Feb. 29, Mar. 1 & 2 ~ Tango Workshops & Performances with Gato Valdez & Andrea Monti from Buenos Aires returning to Chicago for only 3 days and nights plus an incredible evening, on Sat., March 1, with Melenia Brufman & Claudio Gonzalez.
Gato’s masculine intensity and Andrea’s endless, flashing legs will delight us as we marvel at and learn from their exquisite Argentine Tango expertise during a weekend of workshops & performances. Gato & Andrea, sponsored by WindyCityTango, Unlimited, will showcase at milongas on Friday & Saturday nights, teach a pre-milonga class on Friday and 6 workshops on Saturday & Sunday afternoons. With payment by Feb. 17, ALL 7 workshops plus the class are available for $170! A special package price of $155 will be available Friday, Jan. 25 ONLY at milonga Nuestro Tango. Gato & Andrea are masters of the extremes of Argentine tango – they exemplify traditional salon dancing in their teaching yet perform with drama!!! This handsome couple exudes virility and sophistication (you won’t believe Andrea’s legs!!!). Gato & Andrea’s warm and FUN personalities emanate beyond their consummate professional personas. They have been dancing refined and distinguished "Tango Salón" together since 1998. Highly regarded in Buenos Aires, a growing worldwide reputation not only for their elegance, technique and musicality, but also for their “caminar a tierra” … Gato & Andrea are true representatives of the typical tango “porteño”, adapted with contemporary flair. As tango teachers, Gato & Andrea’s method is based on their techniques of posture, balance, axes, weight changes, rhythm and - the especially important - tango walk, making emphasis on interpretation of the music and encouraging students to express their own feelings while dancing … to dance with emotion! Gato & Andrea‘s, numerous Tango Tours - both nationally and internationally – have them teaching & performing in Brazil, Central America, Norway, Denmark, Holland, Spain, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand as well as the U.S. They have thrilled porteño/as & tourists with showcases clubs, restaurants, tango bars and milongas of their native Buenos Aires, such as Bar Sur, El Caballito Blanco, Palacio San Miguel, Sociedad Italiana de Lanús, Café Homero Manzi, El Club del Golf, El Club Torcuato Tasso, El Parakultural, La Pulpería, Tía Lola, Salón Canning, La Nacional, among others. Visit http://www.gatotango.com to learn more about, and view other photos (see Sociales folio) of, Hugo “Gato” Valdez & Andrea Monti. They also can be seen on Y-tube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcDewkS0uTQ. To begin the weekend, Gato & Andrea will teach a pre-milonga class and showcase during milonga Nuestro Tango at the Latvian Community Center (4146 N Elston Ave @ Hamlin). A pre-milonga class, for ALL levels of dancers at a special price of $15 (separate from milonga $15 entry), will introduce or re-aquaint Gato & Andrea to Chicago dancers. “Alternative Camidas: various possibilities for walking – pausing, musicality, half turns, navigation, changing embrace, etc.” will be taught from 7:45 p – 9:00 p; milonga Nuestro Tango will be danced from 9:00 p – 1:00+ a. There will not be a free fundamentals class on Feb. 29. Gato & Andrea also will perform on Sat., March 1 with Melina Brufman & Claudio Gonzalez, direct from the Broadway show, "Forever Tango", in a Tango Eclectique extravagant milonga at Metropolis Ballroom (6 S Vail, Arlington Hts., IL 60005 - www.metropolisballroom.com). The show will begin at 9:00p (doors open at 8:30p); entry is $36 (single seats) or $46 (seats at table ringing the stage) – more information is available at www.chicagotangoshows.com. Enjoy the sensational evening of “Love, Passion, and Tango…” with live music provided by Damian Rivero (grandson of legendary Tango voice, Edmundo Rivero), vocals; Agustin Alvarez, guitar; and, from Alma de Tango, Mary Martel, piano. A special milonga, with Guest DJ Carlos Favre, will follow the performances. Food will be available for purchase and a cash bar will be open throughout the evening. Tickets are on sale at ticketweb.com or from Phoebe; seating is limited. You can watch a recent Melina & Claudio performance in Washington DC at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmJrGrfeiGU. On Sat., March 1 and Sun., March 2, Gato & Andrea will teach six 1½ hour intermediate and advanced Argentine Tango workshops. Saturday, March 1 .workshops will be at Tango Life (601 N Western Ave, Chicago 60612): 12:00 noon – 1:30 p “Technique & Adornos: walks, pivots & ochos, turns”; 2:15 p – 3:45 p “Tango I: sacadas & barridas, double & half time, combinations”; and, 4:00 p – 5:30 p, “Vals I: cross system, double time, turns, changes of front”. Sunday, March 2 workshops will be at Café Duvall (2257 W 23rd Pl, Chicago 60608) 1:00 p – 2:30 p, “Milonga: syncopation with complex combinations”; 2:45 p – 4:15 p, “Tango II: double turns with entradas, stops & voleos”; and, 4:30 p – 6:00 p, “Vals II: combinations with syncopation & displacements”. Followed by “Opposites Attract” practica, hostessed by Phoebe J. Grant & Jacqueline Cahill – at a specially delayed time 6:00 p – 8:00 p, guided by Gato & Andrea. Workshop Pricing: $30 at the door for 1 or w/o reservation but you could have ALL 6 workshops plus Friday class for as little as for $170 IF paid by Sun., Feb. 17. Not only are additional WCT discounts available if you travel more than 60 miles (1-way) to study with Gato & Andrea (ask Phoebe for details), but also you now can pay via PayPal® (send payment to [email protected])! Remember, as always with WCT, your price per workshop goes down the more workshops you take: 1 workshop without reservation - $30 (with reservation AND pre-paid by Feb. 17 - $29); 2 workshops with advance reservation - $59 ($57 - if pre-paid by Feb. 17); 3 - $87 ($84); 4 - $114 ($110); 5 - $140 ($135); 6 - $165 $155); and, including Friday’s pre-milonga class, ALL for $180 ($170). A special package price of $155 will be available Friday, Jan. 25 ONLY at milonga Nuestro Tango. The fine print: We strongly recommend respect for the level designated for each class/workshop. Please allow at least 15 minutes before class to check in, register, and warm up. We will encourage rotation of partners, but you are allowed to stay with your own partner as long as you choose. A partner is NOT required, but it is recommended to pre-register for all classes / workshops so we can better balance lead vs. follow. WCT, Inc. and Gato & Andrea reserve the right to change any class/workshop title or level or to cancel without adequate attendance. Just to review, performance and workshop locations: Friday, Feb. 29 - pre-milonga class prior to milonga Nuestro Tango with showcase at The Latvian Community Center (4146 N Elston Ave at Hamlin, Chicago 60618); Sat., March 1 – workshops at Tango Life (601 N Western Ave, Chicago 60612); Sat., March 1 - milonga with extraordinary performances not only by Gato & Andrea but also by Melina Brufman & Claudio Gonzalez plus others at Metropolis Ballroom (6 S Vail, Arlington Heights 60005) www.chicagotangoshows.com; and, Sun., March 2 – workshops and practica at Café Duvall (2257 W 23rd Place, Chicago 60608; 773-376-8760). Reserve YOUR private lesson time!! Gato & Andrea will be in Chicago for only 3 days and nights. Although they want to give each student as much time as possible, time is limited. Remember, WCT offers a $10/hour MAX discount for each hour of private lessons with Gato & Andrea for a PAID workshop (Friday pre-milonga class does not qualify). Also, a minimum 24 hour notice to Phoebe &/or Gato & Andrea is required to cancel a private lesson – or you pay fee. Please note, private lesson rates do not include the cost of studio space (if necessary); however, there is no added charge for lessons at P.J. Grant’s home studio (2800 N /3600 W). Furthermore, “privacy” or transportation time to your location will be billed at the applicable hourly rate. For questions, details, to pre-register or to schedule private lessons, contact Phoebe J. Grant at 312-60TANGO (312-608-2646 text messages welcome) or [email protected] (direct email to cell phone) or, for tango business, to [email protected] (allow 24 hours for response from this address). Gato Valdez & Andrea Monti’s visit to Chicago is a WindyCityTango, Unlimited Event 2008
