ABOUT US

The Passion for Tango Society is once again producing a three-day professional arts festival, the Victoria Tango Festival.  The Mission of the Passion for Tango Society: To produce a festival for the general public; to present professional performers who strive for excellence in their genre, who show innovation in their work, and who strive to further the Canadian development of tango as an art form.

As part of our mandate, Passion for Tango Society also presents workshops for professional artists.  Nurturing tango in this way increases the resources of performers in Western Canada.  Passion for Tango Society encourages musicians/dancers of other genres to gain knowledge of tango to include in their creative endeavors.  We also contracts artists who fuse tango with other genres.

The Victoria Tango Festival is a showcase for tango artists, and other BC presenters to attend. Artists report to us that they receive bookings after performing in our festival.  Musicians also let us know that they incorporate tango music into their repertoire.

In our 2011 Festival, with the help of the Francophone Society of Victoria, we are very pleased to present, Norteño our Headlining performers. This Quebec group is the only prominent group in North America that specializes in the compositions of Astor Piazzolla.  Quebec is known to have the oldest tango community in North America; it has produced nationally and internationally recognized tango musicians.

Dancers Faye and Bryant Lopez, opening for Norteño, were chosen as headlining dancers for their elegant “Villa Urquize Style” and their ability to choreograph a program of the Nuevo tango music of Astor Piazzolla.  Professional dancers with training in tango, folk dance and the theatre, they are an example for Canadian dancers and an inspiration to artistic youths aspiring to become professional dancers in tango or any dance form. Youth are invited to participate in their workshops this year for a special fee.

Our other headlining performer—playing a young fresh approach to tango—is Joe Powers on harmonica.  Joe says, “Tango can be played on any instrument.” Easy to say for a world champion harmonica player with a Masters in Music who has toured in South America, Korea, Japan, Europe and the United States playing solo and with many recognized tango, jazz and blues performers.  This is his first performance for the general public in Canada: Welcome to Victoria Joe.

With the support of our sponsors, both new and returning ones, our volunteers and our faithful audience, the Passion for Tango Society will once again bring our passion for this wonderful dance to a receptive and enthusiastic following.  The team here at Passion for Tango Society looks forward to seeing all of you at Tango Fest this summer.

Tara Sundquest, Forbes Leslie, June Waters, Gwen Temmel