tanichezini 
TIME: 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm
ENTRANCE: $12 cash or Venmo at the door.
Shabu Studios,
6055 NE Glisan St.,
Portland, OR 97213
For the workshops schedule and more information visit www.tangoberretin.com/Virginia-Vasconi
To register, schedule a private lesson, or for more information please email Alex Krebs at tangoberretin@gmail.com
I was born in Córdoba, Argentina. At the age of 5 I took my first dance steps and discovered the love for dance, which later led me to ballet and artistic gymnastics. I am a Jazz Dance teacher, with a high level in Stretching, Yoga, Ballet and Contemporary Dance. I danced with various companies in the most important theaters in Argentina, including the 7 years that I was part of the Mixtura Dance Company. I have acting and stage training. I participated in various theater plays and musicals in Córdoba (“Desaprendiendo”, “El Grito Sagrado”, “Cenicienta”) and in Buenos Aires (“La Musa del Capricho”, “Gris de Ausencia”). In 2000 I discovered my passion for Tango and in 2008 I moved to Buenos Aires in order to dedicate myself completely to this dance in a professional way. I was a member of the famous DNI Tango School and Company, directed by Dana Frígoli, for 7 years as a teacher and as a dancer with Jonny Lambert. Together, we participated in the Documentary directed by Teresa Constantini “Buscando a Tita” released in 2017 – Youtube link. In 2015 I began dancing with the great teacher and dancer Julio Balmaceda, with whom I traveled the world teaching and dancing Tango until 2020. In 2015, we created together with Julio Balmaceda the show “Tango, a Society of Two”, premiered in St. Petersburg, Russia. I also had the honor of exhibiting professionally in the most renowned milongas and in the most prestigious theaters in Buenos Aires, as well as in the most important Festivals in the world. In Buenos Aires, I taught for several years at the Milonga Parakultural in the Salón Canning, one of the oldest and most legendary milongas in the city. I also taught at the Gricel Club, in the Leonese region, in the National region, at DNI, at Cheek to Cheek, at the Argentine School of Tango, at the Museo Nacional del Tango, among many others. I am also the creator of a Tango technique based on Yoga and body biomechanics, which is mainly characterized by the naturalness, fluidity and organicity of movement. To learn more about Art in Motion, visit artinmotiontango.com. I am the founder of a training called “Virginia Vasconi’s Block sessions” to strengthen muscles, rehabilitate chronic injuries and develop stability and balance. In 2020, together with 5 dancers and teachers, we founded the Mandarinas Tango group, a project in various online formats: Festival, Seminars, Special Thematic Classes (mandarinastango.com) and in 2021, a virtual tango show with the great dancer and teacher Pancho Martínez Pey. Among his partners, we can name renowned dancers such as Julio Balmaceda, Pancho Martínez Pey, Jonny Carvaj
From Virginia’s own words:
My name is Virginia Vasconi, I am a professional dancer of many dances but for 15 years I have dedicated myself exclusively to Tango. For me Tango is not only a dance, but it is also my passion, it is part of my way of life and my culture. I love Tango music, couple dancing, the technique, the philosophy… Tango is that, a projection of life itself put into a dance. I approach dance and teaching in a comprehensive way. I brought together many concepts from other disciplines that I studied throughout my life, such as classical dance, jazz dance, contemporary dance, yoga and stretching among others. I mixed them to develop my own technique, my own vision and my method of training the body and dancing in a natural, functional and organic way, and above all, healthy for my body. Tango also gives me the possibility to develop as a teacher, it allows me to investigate body biomechanics and movement in depth. I find it very interesting to find exercises to develop muscle tone, flexibility, fluidity, twists and spirals, supports, projections, etc. In this way I can use the body as a tool of artistic expression. I can feel comfortable and confident when dancing with a partner, both in the role of leader and follower, and share the intimacy of the embrace and the encounter, feeling free at the same time. My dance is unique and personal. It is characterized by my plasticity, my way of moving my legs, elegance, delicacy and power. That is what dancing is about, finding each person’s truest and deepest self to express themselves authentically. I consider myself a versatile, ductile, adaptable, chameleonic dancer. This allows me to feel free when dancing with different dancers and styles. Adapting to different bodies is a super interesting challenge for me on a physical and musical level, on an emotional and sensitive level. It is a training that requires a lot of experience and a lot of practice, but from my point of view, that is where the beauty and magic reside. I offer this way of learning, understanding and dancing the Tango. Tango changed my life, it transformed me. Welcome to my world, I invite you to transform yourself!
6305 SE Foster Rd.
Portland, OR 97206
To preregister for workshops or schedule a private lesson with El Chino, send an email to: support@dancewithjoystudios.com or call (503) 704- 5617 8160
Andres Necchi, better known as “El Chino Necchi” started his tango journey almost 20 years ago, when he met Dina Martinez, Luciana Valle and Valencia Batiuk at El Motivo Tango. Under their tutelage, Chino developed as a dancer, teacher, and organizer. He never stops learning from the top tango instructors in the world. Chino has taught all across Europe and is a certified Fitness Instructor, increasing his capacity of understanding the body, connection and movements between leader and follower.
8051 SE 16th Ave
Portland, OR 97202
Come and join us for a trip back in time! Every Monday, we offer an introductory tango lesson followed by dancing to the tunes of local tango DJs until midnight.
Norse Hall, Main Ballroom
Elizabeth Anel
111 NE 11th Avenue
Portland, OR 97232
This porteña tango dancer, born in Buenos Aires, has been connected to the world of dance since childhood. Gaby began her dance journey with jazz and sports aerobics, later exploring various international rhythms such as hip hop, salsa, axé, theater dance, and lindy hop. At 21, driven by a desire to connect more deeply with her culture and traditions, she discovered tango—a revelation that ignited her true passion and vocation. She immersed herself in the world of tango, studying with numerous esteemed teachers in various schools to develop her own unique style. Notable mentors include Chicho Frúmboli and Juana Sepúlveda, Alejandro Larenas and Marisol Morales, Bruno Tombari and Rocío Lequio, Pablo Rodríguez and Corina Herrera, Moria Castellano, Dana Frígoli, and Corina de la Rosa.
After earning a degree in pharmacy from the University of Buenos Aires, Gaby realized that her true professional path lay in dance. She fully committed herself to teaching and dancing tango, leaving behind her pharmaceutical career. Since then, she has regularly taught at prominent milongas in Buenos Aires, including the well-known Viva la Pepa Milonga, La Mandrilera Milonga, and La María Milonga, where she has also been a co-creator and organizer.
She has participated in various tango festivals across the U.S., including the 2024 Valentango festival.
Gaby is a fresh and relaxed tango teacher who prioritizes her students’ comfort, creating an enjoyable and welcoming learning environment. She skillfully deepens their understanding of the technical aspects of tango while emphasizing the dance’s social essence, including its improvisational nature and the importance of connection with a partner. Gaby equips her students with valuable tools they can confidently apply at the milonga.
As a passionate and joyful dancer, Gaby combines her milonguera embrace with strength and precise technique, embodying the spirit of Tango Argentino in every performance.
Lines & Circles: from the structure to the improvisation & the dance.
Building my axis and being in control of my own movement – Let’s study Stability & balance, Use of the feet, heels and hips, small steps vs long steps, and quality of movement.
Finding Freedom in Every Embrace – Lets work on being 100% engaged in the embrace, 100% responsible and in charge of my body and movement; Keeping the connection through the motion, giving the “let’s go signal”, and Switching from close to open & open to close: engage & disengage. Let’s explore salon, milonguero, and finding your own style!
The issue of the FREE LEG! Let’s learn the in-between line of it being free but alive to dance; investigating the dynamics for playing with it consciously, and applying to ganchos and boleos.
Use of the Upper Body and Lower Body – Let’s study Torsions, rotations, and pivots; Arms as a communication tool; Translating messages/invitations into movements; Choosing where to express the dance in our bodies; Moving the embrace through the space vs on the spot; and Locking & Unlocking spaces in the embrace: leading OCHOS, REBOUNDS and PLANEOS
Navigating the dance floor: dancing to the music, with your partner and with the rest of the dancers. – A workshop for training and expanding our toolboxes for having handy options at the milonga for navigating a crowded dance floor, being able to PAUSE and make that part of the dance, play with the subtleties of the music and expanding the movements inside & outside of the embrace as we want and can
6305 SE Foster Rd
Portland, OR 97206
6055 NE Glisan St.
Portland, OR 97213
8900 SW Commercial St.
Tigard, OR 97223
Luciana Valle, a tango dancer since the nineties, played a pivotal role in the Tango Investigation group of Gustavo Naveira and Fabian Salas. This project significantly contributed to the development of the tango language now widely used globally for teaching tango.
Renowned for her expertise as both a leader and follower, Luciana has earned widespread recognition as one of the finest female teachers. Her teaching style is characterized by fantastic energy, exuberance, and a keen eye for detail. Luciana employs descriptive movement images, making intricate actions accessible to her students. Her classes emphasize the dance’s structure, technical nuances for comfortable and expressive movement, and the strong connection between leaders and followers. This approach challenges and benefits both leaders and followers alike.
Additionally, Luciana is a co-founder of El Motivo Tango, a trio of female excellent tango teachers. This dynamic group not only imparts their tango expertise but also hosts a highly attended practica every Monday evening in Buenos Aires.
Since 1999, Luciana has been a regular presence in Portland, conducting tango workshops and offering private lessons. Her enduring commitment to teaching has left an indelible mark on the local tango community.
We’re working hard on re-defining the Festival, recruiting help, and raising funds in order to bring you the best Portland Tango Festival we can!
We have decided to take a break in 2024 to allow time for this process, so stay tuned for news about the 2025 Festival plans.
Other folks in Portland will probably organize other events this fall, so join the Portland Tango Google Group mailing list and keep an eye on the Portland Tango Calendar to hear about other tango opportunities in Portland this year.
This practica started in 1999 at Clay Nelson’s old dance studio in Garden Home. It moved to its old location at the Viscount on Burnside in 2004, and on Sept 2012 moved to the new location of the Viscount studios and was run by Bill Alsup and at times by Megan Pingree.
After Covid the practica restarted at Dance with Joy Studios and is now run by Rachel Lidskog-Lim
This is a guided tango practica for dancers to cone together in supportive caring community, enjoying friendship and dance, every Sunday afternoon.
Wishing you warm embraces, connection and joy, as you practice, play, grow, in your tango journey.
There are also Argentine tango classes offered before the practica:
For more information contact Rachel at support@dancewithjoystudios.com
Sign up on the practica Facebook Event
8051 SE 16th Ave, Portland, OR 97202
No partner necessary.
A little experience with tango is recommended but not required.
Questions? Feel free to reach out at thursdaypractica@gmail.com
6305 SE Foster Rd.
Portland, OR 97206