It used to “take two to tango,” but the women of "Tango Con*Fusión" bend the gender-related customs and traditions of this century-old dance.
As collaborative artists they explore the idiom of Argentine Tango beyond its traditional boundaries.
As professional performers and teachers of Argentine Tango, with varied backgrounds in contemporary and classical dance, they create a fusion of genres within their choreography.
A couple's dance morphs to a solo or collective interaction, leaders and followers exchange roles, and free movement is added.
Artists:
Pier Voulkos is a former professional modern dancer who started her dance career with Ed Mock in San Francisco and retired from the Mark Morris Dance group in 1989. She and her husband Daniel Peters discovered Argentine Tango around 8 years ago and found it to be an addictive dance rich in culture, history and creative possibilities. She currently teaches Argentine Tango in San Francisco with her partner Daniel Peters at the Metronome Dance Center, classes at the Cellspace Alternative Milonga and in Berkeley at The Beat.
Debbie Goodwin is a dancer, choreographer, director and producer. Debbie earned her Bachelors Degree in Dance from California State University, Sacramento in 1998 and her Masters in Dance Education in 2001. As Director of “Social Dance Cultures”, a non-profit which she established in 2000, she promotes projects that integrate the authentic movement , music, culture and history of street dances: American Swing, Latin Salsa and Argentine Tango. Successful projects include “The Rugcutters,” a performance program for adolescents featuring American Lindy Hop. An adult performance and social dance program “Alma Del Tango” focused on teaching, sponsoring numerous visiting tango masters from Argentina, and two theatre productions. Debbie currently devotes her creative attention to “ Tango Con*Fusion Dance Company.”
Christy Coté has immersed herself into the world of Argentine Tango for the past decade and has become one of San Francisco's most respected Argentine Tango dancers. She has been featured locally on KTVU's Segment 2 Report with Bob MacKenzie, KPIX Evening Magazine , and nationally in Dance Spirit Magazine . She is the creator and director of the Argentine Tango program at San Francisco's popular Metronome Dance Center and co-hosts San Francisco's longest running Milonga (dance party), the Mariposa Argentine Tango Club . Christy and her partner, Darren Lees , perform regularly with MonTango and Tango No. 9 and at Pe ñ a PachaMama in San Francisco's Northbeach. Christy's instructional DVDs are available at www.dancevision.com . For more info go to www.christycote.com
A lifelong dancer and for eleven years a devotee of Argentine tango, Chelsea Eng has performed and taught in local, national and international venues. As a featured dancer with touring company MonTango, Chelsea has performed across the country. She has modeled for Dancedress.com (print, runway & television), appeared in the KQED arts television program SPARK, and recently filmed two dances for the television program Latin Eyes. Chelsea holds a Master's Degree in Education - Dance Specialization from Stanford University and is the creator & director of the Argentine Tango Program at City College of San Francisco. She has trained extensively in Argentina and brings to her tango a foundation in ballet, modern dance & choreography. Her guest teaching engagements have spanned Portland, Las Vegas, Seattle, Philadelphia, Honolulu & San Diego, as well as a Carnival cruise to Ensenada, Mexico.
