TEACHERS
Maximiliano Alvarado and Paloma Berríos
Paloma & Maximiliano, native from Santiago – Chile, has been dancing together for 25 years. Since they were young, they share the passion for Argentine Tango as a heritage from their parents. They were formed in Chile and in Buenos Aires, with many argentine masters, getting the knowledge and the culture of argentine Tango from them. Nowadays based in Miami - Florida, USA, they have been touring through South and North America and part of Europe, teaching and performing in uncountable Casinos, Convention Centers, Hotels and TV shows. Invited to teach and perform in the biggest and the most important Tango Festivals across US. They won the 2nd place in 2007 in the Worldwide Tango Championship in Buenos Aires and the 1st place in 2008 in the Trex Games TAFISA worldwide competition in South Korea. They define their style as a salon tango, prioritizing the close embrace but always being open to the elasticity and comfort at the moment to dance. Their teaching, it’s characterized as energetic, didactic and detailed. They are focused on promote the argentine Tango and their culture around the world from the connection and the joy through the dance one of the most passionate dances in the world.
Rod Relucio and Jenny Renee
Rod has been dancing all his life. He and Jenny have performed in various venues around the world. Although his background has been mostly in hip hop and street dancing, he has fully committed himself to Argentine Tango. One can still see the lasting influence of his street dancing in his innovative and original tango style.
It is also easy to see the coexistence of traditional tango movements and philosophy working in symmetry with a newer nontraditional influence, the end result of which is an eye-catching and entertaining performance. Rod has spent some time studying with the masters in Buenos Aires and spends much of his time teaching in his native Chicago. His popular group classes are taught with an eye on encouraging and nurturing individual artistic styles while at the same time stressing the core movements and strong values of traditional tango. His infectious energy and love of the dance have created a large following of students in Chicago and the surrounding area.
As an artist, musician, and Latin dance instructor for many years, Jenny found her true calling in dancing and sharing her understanding of tango. With athleticism and grace, she flows effortlessly through complex movements, always with a strong connection to the music and her partner. Her athletic background and focus on tango’s core movements combine to create a visually poetic expression of the music and her partner’s lead. Her years as a salsa dancer also contribute a distinctive flavor that is both engaging and entertaining. Jenny has worked with many of the traditional masters of tango in an effort to refine and develop her tango style.
By fusing their other background dance styles in their tango, it makes their dance quite unique. They believe that the connection, musicality, and technique are the keys to fully appreciate the beauty of tango. In their classes they want to concentrate on how to be comfortable inside the embrace, based on the logic and naturalness of the movement.
John Miller and Jesica Cutler
Jesica is a master of anatomy, John is a whiz at structure, and together their classes present a clear and integrated understanding of Tango, both in movement and in composition. They have been teaching together for eight years, and work extensively with college students to bring Tango to the younger generation. They have also taught at numerous festivals in the US and abroad, including the Boulder Tango Festival, Tree City Tango, Wasatch Tango Festival, the Mountain Milonga Retreat, the La Paz Eco-Tango festival in Mexico, and of course, at Tango on the Rocks. Not to mention, they are the organziers of the festival, so if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask!
Adam Hoopengardner and Ciko Tanik
Adam Hoopengardner and Ciko Tanik
Adam and Ciko are unique to the North American, and especially to New York, tango scene.
They have had the opportunity to study with teachers from all over the world, who come from very different ideologies, which has allowed and fostered their own approach and character of dance.
They met in a beginner class in 2004 and throughout their journey their dance has evolved by blending the outside influences they had with their own personal growth as a couple. Their style is defined by its sensuality, musicality & creative playfulness.
They emphasize the importance of good technique with a comfortable, musical walk, over complicated moves. Their goal as teachers is to bring their students’ personality out in their dance by teaching them about the music and the concept of the countless possibilities the dance offers. They cannot overemphasize the value of being an active follower which makes the dance much more interactive and spontaneous. When teaching they are able to transmit their mastery of the complex concepts of tango while retaining their innate humor and humility.
As well as being dancers and teachers, they are Community Builders. This is a big part of what they value about Argentine Tango, that it brings people together and creates a sense of belonging. They visit different Tango communities around the US regularly and have become part of their development as well as their own local community. To list a few; Argentine Tango at Penn State, Princeton Tango Club, Yale Tango Club, Philadelphia Argentine Tango School, The Cleveland Tango School, University of Kansas Tango Club in Lawrence.
Adam and Ciko have started doing online lessons beginning of 2019 as part of a Tango program online.
When Covid-19 put all sorts of social activities on hold they immediately started events, classes through Zoom and other platforms to keep Tango Community connected, inspired and motivated during these difficult times. They have taken part in online Festivals, Lectures, Events and Classes during these months improving and developing their ability to teach and connect through online platforms.
Celina Rotundo and Hugo Patyn
Celina​ ​Rotundo​ ​and​ ​Hugo​ ​Patyn​ ​are​ ​Argentine​ ​Tango​ ​dancers,​ ​masters,​ ​and​ ​choreographers who​ ​dazzle​ ​the​ ​world,​ ​both​ ​on​ ​stage​ ​and​ ​in​ ​every​ ​class​ ​or​ ​workshop​ ​they​ ​teach. They​ ​possess​ ​an​ ​especially​ ​particular​ ​connection​ ​and​ ​style,​ ​making​ ​them​ ​first​ ​class​ ​dancers with​ ​an​ ​extensive​ ​dance​ ​background.​ ​They​ ​have​ ​danced​ ​in​ ​diverse​ ​places​ ​of​ ​the​ ​world, presenting​ ​challenging,​ ​intense​ ​and​ ​sensual​ ​choreographies​ ​with​ ​history. As​ ​instructors,​ ​they​ ​have​ ​initiated​ ​and​ ​inspired​ ​hundreds​ ​of​ ​students​ ​around​ ​the​ ​world.
Yanina Quiñones and Neri Piliu
Yanina Valeria Quiñones and Neri Luciano Piliu dance together since 2006. They were professionally trained at the Academia de Estilos de Tango Argentino (ACETA) by famous milongueros and teachers such as Carlos Perez and Rosa, Pupi Castello, Gloria and Eduardo Arquimbau, Gerardo Portalea, Toto Faraldo and Milena Plebs, amongst many others.
They took part in tango competitions in Buenos Aires where they won the first place in both Tango Salon and Escenario: Pre-World Champions-North Zone Tango Salón in 2006/2007, Pre-World Champions West-South Area Tango Show in 2006, Baradero Festival Champions Tango Escenario in 2006 and they gained the second place in the Tango Salon World Championship in 2008, which is held annually in Buenos Aires.Since then, they have performed at some of Buenos Aires most well-known Milongas, such as Sunderland, La Baldosa, Salon Canning, Griciel, Porteno Bailarin, often accompanied by top level orchestras such as Color Tango, La Orchestra de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires and La Orchestra Sans Souci.
They have also worked in some of the most important Buenos Aires theatres including Piazzolla Tango Show, Boca Tango and Cafe Tortoni.
Lindsey Zan and Ricardo Correra
Lindsey and Ricardo are an exciting young partnership (est. in 2018) with nearly three decades of combined experience in Argentine tango. They love and excel at both Salon and Stage tango. They are also known for their fun, supportive, and technique- oriented teaching style, with a focus on improvisation, musicality, and partner connection. Their classes build confident dancers that dance comfortably while finding the freedom to express themselves artistically. Based in Austin, TX, they have taught and performed in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Taipei and Taichung, Taiwan; Los Angeles and San Diego, CA; Seattle, WA; New Orleans,LA; Austin, Dallas, and Houston, TX; and Tucson, AZ. Most recently, they have taught and performed at the 2021 Tucson Tango Festival, the 2021 Tango Holiday Weekend, and they won the title of 2021 US Stage Tango Vice Champions.
Rebecca Shulman and Jaimes Friedgen
Rebecca entered tango in 1991, Jaimes in 1996, on opposite coasts. Each of them had the opportunity to study from extraordinary dancers who are no longer with us, both in Argentina and in the U.S. Over the subsequent decades they each built effective and popular tango schools in different cities – Rebecca in New York, Jaimes in Seattle and New Mexico. Jaimes also consulted for several other important tango schools. Rebecca cofounded and danced in TangoMujer Dance Company (1996-2006). They each have an encyclopedic knowledge of the dance and a knack for finding useful challenges for their students. They've always loved dancing with each other and have been happy to find a few opportunities to do so over the years.