Sakura Tango Festival

Together for the same passion they traveled a long road so getting to be a couple who are known for their strength, maturity and defined tango style.
Since 1996, were formed with renowned masters and their first experience in the tango dance was in 1997.
Since then they participated in important national and international shows directed by renowned dancers and choreographers.
Since 2002 they travel to different cities in Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and EEUU giving workshops and being part of important events and Tango Festivals.
In 2006 they were invited to be the leading couple of the video clip ¨Diferente¨ of Gotan Project. In Buenos Aires they participate in the most important Tango Festivals as CITA, Tango Salón Extremo, Argentina Tango Salón, Mujercitas among others and also travel to different cities of the country to give classes and seminars for the purpose of transmit their knowledge to new generations of tango dancers.
They are also invited by the Government of Buenos Aires, to serve as jurors of the Metropolitan Tango Championship and World Tango Championships.
Their dance is characterized by the precision and quality of their movements, the elegance and preserve the purest and essential tango.

Rodrigo Palacios is an Argentinian Tango teacher and dancer, Kundalini Yoga practitioner and a curious seeker for cultural diversity.
He grew up in Buenos Aires surrounded by an incredible tango family, where tango was breathed through dance, music and singing. When he was 14 years old he started to frequent the legendary Salón Canning, where he saw the authentic dancing of the most renowned milongueros, and also of those who, at that time where leading the new wave of a broader tango.
He began a career exhibiting in the most outstanding Milongas in the city of Buenos Aires. In 2007 he was part of Forever Tango´s cast in the filming of the documentary of the successful company that took place at the Teatro Coliseo Podestá in La Plata.
At the same time, he began teaching classes for an extended period at the Salón Canning, place that hosted a stunning work by the photographer Guillermo Monteleone where Agustina Berenstein and Rodrigo Palacios are the muses. This work of art is an extract from one of the most innovative tango videos of recent times, called "T".
His first job abroad was in Tiempo Iberoamericanos as a teacher dancer and choreographer in the city of Fukuoka, Japan, and since then he has not stopped touring, participating in Tango festivals, special workshops and classes in schools in Europe, Australia and Asia.
Rodrigo has been dancing and spreading the Tango during the last 25 years.

Indira Hiayes : Born and raised in Argentina, Indira started dancing at the age of 4 and over the years she has adapted knowledge of different dances and styles that reinforced her artistry. She currently live in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, participating in important international shows. Her professional Tango career began at the age of 18, dancing in the most prestigious dinner show in Buenos Aires: Señor Tango. A few months later she started traveling to teach in schools around the world and participating in most recognized international tango festivals.
She studied ballet, contemporary, argentinian tango, folklore argentino, hip hop, jazz, lyrical and hills.
As a Dancer Indira has the capacity to catch different styles of dance and choreography, capacity that made her succeed dancing in musicals, night clubs, theater.
Her Tango involve all this dances experiences making her body movement magic and ful of sharm for the eyes of the audience.

Jonatan Agüero : Dancer and professional artist of Argentine tango dance, of Argentine nationality 🇦🇷 born in the Province of Cordoba, city of "Bell Ville" where he began his first tango steps at the age of 8, dancing, touring the country and competing in competitive dance competitions, obtaining the best scores and recognition as an artist internationally. At the age of 18 he began his career as a tango dance instructor, currently he is representing the Argentine Republic throughout the world in the best tango festivals and events: Italy, France, Russia, Croatia, Greece, Poland, Germany, China, Japan , Indonesia , Philippines , Australia , USA , Canada , Brazil ; Switzerland, Netherlands; Tunisia among other countries and cities of the world as a dancer, instructor and jury of the world tango championship / Italian / Russian championship / European championship.
His dance is characterized by being an authentic dancer, with great skill in his movements, passionate, maintaining the tradition of the great masters. In his classes, he stands out for proposing a dance method that facilitates the Student to understand with more speed and awareness about the movements, through attractive exercises.

Laísa Souza : Laisa Souza is a professional Tango Dancer and Teacher, with knowledge of Brazilian Ballroom Dance and Salsa. She has 21 years of experience performing and teaching in South America (Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia), Europe (England, Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, Romania, Bulgaria, and Russia), Asia (China and India) and Africa (South Africa and Mozambique).
She participated as a dancer at the recording of the TV Series "While You Were Breeding", Buenos Aires in 2023.
■ Finalist at Campeonato Metropolitano de la Ciudad in Milonga. Tango and Vals with Rodrigo Videla. 4th place at Milonga, Buenos Aires 2013
■ Finalist at the World Tango Championship in Tango Salon with Ariel Manzanares. Buenos Aires 2017
■ Finalist at the World Tango Championship in Tango Salon with Leonardo Pankow, Buenos Aires 2021
■ Finalist at the World Tango Championship in Tango Escenario with Leonardo Pankow, Buenos Aires 2022

They began their activities as a couple since 2008. For the fourth consecutive year from 2009 to 2012, they were finalists in the Salon Tango and Stage Tango categories of the world championship.
Since 2013 they returned to Tokyo and in June 2015 they founded the Tango Salon "Buenos Aires" in Minami Aoyama.
Recently, they have performed in musicals and concerts by former Takarazuka stars, and are also working as a choreographer.

[ Awards ]
• 2008: Second place of the Salon Tango and Stage Tango category of the Open Dance Tango Championship in Japan.
• 2009: Champions of the Salon Tango category of the World Championship of Argentine Tango in Asia.
• 2009: 3rd place of the Stage Tango category of the World Championship.
• 2010: 3rd place of the stage and Salon Tango category of the World Championship.
• 2012: Champions of Metropolitano MILONGUEROS DEL MUNDO.
■ 2023: 6th place of the Salon Tango category of the World Tango Championship.

Paula Tejeda (29) and Lucas Carrizo (33) hail from Catamarca in Argentina, and have been dancing since their teens. As a young couple in love they decided to leave their home to pursue their tango career in Buenos Aires. This was a decision which would change their lives forever.

Paula and Lucas have reached the highest levels of achievement in tango. They were crowned as the 2010 Metropolitan Tango Championship Champions in Tango category and placed as runners up in the Vals category.They were also part of the brilliant Miguel Angel Zotto tango production -- TangoX2, traveling around Italy (Milano, Roma, Napoli, Firenze, Parma, Bari, Padova, Cremona and Brescia) and Grecce (Athens).

They have performed and conducted seminars in China (Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, Shenzhen, Nanjing, Suzhou, Hangzhou and Chengdu), Hong Kong, Korea (Seoul, Busan and Ulsan), Japan (Tokyo), USA (Denver, Portland, San Francisco, Albuquerque, Tucson, Ashland, Durango, Colorado Springs and Vail), Canada (Toronto and Montreal) and Europe: Denmark, Portugal and Netherlands.

A couple united by their love for tango in 2018.
Based in CALI COLOMBIA. They came together to build a committed work team, which offers quality on stage as performers, instructors and choreographers, achieving recognition in the different stages of Colombia, Argentina, Greece, England and Scotland.
They were champions of Salon Tango in Colombia in 2022 and are currently invited to the Ithaca Tango Festival in New York, Boston Tango Festival and Philippines Tango Festival. These are some of their achievements since they became a couple.

Julián : Dancer, teacher and choreographer with more than 19 years of experience. He has participated in important international competitions such as the World Tango Championship in BA, obtaining fifth place in the Stage Tango category in 2017 and champion of Stage Tango in Quito, Ecuador 2016. Julián has been champion 15 consecutive times in Stage Tango, Tango de Pista and Milonga in Colombia from 2008 to 2022.

Natalia : Dancer, teacher and choreographer with more than 8 years of experience. She has worked hand in hand with important tango companies in Colombia.
She has participated in important competitions such as the World Tango Championship in BA and has been champion on several occasions in the ballroom tango category in Colombia.

Rodrigo and Jesica are Argentine dancers, born in the interior of the country who have been living in the City of Buenos Aires for several years to study and work with Tango.
Both worked at Casa de Tango, including: El Viejo Almacén, Gala Tango, Ventana Tango, Casablanca, Homero Manzi, Aljibe Tango, Café Tortoni, La Cumparsita, several restaurants in San Telmo and the La Boca neighborhood. They have also participated in different works and independent companies in Caba such as Never Mas, La Clandestina, Gloria Cafe, Tempo Tango, among others, sharing casts with renowned artists.
They are finalists in the Buenos Aires City Championship and World Tango Pista Championship. They have held multiple exhibitions on emblematic dance floors of the Milonga Bonaerense.
Independent dancers, Tango instructors and also as part of a company have toured countries such as Brazil, Uruguay, Turkey, China, England, Italy, Spain, Indonesia, Singapore, Japan, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates.
They both share a deep love for Tango and its Culture.

• Studio Triangulo

Ezequiel has been learning tango since he was 6 years old, and after winning the 2015 Chilean Championship, he moved to Tokyo. He won again in Chile during his temporary return to Japan in 2018, and will become the Asian champion in 2021.
Haruna started tango in 2016, supported by many dancers in Tokyo and Fukuoka, won the singles category at the Shanghai competition in 2019, and will start full-fledged activities as Ezequiel & Haruna in 2023. Based in Tokyo, he teaches in various parts of Japan such as Fukuoka, Osaka, and Nagoya, and has also been invited to Indonesia and Chile to give lessons and shows. Not only is he fluent in three languages (Spanish, Japanese, and English), but his logical and reproducible teaching is well-received.

■ 2023 Korea Tournament Pista Division and Milonga Division Winner
■ 2023 Indonesia Tournament Stage Division Runner-up
■ 2023 Asian Games Pista Division runner-up, Stage Division 3rd place
■ 2023 World Championship Pista Division Finalist

They are founders and current directors of the "El Abrazo de Tango" studio in Hiroshima.
Directors of RN Production Video.
Winners of Tango Dance World Championship in Asia in 2015.
They performed as special guests at the "Gran Rex" theater in Paris.
They performed for a short time at Café Tortoni, a long-established tangueria in Buenos Aires.
In addition to working on shows and many events in Japan, they have performed in numerous shows in foreign countries, such as milongas and theaters in Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Spain, Seoul, Shanghai, Taipei, Busan, Jakarta and Bali, etc.

[ Championship Judge History ]
■ 2019: World Tango Asia Championships, West Japan Tournament
■ 2018: Pelando variation in shanghai
■ 2023: K-Tango Championship in Korea
■ 2023: Darienzo Cup in Tokyo

Shinji lived in Argentina, the home of tango, for more than five years to learn from various Maestros. Also, Natsune started learning Argentinian Tango in her teens. They started working together in 2014. They are both musicians as well as dancers. Shinji is a Tango guitarist and Natsune is a Jazz singer. Their CDs are on sale, and their particular style of music has earned a good reputation. They have performed and run workshops inside and outside Japan. They are getting noticed and have recently been awarded prizes in the competitions listed below.

In 2015, they were runners up in the “Salon Championship of Tango Marathon” in Tokyo.
In 2016, they came 4th in the Stage section of the “Tango World Championship” in Korea.
In 2016, they came 3rd in the Milonga section, and 4th in the Vals section of the “Metropolitan Championship” in Korea.

They started tango in 2005 and established "Cafe de Tango", the oldest tango studio in Busan.
Currently, they are performing and giving lessons in Busan. And they also organize the Busan Tango Festival (BTF) every year.
They established Busan's first tango dance company "juntos". They are working to spread the beauty of tango to as many people as possible by teaching choreography and giving lessons.

[ Awards and major careers ]
■ 2012 World Tango Championship Salon 2nd place
■ 2013 Asian Tango Championship 10th place in Salon
■ 2014 Seoul Metropolitan Tango Championship Formation Ranked 3rd place
■ 2023 "El cxuce Korea" performance

HsinDa Lee started dancing Argentine Tango in 2012 and immediately fell for it. He decided to pursue his career as a Tango dancer and teacher in 2016.
From 2018 HsinDa started to join competitions in Asia, and won many prizes in Korea, Malaysia, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong…etc.
Now HsinDa is the owner of Bailemos Tango School in Taiwan.
2019 Final list of Argentine tango world championship.
2019 Malaysia Tango Championship
Tango Escenario - Champion.
2019 China Tango Championship
Pista - Champion.
2023 Asian Tango Championship
Jack and Jill - Champion.
Invited by Chongqing Spicy Tango weekend as guest dancer and DJ
Invited by International Festival of the intangible cultural heritage Chengdu, China as guest dancer and DJ

Helen started tango in 2016. Although she has various dance experiences since young, she was immediately attracted to the uniqueness of the tango. Since then, she has tried to make her tango journey more colorful, participating in various competitions, and giving performances in China and Taiwan, while also enjoying the tango as a milonguera in Korea.

After their respective activities, in 2012 they began working as a pair called “Araki & “Mayumi.”
They preside "Jimbocho Studio 710" since 2014.
For many years they performed their dance on stage at Yokohama Orchestra performances. They also teach classes at LaBaldosa, a studio located in Ebisu directed by Akiyoshi & Noriko, who are key figures in the tango community in Japan.
They are dedicated to detailed lessons that leverage each person's abilities, and focus on the development of the next generation.
In addition, they actively work organizing their own shows, and presenting at exhibitions and restaurants in various regions.
Champion of the stage category of the Asian Championship.
Finalist in the salon category of the World Championship.

Florencia and Leonel are pioneers of the Seoul tango community, having started teaching there since 2005. They organized the annual Seoul Tango Festival for 11 years, which brought many maestros and foreign visitors to Korea. Florencia studied ballet in college. She was a professional performer in musicals for 8 years. In 2004, in the Mundial in Buenos Aires, she won second prize in the stage section. Leonel is originally from Hong Kong. He lived in the US and won first prize at the 2002 USA Tango Championship. Leonel & Florencia have been invited to teach and perform in many cities in Korea and abroad.

Daidai is the founder of ATer Tango studio, which is the first tango studio in China since 2007. After immersed in Chinese folk dance and Ballroom dance for about twenty years, Daidai has been hooked on Tango and then became a professional tango dancer. She has studied tango from many Maestros in Argentina. Besides teaching tango in many cities in China, she also has been invited to teach in other countries to promote tango. Daidai met Liyan in 2012 and then began their partnership. They organized many tango events in Beijing, including workshop of Argentina Maestros, regular classes, practicas and milongas, as well as some public welfare events, such as teaching the blind children to dance tango. They introduce thousands of people into the world of tango and help them to feel the magic of tango, and also bring people to attend many tango festivals abroad to promote the tango communications among various countries. They won the championship of category “Tango de pista libre” of China in 2017. They have been invited to Sakura Tango Festival for many times since 2015.

Angel & Lorena are professional tango teacher, dancer, choreographer and organizer.
They founded Angel Tango Academy in 2013 (near Hongdae Seoul). They are invited for Argentina Tango class / workshop / performance from tango communities and festivals of several cities in Korea and in Asia. They invited as a international Tango dancers and performed; K-Tango CF(Seoul), Sakura Tango festival in Fukuoka, Tango Festival en Tokyo, Tango in Paradise in Bali, El Abrazo de Tango in Hiroshima, Jeju World Tango Festival, Korea Romantic Tango Week, Korea Tango Day, Korea Tango Congress etc.

Also they performed tango Escenario at many of classic & tango programs with several musicians (such as Tango En Vivo, Koh Sangji etc.) on the art & culture theatre stages in Korea from 2013

Angel Aritta has been teaching and performing Argentina Tango for 16 years. As a Chairman of KATA (Korea Argentine Tango Association), he communicates and organizes programs for development of Tango in Korea. Also he is a co-author for tango teaching materials of KATA. He choreographed tango dancing and tango performances for artistes & many festivals, and he appeared in a TV & cable program also.

Lorena learned Classical ballet, Jazz dance, Tap dance, Korean Traditional dance etc. since 2000. She studied and worked for Art & Culture planning in France more than 5 years. She worked as art program director of Jeju World Tango Festival (2018-2019) and Performance Art Director of K-Tango CF (2023).

YUI: Yui, hailing from Japan, was born to burn the dance floor and light up lessons as a teacher. Having begun her training in dance in childhood and trained abroad, she has trained in classical ballet, contemporary dance and jazz, while finding professional success as a theater musical actress/dancer as well as a theatrical performer on cruise ships. Just before the pandemic, she discovered her passion for partner dancing, including both Latin Ballroom and Argentine Tango, having finished in the Top-10 in international competitions in both disciplines. Despite possessing a burning passion for choreography and stage dancing, Yui has also developed a love for the connection and improvisation found in tango salon and enjoys attending various milonga in Tokyo, and currently studies both tango escenario and tango salon under Fabian PERALTA & Josefina BERMUDEZ, Cristian y Naoko of Tokyo and Rui SAITO.

GLEN: Currently based in Tokyo, Japan, where he also holds a teaching license as a middle/high school dance teacher, Glen holds the position of principal at an international school and continues to enjoy both teaching and performing in schools in the Tokyo metropolitan area.
Having danced tango for over 20 years and fluent English, Japanese, Spanish & Chinese (having teaching licenses for each language), Glen has won several competitions at both the both local and national level on three separate continents, and won the Triple Crown (Tango, Vals & Milonga) at the 2017 China Open and has thrice (3x) captured a top-10 finish in both Tango Pista and Tango Escenario at the Asian Tango Championship since arriving in Tokyo, while also recently finishing in the top-10 at his first US Tango Championship.
He began his professional tango career in 2010 as a dance instructor in Beijing (China) at the tango academy Tango Chino, also serving as a festival organizer. In 2012 he returned to Buenos Aires (where he had studied in university and, upon becoming a school teacher, also visited to study tango intensively for both winter and summer school holidays for several years), embarking on a five-year journey to train and work full-time in tango in Buenos Aires, where he performed in several ‘casas de tango’, taught in several tango academies as a multilingual instructor, and studied both tango and Argentine folklore dance at the National University of Arts.
Originally trained as an educator, Glen has intentionally studied with a wide range of master tango teachers for over a decade to reach his potential as a both a teacher and performer. He takes great joy in sharing his knowledge of tango with others and revels in helping other dancers reach their goals and potential, via pedagogical format and a variety of teaching strategies and learning strategies, focusing not only on technique, but also musicality and tango as an art form.
Whereas many professionals in a wide range of dance disciplines choose to become instructors due to the lack of other forms of income besides performing, Glen knew that he wanted to become a top-notch instructor nearly from the very first day he stepped onto the dance floor and takes pride and helping his students in both group and private lessons feel the improvement in their dance each time they lace up their dance shoes.

They formed as a couple in 2017. They work mainly in Kyoto to promote tango.
In addition to participating in events, he holds dance practice sessions at Kyoto Tango Club every weekend, also invites foreign artists to carry out activities in Japan, and participates in the planning and management of events organized by other entities.
She also actively participates as exclusive dancers of KANSAI Tango Orchestra.
Photo ©︎ Miguel Santillan

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