Nelson Ávila

Nelson Avila (born Héctor Nelso Ávila; August 7, 1940) is an Argentine born dancer, choreographer, and instructor. He is widely recognized for his expertise and knowledge of all types of Argentine dance, including Argentine folk dances and Argentine tango. He was part of the original cast of Tango Argentino, and together with his partner Nélida, was one of only three couples to perform solo in the original production. Nelson is an accomplished expert in all varieties of Argentine folk dance. His quick feet and his acrobatic ability have allowed him to master any dance. It was their first time dancing together, but they danced so well that they formed a partnership. They danced at all the major tango houses in Buenos Aires, including , where Nelson was a master choreographer, producer and star in many tango shows. The partnership lasted over 30 years, including their major role in "Tango Argentino." Nelson and Madalyn are very active teaching workshops around the world.

Broadway and Stage

Original Cast: Tango Argentino

Orezzoli and Segovia In 1974, Hector Orezzoli and Claudio Segovia, two Argentine set designers, decided to put together a production about tango using the best dancers in all of Argentina. Claudio Segovia recounted that he wanted to reflect on the stage the reality of tango life in Buenos Aires, therefore he looked for an authentic mixture of the different types of musicians and dancers, of children, young people and mature people: "Elegí gente que según mi juicio era la más auténtica, la más verdadera, y creo que no me equivoqué." I chose people who, in my opinion, were the most authentic, the truest (tango artists), and I think I was not wrong. in San Telmo at the time. They had already been dancing together in the most prominent shows in Buenos Aires, had appeared together numerous times on television, and had performed internationally. They were noted for the speed of their dance and their acrobatic steps. They had been afforded the opportunity to participate in the Festival d'Automne. The show was an immediate success. The first performance in Paris received so many loud standing ovations, that Nelson and Nélida stood at the front of the stage and wept after their solo performance, further exciting the crowd.

Tango Argentino received rave reviews from the New York critics. Celebrities took in the show, including Frank Sinatra, Madonna, Brooke Astor, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Helen Gurley Brown, Henry Kissinger and Claus von Bulow. Régine Zylberberg of Regine's invited the cast to dinner. Dance instructors in New York saw the demand for Argentine tango instruction triple overnight.

Tango Argentino became a world-wide hit, touring the United States, then Japan (1987). In 2004, Nelson appeared in Luis Bravo's Forever Tango, dancing with Zita González in its production on Broadway, Chicago, Rome, Toronto, Philadelphia and Detroit.

Los Chicos Crecen In 1974, Nelson and Nélida performed in the Argentine movie "Los Chicos Crecen" (The boys grow up). This movie, directed by the prolific Enrique Carreras, is based on a 1941 theatrical comedy by Camilo Darthés and Carlos S. Damel. It premiered on May 13, 1976. In this comedy, a man passes a friend off as the father of three boys he had with his lover.

Choreographer and Instructor Nelson is a highly recognized tango instructor and has trained many professionals, actors and dancers including Robert Duvall Rita Moreno, Sharon Stone, Linda Cristal, the Russian dancer Vasilev, and Anthony Quinn. Nelson and Madalyn have taught and performed at numerous tango shows, festivals and workshops around the world, including the New York City Tango Festival.

Awards, honors and tributes

1990 Honorary member of Academia Nacional del Tango de la República Argentina presented by the Minister of Culture and Education in Argentina 1999: Noche De Milonguero Homeaje a NELIDA Y NELSON Honors from Club Amalgro 5/20/1999 2012: Outstanding Life Achievement Award presented at the Las Vegas Red Carpet Tango Festival 10/2012