    Orlando Paiva Jr. Sandor & Parissa Luiza Paes Nick Jones & Laura Tate
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Christy Coté & Claudio Otero & Korey Ireland Daniel Noce & Darren Lees Elizabeth Roccella & Rebecca Ramona Nita
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Orlando Paiva Jr. carries on the legacy of his father, Orlando Paiva Sr., whose elegant, smooth, salon style of Argentine Tango is renowned worldwide. Argentina is Orlando Paiva Jr.’s native country. Born and raised in Rosario, he has taught and performed in Buenos Aires, in Europe and all over the U.S. He is the founder of Tango Masquerade in Los Angeles, and of the Brujo Tango Congress in Reno, Nevada, and has been a major participant in congresses in Buenos Aires, the U.S and in Europe. Orlando has appeared on Santa Monica CityTV's show "Coffee Break" and with his dance partner Laura on Telemundo's television show "Buenas Dias" showcasing Argentine culture and the dance of tango.
Orlando’s partner,
Laura Tate, became enraptured with the dance of Argentine tango, and has studied with the maestros of tango in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Having studied and performed with Orlando for several years now, Laura has devoted herself to what is widely known as the “Paiva” style of Argentine tango. Following the basis of this special style, Orlando and Laura dance feeling the floor. Their performances are distinctive in its movements and esthetic, giving you a masterful blend of the romance and passion of Argentina. Their classes are focused on precision footwork, posture and overall elegance in style. Orlando and Laura teach classes and workshops in Southern California, and host the milonga, La Tangueria, in Toluca Lake, L.A.
Born in and growing up within a tango atmosphere, Orlando Paiva Jr. has a tremendous respect and love for this dance. He is a pure Tango dancer and teacher. If you would like to know more about the Paiva legacy, visit www.paivatango.com
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Internationally acclaimed performers, Sandor & Parissa, are the principal dancers in Magique Tango Vivo !, a show created, directed, and choreographed by Sandor, which has toured the U.S., Singapore, and Canada achieving outstanding reviews. Sandor was a principal dancer in the Broadway/London hit show Forever Tango, nominated for the Tony Award “Best Choreography”. He has also choreographed and danced in Latin Spectacular at the Hollywood Bowl, featuring the Los Angeles Philharmonic, broadcast live on UPN. He has toured and performed in 65 cities in Japan. He has won four First Place Honors in the Theatre Arts Competitions of Emerald Ball, Nevada Star Ball, and The Extravaganza Northwest Dance Competitions. He has been featured in Passions Latines at the Olympia Theatre in Paris, the Warner Brother’s film Mambo Kings, and the PBS TV Special Tango Magic. Sandor has been honored with The Carlos Gardel Tango Lifetime Achievement Award. | 
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Parissa has been featured dancing Salsa on the WB’s Charmed, HBO’s Six Feet Under, and E!’s Latin Image Awards. She was a featured model and dancer in a national ad campaign for Wrigley’s Doublemint Gum. Parissa has worked with Antonio Banderas as his Ballroom and Tango coach to prepare him for the movie Take the Lead. Together, Sandor & Parissa have performed & choreographed for countless Television, Film, and Theatrical Productions around the world. They have also choreographed for Olympic and World Champion Ice Dancers.Sandor & Parissa reside & teach in the Los Angeles area. For more information about them, their shows, & their classes, please go to : www.sandorparissa.com | |
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| Luiza Paes Luiza Paes, Brazilian-born, music student since age six, worked in musical education and vocal technique for many years. Her very first tango experience was in 1997 in Portland, Oregon where she took a group class with Clay Nelson and was immediately struck by the music and fascinated by the idea of the connection in the couple. Back in Brazil, Luiza met Norberto "Pulpo" Esbrez who became her teacher and then partner for nearly 10 years. Luiza and "Pulpo" traveled the world teaching and performing: Russia, Japan, Netherlands, France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Greece, Spain, Denmark, United States, Canada, Mexico, Uruguay, and Brazil. They taught at numerous tango festivals including CITA in Buenos Aires, Portland, Las Vegas, Boston, Amsterdam, Tango del Norte in Denmark, etc. |  |
| Luiza is a fun, caring and articulate instructor and teaches technique emphasizing the leader's and follower's roles, improvisation and the ability of adapting. Since February 2008 she started teaching and traveling on her own and her focus has been on teaching musicality along with a technique that opens up possibilities for creativity in the dance. |
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During the last five years, Nick Jones has taught in major cities and at festivals across the United States, Australia and Buenos Aires including Pulpo's Tango Week, Portland's TangoFest (2005) & Valentango (2006), Tango de los Muertos (2006, with Nick w/Florencia Taccetti), in Washington DC, New York and at Yale University (2006).Nick's dancing is effortless, elegant, sophisticated, and musical. Nick plays the bandoneon, and leads a tango quintet in Denver. In college, Nick majored in poetry, minored in painting, and loved throwing pottery. It was through throwing pottery that he understood for the first time what it really meant to be centered and "on axis" - terms that dance teachers often toss around - and now these concepts are central to his teaching. As a teacher Nick is enthusiastic and has an uncanny ability to explain complex ideas simply and to pinpoint the subtleties of where each student needs to improve.
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| Darren Lees splits his time between San Diego & San Francisco where he teaches. His first experience with dance was at age of 9 when he performed Mexican Folkloric dancing known as Jarabe Tapatio. Darren and Christy have partnered in Tango since 2004 teaching & performing at numerous tango communities throughout North America. They have toured with San Francisco’s MonTango Orchestra and perform regularly with the orchestra Tango No. 9. Christy & Darren have danced in numerous Bay Area shows including A Romantic Ritual, The Latin Show, San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival, and a 49er’s Half Time Show. They are featured performers in An Evening of Argentine Tango at San Francisco's Peña PachaMama restaurant. They also teach & perform on the annual NCL Tango del Mar Cruise www.cruisetango.com. | |
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Claudio Otero & Elizabeth Roccella
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Korey Ireland & Rebecca Rorick Smith
Rebecca Rorick Smith has been dancing since 1999. Home grown within the Northwest's, distinct tango sphere her style is nonetheless eclectic and innovative. Rebecca began teaching in 2003 in Eugene Oregon and has been finding her way to tango around the world wherever possible. Rebecca has been heavily influenced by teachers such as Kara Wenham, Sebastian Arce and Mariana Montes, Cecilia Gonzalas, Luciana Valle, Mariano 'Chico' Frumboli, and Dana Frigoli. Rebecca is frequently sought out for her understanding of leading, her approachability, and playfulness. |
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A native of
Dance as an art form has been part of Ramona Nita's life since the age of 6. She has had extensive training in various forms of dance as well as gymnastics. She grew up in Chicago. Athe age of 12 she began an intensive apprenticeship program where she studied and performed jazz, ballet, modern, hip-hop, and African dance. Ramona has been a professional performer for 12 years. She has performed with the Joel Hall Danceres at various theatres and venues throughout Chicago, including the Anthenaeum Theatre, Schubert Theatre, Merle Reskin Theatre, Chicago Cultural Center. She has also performed at dance festivals in Paris, Cologne, and Brussels, where she lived for several years. In addition, Ramona has 9 years of Latin partner dancing experience. Since 2005, when she returned from Europe, she has centered her dance career on the Argentine tango. | 
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