TANGO FOR ASHKENAZ! BENEFIT with Joe Powers and Redwood Tango Trio

A benefit for Ashkenaz Music and Dance Community Center with a world-class Tango concert, dance lesson, championship dance performances and a Milonga (Tango dance party) by Tango harmonica phenomenon JOE POWERS with REDWOOD TANGO TRIO.

Saturday, July 21, 2012
8pm – 1am $15 (in advance & students)at www.ashkenaz.com; $18 at the door. Ashkenaz Music and Dance Community Music Center 1317 San Pablo Avenue (Gillman), Berkeley, CA 94702 510.525.5099 www.ashkenaz.com Event Schedule 7:30pm: Doors open 8pm: Sit-down Tango Concert of Nuevo Tangos and original compositions with Joe Powers (harmonica) and Redwood Tango Trio Charles Gorczynski (bandoneon), Holly Mead (piano), Daniel Fabricant (bass) 9pm: Introductory Tango dance lesson with award winning instructor Sonja Riket (no partner or dance experience necessary). 9:45pm: Tango dance party (Milonga) starts with recorded Tangos from the Golden Era (1920’s-30’s) by DJ Zeycan. 10:15pm: Professional Dance performance by Nicolas Tapia & Amar Singh (3rd place 2012 USA Tango Salon Championships) 10:30pm: Live music set for Tango social dancing by Joe Powers and Redwood Tango Trio. 11:15pm: Professional Dance performance by Mirabai Deranja & Michael Kass (2rd place 2012 USA Tango Stage Championships). Milonga continues till 1am with DJ Zeycan. Come listen, watch or join in the dance! Entrance price gives you all 3 and supports a great organization! Advance Tickets are available at www.ashkenaz.com For more info: Call Sonja Riket at 415.661.1852 or intimate_embrace_tango@earthlink.net www.IntimateEmbraceTango.com More info about the artists: International harmonica phenomenon, Joe Powers is taking his instrument to new heights with his engaging and energetic performances that cover a full spectrum of musical genres from Jazz, Blues, and Pop-Rock, to Classical, New Age, Argentine Tango, traditional Japanese music, and other world traditions. The only tango harmonica phenomenon in the USA, Joe honed his tango skills while living in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he recorded his 2007 debut solo album, “Amor de Tango”. He has shared the stage with top Tango artists: NarcoTango, ColorTango, and "Gotan Project" singer, Veronika Silva, and performed with groups as diverse as Pink Martini, British Pop Icon Jamie Cullum, and Smooth Jazz Pioneer Tom Grant. Last December he was guest soloist with the Ichikawa Symphony for that Japanese orchestra’s 60th anniversary concert, and this summer is busy touring from the Oregon Bach Festival to Ashkenaz, and on to European events. He is also a singer, and will sing on a couple of the great tangos at Ashkenaz. www.joepowers.com Redwood Tango Trio: Redwood Tango Ensemble is a young Bay Area quintet dedicated to playing traditional and original tango music. The group plays transcriptions and adaptations of the classic orchestras led by Francisco Canaro, Juan D’Arienzo, Osvaldo Pugliese, Anibal Troilo, Julian Plaza and others, as well as original compositions and nuevo tango from around the world. The group’s new CD, “Joaquin,” includes music they are currently playing in concert. Tonight’s event features bandoneon player and saxophonist Charles Gorczynski, pianist Holly Mead and bass player Daniel Fabricant. www.redwoodtango.com Sonja Riket: The benefit is organized by Sonja Riket, resident Tango instructor at Ashkenaz since 2008. A 7x7 Magazine “Best Tango Teacher” Award winner and somatic movement therapist, she teaches dance and somatic movement classes and organizes cultural-, social and fundraising events around critical issues of our time. Sonja says: “I’ve worked with Joe Powers since 2009 as his Bay Area representative, and wanted to bring him to Ashkenaz because it has such a special atmosphere; it’s a wonderful tango room. And I wanted to do something for this community to support Ashkenaz”. In addition to her own Intimate Embrace Tango program, she started Tango Revolution in 2005, which stages free weekly tango events in accessible places. Sonja is faculty member of the SF Community Music Center and a humble student of the bandoneon. www.IntimateEmbraceTango.com Nicolas Tapia & Amar Singh: Nicholas Tapia and Amar Singh received most of their tango training in Buenos Aires and are currently located in the Bay Area as instructors. They are happy to have just placed 3rd at the 2012 USA Tango Championships Salon Category. www.delmartango.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLwcFqQ5RQo&feature=plcp Mirabai Deranja & Michael Kass: Mirabai graduated from UC, Santa Cruz with a degree in Astronomy. She has danced professionally in Jazz, Swing, Blues and Salsa, then studied Tango intensively in Buenos Aires for 5 years. She now tours the world teaching tango. Together with Michael Kass she won 2nd place in the 2012 USA Argentine Tango Championship Stage Category. www.miratango.com Michael attained numerous patents in his career at Pixar studios. He still finds time to devote to figure skating and Argentine Tango. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPcvsA1PdAA Ashkenaz Music and Dance Community Music Center presents concerts, classes, and workshops of participatory dance and music rooted in traditional cultures from around the world. We are committed to providing a great place to dance that supports local and international bands of both established and emerging artists in a respectful, comfortable, safe, and family atmosphere. Through this we build friendship and culturally inclusive community that encourages social awareness, education, and dedication to fairness, honor, and equality. Established in 1973 by David Nadel, a dedicated human rights activist and folkdancer, and a nonprofit since 1997, we are always all ages and wheel chair accessible. Come admire the World Wall for Peace dedicated to Ashkenaz founder David Nadel! www.ashkenaz.com

TANGO REVOLUTION CELEBRATES SONJA'S BIRTHDAY WITH TANGO HARMONICA MASTER JOE POWERS AT SF SHAMBALA CENTER

SUNDAY JULY 15, 2012 from 6pm -10pm SF SHAMBALA CENTER 1231 STEVENSON STREET, SF, CA 94103 (the little street behind Caffe Trieste Downtown) FREE ENTRANCE. ATTENTION: WEAR ONLY socks or soft-soled shoes (suede or leather bottom), no rubber soled sneakers. Bring food/drink to add to the celebration! Hosted by Sonja Riket - More info: 415.661.1852 www.tangorevolution.blogspot.com - www.IntimateEmbraceTango.com EVENT SCHEDULE: 6-7pm: All levels Tango dance lesson with Sonja Riket ($5 Donation, which will be offered to the Center) 7:00-10pm Milonga with 2 Live music sets by special guest performer Joe Powers (Tango Harmonica) Come celebrate with us! We are very grateful to SF Shambala Center for opening their doors to Tango Revolution and hosting our special celebration! Please visit www.sfshambala.org to learn more about their programs or join their community. We are honored that our friend and Tango Harmonica master Joe Powers will perform 2 Live music sets during the Milonga! Read more about him below. www.joepowers.com Since her first contact with Argentine Tango 14 years ago Sonja recognized the meditative qualities this dance can offer. Her 30-year professional dance career combined with decades of meditative practices inform her unique approach to teaching Argentine Tango. In October 2011 she taught a daylong workshop on “Tango as Contemplative Practice” in SF’s Zen Center. The theme of tonight’s class is: "Moving together as one, listening and responding to another’s presence, allows us to find stillness within. With this awareness we learn the Argentine tango way of walking together in an embrace." www.IntimateEmbraceTango.com Come watch, listen or join in the dance. Bring friends and family for an authentic Argentine Tango experience! All levels and ages are welcome. About Joe Powers: Joe Powers is taking his instrument to new heights with his engaging and energetic performances that cover a full spectrum of musical genres from Jazz, Blues, and Pop-Rock, to Classical, New Age, Argentine Tango, traditional Japanese music, and other world traditions. The only tango harmonica phenomenon in the USA, Joe honed his tango skills while living in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he recorded his 2007 debut solo album, “Amor de Tango”. He has shared the stage with top Tango artists: NarcoTango, ColorTango, and "Gotan Project" singer, Veronika Silva, and performed with groups as diverse as Pink Martini, British Pop Icon Jamie Cullum, and Smooth Jazz Pioneer Tom Grant. Last December he was guest soloist with the Ichikawa Symphony for that Japanese orchestra’s 60th anniversary concert, and this summer is busy touring from the Oregon Bach Festival to Ashkenaz, and on to European events. Don’t miss Joe’s performance at the fundraiser for Ashkenaz Music and Dance Community Center on Saturday July 21, 2012! About Tango Revolution: Tango Revolution is a weekly neighborhood project to offer anyone the opportunity to learn and experience the social aspect of Argentine Tango: a dance and music of immigrants which continues to cross the boundaries of race, culture, language and social status. By regularly holding the event free of charge in accessible places such as cafés and community centers on a Sunday afternoon we encourage the spontaneous inclusion of music and dance in our everyday life as a communal experience. Where both beginning and accomplished dancers and musicians can share the floor without obvious hierarchy. The Tango Revolution project began in 2005 at Café Revolution in SF’s Mission District and found a home at Caffe Trieste Downtown from 2007-2012. Part of the project is giving young musicians from high schools, community music schools, conservatories and universities the opportunity to learn and perform traditional Argentine Tango music as well as Piazzolla’s Nuevo Tango. We are currently looking for another permanent location. Tango Revolution is a program of Intimate Embrace Tango, which envisions Argentine Tango as a relational matrix of connection to ourselves, each other and the world. We offer the beautiful connection between human beings in the Tango Embrace as a common ground and antidote against the isolation, separation and fearful existence we are led to believe is necessary. What better way to come home to ourselves and connect with each other across our differences than the non-verbal power of a musical and dance embrace, listening and moving together as one? www.tangorevolution.blogspot.com – www.IntimateEmbraceTango.com