Skip to page content
  • WDCH
  • Argentina’s Hottest Tango Show “Tango Fire” Debuts at Walt Disney Concert Hall
  • Mar. 1, 2009
  • SUNDAY, MARCH 1, 2009, at 7:30 PM

    Media support provided by 89.9 KCRW

    “Tango Fire,” the hottest tango show from Buenos Aires, Argentina, debuts at Walt Disney Concert Hall on Sunday, March 1, at 7:30 p.m. “Tango Fire” features a four-piece ensemble – Quatrotango - playing traditional and modern tango, 10 passionate dancers, and one of Argentina’s finest singers – Javier ‘Cardenal’ Dominguez. “Tango Fire” captures the essence of the world’s most alluring dance.

    “Tango Fire” traces the history of tango, from its origins in the red light district of Buenos Aires to the glamour of the Roaring Twenties; and its evolution to the world of contemporary ballroom accompanied by the music, performed live, of many of the most famous tango composers, including the legendary Astor Piazzolla.

    The success of “Tango Fire” has been phenomenal; it has toured the USA, Canada, Australia, Europe, Asia and South Africa to high acclaim. The Boston Herald review raves, “Rarely has the tempestuous tango looked like so much exuberant, out-and-out fun as in “Tango Fire”. This is tango with a big smile and boisterous high jinks performed by 10 exquisitely skilled dancers with spirit and charisma to match. All in their 20’s and 30’s, they are uniformly gorgeous. The women are lithe with deeply arched backs and finely sculpted legs that slice like machetes with stunning precision and flexibility. The men have taut, muscular torsos of commanding confidence, and feet and legs as nimble off the ground as on.”

    The 2008/09 World Music series at Walt Disney Concert Hall concludes with Portugal’s alluring fado singer, Mariza, on Wednesday, March 18.

    YANINA FAJAR (Director of Choreography) was born in Pergamino, Buenos Aires, on June 9, 1977. She started dancing at the age of 6. Yanina studied dance at Fracasi Conservatoire of Dance, obtaining a degree in Arabian Bellydance, Spanish Folklore dance & Argentine Folklore dance. She has studied with many of the best tango dancers in Argentina, including Sandra Butz & Gabriel Ortega, Silvio Lavia. Nito & Elva García. and Pepito Avellaneda. Yanina performed with the Juan Carlos Copes Tango Ballet from 1996 to 1997 and The Gloria & Eduardo Youth Tango Ballet company during 1997 and 1998. Over the last 12 years Yanina and her dance partner NELSON CELIS have performed in the most prestigious Tango houses in Buenos Aires; La Ventana with D’Arienzo Soloists, Michelángelo, El Viejo Almacén, La Cumparsita, Cambalache Tango, Galerías Pacífico, Tango XXI with Perla Carol & Homero Manzi with Ruth Durante. In 1994 they won the National Tango Competition which toured Italy & Spain, and they participated in the 1996 International Dance Festival in Arequipa Peru. Yanina and Nelson have toured internationally with many of the best tango companies & orchestras, including Carlos Galván Orchestra & Enrique Dumas, Compania Tango & Roberto Montirolli Orchestra in 1998, Japan in 1999 with Sexteto Sur Orchestra & Graciela Arcelli, 2001-2003 with the Tango Bizarro Company & Los Cosos de al Lao Orchestra, and Japan in 2002 with Tango Dreams Company and Cristian Zárate Orchestra. In Buenos Aires they have danced with the Opera Theatre of Buenos Aires production of Una Noche de Tango which stared Alberto Castillo, Jorge Valdéz, Nelly Omar, with the Jorge Dragone Orchestra, the Cervantes National Theatre with Alberto Castillo, Jorge Valdéz, Enrique Dumas, Nelly Omar, Hugo del Carril (son) with the Jorge Dragone Orchestra and the Auditorium Theatre of Mar del Plata with Ruth Durante with the Oscar Bassil Orchestra. Yanina & Nelson have made many appearances on TV in Argentina including The Mirror Program on 9 Channel,

    América 2: Honoring Alberto Castillo, Night with Friends on Channel ATC 7 and Solo Tango Channel program El Firulete. Yanina has worked with Tango Fire since 2005, performing in many countries around the world, including Scotland, England, the United States, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, China, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia.

    MAURICIO CELIS & INES CUESTA - Ines Cuesta studied Corporeal Expression and Rhythmic Dance before spending seven years studying the art of tango. Mauricio Celis studied tango for eight years and appeared in the acclaimed Tango Mitos, Opera Bay. As a couple they have performed in many Tango houses including Cafe Tortoni, The Querandí, Taconeando, Esquina Carlos Gardel and Cambalache. Ines & Mauricio have toured to Perú, Spain, Italy, Brasil, Paraguay and Chile. They joined the company in 2005.

    GERMAN CORNEJO & CAROLINA GIANNINI studied tango from the age of 10 & 14 respectively. They learned classical and contemporary dance & tango with many of Argentina’s most respected teachers, including Mercedes Serrano, Mónica Fracchia, Cristina Cortés, José Garófalo, Carina Lozano, Guillermina Quiroga, Javier Rodríguez and Geraldine Rojas. German also studied jazz, ballet & acrobatics. He has received many awards for dancing tango, most notably Nuevos Talentos de Oro, Concurso de Baile de Oro awarded by the television programme Susana Gimenez on the TELEFE Channel in Argentina and World Champion of Show Tango in 2005. Both German & Carolina have performed at tango houses & milongas in Buenos Aires including Café Tortoni , La Manufactura Papelera, Señor Tango, Boca Tango, Mambo, Chiquin Buenos Aires and El Viejo Almacén. German appeared in Bien de Tango with Director Osvaldo Berlingeri & together the couple toured throughout Japan with Buenos Tangos directed by Fabio Hager. German & Carolina first joined Tango Fire in 2006.

    CRISTIAN MIÑO & JORGELINA GUZZI started dancing together in January 2007 and joined the company in May 2007. They have taught masterclasses all over Europe and performed in Germany, Austria, Croatia, Italy & Belgium. They dance in the Tango Salon style with some elements of Tango Nuevo. Jorgelina has performed at Tango festivals around the World including: Festival Berlin, Tokyo Tango Festival, Festival Internacional de Sitges, IV World Tango Festival Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Festival Internacional de Tango Fireworks, Los Ángeles. In 2006 she was a judge in the World Championship of the Tango Argentino, Buenos Aires in the category “stage dance”. Cristian has worked with masters of the Tango Argentinos, Miguel Angel Zotto, Mariano “Chicho” Frumboli, & Sebastian Arce. He has performed in some of the most important Milongas in Buenos Aires - Canning, Niño Bien, and Porteño y Bailarin - and appeared at many of the famous Tango houses including Boca Tango and Che Tango. Cristian also teaches at Tango schools in Buenos Aires: Mora Godoy, Tango Brujo and Tango Elite Argentino.

    SEBASTIAN ALVAREZ & VICTORIA SAUDELLI started dancing together in 2000. They have danced in some of the famed Tango Houses and 5-star hotels in Buenos Aires including the Hilton, Dos Meses & Esquina Carlos Gardel. Sebastian & Victoria have toured together internationally since 2000, performing in Egypt, Spain, USA, Russia & extensively throughout Central & South America. They joined the Tango Fire Company in early 2008.

    JAVIER ‘CARDENAL’ DOMINGUEZ was born in Buenos Aires, where he started singing tango when he was 26 years old. He has performed in the Casa Rosada (the Presidental Palace) in Buenos Aires for the Argentine President and at the Congreso de la Nacion (National Congress) as part of the 70th aniversary of Carlos Gardel’s death, and he is a regular at the International Tango Festival in Buenos Aires and many other festivals all over Argentina. He has appeared regularly at tango houses in Buenos Aires, including Café Tortoni, Café Homero, Club del Vino, La Esquina Carlos Gardel & Café de los Angelitos. Cardenal has toured internationally including appearances in Germany, Japan and throughout South America.

    QUATROTANGO was created in mid 2000, as a Bandoneon and Piano duet (Gabriel Clenar and Hugo Satorre). In 2002 Marcelo Rebuffi joined the group as a violin player. The present line-up came together in 2005 when Gerardo Scaglione joined the group on double bass. Quatrotango has worked professionally with tango since the beginning of 2001. Its repertoire includes traditional as well as modern tango with diverse arrangements for male and female singers. Gabriel Clenar is the arranger. In September and October of 2002, Quatrotango undertook a European tour with performances in Germany at Bernburg Theater, Wolfen Kulturhaus, Frankfurt Kleistforum, Ludwingslust Stadhalle, Mannheim Forum, Stockach Festhalle and Karlsruhe Jubez. In July and August 2003 the group toured Australia and New Zealand with performances at the Sydney Opera House, Hamer Concert Hall (Melbourne), and as part of the Christchurch International Arts Festival at the Royal Theatre. Since 2002 they have regularly performed at some of Buenos Aires most famous milongas, including Salon Canning, La Ideal, La Catedral, Cochabamba and La Calesita. In Argentina, the group has also played at Club del Vino, Nothorious-Gandhi, Radio Nacional, and in the VI Buenos Aires Tango Festival, organized by the Culture Secretary of the Buenos Aires city Government, Café-Café and La Ideal as a part of a Remarkable Bars Promotion Program sponsored by the Secretary of Culture of Buenos Aires City Government. In March 2005, Quatrotango opened the VII Festival Buenos Aires Tango in the Gran Milonga in front of a crowd of 20,000. They also presented their show in the Fernandez Blanco Museum, Piazzolla Tango and the National Radio Station of Argentina. Since 2005, Quatrotango have toured exclusively with Tango Fire. For the Spring 2009 tour of Tango Fire, Quatrotango is joined by special guest pianist Gustavo Casenave.

    The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, under Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen, presents the finest in orchestral and chamber music, recitals, new music, jazz, world music and holiday concerts at two of the most remarkable places anywhere to experience music — Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. In addition to a 30-week winter subscription season at Walt Disney Concert Hall, the LA Phil presents a 12-week summer festival at the legendary Hollywood Bowl, summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and home of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. In fulfilling its commitment to the community, the Association’s involvement with Los Angeles extends to educational programs, community concerts and children's programming, ever seeking to provide inspiration and delight to the broadest possible audience.

    EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:

    SUNDAY, MARCH 1, 2009, 7:30 PM


    WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL, 111 S. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles



    World Music Series



    “TANGO FIRE”



    Yanina Fajar Director of Choreography

    Nelson Celis Choreographer’s Assistant



    Dancers



    Nelson Celis & Yanina Fajar

    Mauricio Celis & Ines Cuesta

    German Cornejo & Carolina Giannini

    Cristian Mino & Jorgelina Guzzi

    Sebastian Alvarez & Victoria Saudelli



    Singer



    Javier ‘Cardenal’ Dominguez



    Orchestra



    Gustavo Casenave Piano

    Hugo Satorre Bandoneón

    Marcelo Rebuffi Violin

    Gerardo Scaglione Double Bass



    Production



    Andrew Kay & David Vigo Producers

    Toni Rudov Associate Producer/Company Manager

    Matthew Cawrse Lighting Design

    Tim Blundell Production Manager/Lighting Co-Coordinator/Lighting Operator

    Ray Rogers Sound Operator

    Lynda Southon Wardrobe Manager



    Media support provided by 89.9 KCRW

    Tickets ($36- $89) are on sale now at the Walt Disney Concert Hall box office, online at LAPhil.com, or via credit card by phone at 323.850.2000. A limited number of $10 rush tickets for seniors and full time students may be available at the Walt Disney Concert Hall box office two hours prior to the performance. Valid identification is required; one ticket per person; cash only. Groups of 12 or more may be eligible for special discounts for selected concerts and seating areas. For information, please call 323.850.2000.

    # # #

  • Contact:

    Lisa Bellamore, 213.972.3689, lbellamore@laphil.org; Photos: 213.972.3034