Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Oct 28: Oscar Casas & Ana Miguel!

This week at Lounge:


(1) Class 8.30pm and midnight performance with Oscar Casas and Ana Miguel, renowned milonguero masters from Buenos Aires!

(2) HALLOWEEN SPECIAL: wear a scary or funny or smart or interesting Halloween-themed accessory (or even full costume); Lounge will be treating the best Halloween looks with a glass of red wine (or a soda). For example: jack-o-lantern jewellery, halloween necktie, outrageous tights, interesting hat etc. You get the picture!


Tango Lounge offers 3 lessons at 8.30pm, one for each level, so you can learn at your own level with other people of your level, and the price is right too (it's included free with admission)!
* Upper level with our guest artists of the week
* Intermediate with Jennifer Wesnousky
* Beginners with Paul Pellicoro

DJ Tine

More about our stars:


Oscar was born in Parque Patricios (a well-known tango barrio in Buenos Aires). His parents were avid tango dancers, and, in the 1950's and '60's, they organized three different milongas per week, which regularly drew in 400-500 dancers. Oscar was very much influenced by his father, both by osmosis and discussion. He absorbed the code (codigo) of the milongueros, and when he eventually decided to take up the dance seriously, he already had a background and base that was the envy of many. 
Oscar has a distinct style both in his dance and his teaching. He is very milonguero, and is many respected by the old guard in the milongas of BA. He is also extremely popular with his students, who are impressed by his teaching style. He teaches with energy and humor, emphasizing concepts, specializing in improvisation always interpreting the music and respecting the character of the different orchestras. He is especially interested in the dynamics and cadencia of the dance. Everything he teaches is applicable to crowded milongas.
Oscar's unique approach to teaching and his charismatic personality have impressed and delighted his students everywhere. He puts his heart and soul into his classes, and his students respond in kind. 

Ana Miguel started her Argentine Tango training in the dance school of Moron Jose Neglia.  She started teaching with the famous Argentine tango instructor and performer, Pocho Pizarro. From 2005 to 2008, Ana Miguel performed in the show “Bacanazo” which was held in the Empire Theatre and the Roman Theatre in BA and she also performed as part of the show at Esquina Carlos Cardel from 2006 to 2010 in BA.  Moreover, Ana Miguel has taught tango at various tango festivals and was also a tango teacher at ACETA (Academia de Estilos de Tango Argentino – Academy of Argentine Tango Styles) from 2006 to 2010.


To view some videos of Oscar Casas' and Ana Miguel's  exhibitions and classes at http://www.youtube.com/user/twototango2

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Oct 21: Helen la Vikinga, Leonardo Sardella & Walter Perez


Join Helen la Vikinga and Leonardo Sardella this week at Lounge for an interesting and entertaining lesson! 8.30pm in studio B.
Topic: TBA. Upper Level

SPECIAL THIS WEEK: 2-for-1 admission before 9.45! Bring a friend for free or share the savings!


Tango Lounge offers 3 lessons at 8.30pm, one for each level, so you can learn at your own level with other people of your level, and the price is right too (it's included free with admission)!
* Upper level with our guest artists of the week
* Intermediate with Jennifer Wesnousky
* Beginners with Paul Pellicoro

Midnight performance with Helen, Leo and Walter.


DJ Tine



More about our stars:

Helen La Vikinga
is originally from Iceland but has been living abroad for 20 years: about 15 years in Sweden, 1 year in Chile, and now Argentina since 2005. 
Helen loves the Argentine Tango! Not only the dance, but the music, the poetry, the teaching, the exhibitions.... She has taught tango, milonga and chacarera since 2000 with dancers such as German Gentile, Victor Hugo Diaz, Miguel Romero, Omar Vega and many others. Helen teaches and performs at festivals and events all over the world, including New York City, Chicago, Hamburg, Copenhagen, and Buenos Aires. Her work has also branched into an audio visual projects, poetry, musicals and a television production. Helen organizes milongas that feature live music and dance performances, and trips for tango lovers to Argentina. She has also created a line of elegant dance shoes called "La Vikinga Shoes and Sneakers."

Leonardo Sardella
from Buenos Aires has trained in various dance styles, including jazz, ballet, Argentine Folklore traditional dance, Latin and Arabic Dances, and Argentine Tango. He has trained at various schools such as the University of Tango, the Argentine School of Tango and DNI Tango, where his master teachers included: Javier Rodriguez, Carlos Copello, Jorge Firpo, Maria y Carlos Rivarola, Cristina Cortes, Nicolas Cobos-Paola Jean Jean, Dana Frigoli-Pablo Villarraza, Mora Godoy, Junior Cervila, Fabian Peralta, Sabrina y Ruben Veliz, Juan Balois Pardo, Miguel Angel Coria.

He has performed in many dance productions as a principal dancer or guest artist, has taught tango master classes at the renowned schools Argentinean Academies Escuela Argentina de Tango and Escuela Nacional de Arte Leopoldo Marechal, and is an acclaimed singer-songwriter. Leonardo is currently a choreographer and featured dancer in "Cacho Castagna."

Walter Perez
began dancing Tango in his hometown, Buenos Aires, 1993.  What began as a kind of therapy soon became a seductive way of life.  Since then, he has dedicated his career to studying Argentine Tango and the broad spectrum of Latin dances.  Walter has trained in various styles and techniques with renowned Tango instructors such as Juan Carlos Copes, Graciela Gonzalez and Rodolfo Dinzel.  He also trained in salsa casino, merengue, cumbia and bachata with caribean teachers. He started salsa break on 2, in Argentina in 1998 with  Jimmy Anton.
Integrating dance techniques used in Ballet, Jazz, Modern Dance, and Acting, a unique fusion of style and skill has blossomed. 
Walter has performed with several dance companies, arts centers, and theaters.  He has additionally participated in several Television variety shows and special events.  Walter’s credits include working as the choreographer and choreographer’s assistant for several companies and shows. In 2000,he moved to NY to continue his training and dedicated full time as a professional dancer. A year later, he started to learn West Coast Swing, participating in several venues around USA, taking workshops with the best teachers like: Mary Ann Munez, Robert Royston and Mario Robau.
He was featured as principal in a national commercial for Coldwell Banker.
His latest accomplishment is as a featured dancer in the Romartis Production of “ Tango first century” directed by Romulo Larrea ; touring around Quebec , Canada; different theatres in California and ending in NYC at the Town Hall theatre on June 5, 2009.  


Thursday, October 13, 2011

Oct 14: Homer & Cristina Ladas

Finally in NYC! Homer & Cristina Ladas (San Francisco) will teach and perform!



8.30pm classes included with admission:
  • upper level with guest teachers Homer & Cristina
  • intermediate with Jennifer Wesnousky
  • beginners with Paul Pellicoro
Performance about midnight


DJ Tine


More about Homer and Cristina Ladas
Homer and Cristina started their tango obsession long before they met each other.   Each with over 11 years of experience emphasizing a fusion of social tango ideologies...   As teachers they are committed to creating a positive class environment where small epiphanies can & do occur in their students. 
Homer & Cristina prefer to not use the term 'nuevo' in their approach to tango or in their class titles.   Instead, they like to dance & teach a variety of connected, musical, dynamic, interesting, creative, liberating, etc, ideas/technique/movement.   They both work towards the fusion of all tango concepts via the 'one tango' philosophy in an attempt to reduce barriers that may inhibit themselves or other folks from really finding their own dance... 
It has been said, on more than one occasion, that few dancing couples improvise with such skill, personality, and fluidity of movement.   Married since May 2002 they continue to explore deeper facets of their relationship to each other and to tango.


The incomparable Homer and Cristina will teach weekend workshops, and perform at Nocturne (Sat 15th) and Tango Lounge (Fri 14th).


Weekend Workshops Theme: 
"The Body-Spiral and Body-Axis with Homer & Cristina"
workshop locations: Ripley Grier on 8th Av (Sat 520 8th Av; Sunday 939 8th Av)


SAT 2.30pm: The Overturned Gancho/Sacada Experience Made Easy (Intermediate "Foundation" Class)
SAT 4.30pm: The Overturned Gancho/Sacada Odyssey (Advanced "Exploration" Class)
SUN 2.30pm: Building One Social Dance Step-Over Colgada (Intermediate "Foundation" Class)
SUN 4.30pm: Exploring Stylistic and Functional Use of Colgadas (Advanced "Exploration" Class)


Online pre-registration: www.newyorktangoclub.com/register.html


STUDENT DISCOUNT: 25% OFF at the door, or if prepaying for 3 workshops, choose a 4th workshop free.


Please RSVP even if you plan to pay at the door, using the same registration form; this is especially important if you sign up without a partner, because we will do our best to gender balance the workshops.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Oct 7: free wine early + Cesar Velasquez & Jenny Nolan

SPECIAL PROMO Oct 7: Free glass of wine (or beer or soda) with admission BEFORE 10.30!


Tonight, a special class and performance by Cesar Velasquez and Jenny Nolan from Argentina/UK!


8.30pm classes included with admission:
upper level with guest teachers Cesar and Jenny
intermediate with Jennifer Wesnousky
beginners with Paul Pellicoro


midnight performance Jenny and Cesar


DJ Tine


more about our stars:


Cesar Velasquez started  learning tango in 1992 and he  has been teaching  tango for 12 years. He has been teaching and performing tango with his partner Carolina Gonzalez around  the UK for  the last  ten years and they are regularly invited to teach and perform in Grece, Germany, UK, Switzerland, Holand, USA, France, Kenya and Sudan. They  have organised and directed  London International Tango Festivals  Tango Extravaganza UK  since 2007 and Tango Apasionado 2010. Additionally, Cesar has worked extensively as a dancer and choreographer in acclaied theater productions in the UK and Latin Aerica, as well as for the BBC. Some of Cesar's teachers in Argentina  include Tango stars as Gustavo Naveira, Roberto Herrera, Raul Bravo and Mingo Pugliese, Natalia & Gabriel Angio, amongst  others. 


Jenny Nolan (Sayer) has been dancing since she was 4 years old. In 2004 she swapped her pointe shoes for tango shoes and began her tango journey. She has made frequent trips to Buenos Aires to train with Chicho and Juana, Sebastian Arce, Gustavo Naveira and Eugenia Parilla.
She has given regular workshops and performances across the UK, Europe and Buenos Aires including performances with Tanghetto and The Tiger Lillies. In 2005, she received her masters, with honors, from the Performance Studies program at CSSD in London.
Jenny then received funding from Chisenhale Dance Space to create a piece that fused tango with performance art. She performed this work across the UK, as well as in Montenegro and Belgrade.In 2008 she choreographed and performed a Tango for the BBC which advertised the Film 4 Argentinean Film festival.