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San Francisco’s TangoFix for Everyone

August 4, 2013

One of the best things about dancing Tango is the opportunity to meet and become friends with people from all over the world.

Tango gives you a way of communicating with someone that crosses all language barriers. And because of the intimate nature of this dance, a sense of closeness and connection is developed a lot quicker than ordinary. Thus, a lot of close friendships develop, even among people who live thousands of miles away from each other. And one of the few opportunities of seeing each other is through Tango Festivals.

So imagine this. A diverse mix of Tango friends in San Francisco are meeting over lunch, and of course, the conversation turns to Tango. And by the time the day turned into night, this group of friends had put in place the plans to create a brand new San Francisco Tango Festival. In order to get the real story about what happened this fateful afternoon, I asked one of the organizers of SF TangoFix, Abhi, for the lowdown. This is what he shared with me:

SF Loves Tango: Could you tell me how the idea for TangoFix came about? Wasn’t it over lunch? How did the topic come up?

Mario & Annabella
Mario & Annabella

Abhi: It was a strange coincidence that brought all of us together that particular day. I think it was something like 10 people and all of us had a really good afternoon practica at Bissap (Bollyhood) and were feeling really good. The strange thing is that we all regularly run into each other individually or together at other events but never at Bissap. So, in a way, it was a fated afternoon.

After dancing we decided to have a late lunch/early dinner at Udupi Palace and we started talking about tango events and how SF has some great dancers and apart from SFTM in November and last year’s Antipanico in August, we did not have any other events that could attract a nice mix of out of town dancers that we all knew.

We started talking about how it would be great to bring all of our far flung tango friends home for a relaxed and interesting festival. Not a BIG festival necessarily like Antipanico, or not necessarily SFTM, but something in the middle. As the afternoon wore into evening and then into the night a few of us were still hanging out and we continued to talk about how we would do it and what we would do and by late evening, we just decided this needed to be done. We also decided to inquire about venues, teachers and DJ availability as soon as possible.

We all got together a week later and the broad strokes were finished! It was amazing. At that point I knew I was dealing with good people and this was going to be fun.

SF Loves Tango: And who should we thank for organizing this festival?

Abhi: A bunch of us had been talking about it at lunch, but it finally ended up being Eugene Kim, Mark Dean, Renata Szabelski, Alexei Barski, Mayumi Fujio and yours truly. Among the six of us we felt we had enough to start to put together something interesting.

Lucas & Paola
Lucas & Paola

SF Loves Tango: Putting together a Tango Festival is a big task.  How did you all delegate responsibilities?

Abhi: Since we’ve all known each other for quite a while now and have all danced and spent time with each other, it was really easy. Everybody was motivated and capable. We met regularly right at the beginning just to get the feel for what we wanted to achieve.  As the concept evolved each of us picked our own little sphere that we felt comfortable with. Invariably one of us would know someone or something outside the group that could help us get something done, and that person ended up owning that part of the organization.

But we also needed someone to sort of keep an eye on the overall pieces and Mayumi naturally took some of that responsibility due to her years of experience. It’s almost like a startup atmosphere. Everybody picks up the ball and runs with it. Since there is a lot of trust on each other to hold up their end,  delegating responsibilities was never an issue.

SF Loves Tango: I love this! When a great idea happens, all the pieces naturally fall into place.

Abhi: It’s been a lot of fun meeting everybody and promoting the event so far and I’m really excited and looking forward to the festival. This was something that we wanted to do as a fun gift back to the SF tango community. I really hope the local tangueros/tangueras show up in full force and welcome all of our out-of-town guests and make this fun event.

SF Loves Tango:  Thank you Abhi! We are all very excited for this festival and very thankful a great group of friends came together to share San Francisco Tango with everyone.

Here are the details for SF TangoFix:

SF_TangoFix_banner_900

What:  Four days of Summer Festival in San Francisco with great teachers from Argentina, all night milongas and afternoon alternative Milongas

When: August 8th -12th

Where: Mission, San Francisco
Main Ballroom & Cafe Florida, Mission Language & Vocational School, 2929 19th St., San Francisco (Map) and a.Muse Art Gallery, 614 Alabama St., San Francisco

Milongas:
8/8 Thursday – 9:00pm to 2:00am,
 DJ: Glenn Corteza  ($10 at door)
8/9 Friday – 9:00am to 5:00am, 
DJs: Jay Abling & Alex Plakantonakis ($30 at door)
8/10 Saturday afternoon alternative –  
3:00pm to 7:00pm, DJ: Emily Pierce ($15 at door)
8/10 Saturday evening – 
9:00pm  to 5:00am, 
DJs: Shorey Myers & Vincent Wong  ($30 at door)
8/11 Sunday afternoon alternative – 3:00pm to 7:00pm, DJ: Vincent Wong ($15 at door)
8/11 Sunday evening – 
9:00pm to 3:00am, 
DJs: Alex Plakantonakis & Jay Abling ($20 at door)

Classes for all levels with Mario & Anabella and Lucas & Paula run Friday through Sunday.  CLASSES – $30/class a la carte

Who: Mario & Anabella and Lucas & Paula (teaching and performing), DJs: Shorey Myers, Glen Corteza, Jay Abling (San Diego), Vincent Wong (LA), Alex Plakantonakis (NY), Emily Pierce

Purchase tickets here:  sftangofix-efbevent.eventbrite.com

For more information visit the Website:  www.sftangofix.com and Facebook page: www.facebook.com/sftangofix

Filed Under: SF Festivals, Special Events Tagged With: Argentine Tango, Bay Area Tango, Lucas & Paula, Mario & Anabella, SF Tango festivals, SF TangoFix, Tango dancing, Tango San Francisco

Comments

  1. Kristin says

    August 7, 2013 at 7:33 pm

    Hi! I live in Anchorage and am interested in coming down for the festival, but I haven’t been able to find a place to stay in the area. From what I’ve found, there aren’t many hotels in the area, and the few I found are booked. I also checked Craig’s list for rooms, but didn’t get any responses to the e-mails I sent. The B & Bs in the area are also booked. I could stay farther away, but I don’t know which areas would be close enough or have good transportation. Air tickets are very reasonable, so it seems too bad to miss the event just because I can’t find a place to stay. The website doesn’t offer any hotel suggestions, though it does have a couch surfing link. I posted there, but haven’t received any responses. Do you have any suggestions for lodging options for out-of-towners? Thanks!!

    • maika says

      August 7, 2013 at 9:03 pm

      Check out this post about Tips for Tango Visitors: http://sflovestango.com/tips-for-sf-tango-visitors/
      Also Yelp has a great list of inexpensive hotels here. Good luck! Hope you can make it!

Tango scenes in SF

sflovestango

Celebrate #bayareatango community, support everyone involved & share ♥️ of #tango with San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.

sflovestango
✨ Vecher Tango at the Russian Center had another ✨ Vecher Tango at the Russian Center had another star-struck night!✨

@ariadnayfernando returned to San Francisco after their last visit in 2016 for @noras_tango_week.

On top of teaching all afternoon and performing four songs of their choice, they surprised us with an improvised encore to live music by Seth Asarnow (@sethasarnow on piano) and Adrian Jost (@fueyequerido on bandoneón), a first-time collaboration for the four artists altogether!! 👏👏♥️♥️🙌🙌 ¡Qué celebración del Tango!

Thank you Julia Schiptsova @juliasch999 and Davood Yazdani for bringing @ariadnanaveira and @fernet_sanz back to SF! We look forward to welcoming them back later this year in Thanksgiving. Stay tuned for details.

Check out our stories for video snippets from the amazing evening!
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#tango #argentinetango #tangoargentino  #tangoperformance #bailar #bailemos #bailando #tangoshow #tangoevent #tangoperformance #tangodancer #tangocouple #specialevent #onenightonly #tangophoto #sanfrancisco #tangoislife #sflovestango #livemusic #duo #bandoneon #piano #improvisation
That Saturday night ❤️‍🔥 when Duo Villarr That Saturday night ❤️‍🔥 when Duo Villarreal Crom, @juanvillarreal_13 and @patriciocrom joined forces with Orquesta Típico Domo at @thetangodome !🎶🎻🎸🎹🎤
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#tango #tangoargentino #argentinetango #tangoevents #tangomusic #tangoconcert #specialevent #onenightonly #tangomusicians #travelingmusicians #duo #guitarists #livemusic #milonga #contemporarytango  #bayareatango #sflovestango #oakland #weekendvibes #goodvibesonly #performanceart #tangoislife
Part 3️⃣ of Duo @juanvillarreal_13 & @patricio Part 3️⃣ of Duo @juanvillarreal_13 & @patriciocrom Crom at @thetangodome … a Chacarera! When the musicians extended an invitation to the audience to join them on stage, a few dancers spontaneously jumped at the chance! 👏👏👏👏
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#tango #tangoargentino #argentinetango #tangoevents #tangomusic #tangoconcert #specialevent #onenightonly #tangomusicians #travelingmusicians #duo #guitarists #livemusic #argentinefolklore #contemporarytango  #bayareatango #sflovestango #oakland #weekendvibes #goodvibesonly #performanceart #tangoislife
REPOSTING… because how could one resist missing REPOSTING… because how could one resist missing the standing ovation *and* an encore because earlier post got cut off due to unknown glitch🙈… Second half of part 1️⃣ the highlights from an amazing night at @thetangodome with Duo 🎸🎸 @juanvillarreal_13 and @patriciocrom ! And our very own @scottodaymusic made it a guitar trio for the encore! 
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#tango #tangoargentino #argentinetango #tangoevents #tangomusic #tangoconcert #specialevent #onenightonly #tangomusicians #travelingmusicians #duo #guitarists #livemusic #argentinefolklore #contemporarytango  #bayareatango #sflovestango #oakland #weekendvibes #goodvibesonly #performanceart #tangoislife
❤️‍🔥DJ @lebendiguna DROPS THE NEEDLE with ❤️‍🔥DJ @lebendiguna DROPS THE NEEDLE with the world’s fastest learning curve!❤️‍🔥

When Una’s laptop unexpectedly failed to connect to @thetangodome sound system, Daniel Peter’s vinyl collection and on-the-spot knowledge transfer to the rescue!! 😮🔥🧯❤️ After watching Dan just a few times dropping the needle between tracks, Una hit the track her FIRST TIME trying‼️✌️

🎥 @thetangodome 
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#tango #tangoargentino #argentinetango #tangoevents #milonga #tangodj #tangomusic #vinylrecords #newskillunlocked #tangoislife #oldtechisgoodtech #bayareatango #oakland
Part 2️⃣ from a fun Saturday night at @thetang Part 2️⃣ from a fun Saturday night at @thetangodome with Duo Villarreal Crom, featuring Tango Guitarists @juanvillarreal_13 and… Señor D'ARIENZO?! 👀🤨 Can you guess what was happening here? 😆😉
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#tango #tangoargentino #argentinetango #tangoevents #tangomusic #tangoconcert #specialevent #onenightonly #tangomusicians #travelingmusicians #duo #guitarists #puppet #bayareatango #sflovestango #oakland #weekendvibes #goodvibesonly #performanceart #tangoislife
Part 1️⃣ of the highlights from an amazing nig Part 1️⃣ of the highlights from an amazing night at @thetangodome with Duo Villarreal Crom, featuring Tango Guitarists @juanvillarreal_13 and @patriciocrom ! 💎 watch till the end to see SF’s very own guitarist @scottodaymusic joined them for an encore!

🎸ABOUT THE ARTISTS🎸
Juan Villarreal and Patricio Crom began working together in 2010 playing tangos in milongas and clubs in the city of Buenos Aires. From the beginning, the Duo Villarreal-Crom, tried to find a particular aesthetic and a unique style that they have refined with the passing of the years.

Today they are one of the most renowned duos on the tango scene in Buenos Aires and the world, having made countless tours in Latin America, Europe and the United States.

They have released 4 albums: "De corte romántico (2012)", "Cinco tonos (2015)", "En la luna de Valencia (2017)" and "D'Arienzo en guitarras (2022)". In May 2023 they will present their new album consisting entirely of original works.  In 2022, they were on the cover of the renowned German magazine "Tangodanza", the world's largest tango magazine.
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#tango #tangoargentino #argentinetango #tangoevents #tangomusic #tangoconcert #specialevent #onenightonly #tangomusicians #travelingmusicians #duo #guitarists #livemusic #argentinefolklore #contemporarytango  #bayareatango #sflovestango #oakland #weekendvibes #goodvibesonly #performanceart #tangoislife
♥️ 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐩 ♥️ (link in bio🔗)

Did you know that the very first post on SF Loves Tango was published by @maikalanidesigns on 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟮𝟬, 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟮? And April 21, 2019, is when the brains and hands behind SF Loves Tango changed to us, @jxtango ? We would like to celebrate these anniversaries by recapping what we’ve accomplished post-COVID and start looking ahead!
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#bayareatango #tangoargentino #argentinetango #tango #tangocommunity #sanfrancisco #sflovestango #dancingislife #tangostories #beyondthedance
👋 Many of you know @aviksbasu and Mitra Martin 👋 Many of you know @aviksbasu and Mitra Martin as accomplished tango dancers and teachers. But did you know they are also professional researchers with curiosity and interest to understand tango better?

Check out this cool new research project they are working on: the 𝗧𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗼 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆! (link in bio 🔗)

⏳ It takes about 20-30 minutes to answer some intriguing (anonymous) questions about what you experience as you dance - mental talk, images, sensations, etc.

🎯 Fill it out today and help them reach their goal of 1000 participants by April 30th! They’ll gather neat data to create more empathy and understanding and help the community grow.
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#tango #argentinetango #tangoargentino #community #tangocommunity #project #research #qualitativeresearch #communitybuilding #sflovestango
Abrazo, the queer milonga, happens every 3rd Satur Abrazo, the queer milonga, happens every 3rd Saturday of the month, and today, April 15, @abrazoqueertango welcomed @inesmuzzopappa for the first time and the pre-milonga class was sold out!
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#tango #argentinetangoclasses #tangoworkshop #tangoargentino #queertango #tangoevent #bayareatango #berkeley #bailemostango #milonga #learningisfun #dancingislife
✨SATURDAY NIGHT TANGO ✨ Che! Milonga is a con ✨SATURDAY NIGHT TANGO ✨

Che! Milonga is a conventional 4.5-hour long milonga with a cozy and casual vibe that happens on 1st and 2nd Saturday of the month at La Pista Tango Studio. 

Tucked away among storage and industrial spaces for local businesses, La Pista is a dedicated tango studio frequently used for classes and workshops. With lighting, seating, wall projection, and table decoration arrangements, our beloved hosts, Ramada and @tanguera_e , put thoughtful touches that give the space a nightclub ambiance.

Check out our February story drop featuring @che_tango_sf (sflovestango.com/che-tango-sf/) and tomorrow, Saturday, April 8, is your chance to dance at their Che Milonga with DJ @kostas_aretos ! 

📸 from Che Milonga on Saturday, April 1st with DJ @ayano.yoneda.tango 
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#tango #argentinetango #tangoargentino #tangodancers #tangolovers #dancecouple #socialdancing #tangoevent #milonganight #embrace #bailar #bailemos #dance #partnerdance #improvisation #dancingislife #sflovestango
❤️ 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐩 ❤️
Women's History Month is almost over, but celebrating the impact of women is today and every day! 

Remember the Women's Gathering hosted by @ayano.yoneda.tango in the beginning of this year? Are you curious about the 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 and 𝙬𝙝𝙮 behind these events? 
"𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 – 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳-𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 – 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴, 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳." – Ayano Yoneda

More in our latest story drop (🔗 link in bio)!
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#tango #argentinetango #tangoargentino #tangoevent #tangostories #tangocommunity #bayareatango #tangosanfrancisco #womensupportwomen #communitybuilding #lifteachotherup #sflovestango
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