Showing posts with label Bio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bio. Show all posts

About Joseph Leonardo

Joseph Leonardo is a highly regarded teacher and DJ of Argentine Tango from Portland, Oregon. Since 2004, Joseph has taught workshops, group classes, and private lessons, participated in national tango festivals and DJed throughout the United States (SF Antipanico, Tango Element, Seattle Tango Magic,  Denver Memorial Day Festival, Portland Tangofest) and was one of the most active and devoted members of the Portland Tango community, hosting the popular “aime comme moi” Milonga, Bamboo Grove Practica, and Milonga Pa' La Gente. He is an excellent DJ whose knowledge and love of the music consistently translates into amazing nights of dancing.

Joseph is also the creator and head of TANGO SILENT FILMS, a Portland-based film project involving the local tango community in creating joyous and hilarious films based on our tango culture and music.

Joseph Leonardo began dancing Argentine Tango in 2003 in the local milongas in Portland OR and his natural talent quickly led him to devote a large part of his life to the dance. In late 2003, he began attending tango classes at Portland State University where he played an integral part in the formation of the university’s student Tango Club. From January 2006 to June 2009, he was the instructor and guide for the club, teaching at the club's Tuesday practica. He has studied mainly with Alex Krebs (Portland OR) and Jaimes Friedgen (Seattle WA) and from June to October 2006 lived in Buenos Aires where he studied and danced Argentine tango extensively.

Joseph was based out of Tango Berretín, the well-known tango studio of Alex Krebs, where he has also worked as a general studio manager from 2006 until 2014.

Joseph has recently relocated to Ann Arbor MI to focus on writing and filmmaking.

Interview with Joseph Leonardo about Tango Silent Films

Published March 21, 2012 on Oxygen Tango’s blog. Clink the links to read the full interview on O2′s website:

Interview with Joseph Leonardo!
Creator of Tango Silent Films from Portland !

by Holly Darling

photo by Isaac Oboka at www.iOboka.com
Joe beautifully expresses the connection between Tango and Silent Films, combining the two in a brilliant project.  At the Oxygen Beginners’ Milonga, we are so fortunate to have our very own screening of his silent film ”Oh, My, What a Night!” based on the harrowing experience of being a beginner at a milonga. We may think these are times we want to forget, but upon watching this film, we also remember the sweetness that comes with our first memorable dance with a stranger, and the connection that can bloom even from the most awkward of cabeceos.
Interview with Joe of Tango Silent Films :

Tango curriculum vitae for Joseph Leonardo


Past Work:
  • Dec 2009 to July 2014 --Filmmaker/Creator of Tango Silent Films
  • Jun 2008 to July 2014 –Host, DJ, and instructor at the “aime comme moi” Milonga at Berretín
  • Jan 2007 to July 2014 –Various gigs DJing and/or teaching/hosting in Portland OR at Alex Krebs’ Milonga Berretín, Jerry Wallach’s Norse Hall Milonga, Robert Hauk’s Milonga at PPAA, Megan Pingree’s Corazón de Tango, Carlene St. Tomas’ La Milonga Euphoria, Mike McCarrel and Laurie Anne Greenberg's Milonga Al Norte, and Alex Krebs’ Men’s Class and Reed College Class and Guided Practica @Berretín.
  • Dec 2006 to July 2014 –Studio Manager/Caretaker for Tango Berretín
  • Sept 2009 to Apr 2013 -Host and DJ of the Tuesday Practica at Bamboo Grove
  • Nov 2012 - DJed at the Abrazo Tango Marathon in Montreal, QB
  • Feb-Sept 2012 - Produced and filmed Tango Silent Film's "Pornography"
  • Aug 2012 - DJed at the Antipanico Tango Festival in San Francisco, CA
  • June 2012 - DJed at the Minnesota TTC/Tango Festival
  • May 2012 - DJed at SMITH Tango Festival in Los Angeles, CA
  • Jan 2007 to Feb 2012 –DJed every 1st Wed of the month at the ALT Milonga at Norse Hall
  • Jan 2012 -DJed at the San Diego New Years Tango Festival
  • Nov 2011 -Produced and filmed Tango Silent Film's "One, Two, Three!"
  • August 2011 -DJed at the Tango Element Festival, Baltimore
  • May 2011 - DJed at the Memorial Day Tango Festival, Denver
  • May 2011 -DJed at Alex Kreb's "The Thing Festival", Portland
  • Jan 2011 -Produced and filmed Tango Silent Film's "Oh, My What a Night!"
  • Jan 2011 -DJed at the San Diego New Years Tango Festival
  • Dec 2010 -Produced and filmed Tango Silent Film's "Sadie's Song"
  • Nov 2010 -DJed at the Ashland Tangofest
  • Oct 2010 -DJed and taught at Portland Tangofest
  • August 2010 -DJed at the Tango Element Festival, Baltimore
  • August 2010 -DJed at the Tango Lounge Milonga, Washington DC
  • July 2010 - DJed at the TangoMagic Festival, Seattle WA
  • July 2009 to May 2010 -DJ every 2nd Thur of the month at the Northstar Milonga.
  • May 2010 -DJed at May Madness Tango Festival 2010, Ann Arbor MI
  • Apr 2010 -DJed & taught workshops at TangoLive Festival 2010, Vancouver BC
  • Feb-Apr 2010 Produced and filmed Tango Silent Film #2 "The Private Lesson"
  • Feb 2010 -Host for Late Sunday Night Milonga at Clay Nelson's Portland Valentango Festival
  • Dec 2009 -Produced and filmed Tango Silent Film #1 "A Christmas Present for Hannah"
  • Sept 2009 -Guest Instructor & DJ at Clay Nelson's Grape Escape Tango Festival, Ashland OR
  • Aug 2009 - DJ at Pablo Veron Weekend in Seattle, WA
  • Jun & Jul 2009 - taught special DJ Workshops in Portland, OR
  • May 2009 -some organizing for Alex Krebs' The Thing 2009 in Portland OR
  • Feb 2009 -Host for Late Sunday Night Milonga at Clay Nelson's Portland Valentango Festival
  • Jan 2006 to June 2009 –Instructor and Guide for Portland State University Argentine Tango Club
  • Jan 2009 –Teach workshops, DJ and perform in Asheville, NC
  • May 2007 to Dec 2008 –Host & DJ for Milonga Pa’ la Gente, Sunday nights in Portland, OR
  • Nov 2008 –DJ at the Tango de Los Muertos Festival, Boston MA
  • Oct 2008 –Performance with Rebecca Smith at Music Festival in Ilwaco WA, featuring live music by Craig Einhorn
  • Oct 2008 –Organize/Host a special event milonga, featuring DJ Dan Boccia, during Portland’s TangoFest
  • Mar 2008 to Oct 2008 –Teach various classes, men’s workshops, and DJ at the Tango Center in Eugene OR
  • Sept 2008 –DJ at the 7th Anniversary Festival in Ann Arbor MI
  • Jun 2007 to May 2008 –Teach The Sunday Class at Berretín (class w/ focus on learning both roles) with Jenna Rohrbacher
  • Feb 2008 –Performance with Jenna Rohrbacher at private event, featuring the live music by Joe Powers
  • Feb 2008 –Teach w/ Jenna Rohrbacher at the PSU Tango Club Fundraiser Milonga
  • Jan 2007 to Dec 2007 –Teach w/ Jenna Rohrbacher at Northstar Milonga Drop-in Lesson, Portland OR
  • Nov 2007 –DJ, and Teach and Perform w/ Jenna Rohrbacher at Clay Nelson’s Ashland TangoFest (Ashland OR)
  • Oct 2007 –Teach workshops and Perform w/ Jenna Rohrbacher in Sun Valley ID.
  • Sept 2007 –Co-organizer for Alex Krebs’ The Thing
  • Apr 2007 to Aug 2007 –Teach various group tango series w/ Jenna Rohrbacher at Tango Berretín
  • July 2007 –Teach workshops w/ Jenna Rohrbacher in Newport OR
  • May 2007 to June 2007 –Teach tango series w/ Jenna Rohrbacher at Mt Scott High School
  • Apr 2007 –Performance w/ Jenna Rohrbacher at Carlton Winemakers Studio
  • Mar 2007 –Performance w/ Jenna Rohrbacher at charity event in Tiffany Ballroom, Portland OR
  • Feb 2007 –Performance w/ Jenna Rohrbacher with live music by Tom Grant in Astoria OR
  • Jun 2006 to Oct 2006 –Lived and studied in Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • Jan 2005 to Jun 2006 –Assist and Co-teach in Rachel Lidskog’s tango classes at Portland State University and Portland Community College
  • Oct 2003 to Present –Argentine Tango completely consumes life; dance like hell.
  • Sept 2003 –Take very first tango lesson.