Our tango training
We have been fortunate to train with the best tangueros in the world, in both Argentina and Europe. We continue to study at the highest level. Tango is always changing, always developing, and so too is tango teaching.
Probably the most continued and powerful influence over our teaching style, musicality, and the way in which we create new figures and choreography is Gustavo Naveira, with his partner Giselle Anne. His reputation as the best 'teacher of teachers' in the world is not exaggerated: his intensive, week-long, professional seminars are challenging, inspiring, and rooted in conceptual analysis as well as intensive dance training and practice.
Our earlier study: salon and milonguero styles
When we first began tango, we studied with a range of teachers within traditional salon and milonguero styles. Tangueros from the 'older generation' included Facundo and Kely Pasados, Rudolfo and Maria Cieri, Mingo and Esther Pugliese, Monica and Omar Ocampos, Carlos Gavito, and extended study with Carlos and Maria Rivarola.
Other teachers included Thierry Le Cocq and Veronique Bouscasse, with whom we studied fairly frequently, as well as Leandro Palou and Andrea Misse, Stefano Fava and Alexandra Woods, Gabriel Misse and Alejandra Mantinan, Pablo Nievas and Valeria Zunino, and Cesar Velasquez and Carolina Prado Gonzalez.
Whilst the best contemporary (modern-day) salon tango has moved towards tango nuevo (see below), we still study milonguero style as an separate and specific tango style. Most recently, we took a week-long advanced seminar in milonguero style with our favourite teachers: Gustavo Naveira and Giselle Anne. We love to dance in this style, especially when dancing in a crowded space with little room for manoeuvre. We teach milonguero style in more advanced classes and special courses.
Probably the most continued and powerful influence over our teaching style, musicality, and the way in which we create new figures and choreography is Gustavo Naveira, with his partner Giselle Anne. His reputation as the best 'teacher of teachers' in the world is not exaggerated: his intensive, week-long, professional seminars are challenging, inspiring, and rooted in conceptual analysis as well as intensive dance training and practice.
Our earlier study: salon and milonguero styles
When we first began tango, we studied with a range of teachers within traditional salon and milonguero styles. Tangueros from the 'older generation' included Facundo and Kely Pasados, Rudolfo and Maria Cieri, Mingo and Esther Pugliese, Monica and Omar Ocampos, Carlos Gavito, and extended study with Carlos and Maria Rivarola.
Other teachers included Thierry Le Cocq and Veronique Bouscasse, with whom we studied fairly frequently, as well as Leandro Palou and Andrea Misse, Stefano Fava and Alexandra Woods, Gabriel Misse and Alejandra Mantinan, Pablo Nievas and Valeria Zunino, and Cesar Velasquez and Carolina Prado Gonzalez.
Whilst the best contemporary (modern-day) salon tango has moved towards tango nuevo (see below), we still study milonguero style as an separate and specific tango style. Most recently, we took a week-long advanced seminar in milonguero style with our favourite teachers: Gustavo Naveira and Giselle Anne. We love to dance in this style, especially when dancing in a crowded space with little room for manoeuvre. We teach milonguero style in more advanced classes and special courses.
Contemporary tango: nuevo
Tango has developed rapidly since the early 1990s. The best teaching tends to come from the 'nuevo' tradition, which is more analytical and conceptual, and encourages a 'thinking' dancer who is open to innovation and strong on technique. Our own teaching falls within this tradition - and we have learned most from those teachers who understand tango in this way. For more information on nuevo, click here.
Within ‘nuevo’ style, we have enjoyed challenging workshops with Cesar and Carolina Velasquez, and one of the ‘founders’ of nuevo: Pablo Veron. We have also followed an intensive long course with the world-famous Chicho Frumboli, and with Luciana Valle, one of the most renowned teachers of tango nuevo.
Most notably, we have attended intensive, extended courses with the two other founders of nuevo (you can see all three in the film The Tango Lesson). First, we have taken several long courses with Fabian Salas, whilst he was teaching with his wonderful dance partner Carolina del Rivero. In May 2013 and May 2014, we studied privately, and intensively, with del Rivero (now dancing with new partner Donato Juarez).
Second, we attended many of Gustavo Naveira and Giselle Anne's advanced seminars - week-long, intensive, thematic, certificated courses...
Tango for teachers: Naveira's professional seminars
Gustavo Naveira and Giselle Anne have been the most important influence on our dancing. We have completed several of their advanced/professional intensive courses. In 2007, we completed their six-day advanced general seminar twice: first in Buenos Aires, and then during one of their rare visits to England.
We took their intensive advanced seminar on tango, milonga & vals, in Switzerland, April 2009. Also in Switzerland, in Spring 2010 we attended two more themed week-long seminars with Naviera and Anne, on 'boleos & sacadas' and on 'milonguero style'; in April 2012 another seminar on 'deep fundamentals'; and in April 2013 a seminar on 'turns' (giros). All of these seminars except the London one were certificated. This couple's teaching is endlessly inspiring and challenging. They are the 'thinkers' tangueros'.
Musicality and other tango rhythms
We have spent dedicated time studying musicality, especially with Fabian Salas, Carlos Rivarola, and renowned tango musician Joaquin Amenabar, who has his own Orquestra Tipica and whose extraordinary knowlege of and enthusiasm for the music of tango really helped us to understand and respond to the music better. We have studied milonga & vals musicality in particular, with Gustavo Naveira and Giselle Anne (see above).
We have spent dedicated time studying musicality, especially with Fabian Salas, Carlos Rivarola, and renowned tango musician Joaquin Amenabar, who has his own Orquestra Tipica and whose extraordinary knowlege of and enthusiasm for the music of tango really helped us to understand and respond to the music better. We have studied milonga & vals musicality in particular, with Gustavo Naveira and Giselle Anne (see above).
Page updated 22nd May 2022