Fri May 20: Luiza Paes & Julio Bassan

Julio and Luiza will teach the 8.30 upper level class (included with admission)!

There are simultaneous classes for beginners (Paul) and intermediate (Jennifer), also included with admission.

Midnight performance with Julio and Luiza.

DJ Tine

More about our stars:

LUIZA PAES:

Luiza Paes, Brazilian-born, music student since age six, worked in musical education and vocal technique for many years. Her very first tango experience was in 1997 in Portland, Oregon where she took a group class with Clay Nelson and was immediately struck by the music and fascinated by the idea of the connection in the couple. Back in Brazil, Luiza met Norberto "Pulpo" Esbrez who became her teacher and then partner for nearly 10 years. Luiza and "Pulpo" traveled the world teaching and performing: Russia, Japan, Netherlands, France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Greece, Spain, Denmark, United States, Canada, Mexico, Uruguay, and Brazil. They taught at numerous tango festivals including CITA in Buenos Aires, Portland, Las Vegas, Boston, Amsterdam, Tango del Norte in Denmark

Luiza is a fun, caring and articulate instructor and teaches technique emphasizing the leader's and follower's roles, improvisation and the ability of adapting. She is very successful in generating a relaxed and humorous environment for the students to enjoy and take the most out of their learning process. Since February 2008 she started teaching and traveling on her own and with different partners (Tango Masquerade, Tango de los Muertos, Portland TangoFest, Houston Tango Festival).Her focus has been teaching musicality along with a technique that opens up possibilities for creativity in the dance.

JULIO BASSAN:

Julio is of the new breed of tanguero from Buenos Aires. An extraordinary, in-demand stage performer, known for his elegant, sultry moves and smoldering theatricality, he is an excellent and caring teacher of creative, social dancing, emphasizing connection, musicality, embrace and rhythmic improvisation. He adapts guardia vieja (old guard) moves to 21st Century dance floors with originality, sensitivity and humor. Julio is also a trained actor, having obtained a degree in theater from the University National Institute of Arts.

As a tango dancer he has studied with such notable teachers as Ricardo Barrios, Carlos Rivarola, Claudia Bozzo, and Mingo Pugliese, among others. He teaches regularly and hosts his own milonga "Gardel of Medellín" in the famous tango neighborhood of Parque Patricios, which has become one of the most popular milongas in Buenos Aires. His elegance, musicality, and dramatic sensibility has propelled him to become a sought-after performer in the major tango shows in BsAs. He was also featured in the Tango Ballet of the University of Moron (2004 -2007), along with many theatrical shows in Argentina and the U.S. Julio has appeared in films, and coordinates popular tango events and festivals in Buenos Aires.

May 13: DJ Yulia Kriskovets, Valeria Carmel and Daniel Rodriguez (Argentina/France).

Friends, come dance this Friday to Yulia Kriskovets lovely music! Yulia (from DC) plays beautiful happy lively music. Every time I hear her play I find new inspiration! I recently invited her to play at the Yale Tango Fest and she kept hundreds of exhausted people in a bubbly party mood! Don't miss it.

DJ Yulia Kriskovets

Upper level class with Valeria Carmel and Daniel Rodriguez (Argentina/France).

Midnight performance

Tango Lounge has 3 simultaneous classes at 8.30pm, all are included with admission:

-upper level with guest teachers

-intermediate with Jennifer Wesnousky

-beginners with Paul Pellicoro

More about our guest artists:

Valeria Carmel & Daniel Rodriguez form an elegant and refreshing tango duo. Their rich dance backgrounds allow them to be versatile performers and well rounded teachers, carefully balancing classical tango with other dance influences so as to preserve the essence of tango. They have been performing and teaching together in Buenos Aires, throughout Europe, and are currently on their first US tour together.

Yulia Kriskovets

Yulia has been DJing regularly both in Washington DC and on the national festival circuit since 2004. She carefully crafts her tandas based on the shape and taste of each song to make you dance all night long. She DJed in Washington DC Tangosutra and Tango Marathon Festivals, Boston's Tango de Los Muertos, Portland Tangofests, Ann Arbor Festivals, Tango Joven Festivals in Chicago, Providence festivals, and Austin and Houston Tango Festivals.

May 6: Maria Olivera & Gustavo Benzecry Saba

Friends, join Maria and Gustavo this Friday at the Tango Lounge!

You will love their upper level class at 8.30 (included with admission) and

midnight performance!

DJ Tine

_______________

Our guest stars' free class offered every week at 8.30 before the milonga, is an excellent opportunity to learn some fresh material and to be exposed to new teachers, ideas and styles; you may even find among our excellent guest stars a teacher who you really want to study more with, and who will make a real difference to you as a dancer.

Tango Lounge has 3 simultaneous pre-milonga classes (beginners, intermediate, upper level), therefore the class participants tend to be of the appropriate skill level, and each class is smaller with more individual attention.

The upper level class with the guest teachers aims to foster creativity, improvisation, quality of movement and musicality by exploring new dimensions of known techniques that are of interest to both leaders and followers. The class topics are carefully selected to be of immediate practical use on the social dance floor.

So join us in the class!

_______________

More about our stars Maria and Gustavo:

Gustavo and Maria met in 2003 when Gustavo was teaching a class at a small dance Studio in Palermo. Shortly after Maria became his assistant teacher at Salón Canning, where they started enjoying the pleasure of dancing together and sharing experiences they would never forget.

They got to know each other as dancers, teachers and individuals. Little by little, they discovered love.

Today, Gustavo and Maria dance together on the dance floor as in life, and they travel, teach and perform at Festivals and international tango events.

In their classes, good spirit, kindness and warmth are the highlights. This way, they lead their students throughout a pleasant learning process. Gustavo brings wisdom and thoughtfulness as he projects serenity and patience. María injects energy, liveliness, passion and dynamism. This way, they are the Yin and the Yang of an active and enjoyable teaching method.

When they dance, they show their love for each other, the happiness of sharing the warmth of a cozy embrace and the fantasy of a movie where the audience is always an active participant in the story.

Fri Apr 29: Maria Elena Ybarra (NYC/Arg) and Dominic Bridge (Portland/Italy)

This week we have two of the country's most musical, elegant and polished dancers teaching and performing for you! Don't miss the 8.30pm class, upper level, and included with admission!

8.30 classes, included with admission:

upper level: Maria Elena Ybarra and Dominic Bridge

intermediate: Jennifer Wesnousky

beginners: Paul Pellicoro

Midnight performance

Check out this mind-boggling milonga:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnTOn459qUY

DJ/host Tine

More about our stars

DOMINIC BRIDGE

Portland-born Dominic Bridge has quickly joined the ranks of the top young tango professionals in the world. He has taught extensively in the US, including at the Chicago Tango Week ’09, as well as in Europe, where he worked as a full-time instructor in Florence, Italy and helped found a tango school, and performed in Danza In Fiera 2009, Italy's largest multi-dance festival. He has been invited to perform as some of the most prestigious tango venues in Buenos Aires, including TangoLab, La Catedral, and La Confiteria Ideal.

MARIA YBARRA

Maria was born in the province of Chaco, Argentina. With more than a decade of experience dancing and teaching tango, she has become recognized as one of the top female tango dancers in the NYC area, and has taught locally, as well as in Buenos Aires. She is noted for her attention to detail and her exquisite technique.

PS: Videos of tonight's performance

Apr 22: Tine's b-day, Luna Palacios and Michael Nadtochi!

This week help Tine celebrate her birthday! It's on the 23rd so it starts at midnight on Friday. There will be no big to-do. Just fun times with friendly people!

Special guests: Luna Palacios and Michael Nadtochi

Upper Level Class at 8.30pm, included with admission

Performance by Luna Palacios and Michael Nadtochi about midnight

DJ /host Tine

More about our stars:

Luna Palacios

Born in Buenos Aires, Luna Palacios is an authentic young milonguera, tango dancer, who learned tango from some of the most storied figures in Buenos Aires dance halls. But she started dancing tango almost by chance.

Until 2001, Luna was a salsa and swing dancer. She had won several salsa competitions in Buenos Aires and had danced all over the country. One day, her sister Verónica took her to a milonga, where, says Luna, she immediately fell in love: the dance, the music, the magic of that atmosphere was something she had never experienced, but it was the embrace that seduced her and won over her heart.

She soon became the favourite dancing partner of several great dancers: Lucas Galera, Oliver Kolker, “Flaco” Dany Garcia,Horacio Britos (aka: PIbe Avellaneda),Carlos Copello, Aoniken Quiroga, Paulo Bidart, Jorge Pahl , and Octavio Fernandez.

She has travelled extensively to teach and perfom in Argentina and overseas, and has performed at all the major milongas in Buenos Aires: Club Sunderland, Salon Canning, La Viruta, La Baldosa, Glorias Argentinas, El Arranque, and Porteno y Bailarin.

Michael Nadtochi

Michael started dancing at the age of ten in Moscow, Russia, and ever since dance was the main focus of his life.

By the age of eighteen as a successful performer/competitor in a global ballroom dance scene, he had won the title of Russian Youth Champion in 1994 and represented his country in a World Championship held in Slovenia.Throughout his career Michael received one-on-one coaching with European and World Champions Allan Tornsberg and Vibeke Toft to ensure the best possible training. Secrets of champions produced strong foundation for teaching students and dramatic competitive results.

Traveling all over Europe (France, Germany, England, Denmark, Norway and other countries) Michael earned international recognition and with his moving to U.S. in 1998 achieved even more success (awarded “Top U.S. National Dance Couple of the Year” in 2000).

Focusing on authentic Latin and South American rhythms, Michael studied Salsa with legendary Eddie Torres and Argentine Tango with the star of “Forever Tango” Broadway Show and Tony Award Winner Carlos Gavito, and at the same time he appeared in stage performances and National TV shows and commercials (Verizon TV commercial, American Express industrial film, “The Guiding Light” TV series, “Latin Fusion” off-Broadway show, “Fania All Stars” concert).

April 15: Damian Thompson & Vanja Modzelewski

This Friday at Lounge, Damian and Vanja will teach and perform!

8.30pm upper level class: Milonguero Turns and Ferrari Rebotes in the Line of Dance

included with admission

Midnight performance

There are simultaneous classes for beginners and intermediate taught by Paul Pellicoro and Jennifer Wesnousky, respectively.

DJ & Host Tine

More about our guest stars:

Damian Thompson (from Australia) focuses on technique to foster greater connection and freedom for both leaders and followers.

Read Damian's teaching blog at http://tangotechnique.blogspot.com/

and watch him dance here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtC274rrGSk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-_4K8oQSaU

Vanja Modzelewski is a highly experienced dancer in both - open and in close embrace. Her proficiency in the various styles of tango along with her sophisticated musicality has made her one of the better known female dancers in the US. Vanja's dance style is characterized with fluidity and sensual elegance. She has a profound knowledge of movements and partner connection and is a sought after lead who has been teaching group and private classes in tango with a partner and on her own for over 8 years. Currently Vanja is working together with Alexis Rosen. During the past years, among others, she has taught and performed with Constantin Rueger (Germany), Robin Thomas (NY), Murat Erdemsel (Washington, DC), Ney Melo (San Francisco), Hernan Brizuela (Buenos Aires), Armando Orzuza (Buenos Aires) and Junior Cervila (Buenos Aires). www.vanjatango.com

Apr 8: Cristian Correa & Manuela Rossi. DJ Ilene

This week, stars Cristian Correa and Manuela Rossi from Buenos Aires.

8.30 Upper Level Class with Crtistian and Manuela, included with admission

topic: Turns and embellishments for small spaces

Simultaneous classes for beginners by Paul and pre-interm/interm by Jennifer of DanceSport

Midnight performance by Cristian and Manuela

DJ Ilene de Woodstock

More about our stars:

Cristian comes from the province of Cordoba in Argentina were he had a long formation in Folklore first, and then Tango.

Manuela is from Buenos Aires. She has a classical formation, studying in Argentina and under a scolarship for two years in Cannes, France.

Cristian and Manuela start dancing tango together in 2008.

They are a steady couple in the show «Tango Porteño» since 2008. They perform in Tango Porteño every night when they are in Buenos Aires.

They toured in Germany and Austria with the show «Tanguera» in February 2008.

In August 2009, they participated in the «VII Campeonato Mundial de Tango», finishing in second place.

They travelled to China in May/June 2010 to perform daily in the Argentine Pavillion at the Expo Shanghai 2010 World Fair.

They participates again in the «VIII Campeonato Mundial de Tango» in August 2010, ending for the second year in a row as the runner ups.

In November 2010, Manuela starred in the new Volkswagen Polo commercial, dancing with Gaspar Godoy; for the UK.