Tucson Tango Festival Line-Up for March 14-19, 2012
Instructors:
Murat & Michelle Erdemsel
Daniela Pucci and Luis Bianchi
Oscar Casas and Ana Miguel
Yuliana Basmajyan and Brian Nguyen
Grisha Nisnevich
Rachel Lidskog
DJs:
Tine Herreman
Sabah Chammas
Homer Ladas
Luis Bianchi
Paul Akmajian
Larry Richelli
Martin Rybczynski
Jay Abling
Joanne Canalli
Instructors
Murat and Michelle Erdemsel
Murat and Michelle Erdemsel
Murat Erdemsel has influenced large numbers of dancers with his unique perspective of dance and instruction. He maintains his teaching position for Dance Manhattan in NYC. Born in Istanbul, Murat followed his parents path to art school. He established himself as an artist before he arrived in the US to complete his Masters Degree in Painting. His art works were sold to collections in Europe and in the States. Even though he has moved from painting to dancing, it is very apparent that his classical education and knowledge of art and art history influences and enriches his ability to teach in general.
Michelle Erdemsel took her first steps in dance at the age of 6 at the world renowned San Francisco School of Ballet and continued with such greats as David Howard in NYC. Her dance experience can only be described as eclectic, ranging from modern, jazz, flamenco, hula and theatre dance. Michelle spent many years touring with famous Musical Artists such as Liza Minelli in prestigious venues like Prince Albert Royal Hall inLondon, Off Broadway theatres in NYC, Stadiums and Arenas inEurope, South America and the US. Her interest in partner dancing led her to competitive ballroom dancing and the more acrobatic style of theatrical dancing in which she garnered many awards including a North American Championship. Michelle has also been reviewed well by the NY Times as a choreographer for off-broadway productions and has assisted with choreography for the Live Televised shows Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA. Michelle has appeared on major network TV as well as movies, commercials, magazine fashion spreads, night club shows and theatrical productions nationally and internationally. Michelle discovered tango and traveled to learn and dance all over the US and in Argentina. Now Michelle has dedicated her life to teaching and dancing tango with her husband and partner Murat.
Michelle’s Website
Daniela Pucci and Luis Bianchi
Daniela and Luis in LA
Daniela and Luis met during her first trip to Buenos Aires. What was supposed to be Luis’s last tanda for the night turned into two hours of dancing together. The magical connection they experienced that night led them to share their tango paths. Daniela left her career as an MIT engineering professor to join Luis as his tango partner. Luis left Buenos Aires to join her in New York City, where they currently reside.
Daniela and Luis’ performances have been described as sensational, passionate, musical, and technically impeccable. Their dance is based on deep knowledge of the different styles of tango: milonguero, salon, nuevo and stage, which they blend with ease and fluidity to create very personal interpretations.
As instructors, they have quickly gained renown for their deep grasp on body mechanics as well as analytical, logical and detail-oriented teaching style. Their ultimate goal is to help students achieve better quality of movement, develop a comfortable, subtle and sensitive connection with the partner, increase their body awareness and find their own unique voice in the dance. Students in their classes can expect a wealth of information on tango technique, encouragement to push boundaries, lots of hands-on instruction and a healthy dose of humor to complement the mix.
Born in Mar del Plata, Argentina, Luis started dancing tango in 1994 and became a professional dancer in 1997. He taught and performed for several years in Buenos Aires, including performances with leading tango bands Bajofondo and Tanguetto, before tango took him to Brazil, Europe and North America. Born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Daniela quit her academic career as an MIT engineering professor to fully dedicate herself as a professional tango dancer. She started dancing tango in 1999 and brings lifelong training in classical piano to the partnership.
Daniela and Luis have a full travel schedule that keeps them on the road for most of each year to teach and perform regularly throughout the U.S., in Brazil, Canada, France, Egypt, Germany, Italy, Poland, Netherlands and Norway as well as in Buenos Aires, including several major festivals both in North America and in Europe. In 2010 they also coached World Champions and Olympic Silver Medalists Meryl Davis and Charlie White in their Argentine tango-based ice dance routine. In New York City, they are co-founders of “The Tango Zone Dance Company”, which produces shows combining tango, theater, video and comedy.
Oscar Casas and Ana Miguel
Oscar Casas and Ana Miguel
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.
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.
Yuliana Basmajyan and Brian Nguyen
Brian and Yuliana 3rd Place Mundial Buenos Aires
Third place winners at the 2011 Mudial Buenos Aires!
Brian and Yuliana crossed paths at a milonga in 2007. Together they travel to Argentina a few times a year to continue their tango education with maestros. They’ve taught and performed in several festivals and milongas such as El Congreso in Toronto, Valentango in Portland, and La Nacional and Nocturne Milonga in NYC. They are the 2011 U.S. Tango Champions in Tango Salon, and they’ve recently won Third place in the 2011 Tango Mundial World Competition, Salon category. You can find them at Oxygen tango school in Los Angeles where they teach group classes on a weekly basis.
Grisha Nisnevich
Grisha will be doing his world class musicality classes. All new material. Grisha is a world class guitarist and tango dancer. His take on the dance and music is nothing short of genius!
PLUS: Grisha stole the show at the 2009 Tucson Tango Festival… this year he will play guitar while he dances with Melissa Alejandra as she sings the lyrics! This will be a performance to catch!!!
Rachel Lidskog
Rachel Lidskog
Known for her joy while teaching and her genuine care for her students, Rachel has been dancing Tango since 1995, when she began working for Daniel Trenner in his “Bridge to the Tango” programs in Argentina (1995) & Cuba (2000 & 2001). She has been influenced by a variety of great teachers*, celebrating a multifaceted view of many masters, and has danced tango around the globe in several cities and countries of Argentina, Cuba, Europe and the United States. Her solid understanding of Tango fundamentals, a rich background of music & the foundation of a wide reportoire of dance styles, combined with her ability to infuse playfulness and creativity into her dance, make Rachel a sought after dance teacher in her home town of Portland, Oregon. Rachel performs professional tango shows with her friend & mentor teacher Alex Krebs, and assists him whenever possible. She has also performed with several visiting teachers, Metin Yazir, Dominic Bridge, Jorge Torres and Paolo Vitalucci.
The owner of her own dance studio, Dance With Joy Dance Studios, and a hostess of her own Milonga, Rachel teaches weekly tango classes, including her beloved Portland State University class for the past 15 years. As an instructor, Rachel focuses on connection, creating a comfortable and positive learning environment so students can experience success in their dancing and discover the lasting joy of life long tango.
*Rachel feels blessed to live in Portland and be close friends with her mentor/teacher Alex Krebs. She has been greatly inspired and influenced by many wonderful teachers, including Luciana, Komala, Stefan, Christopher & Caroline, Homer & Christina, Jaimes & Krista, Marika, Filipe, Murait & Michelle, Fernanda Ghi & Guillermo Merlo, Rebecca Shulman, Sharna Fabiano, Mariano “Chicho” Frumboli, Fabian Salas, Carlos Gavito, Osvaldo Zotto & Lorena Ermocida, Thomas Howlin, Brigitta Winkler, Omar Vega, Tete, Oscar Mandagaran, Jorge Torres, Jorge Nel and Daniel Trenner.
More information can be found at her website: Rachel’s Web Site
DJs
Tine Herreman
Tine Herreman
Tine Herreman plays devastating tangos, soaring valses and irresistible milongas. And some very groovy alternative, when the crowd is so inclined. She creates a warm and genial mood for the dancers to enjoy each other’s embrace. She has a vast collection, but every song she plays is a greatest hit. As a dancer, Tine likes to lead and follow uncomplicated tango with sophisticated musicality.
Tine deejays at big and small milongas in New York and the Northeast, and occasionally beyond. Festivals included the Portland Tango Fest, NY Tango Festival, Tango de los Muertos, the Atlanta Tango Fest, the Yale Tango Fest, and others. She has played all-night events in Montreal, San Francisco and Europe. She hosts and often DJs Tango Lounge (Friday), Tango Loft (4th Saturday) and Tango Fix (Mondays) in New York.
Tine is pronounced like “Tina”.
Sabah Chammas
Sabah Chammas
Got addicted to Tango in the late nineties. It started with dancing and now it includes being a DJ. Tango music occupies my thoughts and energizes my spirit and I am in constant search for good music.
Although I try to vary the music I play, I am heavily influenced by the style of dance in Buenos Aires as well as the music played at the milongas there so feel free to call me old fashioned. I live for Golden age music. The emotional impact of the music is what I look for in addition to the musicality.
Oddly enough, alternative music has also become a big interest especially world music. Now I DJ both categories at various festivals as well as locally in San Diego.
Homer Ladas
Homer’s first major alt dj act was to put 50 cd’s (including assorted classic tangos, alternative songs and the ‘Last of the Mohicans’ sound track) into a player and press the random button. People loved it, but that was 1999. On July 9th, 2003, he pumped out the first ‘less than perfect’ dj mixes for the weekly ‘CELLspace alternative Milonga’ in SF. But again, folks were happy to have a venue where two worlds collided.
Today, Homer continues to apply & develop his dj skills at-large, both locally and abroad. Since, his first major alt dj gig in 1999, his focus has been to find the right balance, while making smooth transitions, between music from the Golden Age and the music that lies beyond…
Homer believes that the final goal or outcome, while meaningful, is less important then the road and risks taken to get there!
Luis Bianchi
Born in Mar del Plata, Argentina, Luis started dancing tango in 1994 and became a professional dancer in 1997. He taught and performed for several years in Buenos Aires, including performances with leading tango bands Bajofondo and Tanguetto, before tango took him to Brazil, Europe and North America.
Paul Akmajian
Paul Akmajian
Paul Akmajian (Albuquerque, NM) has been dancing tango for over 10 years and teaching for the last five. He has been a DJ for most of his tango life and in the last 3 years he has DJ’d in Seattle, Phoenix, Tucson, as well as on a regular basis in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Recently, he was a DJ for the Denver > Albuquerque Labor Day weekend Tango Festival. He is excited to return to his hometown of Tucson to DJ for the Tucson Tango Festival.
Martin Rybczynski
Martin Rybczynski
Martin’s DJing at the Tucson Tango Festival in 2011 was met with rave reviews. He is a quality DJ that pays very close attention to the pista de la milonga as the milonga is under way and he has a knack at keep the energy in the room just right. His music is solid gold. His variety is pure tango!
Larry Richelli
Jay Abling
Jay Abling
Jay loves to DJ and his tandas have been known to melt butter in refrigerators three states away! J Abling believes that a milonga is a “party where tango is danced”. Whenever he DJs, he intends to keep a good party going with select choice of music to inspire both lovers of traditional and alternative music. When not teaching or DJing, he is constantly organizing and listening to his music or looking for more music to add to his extensive collection. He has learned to dj from some of the best DJs in the country including Jaimes Friedgen, Alex Krebs, Dan Boccia, Shorey Myers and Vijay. He has DJd at festivals and regular milongas in Portland, Seattle, Houston, New York, San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, Maui and Ashland, OR.
Joanne Canalli
Joanne Canalli
Jo’s DJ philosophy is a product of her personal Tango journey as a follower and, recently, a leader. Although her beginnings came from Alternative/Nuevo Jo has evolved over time to develop a deep passion and love for the traditional Argentine Tango music specifically, the Golden Age era. She prepares 100% traditional tandas concentrating on fully danceable music with a mix of the playful, the romantic, the high energy, the sweet and melodic, with maybe a touch of drama. Her goal is for the dancers to leave the milonga with a happy heart, a satisfied craving and an eagerness for more.
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