Humans of Tango

“...so many people in this world, within their own cultural frames, are not able to do everything with their body they could do. And that's a pity.”

Austrian dancer and academic Arno Plass shares what he's learned while talking and dancing his way around Europe and South America for a PhD project on the transformative power of queer tango. 

Producer/Host: Liz Sabatiuk | Music: “Flor de Montserrat,” composed by Juan Santini with lyr...

Yolanda Romero Hume gives new meaning to the aphorism YOLO (a.k.a. carpe diem). Find out how she makes the most of every day - in her local DC tango community and around the world.

Producer/Host: Liz Sabatiuk | Music: “El Adiós” composed by Maruja Pacheco Huergo with lyrics by Virgilio San Clemente and arranged and recorded by Sexteto Cristal with Guillermo Rozenthuler | Image Credit: Unknown

Show Notes

• Watch a mini-tour of the...

South Korean honorary New Yorker London Hong thought he was too old to become a professional dancer. Then he fell in love with tango.

Producer/Host: Liz Sabatiuk | Music: “Yunta de Oro” composed by Osvaldo Ruggiero and performed and recorded by Tango Bardo | Image Credit: Irina Novak

Show Notes

• Watch the Forever Tango performance featuring Carlos Gavito and Marcela Durán that first inspired London’s...

"The tango dancing is going to happen, and you don't need to push that hard."

Aníbal Dominguez was on the verge of quitting tango when he discovered contact improv. Since then, dancing has only gotten better...

Producer/Host: Liz Sabatiuk | Music: “En un Bondi Color Humo” performed by Daniel Melingo with lyrics by Luis Alposta | Image Credit: Alejandro Persichetti

Show Notes

• Listen to the radio station Aníbal grew up with, Radi...

When Ayano Yoneda moved from her native Japan to San Francisco for a job in finance, she never imagined that a chance encounter with a Halloween "Cinderella's ball" would change her life forever...

Producer/Host: Liz Sabatiuk | Music: “Ninguna” written by Raúl Fernández Siro with lyrics by Homero Manzi and performed by Angel D'Agostino y Su Orquesta Típica with Angel Vargas; and “Amarras,” written by Carlos Marchisio with lyrics by...

“...I feel like if tango was more diverse, it would just be richer and more interesting.”

Anthea Okereke’s tango journey has had plenty of highs and lows - but her passion keeps her making a heart with her hands, even when she has to roll her eyes through it.

Producer/Host: Liz Sabatiuk | Music: “Viento Norte” written by Juan Carlos Suncho and performed by Sexteto Cristal | Image Credit: John Connatty

Show Notes

• Watch Anthea a...

Nel Mastrodomenico fell in love with tango music in the tango bars of his native Colombia - but it took an international move in pursuit of the Australian dream to get him dancing and DJing. Today, Nel lives his own Argentinian dream in Buenos Aires.

Producer/Host: Liz Sabatiuk | Music: “Toda mi Vida” written by José María Contursi y Aníbal Troilo and performed by Aníbal Troilo y su Orquesta Típica with Francisco Fiorentino | Image...

Queer tango teacher and change maker Alex Pacheco Castillo talks about why inclusion is not the same as belonging and what she's doing to foster community in her hometown of Mexico City.

Producer/Host: Liz Sabatiuk | Music: “Bailemos” written by Cholo Mamona and Reinaldo Yiso and performed by Susanita Peña | Image Credit: Tango Queer Uruguay

Show Notes

• Download the free eBook Alex and I contributed ...

Classical guitarist and recording artist Craig Einhorn on the joys and struggles of life and music-making and how a song first intended as "filler" for a CD became a modern tango classic.

Producer/Host: Liz Sabatiuk | Music: “Milonguea del Ayer” composed by Abel Fleury and arranged and recorded by Craig Einhorn; “Spetsai Tango” composed by Georges Moustaki and arranged and recorded by Craig Einhorn; improvisations on classical guit...

Spain-born, San-Francisco-based teacher, DJ, and organizer Felipe Martinez explains why he believes art is for everyone and how tradition can nurture the evolution of tango.

Producer/Host: Liz Sabatiuk | Music: “Trago Amargo” by Julio Navarrine and Rafael Iriarte, performed by Juan D'Arienzo y Su Orquesta Típica with Alberto Echagüe | Image Credit: Kappu Chino

Show Notes

• Learn more about Felipe and ...

Bandoneonist Heyni Solera shares how her immigration experience shaped her artistic journey and why she thinks the secret to better dancing is to sit down.

Producer/Host: Liz Sabatiuk | Music: "Flores Negras" by Francisco de Caro, arranged by Astor Piazzolla and performed by Heyni Solera | Image Credit: Nikos Zacharakis

Show Notes

• Visit Heyni's website to listen to more of Heyni’s music and see wh...

"Effectively, in martial arts you learn that 101 is a lifetime.”

Hear from DC social dancer and beloved community photographer Jaime Montemayor about why he started taking pictures, how tango is similar to (and different from!) Judo, and what brought him back to tango after a long hiatus.

Producer/Host: Liz Sabatiuk | Music: "Patético" by Jorge Caldera, performed by Solo Tango Orquesta | Image Credit: Photo by Yulia Kriskovets, p...

“The why is many, many things.”

Juan Cantone nerds out in the best of ways about experiencing the tango renaissance in his native Buenos Aires, the four aspects of tango, and the thing that will make him dance forever.

Producer/Host: Liz Sabatiuk | Music: "A Luis Luchi" by Eduardo Rovira, performed by SONICO | Image Credit: Monteleone Tango

Show Notes

• Here’s more background on the tango renaissance.  
• Listen to examples of...

For Eugenia Park, first came marriage, kids, and immigration from the Soviet Union to raise her family in the United States.

Then came a love affair with tango that has stood the test of time.

Producer/Host: Liz Sabatiuk | Music: "La Puñalada" by Pintín Castellanos, performed by Juan D'Arienzo y su Orquesta Típica | Image Credit: Yulia Kriskovets

Show Notes

• Eugenia started our conversation by sharing this article by Cacho D...

Through time, space, and changing circumstances, DC native Nick Thompson has made it work with tango - on his own terms. Hear how a hidden obsession, sparked one January evening at Portland State University, transformed into a friendly one over the years.

This episode was produced in partnership with Tango Mercurio.

Producer/Host: Liz Sabatiuk | Music: "Después del Carnaval" by J. A. Amuchastegui Keen, performed by Osvaldo Fres...

“If I had to pinpoint what exactly I do, I think it’s... I care. I think I care to connect.”

Italian tanguera Simona Ciampi lays out some truly enchanting reasons to dance tango and sheds light on a question I’ve had for upwards of 15 years. 

Producer/Host: Liz Sabatiuk | Music: "El Carillon de la Merced" by Enrique S. Discepolo, performed by Carlos Molina y Su Orquesta | Image Credit: Dos Orillas Practica de Tango Buenos Aires

Like so many tango stories, it all started in Argentina. But our heroine, Phi Lee Lam, was there to learn about farming and had no interest in donning heels to dance with men in fedoras.

Still, one thing led to another and Phi Lee found herself captivated by the Argentine dance of passion. Back home in New York City, she signed up for a tango class and embarked on an epic journey of exploration, inquiry, and connection.

Producer/...

In 2019, Queer Tango pioneer Augusto La Marshall came to DC as a guest artist through Tango Mercurio's Queer Tango Program. In addition to teaching classes and workshops, Augusto graciously agreed to sit down at an informal brunch hosted by the DC Queer Tango Collective to answer all of the DC community’s burning questions. There was much coffee, OJ, and laughter, with the conversation meandering from the origins of tango to social...