Agustina Videla (Argentina)

Presented with community partner Vancouver Latin American Cultural Centre

Social Tango

October 24-26, 2024 | 8pm

Vancouver Playhouse (600 Hamilton Street)
Running time: 70 minutes (no intermission)

Pre-show Talk 7:15pm each night in the Upper Lobby
Guest: Agustina Videla, Social Tango Project Artistic Director
Host: Lili Vieira de Carvalho, Vancouver Latin American Cultural Centre Executive Director

Post-show community milongas (tango dance parties) following Thursday & Saturday’s performances – FREE
Host: StevenJoannaTango. Witness a traditional milonga or bring your dancing shoes and join in!

Post-show Social following Friday’s performance in the Salon

 

 

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A shy and hesitant woman takes a step into a new world and is swept off her feet by the seductive, sinuous dance form known as tango. Her journey is a celebration of human connection brought to vibrant life by live musicians and a singer, along with evocative multimedia projections.

Born in the bordellos and the working class arrabales of Buenos Aires, tango has evolved and changed with successive artists, surviving government blacklists and cultural suppression to re-emerge as a vital life force, electric with passion and pleasure. 

In milongas (sites where tango is performed) disparate groups of people come together in an embrace of sensuality, beauty, and connection. Choreographer Agustina Videla invites dance lovers around the globe to experience an evening of this incendiary, immersive dance, sharing the value of social dance, and inspiring individuals to join the dance floor.

Social Tango offers a space for spontaneous eruptions of music and joy, transforming each venue where the work is performed into a timeless place where the past and present sidle up to each other in an evocative mix of reverberating symmetry and silken melancholy.

 

Presented as part of Latin Expressions in honour of Latin American Heritage Month.

"A journey into the heart of Tango” – La Nación Newspaper

“The tango can be debated, but it will always enclose—like everything truthful—a secret.” – Jorge Luis Borges

“An evening in the heart of Buenos Aires… in Vancouver!” – Agustina Videla

Vancouver Latin American Cultural Centre - Latin Expressions

Presentation Sponsor

The Hamber Foundation

Supported by the Province of British Columbia
Agustina Videla. A black and white portrait of a fair skinned woman with chin length curly dark hair, wearing a sleeveless black top.
Agustina Videla.

Agustina Videla

Tango dancer, teacher and choreographer. Agustina Videla began her career in the show that represented Argentina at the Universal Exhibition in Lisbon (1998). From then on, she toured to give classes and exhibitions in the main cities of the United States, Canada and Europe.

In 2013 she took over the artistic direction of Social Tango Project, and has travelled the globe cultivating communities of tango devotees.

In 2019 she co-directed her first dance short film, “Being” with more than 20 nominations in international dance-film festivals. In 2020 she published a book related to motherhood and human relationships. In 2021 she was the artistic director of a TV series dedicated to dance and philosophy broadcasted for public television in Argentina.

She co-directs the film “El tango, esos minutos de revancha” currently in post-production.

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Lucía Ohyama – Assistant Director & Dancer

In more than 20 years of career, she has been part of many renowned shows as a dancer and choreographer but also as a director, assistant director and producer, among them: Social Tango, Charla-performance by Milena Plebs, Compañía Esencia, Tango Malambo, Compañía Mora Godoy, Tango and Fire and Una Noche de tango by the company Tango Sur, Señor Tango, Intenso Tango, Show de Cacho Castaña, Julio Iglesias World Tour and Dramatic Tango. She danced during the G20 summit at the “120th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Argentina and Japan”. In 2019 she is mentioned “Outstanding Nikkei of the year” in the art category (Mention awarded by the Argentinean Nikkei Centre). She was part of E.N.T.A., the national program of dancers. Since 2016 she has been working in the artistic and executive production of milongas, concerts and shows. Currently, she is a dancer in the show “Tango Pasión de Origen” at the renowned theatre Tango Porteño in Buenos Aires.

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Lucia Aspiroz Larrosa

She graduated in Tango and Folklore at the National University of the Arts. She was part of international dance companies touring Korea, China, Italy, Chile, Sweden, Finland, Qatar and Argentine Antarctica. She is currently a choreographer and director in “Aurea, Compañía de tango”. She is a teacher at the National University of the Arts in the Tango chair and assistant director in the company.

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Emmanuel Casal

World Stage Tango Champion 2021, runner-up in the 2016 edition, and third place in the 2018 International Tango Festival of Buenos Aires together with Yanina Muzyka. He was part of important tango companies. He currently teaches classes and participates in tango festivals in Europe, Asia and Latin America.

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Lily Chenlo

She participated in tango festivals as a performer and teacher in countries like Argentina, China, Hong Kong, Brazil, Uruguay, Chile and the United States. She is a Guest Artist at Queer Tango Festivals around the world. In 2008, she founded her own tango company in Buenos Aires, “Open Tango”. She was a semifinalist in the Tango World Cup as the first queer tango couple in the history of the competition.

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Cinthia Diaz

Graduate and Master at the National University of Arts in the career of tango.

She participated as a guest teacher in festivals in Uruguay, Italy, France, Austria, Greece and Japan. Since 2018 she has directed the Primavera Project; a tango, dance and theater company made up only of women.

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Carla Dominguez

She obtained the 3rd place at the Tango World Championship 2024 and was a finalist in 2019, 2022 and 2023. She also was a finalist of “Got Talent Argentina” 2023 and she participated in “America’s got talent” 2018 (Los Angeles – US). She has joined many different shows and companies from all over the world: “Tango y Tango” (Francia), “Tango Buenos Aires” (Royal Caribbean cruises), “Tribute to Karl Lagerfeld” (France), “Estampas Porteñas Tango Company” (Peru), “Tango Fire Company” (US- England-Scottish-South Korea-Canada-Monaco-France-Luxembourg), “Tango Lovers Company” (USA-China-Uruguay-Chile-Turkey), “Vilniaus Tango Teatras” (Lithuania), “Immortal Tango Company” (England), “German Cornejo’s dance company” (US-France), “Marcos Ayala Tango Company” (Russia- Latvia). In Buenos Aires she danced in important tango companies and venues such as: “Soul Tango Company”, “Tango porteño”, “Rojo Tango” (Faena hotel), “Café de los Angelitos”, “Señor Tango”, “Buenos Aires Pasión de Tango”, “Con Alma de Tango”.

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Bruno Mayo

Metropolitan Champion of Milonga in the City of Buenos Aires in 2006.

Dancer and assistant of the Tango Company of the National University of the Arts.

Invited teacher at Laboratorio Baires in Turin, Italy and at the Ibero-American School of Tango de Tiempo in Fukuoka, Japan.

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Yanina Muzyka

She is the 2021 World Stage Tango Champion, runner-up in the 2016 edition, and third place in the 2018 Buenos Aires International Tango Festival together with Emmanuel Casal. She was part of shows such as Tango Desire Company, Marcos Ayala Company, Relatos de Inmigrantes Tango, Tango Oasis and Chantecler. She was invited to give classes at important festivals in Argentina, Europe, Asia, the US and Latin America.

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Jesus Taborda

He has toured Europe, Asia, the United States and Latin America as a dancer, teacher, choreographer and organizer of tango events. For 6 years he worked in important cities in China where he made presentations in TV channels, massive workshops and has been a jury member and trainer in the World Tango Championship of that country. Director and choreographer of the shows “Amor en tiempos de Tango” & “Intimo Tango” (Argentina), first dancer and choreographer of the company “Tango Lovers” which received the Fox Music Award and toured the United States, Uruguay, Turkey and China. He obtained the 3rd place in Stage Tango at the Tango World Championship (2014 and 2021), the Gold Medal at the “Torneos Juveniles Bonaerenses” (2004) and he represented Argentina in Spain, Italy and Germany through “Marca País” Secretary of Tourism of the Nation (2006).

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Roberto Zuccarino

He was part of the shows “Morocha y Pasional”, “Fever Tango”, “Opus Tango”, “Tango Emoción”, among others. He was an assistant to the renowned dancer “Juan Carlos Copes”.

He is the director and choreographer of the company “Tango + Tango” that has performed at festivals in Berlin, Australia and Tarbes. He is the organizer of renowned tango festivals such as “Argentina Tango Salón Festival” and “Mucho Tango Festival”.

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Cristian Basso – Double Bassist

Graduated in composition and teacher, he studied double bass with teachers Gerardo Ponce, Daniel Buono, Juan Pablo Navarro, Daniel Falasca and composition with Daniel Montes, Laura Baade, Diego Schissi, Daniel Ruggiero, Ricardo Hegman and Ariel Hagman.

He participated in the tango-dance companies of: Mora Godoy, Eleonora Cassano and Miguel Ángel Zotto. He toured giving concerts in venues such as the Teatro Colón in Argentina, Carnegie Hall in the United States, the Sofía Theater in Bulgaria, Moscow International House of Music, the Oriental Art Center, Roskilde Festival in Denmark, La Villette in France, and the festival international tango of the city of buenos aires.

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Nicos  Enrich – Bandoneonist

He is a member of the Orquesta Nacional de Música Argentina ”Juan de Dios Filiberto”. He played with the best musicians and singers of the tango scene such as Leopoldo Federico, Néstor Marconi, María Graña, Guillermo Fernández among others. He travels the world playing as a soloist with Symphony Orchestras such as the “Orquesta estable del Teatro Colón‘’ in Buenos Aires, the ‘Orquesta Sinfónica de Qingdao’‘ in China, ’‘La Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Paraguay’‘ in Paraguay, ’’El A.R.T.e.M. Orchestra” in Italy, with tango groups such as ”El Quinteto Grande”, ”Quinteto del Angel”, ”Orquesta Ramiro Gallo” and ”Emiliano y Lautaro Greco Septeto” in Japan, ”Quinteto Astor Piazzolla” in the United States and Colombia, ”Juan Pablo Navarro Septeto” in France, Holland, Germany and Belgium among others and giving tango seminars in Hong Kong with Maestro Diego Lerendegui.

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Fulvio Giraudo – Musical Director & Pianist

Pianist, composer, musical director and arranger dedicated to tango on stage for more than 25 years. Formed mainly as a chamber music performer, Fulvio was early introduced to tango by Arturo Penón, mythical bandoneonist of Osvaldo Pugliese’s orchestra. Since then he has been part of some of the best groups and orchestras in Argentina: Sexteto Mayor, Quinteto Grande, Rascasuelos, El Desquite, and Sexteto Sur. He has toured America, Europe, Asia and Oceania. He has also participated in the most renowned tango festivals in Europe and America. He has participated in numerous recordings as composer, arranger and performer. He has also composed institutional music for TV (Solo Tango channel), for different performances (Social Tango), and for cinema (Chau Buenos Aires).

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Humberto Ridolfi – Violinist

Prominent media such as the New York Times, Los Angeles time, Japan, La Nación Bs As, have praised him for his virtuosity. He was a student of Mr. Gingold at the University of Indiana Jaime Laredo and of Mr. Lysy at the Menuhin Gstaad Suisse academy.

He has received prizes in Chamber Music competitions in Italy, Geneva, Barcelona and the USA. New York string Ensemble A.Schneider in 1987 Carnegie Hall NY City,Kennedy Center Washington D.C

He was part of the Broadway show Forever Tango.

In 2003 he began to be part of the Teatro Colón Philharmonic Orchestra.

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Ariel Varnerin – Singer

Singer graduated at the Conservatorio Manuel de Falla, teacher of music for tango dancers and the Rabine Method for singers and orators. As a singer he has been part of the duo “Fuertes Varnerin”, the “Orquesta Victoria”, the “Orquesta Típica Villa Crespo” and the “Orquesta Santa Calavera” as a singer and music producer.

He has participated in “Festival Internacional de Tango de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires”, “Encuentro de Tangueros del Interior”, “Festival de Tango Milán”, “Tango festival Berlín”, “Fête de la Musique”, among others.

 

Lili Vieira de Carvalho photo by Gabriel Aspee square

Lili Vieira de Carvalho

Lili Vieira de Carvalho is the Executive Director of the Latin American Cultural Centre (VLACC). She is one of the co-founders of the organization and its former vice-president. Originally from Brazil, Lili immigrated to Vancouver in 2008 and has over 30 years of experience in arts management. She led the organization’s capacity-building plan, which enhanced fundraising and planning strategies, as well as governance and volunteer recruitment and retention. Lili also serves as the spokesperson for the Citizen Council of the Consulate General of Brazil in Vancouver and has recently been bestowed with the Ordem do Rio Branco medal by the government of Brazil for her community leadership. Her deep involvement in the arts community has driven her to develop projects that promote a deeper understanding of Latin American culture, actively challenge stereotypes, and promote cultural understanding.

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StevenJoannaTango

StevenJoannaTango

In 2006, Steven and Joanna went to Buenos Aires for a short vacation and fell in love with Argentine Tango. They travel abroad regularly to dance tango and to learn from different teachers. At home in Vancouver, StevenJoannaTango has organized regular milongas since 2007 and many special events since. Steven also DJs regularly in local milongas and practicas. As a couple, they are both active social dancers and proud to be an integral part of the local tango community.

 

The local tango community started around the 90’s with a small group of dancers, maybe 20 people, with one or two milongas a week in Vancouver.

Over time, the community gently grew to now over 250 regular dancers spread out in different parts of Metro Vancouver.  Now, there are practicas or milongas every night of the week.  There are professional full time tango teachers available for group classes or private lessons; also special events from time to time when out-of-town tango teachers and musicians were invited to teach and perform in Vancouver.  It is a little vibrant and inclusive community where everyone is welcome with warm tango embraces. 

See more information and the tango events calendar here.

Top image: Agustina Videla, Social Tango © Paola Evelina.