Puerto Vallarta TangoCoatl Seminar 2009

Wednesday 28

5:30 La Cuiza Mexican buffet (optional, see below for menu)****

7:00 Welcome meeting at La Cuiza

7:30-9:00 Paulo - Figuras milongueras (All)

9:00-11:00 Milonga at La Cuiza

Thursday 29

11:00-12:30 Paulo -The energy of walking (Int) (Rosita)

1- 2:30 Blas - Styles in different Orchestras (Casa Alexandra)

2:45-4:15 Manuel- Intro to Sculpting  (Casa Alexandra)

8:00-9:30 Cecilia- Combined half turns (Int-adv) (J&B Nightclub)

(10 minute cab ride)

9:30-11:30 Milonga at J&B nightclub

Friday 30

11:00-12:30 Cecilia- Exercises to develop connection and  

improvisation (All) (Rosita)

1-3 Manuel Intro to sculpting  (Casa Alexandra)

8:00-9:30 Paulo - Flowing on the line of dance (All)(La Casa del Garvey)

9:30-midnight Milonga at La Casa del Garvey

(12:30 Latin late night at J&B)

Saturday 31

12-1:30 Blas Musicality and Phrasing (Rosita)

1:45-3:15 Paulo - Milonga (Int./Adv) (Rosita)

7:00-8:30 Cecilia- Paradas, pasadas y barridas (Int) (Rosita)

8:30-11 Day of the Dead Costume Milonga at Rosita w/music & show

Sunday 1

12:00-1:30 Cecilia - Flying Legs, all types of voleos and ganchos (Adv)(Rosita)

1:45-3:15 Blas - Musicality and Rhythm (Rosita)

         

Sunday 1 (cont)

Puerto Vallarta Outdoor Dancing on Malecon near Los Arcos: 

6-7pm: Town band plays

7-9 DJ playing Mexican, danzon, tropical and a few tangos

9:30-midnight Milonga at Garvey's

Monday 2

11:00-12:30 Paulo - Connection through the embrace (Int)(Rosita)

12:45-2:15 Cecilia – Changes of direction (Int.-Adv.) (Rosita)

2:30-4 Manuel-  Intro to Sculpting (Casa Alexandra)

7:00 Farewell Dinner at La Playita Restaurant: (cab ride)***

(Optional event-each person will be responsible for their own bill.

A 20 % discount off dinner bill will be given to all group participants)

La Playita Restaurant:

On the Ocean, 3 minutes ride below Villa La Casita. Kirstie has a Suburban that can take 8 people at a time up the hill to Villa La Casita, plus there are many taxis at the restaurant. The area of Villa La Casita and La Playita Restaurant  is in Conchas Chinas, just south of town.  It will be about 6 - 8 US dollar taxi from Hotel Rosita (can be split between 3 people) to La Playita restaurant.

9:30-midnight Milonga at Villa La Casita

Tuesday 3

11:00-12:30 Cecilia - Fresh Combinations (Int-Adv) (Rosita)

12:45-2:15 Paulo- Musicality and Phrasing(all levels)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

***Group Dining:

La Cuiza Mexican Buffet:

Special price:  80 pesos (around $6.50 US with tip included)

Salsa mexicana, guacomole, totopos, taquitos dorado chicken, quesadilla natural (cheese), small chillies rellenos, rice and beans, steamed veggies 

Beers: 20 pesos ($1.60 US) / Cocktails: 35 pesos ($2.80 US)

La Playita Restaurant /Lindo Mar Resort

http://www.lindomarresort.com/resortinfo/restaurant.asp  

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Venues: Address & Contact Info:

Hotel La Rosita

Paseo Diaz Ordaz #901

Puerto Vallarta,Jalisco

Toll free number from US: 1-877-813-6712

From Mexico: 01 (322)233 2000 or 222 1033

La Cuiza

Isla Rio Cuale 3, local #3

15 minute walk down Malecon from Rosita, until you reach the Rio Cuale

Casa Alexandra

Manuel Palos

Calle Brasil 1039 (Brasil/Argentina)

PV, Jalisco, MX

415-839-6749 (US Vonage #)

222-5853 (Local Mexico number)

La Casa del Garvey --Al and Barbara Garvey

Calle Pipila 363/ above the corner with Miramar

Local number: 222-8895

Vonage number from SF: 415-513-4497

J&B Nightclub

Blvd. Francisco M. Ascencio, 2043, Zona Hotelera, Puerto Vallarta

Phone: 322/224-4616

*No more than a 10 minute cab ride from Rosita, if taxi prices don’t go up from Sept. it shouldn’t cost more than 40 pesos

La Playita Restaurant /Lindo Mar Resort

Lindo Mar Resort K 2.5 Carretera a Barra de Navidad 48399

Puerto Vallarta/Jalisco

Front desk: 011-52-322-22-15511

http://www.lindomarresort.com/resortinfo/restaurant.asp  

Villa La Casita -Kirstie Kaiser

www.villalacasitavallarta.com

Villa La Casita are located in LAS TERRAZAS

Paseo de las Conchas Chinas NO. 115

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Airport Transportation tips to downtown PV:

The best way to get into town from the airport is, when arriving in the terminal after going through customs, go straight ahead to a kiosk that says Taxis) and buy a ticket. There are at least 2 sizes of taxis, regular and mini-van, so that depends on how many people and how much luggage. If you go directly to a taxi-driver or taxi-shill you will possibly get cheated. Very much like in Bs As. Taxis from the airport are expensive but unavoidable. The only other way is to lug your stuff across a bridge to the other side of the highway where regular town taxis are waiting, who may or may not give you a good price. I don't know what the going rate is right now, it changes often, but the price from the Taxi booth will be correct.

Another hint, when leaving customs do not talk, respond or preferably even look at the folks who are trying to get your attention about hotels, taxis, etc. They are Time-Share salesmen and can be very charming and plausible, but much to be avoided. If one is interested in buying a time-share there are better ways to do it.  Some of our best friends are time-share salesmen, plus we know a lot of people who love their time-shares so I am not maligning the industry, just trying to get you out of the airport!!

Banking/ATM:

Here’s some information about changing money conveniently in Puerto Vallarta. There is a money exchange just up the street from the Rosita, on Calle Jesus Langarica. That is also probably the closest to La Casa del Alexandra, about 4 or 5 blocks .

 The closest bank is Banorte on the Malecon, corner of Josefa Ortiz de Domingues (4 blocks south of the hotel). They probably don't change money inside the bank (few do these days) but there is an ATM.  In general we only like to use ATMs associated with banks, as opposed to those in stores or free-stanging. There is another money exchange place called Intercam that many residents use, but their hours are limited to 9am-2 pm. The address is Morelos 667; it's a couple blocks further than Banorte and one street over. We have been using ATMs practically exclusively, but for small amounts it gets expensive. You can take out up to 5,000 pesos at a time (or per day), and that's what we do. It ends up  a little over 2 % from Bank of America.

Credit cards are good many places. All except Capital One charge a percentage for foreign money, about 3 %, but for small amounts that is cheaper than nickel and diming at the ATM. Many businesses will take dollars, but the exchange rate is usually not good.

Private Lessons:

Cecilia and Paulo will be available for private classes at Casa Alexandra for $100 US/hour.  Please talk to them directly to arrange a time.

Additional Tips:

We recommend that you drink bottled water.  Also, it is best to avoid food from the street.  The locals can as they have built up the immunity and resistance to potential pathogens that may be in the food.  Bring some earplugs also, downtown PV can be loud at night, especially on weekends.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------