Tango Dunedin today
The Dunedin tango community are a small but passionate group of tango dancers, based in Dunedin New Zealand.
We hold regular Practicas (Practice sessions) and Milongas (Tango dances), and from time to time host workshops and run different types of tuition.
We welcome anyone wanting to give tango a try, and would love to see you along.
A brief history of Tango in Dunedin
Tango in Dunedin began in 2003 when two dancers, who had moved from Auckland to North Otago a few years earlier, were discovered and encouraged to come to Dunedin on a regular basis to teach. They taught Argentine Tango, plus ballroom and some social dances.
The small but enthusiastic group of tango dancers grew. In 2005, when the travelling between Dunedin and North Otago became too much, a member of the group who had had lessons in London and Europe began teaching. Her studies then reduced her available time and we were on our own. We relied on a practica each Wednesday and visiting teachers to keep dancing. Marian McGuire came often and we relished her teaching. We were also fortunate around 2007 – 2008 to have Karyn Taylor living in Dunedin and teaching tango. Gloria Passarella and Graham Whittington were also very supportive of us with workshops, milongas and help with music.
Tango dancers from Dunedin began travelling to the Wellington Tango Festival each July, going to workshops and milongas in Christchurch and Geraldine and also travelling to Buenos Aires. We had a simple web page early on enabling visiting dancers to Dunedin to find us and attend. Now social media helps as well.
Around 2012 Sebastian Arrua from Buenos Aires came to stay in Dunedin for 5 weeks. Thank you Juliette Fox. We learned so much from him and he has been a regular visiting teacher for 10 years. Anibal Montenegro has been another teacher from Buenos Aires who has come to Dunedin often, when he is in New Zealand.
When Karyn was teaching here she began milongas in a bar/restaurant on Sunday afternoons. We have danced on Sundays in many places among them, the Kensington Hotel, the Lonestar and currently our wonderful Zanzibar.
The group has changed hugely with just a few from the beginning group still dancing in Dunedin, but it is still the same warm, friendly and encouraging group it was almost twenty years ago.