The passes are not transferable. You must present you identification at registration. There are no refunds available on discounted passes. Our costs are fixed and we use the discounts to help with deposits and advanced expenses that must be paid before the festival. You may use them the following or future years if something comes up that you can't make this year!
Tucson Tango Festival Photos and Videos - Release Agreement for Use of Facebook and other online photo and video publishing: In registering for the Tucson Tango Festival, you hereby give my permission to the Tucson Tango Festival to use any photos or videos taken of you during the Tucson Tango Festival. The photos and videos may be posted on the internet, any of our web sites and/or on www.youtube.com, facebook etc... Your photos and videos will not be sold or used in conjunction with any inflammatory content! If for any reason you do not want your photos or videos used, simply submit a request in writing, complete with a current photo of the way you looked at the time of the festival, in advance of postings so we can remove you from any photos/videos that may be pending a post - note once a digital image or video file has been posted retrieval of all copies maybe impossible. Thank you for your participation in the Tucson Tango Festival.
We reserve the right to change any portion of the festival events, milongas, instructors or venues.
Please contact us with your inquiries. We love would love to assist you in making the most of your Tucson Tango Festival experience.
Murat Erdemsel has influenced large numbers of dancers with his unique perspective of dance and instruction. He maintains his teaching position for Dance Manhattan in NYC. Born in Istanbul, Murat followed his parents path to art school. He established himself as an artist before he arrived in the US to complete his Masters Degree in Painting. His art works were sold to collections in Europe and in the States. Even though he has moved from painting to dancing, it is very apparent that his classical education and knowledge of art and art history influences and enriches his ability to teach in general.
Michelle Erdemsel took her first steps in dance at the age of 6 at the world renowned San Francisco School of Ballet and continued with such greats as David Howard in NYC. Her dance experience can only be described as eclectic, ranging from modern, jazz, flamenco, hula and theatre dance. Michelle spent many years touring with famous Musical Artists such as Liza Minelli in prestigious venues like Prince Albert Royal Hall inLondon, Off Broadway theatres in NYC, Stadiums and Arenas inEurope, South America and the US. Her interest in partner dancing led her to competitive ballroom dancing and the more acrobatic style of theatrical dancing in which she garnered many awards including a North American Championship. Michelle has also been reviewed well by the NY Times as a choreographer for off-broadway productions and has assisted with choreography for the Live Televised shows Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA. Michelle has appeared on major network TV as well as movies, commercials, magazine fashion spreads, night club shows and theatrical productions nationally and internationally. Michelle discovered tango and traveled to learn and dance all over the US and in Argentina. Now Michelle has dedicated her life to teaching and dancing tango with her husband and partner Murat. Michelle’s Website
Daniela and Luis met during her first trip to Buenos Aires. What was supposed to be Luis’s last tanda for the night turned into two hours of dancing together. The magical connection they experienced that night led them to share their tango paths. Daniela left her career as an MIT engineering professor to join Luis as his tango partner. Luis left Buenos Aires to join her in New York City, where they currently reside.
Daniela and Luis’ performances have been described as sensational, passionate, musical, and technically impeccable. Their dance is based on deep knowledge of the different styles of tango: milonguero, salon, nuevo and stage, which they blend with ease and fluidity to create very personal interpretations.
As instructors, they have quickly gained renown for their deep grasp on body mechanics as well as analytical, logical and detail-oriented teaching style. Their ultimate goal is to help students achieve better quality of movement, develop a comfortable, subtle and sensitive connection with the partner, increase their body awareness and find their own unique voice in the dance. Students in their classes can expect a wealth of information on tango technique, encouragement to push boundaries, lots of hands-on instruction and a healthy dose of humor to complement the mix.
Born in Mar del Plata, Argentina, Luis started dancing tango in 1994 and became a professional dancer in 1997. He taught and performed for several years in Buenos Aires, including performances with leading tango bands Bajofondo and Tanguetto, before tango took him to Brazil, Europe and North America. Born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Daniela quit her academic career as an MIT engineering professor to fully dedicate herself as a professional tango dancer. She started dancing tango in 1999 and brings lifelong training in classical piano to the partnership.
Daniela and Luis have a full travel schedule that keeps them on the road for most of each year to teach and perform regularly throughout the U.S., in Brazil, Canada, France, Egypt, Germany, Italy, Poland, Netherlands and Norway as well as in Buenos Aires, including several major festivals both in North America and in Europe. In 2010 they also coached World Champions and Olympic Silver Medalists Meryl Davis and Charlie White in their Argentine tango-based ice dance routine. In New York City, they are co-founders of “The Tango Zone Dance Company”, which produces shows combining tango, theater, video and comedy.
Oscar was born in Parque Patricios, a well-known tango barrio in Buenos Aires. His parents were avid tango dancers, and, in the 1950′s and ’60′s, they organized three different milongas per week, which regularly drew in 400-500 dancers. Oscar was very much influenced by his father, both by osmosis and discussion. He absorbed the code (codigo) of the milongueros, and when he eventually decided to take up the dance seriously, he already had a background and base that was the envy of many.
Oscar has a distinct style both in his dance and his teaching. He is very milonguero, and is many respected by the old guard in the milongas of BA. He is also extremely popular with his students, who are impressed by his teaching style. He teaches with energy and humor, emphasizing concepts, specializing in improvisation always interpreting the music and respecting the character of the different orchestras. He is especially interested in the dynamics and cadencia of the dance. Everything he teaches is applicable to crowded milongas.
Ana Miguel started her Argentine Tango training in the dance school of Moron Jose Neglia. She started teaching with the famous Argentine tango instructor and performer, Pocho Pizarro. From 2005 to 2008, Ana Miguel performed in the Show “Bacanazo†which was held in the Empire Theatre and the Roman Theatre
in BA and she also performed as part of the show at Esquina Carlos Cardel from 2006 to 2010 in BA. Moreover, Ana Miguel has taught tango at various tango festivals and was also a tango teacher at ACETA (Academia de Estilos de Tango Argentino – Academy of Argentine Tango Styles) from 2006 to 2010.
Third place winners at the 2011 Mudial Buenos Aires!
Brian and Yuliana crossed paths at a milonga in 2007. Together they travel to Argentina a few times a year to continue their tango education with maestros. They’ve taught and performed in several festivals and milongas such as El Congreso in Toronto, Valentango in Portland, and La Nacional and Nocturne Milonga in NYC. They are the 2011 U.S. Tango Champions in Tango Salon, and they’ve recently won Third place in the 2011 Tango Mundial World Competition, Salon category. You can find them at Oxygen tango school in Los Angeles where they teach group classes on a weekly basis.
Go to their web site BrianandYulianatango.com
Grisha will be doing his world class musicality classes. All new material. Grisha is a world class guitarist and tango dancer. His take on the dance and music is nothing short of genius!
PLUS: Grisha stole the show at the 2009 Tucson Tango Festival… this year he will play guitar while he dances with Melissa Alejandra as she sings the lyrics! This will be a performance to catch!!!
Known for her joy while teaching and her genuine care for her students, Rachel has been dancing Tango since 1995, when she began working for Daniel Trenner in his “Bridge to the Tango” programs in Argentina (1995) & Cuba (2000 & 2001). She has been influenced by a variety of great teachers*, celebrating a multifaceted view of many masters, and has danced tango around the globe in several cities and countries of Argentina, Cuba, Europe and the United States. Her solid understanding of Tango fundamentals, a rich background of music & the foundation of a wide reportoire of dance styles, combined with her ability to infuse playfulness and creativity into her dance, make Rachel a sought after dance teacher in her home town of Portland, Oregon. Rachel performs professional tango shows with her friend & mentor teacher Alex Krebs, and assists him whenever possible. She has also performed with several visiting teachers, Metin Yazir, Dominic Bridge, Jorge Torres and Paolo Vitalucci.
The owner of her own dance studio, Dance With Joy Dance Studios, and a hostess of her own Milonga, Rachel teaches weekly tango classes, including her beloved Portland State University class for the past 15 years. As an instructor, Rachel focuses on connection, creating a comfortable and positive learning environment so students can experience success in their dancing and discover the lasting joy of life long tango.
*Rachel feels blessed to live in Portland and be close friends with her mentor/teacher Alex Krebs. She has been greatly inspired and influenced by many wonderful teachers, including Luciana, Komala, Stefan, Christopher & Caroline, Homer & Christina, Jaimes & Krista, Marika, Filipe, Murait & Michelle, Fernanda Ghi & Guillermo Merlo, Rebecca Shulman, Sharna Fabiano, Mariano “Chicho” Frumboli, Fabian Salas, Carlos Gavito, Osvaldo Zotto & Lorena Ermocida, Thomas Howlin, Brigitta Winkler, Omar Vega, Tete, Oscar Mandagaran, Jorge Torres, Jorge Nel and Daniel Trenner.
More information can be found at her website: Rachel’s Web Site
Tine Herreman plays devastating tangos, soaring valses and irresistible milongas. And some very groovy alternative, when the crowd is so inclined. She creates a warm and genial mood for the dancers to enjoy each other’s embrace. She has a vast collection, but every song she plays is a greatest hit. As a dancer, Tine likes to lead and follow uncomplicated tango with sophisticated musicality.
Tine deejays at big and small milongas in New York and the Northeast, and occasionally beyond. Festivals included the Portland Tango Fest, NY Tango Festival, Tango de los Muertos, the Atlanta Tango Fest, the Yale Tango Fest, and others. She has played all-night events in Montreal, San Francisco and Europe. She hosts and often DJs Tango Lounge (Friday), Tango Loft (4th Saturday) and Tango Fix (Mondays) in New York.
Tine is pronounced like “Tina”.
Got addicted to Tango in the late nineties. It started with dancing and now it includes being a DJ. Tango music occupies my thoughts and energizes my spirit and I am in constant search for good music.
Although I try to vary the music I play, I am heavily influenced by the style of dance in Buenos Aires as well as the music played at the milongas there so feel free to call me old fashioned. I live for Golden age music. The emotional impact of the music is what I look for in addition to the musicality.
Oddly enough, alternative music has also become a big interest especially world music. Now I DJ both categories at various festivals as well as locally in San Diego.
Homer’s first major alt dj act was to put 50 cd’s (including assorted classic tangos, alternative songs and the ‘Last of the Mohicans’ sound track) into a player and press the random button. People loved it, but that was 1999. On July 9th, 2003, he pumped out the first ‘less than perfect’ dj mixes for the weekly ‘CELLspace alternative Milonga’ in SF. But again, folks were happy to have a venue where two worlds collided.
Today, Homer continues to apply & develop his dj skills at-large, both locally and abroad. Since, his first major alt dj gig in 1999, his focus has been to find the right balance, while making smooth transitions, between music from the Golden Age and the music that lies beyond…
Homer believes that the final goal or outcome, while meaningful, is less important then the road and risks taken to get there!
Born in Mar del Plata, Argentina, Luis started dancing tango in 1994 and became a professional dancer in 1997. He taught and performed for several years in Buenos Aires, including performances with leading tango bands Bajofondo and Tanguetto, before tango took him to Brazil, Europe and North America.
Paul Akmajian (Albuquerque, NM) has been dancing tango for over 10 years and teaching for the last five. He has been a DJ for most of his tango life and in the last 3 years he has DJ’d in Seattle, Phoenix, Tucson, as well as on a regular basis in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Recently, he was a DJ for the Denver > Albuquerque Labor Day weekend Tango Festival. He is excited to return to his hometown of Tucson to DJ for the Tucson Tango Festival.
Martin’s DJing at the Tucson Tango Festival in 2011 was met with rave reviews. He is a quality DJ that pays very close attention to the pista de la milonga as the milonga is under way and he has a knack at keep the energy in the room just right. His music is solid gold. His variety is pure tango!
Jay loves to DJ and his tandas have been known to melt butter in refrigerators three states away! J Abling believes that a milonga is a “party where tango is danced”. Whenever he DJs, he intends to keep a good party going with select choice of music to inspire both lovers of traditional and alternative music. When not teaching or DJing, he is constantly organizing and listening to his music or looking for more music to add to his extensive collection. He has learned to dj from some of the best DJs in the country including Jaimes Friedgen, Alex Krebs, Dan Boccia, Shorey Myers and Vijay. He has DJd at festivals and regular milongas in Portland, Seattle, Houston, New York, San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, Maui and Ashland, OR.
Jo’s DJ philosophy is a product of her personal Tango journey as a follower and, recently, a leader. Although her beginnings came from Alternative/Nuevo Jo has evolved over time to develop a deep passion and love for the traditional Argentine Tango music specifically, the Golden Age era. She prepares 100% traditional tandas concentrating on fully danceable music with a mix of the playful, the romantic, the high energy, the sweet and melodic, with maybe a touch of drama. Her goal is for the dancers to leave the milonga with a happy heart, a satisfied craving and an eagerness for more.
We choose instructors that are community builders. We choose instructors that dance with the community where they are teaching. We choose to bring to Tucson the type of Argentine Tango instructors that are gifted at saying the right thing at the right time. Nothing is left to chance, no detail is ignored in our instructor selection. We know the different styles of tango and we choose instructors that will enhance everyones style of tango. Pay attention here, and you may find your tango has improved for a life time.
Murat Erdemsel has been described as one of the strongest leads in the United States as a dancer and Argentine Tango instructor. He has taught in most of the major Argentine tango events in North America and has influenced large numbers of dancers with his unique perspective of dance and instruction while he maintains his teaching position for Dance Manhattan in NYC. Born in Istanbul, Murat followed his parents path to art school. He has partnered with well known dancers and including with Michelle, has shared the stage with the masters of tango. Performed to the live music of important Tango orchestras such as Hector Del Curto, Raul Haurena and Color Tango. Murat can also be seen on TV and in Movies with his dance.
Michelle Erdemsel took her first steps in dance at the age of 6 at the world renowned San Francisco School of Ballet and continued with such greats as David Howard in NYC. Her dance experience can only be described as eclectic, ranging from modern, jazz, flamenco, hula and theatre dance. Michelle spent many years touring with famous Musical Artists such as Liza Minelli in prestigious venues like Prince Albert Royal Hall in London, Off Broadway theatres in NYC, Stadiums and Arenas in Europe, South America and the US. Michelle has dedicated her life to teaching and dancing tango with her husband and partner Murat. Together they travel to teach at major festivals and perform at the milongas as well as with live music such as the Color Tango Orchestra.
Murat and Michelle have been living on the road and teaching for 6 years now. Their teaching and performing style is in high demand in Europe, Australia and the USA.
Oscar was born in Parque Patricios (a well-known tango barrio in Buenos Aires). His parents were avid tango dancers, and, in the 1950′s and ’60′s, they organized three different milongas per week, which regularly drew in 400-500 dancers. Oscar was very much influenced by his father, both by osmosis and discussion. He absorbed the code (codigo) of the milongueros, and when he eventually decided to take up the dance seriously, he already had a background and base that was the envy of many. Mary Ann came to tango eleven years ago from a background of ice-dancing. Coincidentally, her favourite ice-dance is the Argentine Tango. Oscar and Mary Ann have spent the last years living and teaching 6 months in Bs As and 6 months in Toronto and the US. Oscar has a distinct style both in his dance and his teaching. He is very .milonguero., and is respected by the .old guard. in the milongas of Buenos Aires. He is also extremely popular with his students, who are impressed by his teaching style. He teaches with energy and humor, emphasizing concepts, specializing in improvisation, always interpreting the music and respecting the character of the different orchestras. He is especially interested in the dynamics and cadencia of the dance. Everything he teaches is applicable to crowded milongas.
El estilo de tango de Oscar Casas esta basado en una constante improvisación sin perder la esencia milonguera respetando sus códigos desde sus raíces. Este estilo Milonguero Moderno de Oscar reflejan las actuales técnicas utilizadas por diferentes estilos de hoy, sin perder el espíritu de la vieja guardia.
Mary Ann Casas nacida originalmente el Canadá realizo patinaje artístico sobre hielo por mas de 25 anos. Su experienioa como bailarina y patinadora fue muy importante en el desarrollo y crecimiento de sus 13 anos de carrera con el tango. Mary Ann y Oscar Casas coinciden que el tango es un sentimiento que se baila, una danza nacida por el tremendo choque de culturas que ocurrió en Buenos Aires el siglo pasado
Como lo quieran llamar, Nuevo, Milonguero, Salón etc., cuando dos cuerpos se unes en armonía a través de la música, para poder representarla, siempre hay un sentimiento. Ese sentimiento el lo que nosotros los Argentinos bailamos y llamamos tango.
Varo’s immersion into the world of Argentine Tango started in 2004 in Los Angeles, California. Over the next few years he has become an active participant and an integral part of the Los Angeles tango community. He devoted himself to becoming a skillful social dancer, mastering floor craft, musicality, and establishing connection with the partner.
TEACHING: Varo’s rapid progression and extensive knowledge has led him to being invited as an instructor for the UCLA’s Argentine Tango classes, as well as becoming permanent staff member at the “Tango Room”, one of premier Tango studios in Los Angeles. Varo has taught and performed at numerous tango and dance related events in Los Angeles and Southern California, including the recent “Flamenco Loves Tango” production at the Thousand Oaks Performing Arts Center. See Videos
DJ’ING: Knowing how important music is for a good social tango experience, Varo has been extensively studying the music, composers, band leaders, and styles. He has become a very well respected DJ in the community, regularly playing music at the “Tango Fusion” alternative milonga, UCLA Milonga and many other elegant and traditional milongas in Los Angeles. He has also been invited on many occasions to guest-DJ at the “DIVO” Milonga and the “El Encuentro” Milonga in Los Angeles. Most recently, Varo was a featured DJ at the 2009 Tucson Tango Festival for traditional and alternative milongas.
J. Abling has been teaching Argentine tango since 2001, first in Seattle, then in Portland.
His teaching focuses on the relationship between movement and the music, with an emphasis on technique. His methods is influenced by his study as a pianist and vocalist, his training in sports, and experience in performance arts and teaching other social dances. Some of his influential teachers include Jaimes Friedgen, Luciana Valle, Cecilia Gonzales, Cristina & Homer Ladas, Rosa Corisco & Felipe Martinez and Tete Rusconi to name a few. J. has taught in Seattle, Portland, Ashland, San Francisco, Reno and Los Angeles. He has performed with Carrie Whipple, Silvina Vals, Jennifer Olson, Tara Fortier & Luiza Paes. He aslo has dj’d in Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Ashland, OR.
Currently, J. is traveling and teaching at different cities in the U.S. See Videos
Daniela is one of two Argentine Tango teachers in Arizona who has a Master’s Degree in Dance and it is her full-time profession. She has taught over 2000 people to dance, primarily Argentine Tango.
Dancing has always been a part of Daniela Borgialli’s life. She performed her first solo at the age of four and began making dances at 10. It wasn’t until graduate school that the Argentine blood in her veins manifested itself in a love and pursuit of the Argentine Tango. Once the tango spell had been cast, Daniela went where she could whenever possible in pursuit of its lure, and she discovered that her grandfather (who passed away shortly after she was born) was a milonguero.
Her studies have led her to great teachers including Luciana Valle, Cecilia Gonzalez, Fabian Salas, Fernanda y Guillermo, Brigitta Winkler, Alex Krebs, Tomas Howlin, and Eric Jørissen, to name a few.
After receiving her Master of Fine Arts in Dance and Choreography from Arizona State University in 2000, she moved to New York City and began teaching this exquisite couples dance. Her theoretical and technical background in modern dance, her enthusiasm and passion, intuitive nature, and artistry contribute to her abilities as a dance instructor.
Daniela currently teaches and performs locally in Arizona. She travels frequently to Buenos Aires to continue her professional development as a teacher. In the spring of 2005 she went to Buenos Aires on an Adjunct Faculty Professional Growth Award to further her professional development as a teacher of the Argentine Tango. She is interested in the art of teaching and attended several teachers’ conferences in 2006, including Teacher’s Week at El Corte in Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
In September 2005 she was invited to teach in San Diego where she conducted a workshop on close embrace and a follower’s technique workshop. In 2008 she was invited by Sharna Fabiano to be on the faculty of a Follower’s Weekend where she conducted a class on “musicality and listening to the music”. She has taught in Charleston, SC; Washington, DC;, Houston, TX;, Flagstaff, AZ; as well as regularly teaching 2 levels of Argentine Tango to over 80 students at Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ.
Along with Beginner and Intermediate classes, she enjoys exploring Tango’s life metaphor as a unique way to develop team-building and leadership skills, and interpersonal relationships. She is also interested in using tango to further improvisation and partnering skills with trained dancers. See Video
Clay Nelson is probably most famous nowadays for being the organizer of the Portland Tangofest – which has spread into several festivals per year.
Beth Anne Osborn studied Classical ballet and Modern Dance at the University of Cincinnati. She began studying tango 10 years ago with Homer Ladas in Tucson at the Shoebox Studio. I caught tango fever like so many others – apparently, there is no cure.
Clay and Beth Anne became partners two years ago. Currently they do two festivals in Ashland (Turkey Tango and Labor Day’s Grape Escape.
As instructors, they travel together to emerging tango communities sharing the secrets of social tango through the fundamental core values associated with “Close Embrace Style” Clay is committed to helping build healthy tango communities wherever he can. His “How to build a tango community Lecture” is a must for newer or smaller communities.
Clay and Beth Anne have obviously been bitten by Tango Fever and continue to explore the music, culture and the infinite possibilities that our beloved mistress, Argentine Tango, bestows upon us.
Clay and Beth Anne will be collaborating to bring us the quality of Solid Gold Tango we have come expect at quality milongas.
Solid Gold DJs:
Why these DJs?
I know for a fact that good DJs can make or break a festival. I have been diligently studying and DJing for a few years now and as time goes by I have become more particular and more aware of the energy that a well timed and properly mixed tanda can bring to the milonga floor. These are the qualities I looked for in the DJs I invited to keep our festival guests dancing. I know our group of DJs will keep our guests in the best of spirits, the purest of passion, while coaxing them to be blending and moving together on the crowded milonga floor.
To help you know how and why I chose these DJs, let me share what I want love in a “fantastic” milonga: I love dancing to well blended mix of golden, early, revival, transitional and progressive: I love pure tango! And these DJs play what I love! For a traditional milonga I love the golden era of tango coupled with a healthy helping of early tango then infuse this with an infrequent tanda of transitional tangos, mixed with a small measure of revival and a splash of progressive later in the night depending on the crowd. I like my tandas to be all of the same year, style, mood and rhythm. I want a playful grouping in a tanda that gets me ready to milonga, follow this with a romantic blend that pulls us close and prepares us for a vals.
I like a DJ that is aware and hip to the mood and tempo of the milonga floor, someone that is keeping an eye on the numbers dancing, their styles and fellowship on the floor thus introducing tandas that keep the seats empty and the floor moving. I want a DJ that knows when to pull the curtains and inhibit flying bumping when the floor is crowded as opposed the DJ that can put on a dramatic Pugliese when the floor is so crowded you can barely move!
I assure you that the creatively structured tandas at the milongas of the Tucson Tango Festival will leave you with a warm moist glow, a sparkling gleam and a desire for more! If you leave here with a wish, it will only be that you wish it would never end!
Vijay was one of the key instructors and DJs in the Ann Arbor tango community. He is currently based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He teaches the traditional Milonguero style of dancing that employs subtle body movements to generate complex choreography in a compact space. His classes have a strong emphasis on Connection, Musicality and Navigation that help students to quickly grasp the fundamentals of social dancing. His dancing style has been influenced by many teachers including Robin Thomas, Christopher & Caroline, Alex Krebs, Jaimes Friedgen in the US and by Susana Miller, Cacho Dante, Ana Maria Shapira and Javier Rodriguez in BsAs. As a DJ, he has been a part of several festivals in the US including the Portland and Denver tango festivals (http://festivals.tango.info/VijayNamas)
Paul Akmajian (Albuquerque, NM) has been dancing tango for over 10 years and
teaching for the last five. He has been a DJ for most of his tango life and
in the last 3 years he has DJ’d in Seattle, Phoenix, Tucson, as well as on a
regular basis in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Recently, he was a DJ for the
Denver > Albuquerque Labor Day weekend Tango Festival. He is excited to
return to his hometown of Tucson to DJ for the Tucson Tango Festival.
Sabah got addicted to Tango in the late nineties. It started with dancing and now it includes being a DJ.
Tango music occupies my thoughts and energizes my spirit and I am in constant search for good music. Although I try to vary the music I play, I am heavily influenced by the style of dance in Buenos Aires as well as the music played at the milongas there so feel free to call me old fashioned.
Varo’s immersion into the world of Argentine Tango started in Los Angeles, California. Over the next four years he has become an active participant and an integral part of the tango community in Los Angeles. He devoted himself to becoming a skillful social dancer, mastering floorcraft, musicality, and establishing connection with the partner.
Knowing how important music is for a good social tango experience, Varo has been extensively studying the music, composers, band leaders, and styles. He has become a very well respected DJ in the community, regularly playing music at the “Tango Fusion” alternative milonga, UCLA Milonga and many other elegant and traditional milongas in Los Angeles. He has also been invited on many occaisions to guest-DJ at the “DIVO” Milonga and the “El Encuentro” Milonga in LA.
Jay loves to DJ and his tandas have been known to melt butter in refrigerators three states away! J Abling believes that a milonga is a “party where tango is danced”. Whenever he DJs, he intends to keep a good party going with select choice of music to inspire both lovers of traditional and alternative music. When not teaching or DJing, he is constantly organizing and listening to his music or looking for more music to add to his extensive collection. He has learned to dj from some of the best DJs in the country including Jaimes Friedgen, Alex Krebs, Dan Boccia, Shorey Myers and Vijay. He has DJd at festivals and regular milongas in Portland, Seattle, Houston, New York, San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, Maui and Ashland, OR.
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