July's 13th - 2011 - Tango concert/dance by the Tango band "Cuidado" - at the Fairmont Hotel - downtown Pittsburgh, Pa

     The lobby of downtown Pittsburgh's premier hotel Fairmont - resembled a fine cafe evening in Buenos Aires - as the numerous Pittsburgh's Tango dancers took to the magnificent, marble looking floors of the lobby.
    The Pittsburgh's Tango band - "Cuidado" has some fine musicians and their classic Tango tunes evolved into a more professional sounding mode since January of this year.
    Julia Zukov - the main viola player of the band is also a well-known Argentine Tango teacher.  Her partner - Koichiro Suzuki or Chewy - for short is also an Argentine Tango teacher in addition to being a main tuba player and a director of the band.
   They demonstrated an Argentine Tango - Vals - similar to a regular Waltz.  Their dance moves appear effortless, smooth, coordinated and polished.
   Overall - the classic Piazzola tunes sounded flawlessly with a lot of maturity.  "The Kiss of Fire" - on the other hand - Angel Villoldo's immortal classic - left some to be desired.  The band needs to work on it some more.  Also - a couple of pieces the band played - were entirely too long - close to ten minutes per piece.
   In a nutshell - however - the band milongas - among them - the immortal classic - "Betty La Fea" - sounded lively with the beat kept well for the dancers.
   On July 24 - 2011 - Sat. 8:30 pm - the band will play at Wightman Community Center - Squirrel Hill which has a magnificent dance floor and good acoustics.
   See you there!

   Copyright@L. Hadley and Associates 2024

Brian Lee - a "hidden" Pittsburgh gem - a versatile dance teacher and a DJ - gives extraodinarily easy and useful dance lesson followed by the social dance!!!

     Updated  on March 18 - 2021
       
           Attention all the Tango Maniacs - Brian Lee - shows some super fun and easy Tango steps - usually during the first Thursday of the month - for example - last night - on Thurs. July 7 - 2011 - Brian showed several Tango steps like the Tango rocks, the Tango Corte (hesitation), the Opening to the Promenade - all of those steps are fairly easy but they look attractive.    
       The Thursday - June 23 - 2011 - ballroom session at Wightman School - Squirrel Hill - was super good. Brian taught five excellent, universal Foxtrot - steps - which could - also be used in a Tango.

             Pittsburgh has some good Ballroom dance events which include a number of good dance instructions that are easy and relatively inexpensive.
      If you live near Pittsburgh's - Squirrel Hill -  - once per month  - on Thursdays - Wightman Community Center in Squirrel Hill - Pittsburgh, 15217 - offers a dynamite Ballroom Dance. All this for only - about - ten dollars. Check their schedule before you make the trip.
   
     Moment from the past - During the second week of April - 2011 - Brian taught some good moves for Swing - followed by the "oldies" general dancing.  As a DJ - he has a good sound system and fabulous selection of music - while the dance floor at Wightman is big and terrific.
    You need to check out the ballroom dances events at Wightman Community Center - if you like good dance instructions and good sounding - music.  The people who come there are - generally - friendly - at times - some superb dancers from whom you can learn - will show you some extra dance moves.
     Don't forget that "life is a dance of sorts - so the better you dance on the dance floor - the better you live your life."

Copyright@L.Hadley - 2026

Friday night - Jan. 28 - 2011 - Argentine Tango Heats up - a Winter night in Pittsburgh!!!

     All the lovers of Argentine Tango - take notice immediately:  A multi-talented, energetic and good looking dancer, musician, Argentine Tango Teacher - named Koichiro Suzuki or Chewy - to his numerous students and friends - in addition to teaching a lot of good Argentine Tango classes - also leads a super fun, fun, fun Argentine Tango band called Cuidado.
     On Fri. January 29-2011 - at the very heart of Pittsburgh's downtown Cultural District - Chewy and his equally talented dance partner - Julia - demonstrated a lot of polished and intriguing Argentine Tango moves while the Cuidado band performed tons of awesome Tango classics like "La Cumparsita" as well as some Astor Piazzolla Tango masterpieces like "Onda Nueva".
    The event happened on the fourth floor of a new loft structure - downtown Pittsburgh, Pa. and each floor presented a different cultural event.  During the same evening the second floor had a rap performance with a demonstration of some sort - so several youthful rap afficionados came upstairs to try their hands or feet at Argentine Tango which they preferred for that evening.
    Some people who accidentally walked in - to examine the art pieces on the fourth floor of that loft - immediatley got drown into the Argentine Tango sounds and couldn't take their eyes off the star dancers/teachers - Chewy and Julia.
    Long story short - the band sounded good, Chewy and his partner - danced Argentine Tango very well and announced the places where they teach - beginning, intermediate and advanced classes.  Overall - it was a fun evening, but we would like to make a small suggestion re: the distribution of the informational flyers - which appeared well designed but not widely distributed.  The promotional materials need to be on the seats so when the public sits - they quickly put those in their pockets.  That's how we do effective publicity campaigns in Chicago and in New York City.

                             Copyright@L.Hadley and Associates 2025

Miguel Sague - "Cha" - the third - the only son of "my" Miguel Sague continues his dad's fine Latin music tradition in Pittsburgh, Pa

           I was totally "blown away" when I heard Miguel Sague's only son - "Cha" - Miguel Sague, Jr. - on the Congo drums and doing the vocals during the recital at the Main Branch of the Carnegie Library - designed like a huge mansion - by the Carnegie Museum in Oakland at the Pitt (University of Pittsburgh) campus last Sun. Dec. 26 - 2010.  He sounds really good - like his - famous in Pittsburgh, Pa - dad - Miguel Sague, Sr. The New "Guaracha" Latin band the name of the band "Guaracha("Cuban Dance") - loosely translated from Cuban Spanish the name of this Latin band - has a steady gig at the Shadow Lounge - Baum Blvd - Pittsburgh, Pa - starting the second Wednsday in January 2011.  Bring a can of food for the Pittsburgh Food Bank to get a discount on the "gate" fee.
        Show up - for sure - "Cha" will teach a Salsa lesson -  and he is truly fabulous Salsa dancer - I dance a good Salsa with him - ever since he was - literally - a baby - always a good dancer. Mark Custer - a fine trumpet player - continues with "Cha" just like he did with his famous in Pittsburgh, Pa - father. The first song performed - a charming Cuban ballad - showcased "Cha's" smooth voice - as he beats his conga with super energy and talent. We need to mention two other musicians in new "Guaracha's" band - under "Cha's" leadership.  Base guitar handled efficiently by Justin Brown - has a smooth sound - however - the regular guitar sounds splendid - as Carlito Pena - the Colombian musician - handles it with mastery.  "Cha" performs some popular hits from major South American Countries and Cuba.
         I especially enjoyed a ballad "Llorona" - a Mexican masterpiece - performed sensitively and with much control by a relatively young - "Cha".  It was a star musical piece in a famous movie about Frieda Kahlo - a famous Mexican painter - whose gruesome works relate to her turbulent life with a well known Mexican painter/muralist - Diego Rivera.  A Mexican American movie star - Selma Hayek - was totally brilliant/gorgeous as a main character as well as a producer of the excellent movie about Frieda Kalho's life - called "Frieda".

                          Copyright@L.Hadley and Associates 2024

Ravinia Park is glorious towards the end of the summer.

        It needs to be noted that the next Thursday Aug. 19 - 2013 - Ravinia Park will present a super "two fer". At 5:30 pm there will be a Chopin Recital performed by the National Chopin Competition Winner - then at 7:30 - the Jazz Virtuoso Artists will dazzle the audience with a Jazz concert. The performers will be real giants of the American Jazz Scene - Lee Ritenour, George Benson and Dave Grusin.

       The smell of the grass and the lush plants of Ravinia Park has always reminded me of a lot of carefree summers in Chicago. The sound system has always been superb and in the event of the rain - there are areas to hide - especially if you bring your umbrella.

        I alwys prefer to go to Ravinia during the week. For me - it's a real pleasure - not to fight the crowds and not to smile a fake grin at the screaming children heavily attending the early shows during the weekend concerts. I have nothing against little kids listening to music but some parents sport a mistaken notion that their screaming kids sound like the finest opera to the strangers who are also entitled to enjoy some outdoors concerts in the summer.

        At any rate - the Ravinia concerts organizers have something for everybody this season - which has only about five weeks left.

        When you come out - unless you "got money to burn" in those hard economic times - do bring some food and drinks with you since the Ravinia's food and beverages venues - are very pricey - and not that extraordinarily great tasting.

                                       Copyright@L. Hadley and Associates 2026

We have a real jewel for Russian speaking Chicagolanders over fifty years young!

            The Russian Center located 909 Wilson Ave - Chicago, IL. 60626 - a few blocks east of Truman College - phone 773-467-3857 - every Tuesday from 1:30 pm till 4 pm - hosts some fun cultural presentations for older or younger Russians or anybody who likes cultural pieces. If they notice non-Russian speakers - the organizers translate the main gist of the events presented.
       Last Tues. July 27-2010 - I was entertained - big time - which means I cried and laughed during a multi-media presentation done by an 80 plus years young - multi talented Russian poet, prosaic, vocalist, composer and musician plus an accomplished master of ceremonies - Mr. Mikhail Kleiner. I intended to stay briefly but the presentation "sucked me in" and didn't let me leave until the very end. I need to mention - though - that even though the show was top notch - two and a half hours should be condensed to ninety minutes - even though it would be a tad longer than a customary one-hour presentation - but ninety minutes with an intermission could be managed since the material was worthy an extra time.
      The multi-media presentation consisted of videotaped part showing the concert in Minsk, Belarus - which could be shortened quite a bit. The first part of the presentation was well presented and magnificently done - with the first number - a fabulous Tango - "I wait and wait for you" with the vocals by Fira Rechman - a veteran performer who knows exactly how to deliver lyrics and music in a professional manner - which means using dramatic devices of her voice and speech to make a listener - cry or laugh. Then followed a vocal demonstration of a few more spiritual songs - based on an Old Testament Psalms done by a fine older singer Mr. Michail Garlovecki who also knows how to be a presence on a stage - since the material he presented - could be tedious.        
     The comment should be made that both singers were superbly accompanied by a masterful piano work by Ms. Olga Bashkena - an accomplish pianist and an instrumental arranger - who certainly knows how to use her instrument - as to not upstage the vocals - but showcase her piano skills - as well. The beauty of Mr. Kleiner's compositions - shines through..
        The second part of the presentation (a videotaped Minsk - Belarus - concert) was a tad long and could be condensed.  It was a performance - presented and skillfully led by Mr. Kleiner which took place in 1990 in Minsk - Belarus - before most of the creative Belarus Jews - massively - left Belarus. Mr. Kleiner sang, played the electric guitar, delivered his poetry and did a good job - as a master of ceremonies.
        If you speak Russian and are interested in rich and fabulous Russian culture - by all means - check out the Russian Center - Tuesdays - 1:30 pm. Their phone again -773-467-3857.
    
                                           Copyright@L.Hadley and Associates - 2025