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Claudia and Jorge Fatauros. Photo by Minka Terpsma. E-mail Click to see the whole picture enlarged Interview by Mirella Colauto for Torito's Tango Agenda. Interview with Javier Antar & Maria Trubba   Extra Below you find Fabián Salas' opinion as well as Claudia's extensive CV, added by the editor. Fabián Salas about Claudia CV Backgound of Claudia's first tango steps Professional dance experience Repertory works Teaching experience Education Other studies Works in Tango Tango partners Classes   Fabián Salas about Claudia Claudia Jakobsen is a dancer, teacher, and choreographer of ballet, modern dance, and Argentine tango. I have had the pleasure of watching her dance in many opportunities and I have been touched by both the richness of her technique and her expressiveness. So far as tango is concerned, we have worked together for many years, which developed a strong and lasting friendship. Nevertheless, the fact that we are friends has not prevented me from admiring her qualities objectively. I believe, without fear of being mistaken, that Claudia belongs to that selected group of people who possesses a special talent, an asset that is complemented by her personal integrity as well as by her warm and friendly personality. Both her technical knowledge and teaching experience derived from other dances have elevated the woman's role in tango, creating a distinctive style that is followed by many women around the world these days. It is through dancers of her talent that such role has acquired considerable importance, opening new possibilities to improvisation and dancing technique. She possesses great determination and personality, which allows me to state that wherever her career goals lead her, she will carry them out with absolute devotion. Her work with Chicho Frumboli, who was her dancing partner for over two years, has been engraved on the collective memory as watershed moments in the evolution that tango is experiencing nowadays. However, I am sure that Claudia has not offered us her whole talent. The latest events in her life, including her trip to Amsterdam and her marriage, have kept her away from the activity she loves so much. We are very glad to see her return to work and we look forward to seeing her production from now on which, undoubtedly, will be brillant in accordance with her exceptional talent and technique.   Fabián Salas Argentine Tango teacher and dancer. Director and producer of the Tango Festival CITA in Argentina. http://cosmotango.com/ CITA.htm   More below the advertisement! To menu   CV Backgound of Claudia's first tango steps 1996: She takes up tango at Champagne Tango with Claudia Miralles who later introduces her to technique lessons given by Graciela Gonzáles as well as to the lessons given by Fabian Salas at La Galería del Tango. 1997: While taking Fabian Salas' lessons, she meets Mariano Chicho Frumboli with whom she would share a strong friendship, the same passion for tango, and the same interest in search for new tango dancing styles. Together, they begin to dance, explore new styles, and teach, thus, summoning open-minded audiences and students curious about this new trend. Fabián Salas, Chicho and, later, Gustavo Naveira become Claudia's masters and mentors. 1998: Claudia starts to work together with her teachers and friends during the classes at La Galería del Tango as the sole woman invited to take part in the staff of teachers. This group of teachers is, therefore, strengthened, receiving an enthusiastic reception both in Argentina and in the world. At the end of that year and after several tango exhibitions in important milongas in Buenos Aires, Claudia and Chicho are invited to Europe for the first time where an expectant public eager for fantasies is looking forward to seeing them. Their bodies, their musicality, and their expressiveness captivate subtly and mysteriously this new public as well. 1999: At the turn of this year, Claudia and Chicho dance together for the last time at the First Congress of Argentine Tango in Buenos Aires C.I.T.A. 1999 Cosmotango. Later, Chicho leaves for Europe where he settles down and resides up to now. Claudia stays in Buenos Aires where she keeps on devoting herself to her modern dance career at the Teatro San Martín and, at the same time, to tango. In the middle of the year, she meets a new dancing partner and has a chance to give her dance a new approach&emdash;though with a more traditional style&emdash;yet this makes a favorable impression on the circles of young tango dancers. Both classes and tango exhibitions regularly seek Claudia and Ezequiel Paludi's presence. Claudia, therefore, adds up a new style, concepts, and possibilities in tango's unimaginable language. 2000: Wishing to return to her bases and having ended her relationship with Ezequiel, Claudia contacts Mauricio Castro and Carla Marano, who keep on teaching at La Galería under the bases and methodology of the new tango. Carla and Claudia get together to give shape to a new teaching method of tango technique for women. This time, men play an important role in these types of classes and/or workshops as far as their help and class participation are concerned. Starting from the key element that the man represents in this dance, the woman creates and corrects his movements through exercises thought precisely with this aim. With a favorable reception from both men and women, these lessons come alive and are very successful. With all her background knowledge and her constant willingness to explore and discover new dancing styles, Claudia leaves for Europe. 2001/2003: With her Dutch husband, Claudia travels to Amsterdam in January, 2001. After a year of adjustment, she resumes her tango activities. Together with her close friend and dancer, Jorge Fatauros, she prepares and shows their choreographies in different places in Holland where they are also invited to give lessons and organize tango workshops. Later on, called by Alejandro Sanguinetti, a dancer, choreographer, and Argentine teacher, who resides in Hamburg, Germany, she starts working in Hamburg very often where she teaches tango technique for women and summer courses at Universo Tango up to the present date. Likewise, she teaches and dances with A. Sanguinetti in several tango festivals and in various European cities. In the middle of 2002, the organization of the Tango Festival of Hamburg requests that she perform her first modern dance solo with a tango approach.   Professional dance experience 2001/2002: San Carlo Di Napoli Theatre (Napels-Italy). Mauricio Wainrot's assistant/repetiteur for "Streetcar named desire". 1999/2000: Contemporary Dance Company of the San Martín Theatre (Bs.As.- Argentina). Directed by Mauricio Wainrot. 1996/1998: Contemporary Ballet of the San Martín Theatre (Bs.As.-Argentina). Directed by Oscar Aráiz. 1996: Pocket Dance Company of Margarita Xirgu´s Theatre (Bs.As.-Argentina). Directed by Oscar Aráiz. 1994/1995: San Martín Theatre Youth Company (Bs.As.-Argentina). Directed by Norma Binaghi. 1992/1993: Julio Bocca - Patalano Productions (Bs.As.-Argentina). Gustavo Levit Productions (Bs.As.-Argentina).   Repertory works O.Araiz: Pecados Capitales" / "El Mar" / "Tango" / "Carnaval de los Animales" / "Cantares" / "Aquelarre" / "Noche de Ronda" / "Rapsodia" / "Escenas de Familia" / "Cantejondo" / " Pulcinella" / " Concierto de Ébano". M. Wainrot: "The Messiah" / "Looking Through Glass" / "Streetcar named desire" / "On@Off "/ "Tam-Bu-Le". A. M. Stekelman: "Catálogo" / "Formas" / "Numbers". Y. Ostrovsky: "Sombras Iluminadas" / "Cortázar´s Women" / "18/07/94". A. Cervera: "Secciones de Rutina" / "Alicia in Wonderland". V. Wellemkamp: "Tiempo Suspendido". S. Bennathan: "In and round Kozla street". Ginett Laurin: "En Dedans". M. Godden: "Minor Threat". R. North: "Death and the Maiden". N. Christy: "Purcell´s Pieces". J. Limón: "There is a Time". M. Baldwin: "Vespri". L. Roata: "Graffitis", G.Montes: "Tema y Variaciones". M. Bali: "Caras y Caretas". C. Jakobsen: "Spirituals" / "Querer". S. Balvé: "Las Posibilidades Sorprendentes". S. Fiorito: "Sintuación". L. Fernández: "Broadway II". S. Leis: "Versiones Danzadas". J. López: "Kuarahy".A. Itelman: "Suite de Percal". A. Itelman: "Suite de Percal".    Teaching experience 1996/2003: National Dance School (Arg) - "Maria Ruanova" Dance College (Arg) - Colón Theatre Dance Institute (Arg) - San Martín Theatre Contemporary Dance School (Arg) - San Martín Theatre Youth Company (Arg) - "Terpsicore" Dance Institute (Urug) - National Dance Academy (Parag.) - Contemporary Dance Company of the San Martín Theatre (Arg) - San Carlo di Napoli Ballet (Italy).   Education 1984 -2003 Ballet with: Estella Saladino, Mario Galizi, Ilse Withman, Daniel Escobar, Lidia Segni, Mabel Silvera, Silvia Bazilis, Cecilia Kerche, Hector Zaraspe, Carmen Rozestraten, Simon de Mombray, Ivan Kramar, Roland Price, Paul Estabrook, Aland Land, Tori Jestyn, Liliane Benevento, Norio Mamiya, Yannick Boquin, Ivan Kramar Contemporary with: Freddy Romero (Graham), Marina Giancaspro (Cunningham), Renate Schotelius (Wigman), Ana Maria Stekelman (Muller) Roberto Galvan, David Zambrano, Michael Jahoda, Kurt Koegel. Tango with: Gustavo Naveira, Fabian Salas, Mariano "Chicho" Frumboli, Mauricio Castro, Geraldín Rojas, Graciela Gonzáles, Claudia Miralles, Ezequiel Paludi. San Martín Theatre Contemporary Dance School (Degree in dance). Colon Theatre Ballet Institute. María Ruanova" Dance College" (National College Degree). Ballet: Gloria Kazda, Lidia Segni.   Other studies JOHAN BARRET - U.S.A.- Contemporary Dance CHRISTINE DALKIN - U.S.A.- Graham Technique DANIEL TRENNER - U.S.A.- Contact Improvisation MANFRED FISHBECK - U.K-Contemporary Dance   Works in Tango (as dancer and teacher) 2004/2001: Cuartito Azul , Rotterdam/Holland, Tangostudio, Alkmaar/Holland, Mantova/ Italy, Paros Island Tango Festival (Greece), Darmstadt Tango Weekend (Germany), Summer Tango Course (Hamburg-Germany), Hamburg Tango Festival (Germany), Barcelona Tango Festival (Spain), Porto Tango Festival (Portugal), "Gala Argentina" (Den Haag-Holland), Spiegel Tent (Den Haag-Holland), Workshop Tango Technique for Women (Amsterdam- Netherland), Workshop Tango Technique for Women (Hamburg-Germany), Workshop Tango Technique for Women and Men (Hamburg- Germany). 2000/1997: C.I.T.A Cosmotango (Bs. As- Argentina), Frankfurt Tango Weekend (Germany), Torino Tango Weekend (Italy), Often tango lessons in La Galeria de el Tango (Bs.As./Argentina), Tango Performances in very known Milongas of Buenos Aires (videos available).   Tango partners 2004: Mariano Frumboli / Germano Scaperrota 2002/2003: Jorge Fatauros / Alejandro Sanguinetti / Alberto Colombo 2001: Guillermo Filippi 2000: Ezequiel Paludi 2001-1997/1999: Mariano "Chicho" Frumboli.   Back to top	Claudia Jakobsen As a female teacher, Claudia Jakobsen's deepest interest is to communicate the basic and necessary information for the clearest and absolute comprehension in the search of each role, as well to help to find each student's personal and inner search for a unique style.    Mirella: You learned and worked with Fabián Salas, Chicho, Gustavo Naveira (the tango Trinity). Why these men, what do you like about their style, techniques, expression? Claudia: When I started with Fabian I did not have any idea about style or technique. I just went to his lessons only because I found everything clear and with a lot of sense. There I met Chicho and I we clicked. With the basis and a lot of knowledge and deep understanding, we went further exploring possibilities around this precise and clear method. As a group we had the feeling we could explore more, we discovered more details and definition about the way of teaching.   I like this style because it gives freedom to men and women. Women not only follow, their role is very important and active. For me it's the best combination between being lead with a big percentage of participation and expression. To express something, besides the movements, is real dancing! Fabian Salas, Gustavo Naveira www.cosmotango.com Chicho http://www.ar8.com.fr/bajotango/bajotango.html With Carla Marano you gave shape to a new teaching method of tango technique for women. What are the principles of this method, how does it work, what are the results? Carla Marano on video with Mauricio Castro www.torito.nl/tango/video/ It is common that all around the world, only women have the interest of going deep into the technique. Man are so busy with steps that they forget this possibility, which in general will bring them to a higher level of dancing and comfortable movements.   With Carla we wanted to create the possibility that women can fix problems or understand better how to react and move around the men when they lead, all in real action. That can only happen when men are there to lead them. In this way we created exercises where men have to lead the ladies. We tried to listen to them at the same time, so women try to apply and correct their way of walking or pivoting, being in balance and many things.   We also explored exercises and material that women and men can use to work with themselves, to help them discover their own body, its possibilities for movements, its limits, how to break them, basically, to feel and enjoy every small, subtle and important movement while they lead or follow.   The results are great. People find themselves dancing secure, decisive and understood. Their bodies became a new world.   Teaching a person to dance can be done by a method, but teaching somebody to dance Argentine tango demands something more. What is your idea about the essence of Argentine tango? What is important in your approach to teach your students this essence? Argentine tango is basically love and care. It is a dialog between two people. The man leads but he also cares about her understanding. She follows, giving the most beautiful answers. We give in Argentine tango a lot of power to the men who will take care of us, who will try to make us look the most beautiful woman around. And we, the women, will play this game letting them do it.   Tango is a strong social dance and game. To know a lot about its rules and codes and trying to play with them can be a very interesting point of learning and experiencing. I try to teach with the same passion I have for tango. I am honest and straight. I say what I feel and what I believe. I am Argentine. I can only teach Argentine tango in an Argentine way. The issues in your lessons are technique, sensitivity, personal style and communication. A dancer can study and copy elegant movements, but expression has to come from the personality of the performer. Do you try to inspire students to explore their personality, to express more? On of the most important points to get from the beginning is self confidence. To feel free. I never ask my students to be correct or whatever they think it is for me. I am the one who has to inform them and give them all the material they need. People use to dance in the way they are. If they are shy or funny they will have a big percentage of it in their dancing. If they are impatient or tensed persons, they will also dance with this.   But on the other hand, tango can also be for people a kind of therapy, what turns them in another person. You as a teacher or me have to be sensible, we should be able to discover this. To work with it or work against it, we must try this together with the students.   To be a performer in a professional way it has to do a lot with talent and nature. I do not say anything about technique because not every professional couple has this in the conventional way. But they are anyway so beautiful, how do you explain this?   Is it more beautiful to get feelings or see technique? Are both necessary ? I have my opinion but it doesn't mean it is the right one or the only one. Nowadays most of your time you teach European students, and of course Dutch students. Is there a difference between European and Argentine students in understanding the music, the interaction between leader and follower, the communication between dancers? Yes, there is a difference. This difference comes from culture. That is why I teach in the Argentine way with all the explanations people need to understand how our culture brings tango to that level and deepness in the interaction between men and women.   Talking about leaders and followers is something I don't do. This is an example of an Argentine way of thinking. I do not know if is good or not, this is me.   The biggest problem I find here in Europe it is not related with the music, it has to do much more with the connexion between men and women. It is a difficult point to talk about. I just can say in a simple way that I miss a lot to play or see the play with the difference of the roles in Argentine tango or the game between men and women that tango lives from. And what about the teacher? My opinion is that besides teaching skills a teacher should be an inspiring and social person too. After all tango is a social dance. But maybe you disagree with that. How do you stay inspired in everything you do in tango and how do you share your ideas with your students, colleagues? Of course I agree with you. I am a social person. That is true. I am easy going and I love humor which keeps me happy and it helps me a lot when I give my lessons. I'm also very honest and straight. With my students and colleagues I share my ideas but we do not think always the same. I just respect what the others think because I want them respecting me as well. That's it.   To be social in tango it is not only to be kind or nice in life. To become a social person in tango means to know about the basic rules which make the salons a beautiful place to dance for everybody. Your dancing is related to the others as well. You dance with your partner and with the rest of the couples who are enjoying the floor. You take care of your partner and the others. We create the atmosphere dancing all together respecting the rules which are just a few and very simple but VERY IMPORTANT. This is my first important point to teach before steps, sequences or movements.    What strikes me in your CV is your 'soloness'. Over seven years you had six dance partners, you don't stick with one dance partner, but you seem to explore the best of every colleague, partner, city. To me you don't seem to be afraid for new experiences, new approaches. Am I correct or is it just coincidence? I had so many partners just because I didn't take any serious compromise with any of them.   Chicho was the first one and maybe the strongest partner I had till today, we had a very strong relationship but I had my career as a modern dancer in Buenos Aires too and I made my choice. He knew it. The same with the other dancepartners, until I moved to Holland. I never looked for a fixed partner to work. But I meet people with beautiful new approaches and I enjoyed them as long as it worked. We liked to dance together at that moment and there were people who liked to watch us. I want to say that I never had problems with anyone about the dancing, they just knew I was not going for a 100%.   I enjoy to work with people like me. Full of fantasies, open mind, a bit crazy. I am an artist, besides teaching I love to dance, tango, modern or ballet. I only want to dance tango with someone who gives me 90% of good moments but if sometimes things do not go in this way I know that there is always something to learn, and that is what I did and I do. I never stop studying, for me, my students, colleagues and public.   I did not find again The Partner but I am not looking for him anyway. I know I will meet him somewhere someday. At this moment I love to dance with Germano Scaperrota from Italy who has this special thing, not possible to explain but óh, he has it. Click to see whole picture You have a modern dance background or education. This is a surplus value to learn new dances, also to learn tango. Did all you dance partners had a classical or modern dance background? Did you notice a difference between dance partners with and without such background/education? Only one of them had an strong classical background. I did not notice the difference cause I didn't compare them. They are so different and they dance also different and beautiful but if I have to be honest, I prefer not dancers at all. Ja!!!   My background helps me a lot for teaching because I have an strong body knowledge which allows me to see very well what the students need to learn or change or fix. I do not want to teach ballet while I teach tango, I do not mix, I prefer to take more examples from the modern dance side. You work(ed) with women (Carla Marano, Noel Strazza) and with men (your dance partners). Did you notice a difference between working in tango with men and women? What are your ideas about women in tango? Can you tell also more about working with Noel? I love to teach with men of course. I can only do it when we think in the same way. But if I do not believe what he says... úmmmm!!!!   With women, I just worked with Carla, a very good friend, we learned with the same teachers, enough reasons to be accord. Also with Jessica Bijvoet and now with Noel, same example.   My espectations of working with Noel are big. We know eachother for years. We are - with Carla - very, very good friends.   I am looking forward to give the workshops with Noel. The energy we have together is something very important that people will feel, besides the interesting and exiting information they will get. Jessica Bijvoet www.libertango.nl/Frames/Kontakt.htm In Hamburg you performed your first modern dance solo (with a tango approach). Can you tell something more about it? Alejandro Sanguinetti asked me to perform something with a tango approach on the last day of the Hamburg Festival 2002. I liked the idea very much and started to work as soon as I got the idea of this solo.  It is a very simple story about a woman who comes home after a tango salon. She is very tired and depressive, and between four columns (I created this solo in Universo tango where four columns in the floor gave me the idea) which represent four people, men or women, she recreates many situations she had that night.   This woman is sometimes a woman and sometimes also a man. The one who tried to seduce her just because she is pretty but not a good dancer; the one she likes but he is not interested; and also many other things happen.   This person has a mask which helps to this woman or man to be part of this exiting and not easy atmosphere that tango in Argentina use to be. The one you are ánd the one that others expect you to be. What music inspires you to dance and perform tango? I love some orchestras like D'Arienzo with the singer Echague, Calo with the singer Beron, Tanturi with Campos, and the music of Troilo, Pugliese, Tuba Tango, Di Sarli, Pedro Laurenz, Piazzolla, Canaro y su Quinteto Pirincho, Tangos de la Guardia Vieja, Color Tango, Los Cosos de al Lao, Sexteto Mayor, El Arranque, Biagi, Domingo Federico and many more. Find the works of all these musicians at http://todotango.com Do you like to dance tango on modern music like Gotan Project and Narcotango? What are your ideas about this music in salons? Yes, I like it but only when it is possible to dance in a modern way as well. This is the problem, it doesní't happen very often. For me, modern or new tango it is not rock and roll and it is only possible to find a modern vocabulary when you experienced the old one or the basis.   That is what my teachers who are now known as teachers of 'Tango Nuevo' did before ('Tango Nuevo', something new for me as well).   I have nothing against it when played in the salon. It needs only a special place into the night, as every music does. To create a nice atmosphere is part of the music too. To mix without logic does not build anything during the night. http://www.gotanproject.com/ http://www.carloslibedinsky.com/   What are your future goals, your ambitions in Holland, Europe, Buenos Aires? My ambition is to live from my work. To teach and to dance. To put my sand stone in tango. To help as much as I can to elevate the level of tango in Holland and of course in Europe too, or wherever I can teach or dance.   Are you happy with the tango life in The Netherlands or are you 'tango homesick'? Yes I am Happy. If we talk about tango, there is no place in the world you can compare with Buenos Aires. There will never be a better place than my city. Tango is Buenos Aires or Buenos Aires is Tango, but it is possible to build everywhere a nice tango scene.   I am sometimes tango homesick, that's why I go to Buenos Aires in August. It is part of my life to go there, to get the energy that tango in Buenos Aires has and to bring it with me here for my lessons and my dancing. Tango in Buenos Aires www.torito.nl/tango/south_america/argentina.html Interview by Mirella Colauto Utrecht, the Netherlands Back to top   Extra info About the workshops Photo Rob Nuijten, Amsterdam - Course on tango corporal technique for men and women. - Tango (All levels: begginers, intermediates, advanced and professionals). - Coreography Courses (spaces, disigns, scenic weight) - Coreography - Coaching Her teaching technique is based in the principals and fundaments of the structure and methodology learned with her teachers and partners, Fabian Salas, Mariano Frumboli y Gustavo Naveira. As a female teacher, Claudia Jakobsen's deepest interest is to communicate the basic and necessary information for the clearest and absolute comprehension in the search of each rol, as well to help to find each student's personal and inner search for a unique style. Her qualities and goals when teaching are a technique conjuction, sensitivity, personal style and communication.   Technique (theory and practice) Men and Women (individually). Concientization of the body and its parts (centers, extremities) : - Axis - Posture - Coordination (torso, hips, legs, head) - Torsion - Disociation - Pivot - Weight shifts - Walk and its forms   Couple's elements - Crossed and parallel relation - Code - Triangulation - Embrace (open, closed) - Giros - Oposition (bodies and weight) - Change of directions and alterations - Ganchos (men and women) - Entradas y Sacadas (men and women) - Voleos (circulars and in line by contramovement and forward) - Saltos - Colgadas Secuences Combine the elements in diferent ways (order, quality, dinamic, space, dimension, embrace, direction, time, velocity) . Musicality - Analisis and comprehension of rithm and melody. - Musical comprehension between the man and the woman (action and reaction, proposal and response). - Exercices and rithmic and melodic workouts on secuences and/or simple elements.