A dancer for over 17 years, including Argentine tango for the past 6 1/2 years, Jonathan Yamauchi was privileged to study privately in Buenos Aires with Carlos Gavito for three years before his mentor passed away in July, 2005. Gavito's internationally renowned sensuous and intimate close embrace style constitutes the core of Yamauchi's tango.
Yamauchi has also studied privately and intensely with the following individuals in Buenos Aires: Oscar Mandagaran, who recently taught and performed at Nora's Tango Week and performed in Forever Tango with Carlos Gavito; Mimi Santapa, known as the 'Grand Dame' of tango choreography in Buenos Aires. Many of the tango shows in BsAs were choreographed by Mimi. Many of the performers in Buenos Aires today have at one time served their right of passage through private study under Mimi. Yamauchi also studied, at length, the milonguero styles of Genarro and Yanina and Paulo Araujo. Yamauchi has participated in group intensive classes with Pulpo and Luiza, Marianna Dragone, Luciana Valle, Ed and Corina Balmeceda, Dan Lapadula, Orlando Paiva Jr. and Marianna, Gracia Gonzales, Nito and Elba, Pampa and Valeria, Jose Torres, and Claudia and Esteban.
Olivia Levitt's dancing is exquisite. With over 25 years of classical ballet training, Olivia was a principal dancer in the New York Theater Ballet, the San Francisco Ballet and the Oakland Ballet, and has toured and performed in Russia, Venezuela, Aruba, Australia, and Canada. Her classical training gives her an astute insight into technique that allows her to create beautiful adornments and express delicacy in movement.
Olivia is a certified Pilates and Gyrotonic practitioner who teaches others to utilize their body mechanics in a way that delights the eyes as she expresses her sensuality and intimacy in movement and response. She has studied extensively with George Garcia and assisted him on his recent Bay Area visit. Olivia has also studied with Marianna Dragone, Oscar Mandagaran, Pulpo and Luiza, Jose Torres and Claudia and Esteban.
Together, Jonathan and Olivia focus on teaching the physiology and technique behind sensual and intimate movements in the Gavito style of intimate close embrace, sharing with their students the key that will allow them to fully express their internal sensuality through the external form -- tango.
Jonathan and Olivia host a milonga on most Sunday afternoons at the Belrose Theater in downtown San Rafael. They offer a lesson from 3-4 pm, and the milonga is from 4-7 pm. Lessons and milongas are held every Sunday except the first Sunday of the month. The Belrose Theater is located at 1415 Fifth Avenue, San Rafael, CA. Here is a Mapquest map.
For more information contact Jonathan at 925.899.4611, yamagatotango@gmail.com, or Olivia at 650.834.5658, livtango@gmail.com.
