The detailed workshop, milonga and performance schedule for the 2006 International Chicago Tango Festival – which begins in less than 1 week - has been posted to www.chicagotangofest.com/festivalupdates.php. You now are able to select individual workshops. We would like to invite anybody who has not registered for the Fest to do so as soon as possible, while there is still space in the workshops. We are limiting the class sizes to 40 individuals. In separate postings today, we have listed many attractive airfares to Chicago still available for arrival on August 25 or 26, 2006 as well as additional information on the festival, so look for them as well. The 2006 International Chicago Tango Festival features instructors from around the world, including Fernanda Ghi & Guillermo Merlo (Argentina), Andrea Misse & Javier Rodriguez (Argentina), Nancy Louzan & Damian Esell (Argentina), Lorena Gasse & Ariel Barrionuevo (Argentina), Paulo Araujo (Brazil) & Phoebe J. Grant (Chicago), Natalie Brateli & Pino Dangiola (Greece and Sweden), and Eugenia Parilla (Argentina) & Somer Surgit (Turkey/Chicago). Registration - With six days until festival opening on Thursday, August 24, we still are receiving registrations, although some groups are nearly full with attendees from all over the world! You can register on line at the website or, for further information please contact: Pam Bosack, Registration Coordinator at [email protected] / 847-962-1879 or Babette Klein at [email protected] / 312-771-1226. Class Groups & Levels - There will be 6 groups: 1 BEGINNERS (dancing Argentine Tango for less than a year) group, 2 INTERMEDIATE (1 to 3 years of dancing Argentine tango) groups, 2 ADVANCED (over 4 years of Argentine tango experience groups and 1 MASTERS (at least 1 year of teaching Argentine tango) group. IMPORTANT: To ensure that all participants in all the workshops are at a similar level of dance, it will be at the discretion of the instructors to determine whether students should change levels. Classes will be taught in English. You may select to register for the 2006 International Chicago Tango Fest workshops, either in the European-style format or the American-style format. European-Style Format - each level of dancers will have at least one class with each of the festival teachers. You may not choose teachers. We will encourage rotation of partners during the classes, but it will not be mandatory. American-Style Format - if you register and pay any Package, you may choose the individual workshops you wish to take. You also now are able to register for individual workshops: 1 or 2 classes are $50 each; 3 classes are $135 ($45 each). If you elect to take individual workshops, please contact Pam Bosack, Registration Coordinator at pam@americantangoinstitute / 847-962-1879 directly. Single Dancer Registration - You do not need to have a dance partner to register for the International Chicago Tango Fest workshops. However, we encourage you to register with a partner, if you have one, or find one in your same dance level (we invite you to post a message on our “Looking for a Dance Partner” forum) so that there is an equal number of leaders and followers in the workshops. It should be understood that you will not be obliged to dance exclusively with any partner during the entirety of the workshops. However, as we will not be able to guarantee an equal number of leaders and followers in the classes, workshop instructors will encourage, but not obligate, dancers to rotate during the classes. Walk-in Policy - Walk-ins will be welcome but they may attend only those workshops that are not filled to capacity. Anyone wishing to come to a workshop at the last minute should go to the festival registration desk in the Knickerbocker Hotel at least 20 minutes prior to when the desired workshop is to begin. No one will be permitted to enter a workshop without having previously registered and paid. Privates – Private lessons will be available only to persons registered in the festival. The individual instructors will handle the pricing and scheduling of their own privates. Videotaping - The taping of workshops as well as the Friday, Saturday and Sunday night shows will NOT be permitted. DVDs of the workshops and other Fest events will be on sale at the end of the festival. Parking - We have secured a special parking rate for Fest participants at The Standard Parking garage (253 E. Delaware) for rate for 12-24 hours is $21. There will be no problem in taking your car out Saturday night for the stage performance and the milonga at ATI and later returning it to the garage on Sunday morning. You must identify yourself as a participant in the International Chicago Tango Fest. Additional information on the Fest, including the performances and milongas, can be found on www.ChicagoTangoFest.com.
