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BARRA DE POSOTI, GUERRERO
TANGO –
SUNNY MEXICAN
RIVIERA STYLE
This adventure began in the fall of 2008, October to be exact. I had planned to live in Barra de Potosi, a very pleasant sleepy Mexican fishing village about an hour south of Zihuatanejo, for about three months. I figured that would give me enough time to get familiar with my new surroundings.
Doug Jenkins, performing with Chaela
at Universad de Casa Grande, Guerrero
I worked with two groups between ages 6 to 11 and 12 to 23. I offered tango lessons every Wednesday afternoon with some salsa steps thrown in between classes to help ease the transition (smile). Barra allowed me the opportunity to “settle” into Mexico…nice and slow.
I moved to Zihuatanejo the beginning of the New Year and began to look for a place
to practice tango. I found a gym with a beautiful dance floor just down the street
from my new home. Although skeptical about offering tango classes, the owner convinced
me that
the community would take to tango if I only gave it chance. So he and I
quickly agreed to a tango class schedule, and much to my surprise several people
showed up. What is more surprising is that they are still coming!
Evidence of tango in Barra/Zihua is seem by photos shown here of my performance with
Chaela for my kids and students at the University of Casa Grande, Guerrero, and also
at El Refugio de Potosi, which is about four miles from where I lived and worked
with kids in Barra. And then there are a few shots of Chaela and me fun’n on my rooftop!
Barra was attractive to me for several reasons; the friendly people and their wonderful culture, the Pacific Ocean, and of course the magnificent beaches. Also, Barra provided a refuge away from the cities of nearby Zihuatanjeo and Ixtapa. I was learning and experiencing a new culture while teaching Argentine Tango to twenty-one wonderful children.
Doug Jenkins & Chaela “just fun’n”
on the rooftop at his Barra home.
My experience in the sunny Mexican Riviera – between having a blast in Barra with the kids and teaching tango to adults in Zihua – proves life is good!
The only problem with all this fun stuff is that neither kids nor adults had proper tango shoes in which to practice or dance. So on my last trip home, I let everyone know their beat up old tango shoes would be greatly appreciated down yonder and would definitely benefit a new tango happening in Zihuatanejo, Mexico.
Pam from the Office of Financial Management in Washington was instrumental in gathering many shoes for our new students, among other wonderful folks in my vast tango network.
Now my students, such as Rocio, Betty and Leigh, proudly wear their tango shoes…but there’s still need for more! Meanwhile, I continue to share tango amidst a backdrop of unspoiled beauty in this authentic fishing village community, bathed in nature’s sunniest simplicity.
DANCE INSTRUCTOR
DOUG JENKINS:
SOUTH OF THE U.S. BORDER
