cancelled – Tucson Tango Festival returns to Casino Del Sol for its 11th Tango Fest! 

A stellar cast of instructors, performers and DJs are scheduled to excite the Argentine Tango community visiting Tucson from across this country and from countries around the globe where people TANGO! The ballroom is spacious, high ceilings and very elegant with beautiful hardwood flooring owned by the Tucson Tango Festival.

This year’s festival will offer three progressive classes every day. Attendees will not need to pre-sign up. Just drop in. Each session will offer an ‘all levels’ class, an intermediate class, and an advanced class. Teachers will rotate through the levels so that they can be accessible to more students.

TUCSON TANGO FESTIVAL WORLD-CLASS INSTRUCTORS

Sofia Saborido & Pablo Inza will focus on connection – ‘It’s All About The Embrace.’ Sofia has a extensive background in theatre, ballet, modern and jazz dance. The deep musicality and quality of movement in her dancing is based on a refined and sensitive connection. Being the great granddaughter of Enrique Saborido, a legendary dancer, musician and composer of tangos like La Morocha, Felicia and others, she was literally born with tango in her veins. In 2006 she won the fourth place in the tango championship of Buenos Aires. Since then she dedicates her time on teaching and performing mainly in Europe but also in United States and Asia. Frequently invited to some of the largest tango festivals in Europe and North America, Pablo has been teaching and performing around the world since 1999. An excellent teacher with a great capacity for analysis and an innate sense of musicality, Pablo’s classes are popular amongst dancers of all levels.

Liz and Yannick Vanhove started dancing Tango together when they were teenagers. In 2012 they won the European championship in the category Tango Salon and became vice-champions of Tango Escenario. They were finalists at both the World Championship and the Metropolitan Championship in Buenos Aires for Tango Salon. The couple has performed at the most famous milongas in Buenos Aires: Sunderland Club, Canning, La Baldosa, Villa Malcolm, La Confiteria Ideal, El Beso and many more. They have been guest-dancers at the legendary Esquina Homero Manzi for the show “Un par de tangos,” as well as in Teatro Alvear on Corrientes with the orchestra Colectivo Tango. Liz and Yannick have taught classes in Buenos Aires at the Escuela Argentina de Tango (NEAT) in the Galerias Pacifico, at the Estudio Mario Morales in San Telmo and at the Bella Vista Tango Club in San Miguel.

Paloma and Maximiliano inspire students to enjoy the embrace and love for tango, promoting the connection and improvisation between couples. This award-winning couple with 20 years performing, competing and teaching experience, has participated in festivals and workshops in Europe, South America, North America and Asia. Awards: 1st place World Tango Championship TAFISA 2008 (Busan, South Korea), 2nd place World Tango Championship 2007 (BA, Argentine), 6 finals World Tango Championship (BA, Argentine), and several 1st places in national competitions in Chile between 2001 and 2006.

Oscar Casas and Marie Roach. Oscar has a distinct style both in his dance and his teaching. He is very milonguero, and is highly respected by the old guard in the milongas of BA. He also is 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. Marie Riolo Roach has been dancing since the age of 8. She competed, performed and taught ballroom and Latin dance and discovered Argentine Tango in 2003, a pivotal moment in her career. Her vast experience in instructing a variety of dance forms has added to her ability to reach all students regardless of level or ability to learn. Her teaching method is clear, paying attention to technical detail and musicality while never losing the element of fun.

DJs include DJ Ramu Pyreddy (Washington DC), DJ DK Quinn, DJ Ashvin Iyer, and DJ Paul Akmajian (Albuquerque)

Vendors: JuliaBella Shoes (SUR exclusive importer), AGA Be-You-Tiful atelier (Gilbert) Tango wear handcrafted in NY, Tangoleva Shoes, Shoes By Yolanda, Distinctive Dancewear Design.

Registration web page outlines many options for participation and discounts: Full Festival Pass Thursday-Sunday, 3-Day Full Pass Friday-Sunday, Weekend Full Pass Saturday-Sunday, Daylight Pass, Milonga Passes, and SPECIAL PRICES FOR FULL-TIME STUDENTS! Individual class prices: 1 class (1 hr 15 min) $30, 2 classes $50, 4 classes $90.

Room Rates: $119/night + 10% occupancy fee (same rate 3 days prior and 3 days after!). No resort or parking fees.

NOTE: Absolutely no smoking in entire part of the complex devoted to the Tango Festival and there is no smoking in the sleeping rooms. You can walk from the hotel rooms, the pool, the parking garage and the ballroom with a very minimal, or no time, in the edge of the casino where smoking is allowed.