Marcelo Solís
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I was born in Argentina. Through my family and the community that saw my upbringing, I have been intimately involved with Tango all my life, and have been an Argentine Tango dancer, choreographer and instructor for over 30 years. I profoundly love Tango dancing, music, and culture, particularly that of the Golden Era. I am a milonguero.
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As an instructor, I like to put emphasis on musicality and the dance partner’s connection to each other and the music, stressing that Tango is a social dance framed by a specific set of values that are expressed through its codes of etiquette. I encourage my students to develop their ability to improvise on the dance floor. After the training you receive in my classes, dancing becomes an easy game to play. With these elements, I aim to create a unique atmosphere through which students can experience what a Milonga in Buenos Aires is like.
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To allow students to experience Tango and its culture at its birthplace, I offers a personally guided Tango Tour to Buenos Aires twice a year. If you are planning on visiting Buenos Aires don’t hesitate to contact me; I would like to put at your service my knowledge of the City and its culture, the milongas, restaurants, and the authentic pulse of Buenos Aires.
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I have been teaching tango since 1994, giving lessons and performing in Argentina, USA, Canada, Europe and Indonesia. Academically, I taught Tango at institutions like the City of Rosario Ministry of Culture, and Rosario’s National Theatre School. In 1996, I made my first trip to Europe, teaching and performing in Barcelona, Toulouse, London, Copenhagen, Berlin and Leipzig. In 1998, 1999, and 2000, I taught and performed in the Tango Festivals at Toulouse, France. While in the San Francisco Bay Area, I keep a busy schedule teachinging group classes, workshops, talks about Tango, and private lessons. I go to Buenos Aires several times a year to teach and perform at some of the most prominent Milongas, such as Salon Canning, Confitería Ideal, Obelisco Tango and El Beso, among others.
- I was one of the jurors of the First and Second USA Official Tango Festival and Championship that took place in San Francisco in April 2011 and 2012.In November 2011, with associates from Buenos Aires we established the Escuela de Tango de Buenos Aires (ETBA). ETBA counts with renowned Tango instructors. The purpose of ETBA is to help people find connection through Tango and to help them to achieve their full expression at every milonga they go to, anywhere in the world.
This is what people have said about working with Marcelo:
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“There are many approaches to teaching Argentine tango. I believe that Marcelo Solis’s methods have taught me the essence of tango – the art of leading and following. I can go to any practice or dance party and lead a woman I’ve never danced with before.”
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“The type of Tango he teaches is the Argentine one, which is not as flashy as some other versions you see around, but rather much more subtle and intuitive.”
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Marcelo “is a very attentive instructor and makes corrections accordingly. He exposes you to the proper momentum, musicality and culture of Argentine Tango in effort to prepare you to thrive well at a Milonga.”
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“Marcelo is an enthusiastic and dedicated Instructor; he has no hesitation in passing his experience and deep understanding of the dance onto his students, he equips his students with the tools and technique to execute Tango correctly. His warm and friendly personality can be seen through his enthusiasm, his involvement and readiness to help his students of any levels. One of his strength is to let students feel the connection and the musicality while dancing.”
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“I just returned from Marcelo’s bi-annual tango tour to Buenos Aires. The experience profoundly changed my life. We spent 10 days enjoying the city, taking workshops with the masters and dancing every night in the milongas. My understanding of tango is now properly rooted in the context of Argentine culture. I felt completely prepared to navigate the milonga, accept dances using the cabaceo, and dance thanks to the Escuela de Tango de Buenos Aires.
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My tango journey began when I purchased a Groupon for 4 private lessons. Marcelo Solis lives and breathes tango. His passion and enthusiasm is infectious.
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Marcelo is a patient and encouraging teacher. I couldn’t believe 50 minutes had passed by the end of my first lesson. It was too much fun. By the third week I was completely hooked and started attending group lessons too.
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I attend classes in San Jose, San Francisco, and Lafayette. Each location has its own core group of regulars. All of them are welcoming.
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Tango isn’t like what you see on Dancing With the Stars. You shouldn’t expect to do the splits or crazy kicks. Those elements are fine for the stage but are dangerous on a crowded dance floor. I learned this first hand when, at a milonga, I was struck by an errant high boleo that caused a gash in my calf. Stilettos can be dangerous.
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Tango music does something unexplainable to my body. It speaks to my soul. Marcelo is an outstanding mentor. He challenges me to understand the music and learn Castellano (Argentine Spanish) from the song lyrics. Understanding the lyrics provides another dimension to your dance. Marcelo will quiz me on the name of the orchestra or the singer. He shares stories about the lives of the musicians as if he were talking about dear friends. He inspires me to independently research the history of tango, Argentine culture and slang, and the music.
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I continue taking private lessons with Marcelo several times a week and look forward to my next trip to Buenos Aires. He is a fireball of energy and creativity. I am lucky to now consider him a friend.”