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Argentine Tango School

Tag: dance

Muma & Flaco Dany


Muma & Flaco Dany dancing at Sunderland, 2001.

Muma Valino

Muma is a master of dancing tango in the intimate “close embrace” of the milongas and dance floors of Buenos Aires, where she grew up and still lives today. The daughter of a well-established tango family, the likes of Alberto Castillo and Ricardo Tanturi were frequent visitors to her childhood home, and her mother was a singer with the orchestra of Francisco Lomuto.
In her own time, Muma has been a cherished dance partner of several of the most renowned + influential social dancers of her generation — among them, Osvaldo Natucci, Fernando Hector Iturrieta, and Dani “El Flaco” García — and with these and others, Muma has helped create a vital “living bridge” between the Golden Age of tango’s storied past, and the dance we continue to explore, create and enjoy together today.
In this regard, , Muma is perhaps most widely known for her many years of dancing and teaching with the legendary milonguero Ricardo Vidort, who began as a teenager in Buenos Aires in the 1940s, and passed away in 2006, after more than 60 years in tango.

Flaco Dany García

I came to know El Flaco Dany when the documentary Leyendas del tango danza was premiered, at the Marabú, not long ago, and his looks, the friendliness of his gestures and his charm attracted my attention: he seemed to be what in our neighborhood we would call a player. He is one of the dancers who are starred in a movie shot to pay homage to the great milongueros, produced by The Argentine Tango Society and made by Daniel Tonelli and Marcelo Turrisi.
His real name is Daniel García, but we all know him as El Flaco Dany, an icon of the milonga con traspié throughout the world. A prototypical porteño, he was born in the neighborhood of La Paternal; today he splits his time between Europe and Argentina, more precisely, between Bucharest and Buenos Aires. Continue reading.

Alberto Dassieu & Paulina Spinoso


Alberto Dassieu & Paulina Spinoso dancing vals.

Alberto Dassieu (1936-2014)

He had a so porteño destiny that he was born in the year the Obelisk was inaugurated.

As a kid he used to dance with his mother and his aunts. «He was the favorite in the family», to such an extent that when he was nearing the time of wearing long trousers he entered the Jockey Club of Olivos. «I danced foxtrot, boogie, later tango, and I have never stopped since then».

Later, at age 14, he went downtown and came to know Alfredo Gobbi, who became his dancing backer and allowed him to enter the Sans Souci dancehall on Corrientes Street. So then he frequented other milongas. Among them we can mention the Galería Pronor on Maipú Avenue and the Club 12 de Octubre, both in Olivos; the Club Huracán in Villa Martelli and the Club Defensores in Florida, among others, «where people danced tango in the Pugliese’s style» and he developed a style that made him an expert in slow-paced tango. Continue reading.

Enriqueta Kleinman & Ruben Harymbat


Enriqueta Kleinman & Ruben Harymbat dancing at Cachirulo milonga, Buenos Aires, January 2008.

Ruben Harymbat, Ruben de Pompeya (1939-2015)

Was a milonguero from the golden era of tango. Ruben was born, bred and lived until his passing in the Buenos Aires barrio of Pompeya. He began dancing when he was 14 years old. In those days before professional teaching developed, he learned from his brothers and male cousins and friends. They would practice together every year to participate in the annual carnival.
Although highly respected for his dancing, Ruben never wanted to take his dancing to a professional level. He described himself as a humble man who has always kept a low profile. Ruben worked for 43 years in the Argentine Post Office; the first 10 years as a locksmith. He later became responsible for the Department of Locksmiths of the Argentine Post office.
Ruben raised his family with his wife, Haydee, “a beautiful dancer” he says. But Haydee had problems with her knees which means she can no longer dance.
Ruben’s passion for the tango was evident as soon as you see him on the dancer floor. His energy belies his age, or perhaps it is indicative of the many years he has expressed himself through the dance. Ruben was the “master of improvisation” and owner of enormous creativy. Ruben was highly sought out dancer in Argentina for performances. His performance partners have included Anna Maria Schapira, Alicia Pons, Susana Miller, Maria Plazaola, Enriqueta Kleinman, and Marisa Galindo among others. Ruben was invited to perform in November 2007 for the Congress of the Nation of Argentina in homage in “Recognition to the Milongueros of the night in Buenos Aires.”
Ruben participated in the 2007 and 2008 Festival Tango Estilo Milonguero. He has given seminars with Susana Miller and Maria Plazaola at “La Academia” in Buenos Aires. Ruben has also made numerous trips to Brazil to teach and perform.

Enriqueta Kleinman (1953-2014)

Enriqueta has danced tango for over 17 years. She had taught group and private classes in Buenos Aires and all over the world. She was an expert in Salon Tango – Milonguero Style, Tango Waltz and Milonga. Enriqueta also specialized in teaching technique for women and has led many courses and seminars. She performed at the Third and Fifth Metropolitan Championships in Buenos Aires. She has done a number of performances in Buenos Aires including at Salon Canning, Cachirulo (Maipu 444), and at the Confiteria Ideal at the First Milongueando Festival in Buenos Aires. Enriqueta has taught and performed in many cities of US, Canada. In Europe: Germany,Italy, France, Sweden and Russia. She has also taught and performed at the following Tango Festivals: 2008 May Madness at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor; the 2009 Portland Tango Festival; 2009 Tucson Tango Festival; 2009 Chicago Mini Tango Festival; and 2010 May Madness. Also, again Chicago MIni Tango Festival 2011 and 2012. Retiro Festival (Sweden) 2011 and 2012. Enriqueta also speaks English, having lived for several years in New York City. Enriqueta was also an artist by profession.

Blas Catrenau & Enriqueta Kleinman


Blas Catrenau & Enriqueta Kleinman dancing in Los Angeles, California, 2011.

Blas Catrenau

He started dancing tango in his early youth among other young men at the practice studio of Crisol and Verné. Later he attended several carnival balls organized at local clubs such as San Lorenzo de Almagro.
Since then he never stopped dancing and attending the most important clubs of his time, like Club Unidos de Pompeya, Club Huracán, Club Social y Sportivo Buenos Aires, Club Social Rivadavia, Palacio Rivadavia, Club Almagro, Chacarita, Premier, Editorial Haines, etc. In his youth he often danced at the main tango bars of Buenos Aires, such as Picadilly, Sans Souci, Montecarlo, and many more.
At the early ‘90s, he started organizing “milongas” himself. From 2003 to 2009 he leaded “La Milongüita”, one of the most famous “milongas” in Buenos Aires.
In 2002 he won the First Metropolitan Tango Championship in Buenos Aires.
In 2003 he obtained the Tango Teacher degree released by Buenos Aires City Government. He was then authorized to teach at the Centro Educativo del Tango de Buenos Aires (CETBA), created by Masters and Dancers Gloria and Rodolfo DINZEL.
His passion for dancing as well as the harmony he shares with his partners, and the gracefulness of his movements, capture and celebrate the essence of traditional TANGO.
In 2002, he won first Metropolitan Tango Championship Hall of the City of Buenos Aires.
In 2003 Professor Tango was declared by the Government of the City of Buenos Aires which enabled him to teach in the Education Center of Buenos Aires Tango (CETBA) created by the teachers and dancers Gloria and Rodolfo DINZEL.

Enriqueta Kleinman (1953-2014)

Enriqueta has danced tango for over 17 years. She had taught group and private classes in Buenos Aires and all over the world. She was an expert in Salon Tango – Milonguero Style, Tango Waltz and Milonga. Enriqueta also specialized in teaching technique for women and has led many courses and seminars. She performed at the Third and Fifth Metropolitan Championships in Buenos Aires. She has done a number of performances in Buenos Aires including at Salon Canning, Cachirulo (Maipu 444), and at the Confiteria Ideal at the First Milongueando Festival in Buenos Aires. Enriqueta has taught and performed in many cities of US, Canada. In Europe: Germany,Italy, France, Sweden and Russia. She has also taught and performed at the following Tango Festivals: 2008 May Madness at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor; the 2009 Portland Tango Festival; 2009 Tucson Tango Festival; 2009 Chicago Mini Tango Festival; and 2010 May Madness. Also, again Chicago MIni Tango Festival 2011 and 2012. Retiro Festival (Sweden) 2011 and 2012. Enriqueta also speaks English, having lived for several years in New York City. Enriqueta was also an artist by profession.