FESTIVAL QUEER TANGO MONTREAL May 6th-8th 2016 - 4th edition
Welcome to dancers of all levels, sexual orientations and genders
10 workshops / 3 milongas / 3 venues / 7 guest teachers
Leonardo S. (NY), Krista B. (Worcester, USA), Yannick Allen-Vuillet (Québec)
Nancy Lavoie (Québec), Lucas De BuenosAires (Boston), Thierry G. (Ottawa/Berlin), Alejandro Villalobos (Montreal)
Welcome to dancers of all levels, sexual orientations and genders
10 workshops / 3 milongas / 3 venues / 7 guest teachers
Leonardo S. (NY), Krista B. (Worcester, USA), Yannick Allen-Vuillet (Québec)
Nancy Lavoie (Québec), Lucas De BuenosAires (Boston), Thierry G. (Ottawa/Berlin), Alejandro Villalobos (Montreal)
Extra BEGINNERS class on Friday May the 6th with Alejandro
Cosy.Zone Tango Club 1456 Sainte-Catherine Est
6pm to 7:30pm - 20$ + FREE entrance to the Festival’s opening milonga (party)
at Tango Social Club 7755 St Laurent
Beginners, no need to register for the classes on Friday and Saturday.
Opening Milonga FQTM 2015
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FRIDAY MAY 6TH
Tango Social Club / Studio Tango 7755 St-Laurent 5.30-7pm: with Nancy Get Rhythm! (inter/adv) 5.30-7pm: with Leonardo Tango Vals (inter/adv) 7.15-8.45pm: with Lucas It's the Shoes! (inter/adv) 7.15-8.45pm: with Nancy - FULL Keys for Improv (inter/adv) 9pm-2am OPENING BALL $15 Tango Social Club / Studio Tango 7755 St-Laurent DJ Nancy Lavoie - 10% alternative music Démo Alejandro + Arturo *licensed event alcohol for sale* 
Photo Alejandro by Caroline Hayeur
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SATURDAY MAY 7TH
Daytime: Tango Social Club / Studio Tango 7755 St-Laurent 1.30-3pm: with Thierry - FULL Tango Anatomy (inter/adv) 1.30-3pm: with Lucas Soltadas (advanced) 3.15-4.45pm: with Krista - FULL Escape the Sequence! (inter/adv) 3.15-4.45pm: with Leonardo WOW Moves! (advanced) 5-6.30pm: For teachers only Teachers' skill share SATURDAY NIGHT Air de Tango 4324 St-Laurent 7.30-8.45: BEGINNERS CLASS with Yannick 9pm-2am GRAN MILONGA $20 1940's Theme + Photo Booth DJ Jean-Sébastien Viard -100% traditional music Démo Krista + Leo + Yannick *licensed event alcohol for sale* |
SUNDAY MAY 8TH
Studio 303 372 Ste-Catherine West, #303 1.30-3pm: with Krista Catch and Release (inter/adv) 1.30-3pm: with Alejandro La Volcada (advanced) 3-6pm TANGO TEA DANCE $10 DJ Paul Montpetit - 10% alternative music *free bagels, fruit and hot drinks* 
Photo Hannah and Krista by Viva
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** REGISTRATION AND PAYMENT **
Online registrations are now closed.
You may still register by writing to queertangomontreal@gmail.com,
or show up for the class of your choice
(except for the ones marked FULL in the above program !)
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LEVELS AND RATES
Beginner class (0 to 6 months of practice) 20$ including the Milonga Inter/adv workshops (at least 6 months of practice) 30$ Advanced workshops (at least 3 years of practice) 30$ |
Discounts
4 workshops = 100$ 5 workshops = 120$ Work exchanges are possible! |
Visiting from out of town? Join our welcome supper for visitors on Thursday May 5th 20$
We recommend housing close to St-Laurent boulevard where the bus 55 runs between all 3 venues.
About the festival
Open to all levels of dancers, all sexual orientations and all genders, the Festival Queer Tango Montreal involves 3 days of workshops, events and a welcome dinner for visitors. While developing a community of dancers within driving distance, the festival has become a North American port in the growing international queer tango festival circuit. Festival milongas feature diverse DJs and venues, while its workshops favour regional teachers, concepts over figures, and the frequent switching of partners and roles. We strive to create a safe, intimate and welcoming space where around 100 attendees - members of the extended LGBTQ community, as well as tango dancers who embrace both roles - can exchange in an open minded and laid back atmosphere.
Open to all levels of dancers, all sexual orientations and all genders, the Festival Queer Tango Montreal involves 3 days of workshops, events and a welcome dinner for visitors. While developing a community of dancers within driving distance, the festival has become a North American port in the growing international queer tango festival circuit. Festival milongas feature diverse DJs and venues, while its workshops favour regional teachers, concepts over figures, and the frequent switching of partners and roles. We strive to create a safe, intimate and welcoming space where around 100 attendees - members of the extended LGBTQ community, as well as tango dancers who embrace both roles - can exchange in an open minded and laid back atmosphere.
The teachers and their workshops
Leonardo S. (NYC)
Leonardo started dancing tango professionally in his hometown of Buenos Aires where he trained with renowned tango instructors. He performed on the best stages in Argentina before moving to New York in 2011 where he co-founded Malevaje with Walter Perez. He currently teaches and performs at Dardo Galletto Studios and participates in International Queer Tango festivals worldwide. He has performed and taught workshops in major cities in the USA, Europe, and South America. He is one of the world's most renowned Argentine tango dancers capable of exchanging smoothly and creatively roles of leader and follower. We're thrilled to have him for the 1st time at the festival, he'll be teaching 2 workshops:
WOW Moves! Choreography for Claps (sequence / advanced): Tricks, lifts, ganchos, colgadas and drags. Dance like a star, impress your friends, show off, be dramatic!
Argentine Tango Vals (sequence / intermediate): Romantic and smooth, glide and skate across the floor. Playful figures, turns (molinete) technique for leaders and followers incorporating sacadas, barridas, kicks and ganchos.
Available for privates: queertangomontreal.com
Leonardo started dancing tango professionally in his hometown of Buenos Aires where he trained with renowned tango instructors. He performed on the best stages in Argentina before moving to New York in 2011 where he co-founded Malevaje with Walter Perez. He currently teaches and performs at Dardo Galletto Studios and participates in International Queer Tango festivals worldwide. He has performed and taught workshops in major cities in the USA, Europe, and South America. He is one of the world's most renowned Argentine tango dancers capable of exchanging smoothly and creatively roles of leader and follower. We're thrilled to have him for the 1st time at the festival, he'll be teaching 2 workshops:
WOW Moves! Choreography for Claps (sequence / advanced): Tricks, lifts, ganchos, colgadas and drags. Dance like a star, impress your friends, show off, be dramatic!
Argentine Tango Vals (sequence / intermediate): Romantic and smooth, glide and skate across the floor. Playful figures, turns (molinete) technique for leaders and followers incorporating sacadas, barridas, kicks and ganchos.
Available for privates: queertangomontreal.com
Lucas DeBuenosAires (Boston)
Lucas, a genderqueer dancer, learned tango in true porteño fashion, first via family in Buenos Aires, and then in its milongas. A lifetime later, that knowledge and passion continues to be explored and shared. Lucas has been a repeat instructor at festivals in Europe, Russia, USA and South America, offering original classes, including World Cup Tango (lessons from Fútbol), Boleos for Boys, Tango/Blues Fusion etc. A consummate club kid since the age of 13, Lucas has never shied away from adventure, making a first feature film appearance in 2014. Lucas continues to study in Buenos Aires and through frequent travel, seeking exposure to everything from traditional canyengue to intercambio/fusion. A festival mainstay for the 4th year in a row, Lucas will teach:
It's the Shoes! (technique / intermediate): Get ready to WeRk in this technique class for leading, following, and Gasp! exploring High Heels. We will develop a tango routine to condition your core, legs, ankles and feet. Bring all your dance shoes.
Soltadas: If you love someone set them free (concept / advanced): Soltadas and turns are becoming more popular on the social dance floor. Learn how to incorporate them in a friendly safe way.
Lucas, a genderqueer dancer, learned tango in true porteño fashion, first via family in Buenos Aires, and then in its milongas. A lifetime later, that knowledge and passion continues to be explored and shared. Lucas has been a repeat instructor at festivals in Europe, Russia, USA and South America, offering original classes, including World Cup Tango (lessons from Fútbol), Boleos for Boys, Tango/Blues Fusion etc. A consummate club kid since the age of 13, Lucas has never shied away from adventure, making a first feature film appearance in 2014. Lucas continues to study in Buenos Aires and through frequent travel, seeking exposure to everything from traditional canyengue to intercambio/fusion. A festival mainstay for the 4th year in a row, Lucas will teach:
It's the Shoes! (technique / intermediate): Get ready to WeRk in this technique class for leading, following, and Gasp! exploring High Heels. We will develop a tango routine to condition your core, legs, ankles and feet. Bring all your dance shoes.
Soltadas: If you love someone set them free (concept / advanced): Soltadas and turns are becoming more popular on the social dance floor. Learn how to incorporate them in a friendly safe way.
Nancy Lavoie (Quebec) - DJ for the Opening Milonga
With a background in music, Nancy founded L’Avenue Tango in 1995, the first Argentine tango school in Quebec city. A passionate tango dancer and promoter, she has created more than fifteen remarkable shows. Certified Master Teacher from Tango Discovery in Buenos Aires, Nancy works with singers and bands from Argentina (Otros Aires) and Quebec (Tango Boréal). She teaches and performs regularly in Berlin, Hamburg, Paris, Porto, Zurich... This is the 3rd year Nancy has been invited to teach at the festival. This year, she will teach:
Get Rhythm! (concept / intermediate): Play with the music! Using some exercises coming from Jacques Dalcroze’s rhythmics, let your body live and express the music.
Keys for Improvising (concept / intermediate): Exercises to help us challenge our habits and create our own personalized language.
Available for privates Friday afternoon: avenuetango@gmail.com
With a background in music, Nancy founded L’Avenue Tango in 1995, the first Argentine tango school in Quebec city. A passionate tango dancer and promoter, she has created more than fifteen remarkable shows. Certified Master Teacher from Tango Discovery in Buenos Aires, Nancy works with singers and bands from Argentina (Otros Aires) and Quebec (Tango Boréal). She teaches and performs regularly in Berlin, Hamburg, Paris, Porto, Zurich... This is the 3rd year Nancy has been invited to teach at the festival. This year, she will teach:
Get Rhythm! (concept / intermediate): Play with the music! Using some exercises coming from Jacques Dalcroze’s rhythmics, let your body live and express the music.
Keys for Improvising (concept / intermediate): Exercises to help us challenge our habits and create our own personalized language.
Available for privates Friday afternoon: avenuetango@gmail.com
Thierry G. (Ottawa/Berlin)
Thierry began his tango journey in 2007 in Buenos Aires. Since then, he has been a strong promoter of the queer tango movement, as a dancer, a teacher and a promoter. He started the first Queer Tango Festival in Oslo and in 2013 he was helped launch the first Montreal Queer Tango Festival. He developed the QT community in Ottawa from 2013 to 2015. Now living in Berlin, he studies Alexander technique. He will teach:
Tango Anatomy (concept/intermediate): Raise your body awareness and ease your moves (sacadas and turns).
Thierry began his tango journey in 2007 in Buenos Aires. Since then, he has been a strong promoter of the queer tango movement, as a dancer, a teacher and a promoter. He started the first Queer Tango Festival in Oslo and in 2013 he was helped launch the first Montreal Queer Tango Festival. He developed the QT community in Ottawa from 2013 to 2015. Now living in Berlin, he studies Alexander technique. He will teach:
Tango Anatomy (concept/intermediate): Raise your body awareness and ease your moves (sacadas and turns).
Krista B. (Worcester, USA)
Krista hails from Massachusetts's heartland, the city of Worcester. Krista was an athlete growing up, running around like a wild child, and had no time for non-tomboy things such as dancing. While in college, on a whim, she jumped in a car with other students to attend a tango lesson. She never looked back. Now, she teaches at her local tango scene in Worcester as well as attending and teaching at Queer Tango Boston. Her teaching interests range far and wide but focus heavily on generating new movements with simple elements always returning to the idea of "what can I do to make this dance, with this partner, in this moment work?". For the 1st time at the festival, she will teach:
Catch and Release (concept / intermediate): Sandwichitos, paradas, catches: in-depth technique regarding sending and catching a foot and then bringing it to a new location.
Escape the Sequence! (concept / intermediate): How to study sequences, chunk movements together, and then generate new ideas.
Krista hails from Massachusetts's heartland, the city of Worcester. Krista was an athlete growing up, running around like a wild child, and had no time for non-tomboy things such as dancing. While in college, on a whim, she jumped in a car with other students to attend a tango lesson. She never looked back. Now, she teaches at her local tango scene in Worcester as well as attending and teaching at Queer Tango Boston. Her teaching interests range far and wide but focus heavily on generating new movements with simple elements always returning to the idea of "what can I do to make this dance, with this partner, in this moment work?". For the 1st time at the festival, she will teach:
Catch and Release (concept / intermediate): Sandwichitos, paradas, catches: in-depth technique regarding sending and catching a foot and then bringing it to a new location.
Escape the Sequence! (concept / intermediate): How to study sequences, chunk movements together, and then generate new ideas.
Yannick Allen-Vuillet (Quebec)
Yannick started tango at age 17, learning both roles from the start, developing a rich and complete appreciation for the dance. He then travelled to Europe to perfect his practice. Four years later, he began teaching on a regular basis with his dance partner Nancy Lavoie, subsequently performing in festivals in Quebec, Montréal and Berlin as well as teaching in Europe and North America. Yannick also co- artistic directed the shows TER tango, Republica Tanguera and Rose Chair. Hailing from a visual art background, his dance creations reflect his artistic sensibilities.
Yannick will teach a Tango class for beginners, before Saturday's Gran Milonga.
Yannick started tango at age 17, learning both roles from the start, developing a rich and complete appreciation for the dance. He then travelled to Europe to perfect his practice. Four years later, he began teaching on a regular basis with his dance partner Nancy Lavoie, subsequently performing in festivals in Quebec, Montréal and Berlin as well as teaching in Europe and North America. Yannick also co- artistic directed the shows TER tango, Republica Tanguera and Rose Chair. Hailing from a visual art background, his dance creations reflect his artistic sensibilities.
Yannick will teach a Tango class for beginners, before Saturday's Gran Milonga.
Alejandro Villalobos (Montreal)
Born in Mexico, Alejandro Villalobos is a professional dancer specialised in contemporary and classical dance as well as in Mexican folkloric dancing, who graduated from The Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes de Mexico. In Quebec, he has worked for several classical and contemporary dance projects. He was introduced to Argentine tango in Buenos Aires in 2007 where he studied with several teachers. In 2013 he was invited to teach and perform at Buenos Aires queer tango festival. He now teaches in Montreal at Tangueando and Cosy.Zone and contributes to Montreal's queer tango community by giving regular classes and organizing milongas. He will teach:
La Volcada (sequence / advanced): An easy and fun way to learn this very popular figure.
Available for privates: cdcostra@hotmail.com
Born in Mexico, Alejandro Villalobos is a professional dancer specialised in contemporary and classical dance as well as in Mexican folkloric dancing, who graduated from The Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes de Mexico. In Quebec, he has worked for several classical and contemporary dance projects. He was introduced to Argentine tango in Buenos Aires in 2007 where he studied with several teachers. In 2013 he was invited to teach and perform at Buenos Aires queer tango festival. He now teaches in Montreal at Tangueando and Cosy.Zone and contributes to Montreal's queer tango community by giving regular classes and organizing milongas. He will teach:
La Volcada (sequence / advanced): An easy and fun way to learn this very popular figure.
Available for privates: cdcostra@hotmail.com
Paul Montpetit (Montréal) - DJ for the Tango Tea Dance
Paul Montpetit enseigne, danse et anime des soirées de tango argentin depuis 1989. Présentement il enseigne à Montréal, Les Laurentides et les Hautes Laurentides, de Mont-Laurier à Val-David. Il est co-directeur avec Laura-Eva Steinmander de l’école de tango Tangueria, école pionnière du tango argentin en Amérique du Nord fondée en 1991. Depuis 2011, il contribue au développement du tango queer à Montréal en donnant des cours hebdomadaires.
Paul Montpetit enseigne, danse et anime des soirées de tango argentin depuis 1989. Présentement il enseigne à Montréal, Les Laurentides et les Hautes Laurentides, de Mont-Laurier à Val-David. Il est co-directeur avec Laura-Eva Steinmander de l’école de tango Tangueria, école pionnière du tango argentin en Amérique du Nord fondée en 1991. Depuis 2011, il contribue au développement du tango queer à Montréal en donnant des cours hebdomadaires.
Jean-Sébastien Viard (Montréal) - DJ for the Gran Milonga
Jean-Sebastien turned to Tango after many years of Salsa, Ballroom and Latin dances, and quickly grew into a strongly committed and very musical social dancer. The beauty and complexity of Tango music motivated him to learn more about it and to understand what was involved in DJing. Jean-Sebastien now teaches and DJs in Montreal on a regular basis. He has been Redlight milonga’s resident DJ through 2014-15 and had many opportunities to DJ abroad (Boston, Toronto and Paris are a few examples). He is skilled in setting up strictly traditional tango evenings, as well as mixed-music events. He is known to bring only high quality music, selected mostly out of the Golden Age repertoire, arranged with careful balance through the evening and a particular concern for the dancers’ creative and emotional experiences.
Jean-Sebastien turned to Tango after many years of Salsa, Ballroom and Latin dances, and quickly grew into a strongly committed and very musical social dancer. The beauty and complexity of Tango music motivated him to learn more about it and to understand what was involved in DJing. Jean-Sebastien now teaches and DJs in Montreal on a regular basis. He has been Redlight milonga’s resident DJ through 2014-15 and had many opportunities to DJ abroad (Boston, Toronto and Paris are a few examples). He is skilled in setting up strictly traditional tango evenings, as well as mixed-music events. He is known to bring only high quality music, selected mostly out of the Golden Age repertoire, arranged with careful balance through the evening and a particular concern for the dancers’ creative and emotional experiences.
The organizers
Miriam Ginestier and Viva Delorme
Miriam is a former performer and the current director of Studio 303, a multidisciplinary arts centre in Montreal. Highly active in Montreal's queer community, Miriam is best known for her legendary cabaret soirée, le Boudoir, as well as monthly Meow Mix performance parties at the Sala Rossa. She started organizing occasional queer tango workshops back in 1997 with Mireille Painchaud. Then in 2009 she met… Viva! Viva started tango in 2010. In 2011, she and Miriam started a queer tango group and organized regular classes with Paul Montpetit, workshops with various guest instructors, and regular milongas all at Tangueria. Through these activities and in collaboration with local instructor and dancer Alejandro Villalobos, a queer tango community has finally emerged in Montréal. Miriam and Viva now focus on organizing 3-4 events a year with guest teachers (Brigitta Winkler, Burak Özkösem, Krista Baker) as well as the festival.
Miriam is a former performer and the current director of Studio 303, a multidisciplinary arts centre in Montreal. Highly active in Montreal's queer community, Miriam is best known for her legendary cabaret soirée, le Boudoir, as well as monthly Meow Mix performance parties at the Sala Rossa. She started organizing occasional queer tango workshops back in 1997 with Mireille Painchaud. Then in 2009 she met… Viva! Viva started tango in 2010. In 2011, she and Miriam started a queer tango group and organized regular classes with Paul Montpetit, workshops with various guest instructors, and regular milongas all at Tangueria. Through these activities and in collaboration with local instructor and dancer Alejandro Villalobos, a queer tango community has finally emerged in Montréal. Miriam and Viva now focus on organizing 3-4 events a year with guest teachers (Brigitta Winkler, Burak Özkösem, Krista Baker) as well as the festival.
The venues
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Tango Social Club / Studio Tango (Friday day and night + Sat. day) 7755 St-Laurent, Montréal, QC, H2R 1X1 www.tangosocialclub.ca Air de Tango (Saturday night) 4324 St-Laurent, Montréal, QC, H2W 1Z3 www.airdetango.com Studio 303 (Sunday) 372 Ste-Catherine West, #303, Montréal, QC, H3B 1A2 www.studio303.ca **Visitors! We recommend housing close to St-Laurent boulevard where the bus 55 runs between all 3 venues. Please note, if you are driving to Montreal, parking is difficult and/or expensive near Air de Tango and Studio 303** |
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Press release
Festival Queer Tango Montréal - 4th edition - May 6-8 2016
Open to all levels, all sexual orientations and all genders!
After three successful editions in July 2013 and May 2014 and 2015, Montréal Queer Tango Festival is back. The fourth edition will take place from May 6th to 8th 2016 in some of Montréal’s finest dance venues: Air de Tango in collaboration with CTMBA (Collectivité Tango Montréal Buenos Aires), Studio 303 and Tango Social Club.
Montreal - an exceptionally vibrant city known for its effervescent queer community - is also the undisputed capital of Argentine Tango in North America. This festival draws the best from both worlds, to create a unique three-day experience.
Montreal - an exceptionally vibrant city known for its effervescent queer community - is also the undisputed capital of Argentine Tango in North America. This festival draws the best from both worlds, to create a unique three-day experience.
The festival is open to all, tango virgins as well as advanced dancers, of all sexual orientations and genders. This 4th edition features guest teachers and performers from NYC, Boston, Québec city, Ottawa and Montréal (Leonardo S., Lucas De BuenosAires, Krista Baker, Nancy Lavoie, Yannick Allen-Vuillet, Thierry Guénin, and Alejandro Villalobos).
The festival is organised by Viva Delorme and Miriam Ginestier who is best known for her legendary Meow Mix cabarets and le Boudoir soirées, and director of Studio 303.
The festival is organised by Viva Delorme and Miriam Ginestier who is best known for her legendary Meow Mix cabarets and le Boudoir soirées, and director of Studio 303.
Argentine tango is a complex and sensual improvisational dance. Traditionally, it reflects patriarchal views on sexuality and gender relations, where the man is the decision-maker while the woman responds.
Queer Tango embraces Argentine tango while challenging heteronormative roles, encouraging a fluid exchange of the leader and follower roles. Dancers are invited to choose or exchange roles, depending on who they are dancing with and their present mood.
The queer tango movement provides a safe and playful tango environment for the LGBT and genderqueer communities, but also supports female leaders and male followers, regardless of their sexual orientation.
Queer Tango embraces Argentine tango while challenging heteronormative roles, encouraging a fluid exchange of the leader and follower roles. Dancers are invited to choose or exchange roles, depending on who they are dancing with and their present mood.
The queer tango movement provides a safe and playful tango environment for the LGBT and genderqueer communities, but also supports female leaders and male followers, regardless of their sexual orientation.
Website (full schedule and photos): http://www.queertangomontreal.com
Facebook group: Queer Tango Montreal
Further reading (interview with Miriam Ginestier and Viva Delorme)
http://www.xtra.ca/public/National/Cheek_to_cheek_to_cheek_to_cheek-9973.aspx
For more information: queertangomontreal@gmail.com