:: Tango Con*Fusión Company (San Francisco) ::

The women of Tango Con*Fusión bend the gender-related customs of this century-old dance. As collaborative artists they explore the idiom of Argentine Tango beyond its traditional boundaries. As professional performers and teachers of Argentine Tango, with varied backgrounds in contemporary and classical dance, they create a fusion of genres within their choreography.

A couple’s dance morphs to a solo or collective interaction, leaders and followers exchange roles, and free movement is added.

n 2014, the members of Tango Con*Fusión chose to concentrate on the further exploration and analysis of lead-follow, and documenting their lead-follow exchange vocabulary through their “Trading Places” DVD/Teaching program with workshops and performances at tango & other dance-related festivals.

The artists of Tango Con*Fusión include Carolina Rozensztroch, Pier Voulkos, Debbie Goodwin, Christy Coté and Rose Vierling. Joining TCF in 2016 are our newest members: Mira Barakat, Mila Salazar and Jasmine Worrell. The company of 8 women look forward to grow artistically and expand it’s presence in San Francisco, the USA and internationally.

www.tangoconfusion.com/

:: Augusto Balizano (Buenos Aires) ::

In 1997 Augusto earned his Graphic Designer degree at the University of Buenos Aires. He performs and teaches tango with Claudia Bozzo. Amonst his teachers are Claudio González in Tango, Carina Passaglini in the work of Partenaire and Soledad Pérez in contemporary Dance. Under the guidance of Jean Francois Casanovas, he coached the theater company Caviar in the spectacles Viva Caviar and Hot Vudú. He was a co-director along with Pacha Brandolino at La Terna company, directing his first creation: “Quien es Medea?” a work of dancetheater with Tango music.

He belongs to the dance group Propuesta 5 and created the first professional gay Tango couple together with Miguel Moyano. Both were then invited to Europe (Germany, England and Italy) and he was also invited to the international Queer Tango festivals of Hamburg, Stockholm and Copenhagen. Along with Elizabeth Guerrero he toured in Punta del este, Uruguay and organizes Tango classes in The School of Social Dance.

In 2002 he opened the first Queer Milonga "La Marshall" in Buenos Aires which has become an established milonga for gays, lesbian and also straight dancers who enjoy tango in a fun and liberal atmosphere and without the limitations of gender, sex and role preference. In 2007, together with Mariana Docampo and Roxana Gargano, he founded the first international Queer Tango festival in Buenos Aires, which is one of the most respected festivals in the cultural life of Buenos Aires and attracts many dancers from all over the world.

www.lamarshall.com.ar

:: Juan Pablo Ramirez & Daniel Miranda (Buenos Aires) ::

Juan Pablo Ramirez is an artist, dancer, and choreographer (Flamenco, Tango, Jazz, Ballet). He was born in Santa Fé, Argentina. Juan started studying Flamenco in 1996. He developed his knowledge taking regular lessons, seminars and workshops in Ballet, Jazz and Spanish dances in Teatro Colon.

Juan participated in the celebrations of the International Day of Dance in 2002. In 2006, Juan moved to Buenos Aires where he performed in outstanding shows in tablaos, restaurants, casinos, social and business events, festivals, and theaters. Juan participated in the opening and closing of the International Queer Tango Festival in Buenos Aires in 2012. In 2013, he started dancing with Daniel Arroyo Miranda, performing at numerous milongas. They participated in the Buenos Aires Tango Festival 2013 as the first same sex tango couple. Juan is well-known for his energetic performances in Buenos Aires - at the famous Salón Canning, La Marshàll, Maldita Milonga, and also at the San Telmo Tango Festival 2014 and the International Queer Tango Festival of Buenos Aires 2013 and 2014.

In 2014, he travelled to Europe to teach, perform and dance in Paris, Berlin, Den Haag, London, Oslo, Bergen, Rome and Tenerife. Juan then returned to Buenos Aires and started working at the theatre company "Caviar" under the guidance of Jean François Casanovas and Walter Soares. He directed the dance theatre play "Clarusco" in Centro Cultural Borges

Daniel Arroyo is a tango dancer, artist and actor who currently resides in Buenos Aires. Daniel was born in 1994 in Barquisimeto, Venezuela. He started dancing tango at the dance academy "Tango Romance". During the following two years, he took workshops from Pablo Rodrìguez, Noelia Hurtado, Natasha Lewinger, John Erban, Clarissa Sanchez and Yumar Lugo. At the age of 17 he visited Buenos Aires where he met Juan Pablo Ramirez, his current tango partner. In Buenos Aires he continued taking lessons from Aurora Lubiz, Betsabet Flores, Jonatan Spitel, Fernando Galera, Vilma Vega, Virginia Pandolfi, Daniel Naccucchio and Cristina Sosa.

In 2014, Daniel participated in two avant garde dance theatre plays about cabaret, transvestites and tango at "Teatro Maipo" and collaborated with musicians for a dance theatre play about androgyny, cabaret and music from Buenos Aires. He also began studying ballet with a teacher from "Teatro Colón", and Butoh with Gustavo Collini Sartor. Daniel performs with Juan Pablo Ramirez at numerous well-known milongas, for example Los Notable Laureles, Milonga Parakultura, Villa Malcolm, La Marshàll and Porteño y Bailarín.

:: Walter Perez (BsAs/NYC) ::

Walter began dancing Tango in his hometown of Buenos Aires in 1993. 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 Pupy Castello,Pepito Avellaneda,Efrain Ordonez,Jose Garofalo, Rodolfo Dinzel, Osvaldo Sotto and Lorena Hermosida, Jorge Torres. He has performed in Argentina with several dance companies (Neotango, Los Tangueros, De rifilon) and participated on Television variety shows (Susana Gimenez,Video Match,Las tres Marias). During 1999 and 2000 he toured in Argentina and Uruguay with the show Tangou (artistic director:Anibal Pachano)

In 2000,he moved to NY ,where he teaches and performs Credits: All that Tango, Red, Tango and Flamenco Fusion, The Trip, Let’s Speak Tango.“ Tango first century” 2009 , “Spotlight on Tango” just to name a few. He was the founder and Artistc director of “manoAmano” tango dance company presentations: 2010:Roiseland Ballroom, Lafayette Grill, Cielo (Cipriani Wall street), Fundraiser 20th gala for Latin Commission on Aids, 6 th Anniversary Cinemarosa, Queens Museum, Museo del Barrio. Presently he is the director and choreographer with Leonardo Sardella of “Malevaje” Malevaje has been teaching and performing since 2011: La Marshall,BA; QTF San Francisco; QTF Mexico; QT Boston; Dallas; Malmi; Copenhagen; Iceland. We are based in NYC where we run our Malevaje NYC Queer Milonga and Tango Bro,Brooklyn.

www.malevajeargentino.com.ar/

:: Leonardo Sardella ::

Leonardo started dancing professional Tango in his hometown of Buenos Aires in 2000. He has trained with renowned Tango instructors such as Juan Carlos Copes, Rodolfo Dinzel, Osvaldo Sotto and Lorena Hermosida, Javier Rodriguez, Angel Coria, Jorge Firpo and Aurora Lubiz, Maria and Carlos Rivarola, Cristina Cortez He has performed in Argentina with several dance companies such as: Tango Desire, EV Tango, Bien De Tango, Raza Tango, Tango del Vicentenario, Open Tango.

He has participated in tango shows for : Boca Tango, Sabor a Tango, La Ventana, Bar Sur, Madero Tango among others. He was assistant choreographer in the Malena Eternamente Tango musical and choreographer and principal dancer of the show Cacho Castagna. He has also danced in major theaters such as the Nacional Cervantes, Nacional de la Plata, Teatro Colon and Nacional San Martin. Presently he is the director and choreographer with Walter Perez of “Malevaje”.

In 2011,he moved to NY, where he teaches and performs at Milongas: La Nacional, Session 73 and, Dancesport with Helen “La Vikinga”. He also participated with Malevaje at: La Marshall, BA; Queer Tango Festival San Francisco; Queer Tango Festival Mexico; Boston Queer Community, Arthur Murray studios in Handem and for Hispanic Federation, (Get Up, Get Moving); Dallas; Malmo; Copenhagen and Iceland. We are based in NYC where we run our Malevaje NYC Queer Milonga and Tango Bro, Brooklyn.

www.malevajeargentino.com.ar

:: Astrid Weiske (Berlin) ::

For more than 20 years Astrid has been dancing Tango Argentino and is well known and respected in the tango communities worldwide as an excellent leading woman and excellent teacher. She has developed strong sensitivity in leading, great creativity in improvisation and playful musicality which stand out as key elements in her dance. But Astrid is recognized also for her skills as a follower which greatly expands her knowledge and understanding of the dance.

Since 2005 she has been teaching in Berlin at "PHYNIXtanzt" Studio, traveling as a guest teacher since many years and accepting invitations to Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia and also abroad to Argentina, and Canada. She has received invitations to teach and perform at several Festivals such as Queertangofestival Copenhagen, Phantastango Festival (Germany) or Queertango Festival Buenos Aires. In 2011 she founded the 1st. intern. Queer Tango Festival in Berlin which was a great success and has since earned an international reputation.

Her teaching is based on awareness and analysis of natural movement in combination with her profound knowledge of technique, structure of the dance and connection between the couple. This creates a constant dialogue between leaders and followers who share the responsibility of listening and responding to each other, based on a strong connection to the music.

Her exploration of the many techniques of tango, from the very classical to the very experimental, leading and following and other dance forms like contact improvisation or modern dance make her believe that there is no "one" Tango. She believes in a creative, liberating variety and connection of ideas, movements and technique by rsepecting the roots of Argentine Tango. She promotes that fusion to reduce borders, allowing people to find their own expression in the dance.

www.queertango-berlin.de
www.tango-astrid.de

:: Brigitta Winkler (Berlin/NYC) ::

Brigitta (Berlin & NYC) is one of the world's most renowned teachers and innovative dancers of tango, inspiring legions of dancers worldwide with her creative approach and musical esthetics. She founded or co-founded the internationally acclaimed Tanzart and PHYNIXtanzt schools in Berlin, TangoMujer, and the Tango Teacher Training Network in North America. Brigitta discovered tango in 1980. In Buenos Aires, she studied with legendary dancers, including Juan Carlos Copes, Antonio Todaro, Pepito Avellaneda, Gustavo Naveira and Eduardo Arquimbau. She was among the first to teach tango in both Europe and the United States during tango's current revival. Brigitta co-founded the highly respected Tanzart studio in Berlin in 1987, the internationally acclaimed performance company Tango Mujer in 1996, and co-created the Teacher Training Networkwith Tomás Howlin in 2008. In between world travels, Brigitta teaches regularly in NYC and PHYNIXtanzt in Berlin.

Brigitta combines over 30 years of international experience in tango dance, instruction and performance with techniques of Body Mind Centering. She is an equally gifted resource for both close embrace and open style tango. Her workshops are insightful, creative, and incredibly fun!

"I do know that tango wouldn’t be what it is in the United States and Europe without her. I do know that she is relevant to women like me right now. She advocates for women to dance on their own terms. We must lead and follow, and we must build a sisterhood in tango. She has participated in and created tango retreats just for women like Tango Donna."

www.brigittatango.de
www.tangodonna.com

:: Adriana Pegorer ::

Adriana Pegorer is an interdisciplinary dance artist and educator based in London. In her native home Italy she enjoyed competitive sports, such as running and volleyball. Her main influence in tango was the late Carlos Gavito, with whom she studied since the late 90's. She enjoys dancing both roles as well as making up more – such as trios and solos!

She is one of the creators of Contact Tango, an innovative fusion between Tango Argentino and Contact Improvisation dances. Her approach also includes Japanese Butoh, Contemporary dance, Pilates and various somatic techniques. She organized four Tango Diferente research weeks (2012-2015) and taught yearly at the International Contact Tango Festival in Wuppertal (2012-2017). Her research interventions include “Physic(s)al entanglements” and “Moving the Small Dance” at the European Contact Improvisation Teacher's Exchange (2014 & 2015). Her writings include 'Performing Gender in Milongas of Buenos Aires' (2008); Close your eyes and …. Dance!’(2010); ‘'It takes two to win' (2015). She presented her works in Europe and abroad.

“The women, in simple dresses, curved across the space together, with a calm focus that was immediately engaging. Flirting with the soft vibrancy of the tango form, the dancers experimented with the letting go of the necessity for a strong leader and follower” Erin Johnson in www.bachtrack.com ['Dis/tr-action' review, 2013] /p>

“Pegorer can be commended for subverting genre expectations by neutralising typical tango tropes” Donald Hutera in Resolution! Festival ['Approximation' review, 2013]

www.tangorelease.blogspot.com