Another fabulous Tango on the Thames!

Back in our airy riverside home, the Shepherd Hall, Tango on the Thames is delighted to host the legendary harmonica player, Joe Powers, offer a class given by the celebrated dancers and performers, Giraldo Escobar & Alexandra Wood as well as another opportunity to dance to excellent tango music chosen with care and spontaneity by DJ Diego Doigneau.

You’d be mad to miss this!

Joe Powers

Harmonica virtuoso, Joe Powers is known for bending and blending genres from jazz to classical, hip-hop to world music, and Argentine Tango. Since gaining a music degree from the University of Oregon he has performed around the world, from Paris to Tokyo and won the Belgian Crystal Harmonica Award/Classical Division in 2008.

Joe has collaborated with renowned Tango maestros including: Narcotango, Tanghetto, Otros Aires, Nicolás Ledesma, Emilio de la Peña, Horacio Cabarcos, Pablo Motta, the UK’s “Tango Siempre”, and Japan’s “Orquesta Aurora”.  He has also appeared with groups and artists as diverse as Pink Martini, British pop icon Jamie Cullum, Canadian Boogie-Woogie pianist, Michael Kaeshammer, Sony jazz guitarist Yosuke Onuma, French blues legend J.J. Milteau, and the Ichikawa Symphony Orchestra in Japan.

In 2012 his Tango quintet was featured with sold-out performances at one of North America’s top Classical music series, the Oregon Bach Festival, sharing the bill with super star violinist, Joshua Bell.  In 2013 he guest starred with the Vancouver Symphony orchestra kicking off their 35th season with double performances of the Gordon Jacob Harmonica Suite. On his 2016 world tour he gave a sold-out concert with the Barcelona Symphonic Band, and performed the Villa Lobos Harmonica concerto with the Macedonian Philharmonic Orchestra guest conducted by famous Bulgarian conductor, Emil Tabakov. Most recently, on his 20th tour in Japan, Joe was voted “favourite artist” by FM Osaka listeners and his trio was a headliner at the 37th annual Cathedral Park Jazz Festival.

His fifth studio album, “Apasionado” was recorded in April, 2015 in Buenos Aires with some of Argentina’s top Tango musicians and features six of Joe’s original compositions as well as six Tango classics. More information at: www.joepowers.com

You can find more tour details on his calendar page and follow my travels on Facebook.

Diomar “Giraldo” Escobar

Giraldo graduated from the IPC Drama School in Colombia and for four years was a member of Danza Experimental de Cali (DECA). In 1993 Diomar came to London where he continued to study dance and choreography at Lewisham College until 1996. In 1994 he co-founded artLat and went on to become a lead-performer of the company. He has been dancing Argentinean tango since 1990 and travels frequently to Buenos Aires to further his training with recognised Masters like Roberto Herrera and Osvaldo Zotto.

Since 2001 Giraldo has been touring the UK with the acclaimed shows Subitango and Tiempo de Tango. Giraldo teaches Argentinean Tango throughout the UK and is regularly invited to teach abroad. He has appeared dancing in the films Evita and Dance, a Channel 4-commissioned film, and collaborated with Deborah Bull’s BBC dance season Travels with my Tutu.

Giraldo was a guest dancer performing Argentinean Tango at BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing in the 2005, 2006 and 2008 series. In 2007 Giraldo performed in Carmen, directed by Sally Potter. An English National Opera Production. In 2009 Giraldo co-choreographed and performed in Transtango. Giraldo is a leading tango dancer in the new west end tango production MIDNIGHT TANGO with Vincent and Flavia BBC stars of Strictly Come Dancing, opening at the Strand Theatre in January 2012.

Alexandra Wood

Alexandra has been teaching tango for 15 years, she trained in classical ballet and later contemporary dance, she worked professionally as a contemporary dancer. She trained in dance and other performing arts for 6 years, in the latter three she studied and gained BA hons degree in Dance. She continues to train and study all forms but her passions for Argentine Tango formed her career.

Her tango training took place mainly in Buenos Aires. She had the privilege of performing in many milongas in Buenos Aires. She studied with many masters including Miguel Angel Zotto (with whom she had the honour of teaching) Osvaldo Zotto, Los Dispari, and the incredible Misse family especially Andrea Misse as well as along with many other teachers.

Alexandra co- created the first Argentine tango school in London, Tango in Action in 2002.

She now runs ‘Alexandra Wood Tango school’ in London and enjoys travelling to teach and perform internationally.

She performed in the stage hit Midnight Tango, and was the dance captain and performed with the show for 2 years! she also performed for Milos Karadaglic for The BBC classic Brit awards, and on This morning. She danced on The Zingzillas! In 2013 she performed on Strictly Come Dancing. She tours currently in the UK performing with Tango Motion with Tango Siempre and creates Tango holidays. Www.alexandrawoodtango.com

Diego Doigneau

Argentinian “DJ de Tango”, Diego has made himself exceptionally popular with tango dancers at Negracha, Tito’s and many other London tango venues including Tango on the Thames, because of his intelligent, imaginative, responsive, but above all danceable choices of music during a milonga. Diego is connoisseur of tango music and uses his exquisite taste to bring joy to the dance floor. We are fortunate to have him play for us!