises, pointing and flexing the feet, hip rolls, and of course walking with napkins to make sure my feet stay on the floor!

The preparation at this point is as important as the final performance, and enables me to press past my nerves to perform.  When my class begins with Antonio I am stumbling through warm-ups; further evidence that I need to develop my core. I have started a regimen with planks and push-ups to help build my upper body strength.  When we get to the technique portion of the class we are working on Mambo Twists. During this step you twist two times, during the first twist you bring the legs together at the end of the twist; during the second twist the legs are open, and the step finishes with a turn. Near the end of my class Estela arrives. We hug and catch up for a moment before she begins her class with Antonio. Estela is one of the shining stars of Sebastian Colavita’ studio who now also trains with Antonio and is part of Daza Dance.

When I met her she was a true master of the Argentine Tango and I warmed up to her as she has a kind heart and a beautiful spirit. Her presence infuses the studio with the light of Argentina, one of the many beautiful diverse nations and cultures represented at Daza Dance.

When I come on Wednesday Antonio and Mario were working on my choreography which will be a Tango to the song “Poor Unfortunate Souls” from The Little Mermaid.  The Tango was the dance that had the lowest scores in my Smooth Ballroom test, thus Antonio wants me to perfect that dance. I am intimidated by the choreography which is very dramatic, and I am trying to start forming my character in my mind as I watch. In this scene sweet Ariel, shows her dark side. I must find the darkness within me to be able to cozy up to the evil Ursula. Perhaps the character should be more curious than dark, and I will have plenty of opportunities to explore these questions in the upcoming weeks. I am up for the challenge and have my usual goal of making it the best experience yet!

When class begins with Antonio we have fun going through our warm-up. For the technique portion of the class we work on the Throw-Out from East Coast Swing again. I have been practicing it but am feeling nervous because this step has given me an absolute fit. We practice the step one time and Antonio says it is perfect – and we are done! I absolutely savor these moments because I know he truly means these compliments, and it feels amazing to have my hard work acknowledged in such a positive way!!

Later that evening everyone who knows Estela meets at Bonnie’s house for a party to celebrate our Argentinean guest. We stay in Bonnie’s kitchen the entire night just catching up and enjoying each other’s company. There is dancing, laughter, and everyone, especially Estela has a wonderful time.

Later that week in the studio I would watch Estela in the moments when I was warming up for practice. I found out she also had studied ballet which contributed to her grace and precision in movement.  Having her in the studio is inspiring. She shows the results of hard work and dedication, and the fact that, with true commitment, everything is possible. 

By: Kamaria George (06/26/2017)