Classes
Spring 2024 Class Series
Registration
Register here
Drop ins are welcome, but pre-registration will speed up and facilitate checking in.
Description
Join us on Monday evenings for Argentine tango classes with outstanding instructors Fernanda Ghi, Guillermo Merlo, and Mia Dalglish (read their info at the end of this page). Whether you are completely new to tango, or already have some experience, you will find a friendly environment to learn new things and improve your technique. You do not have to bring a partner, since the classes involve rotations with all participants.
When: Monday evenings starting at 6:45pm
Feb 5, 12, 19, 26
Mar 4, 11, 18
Apr 8, 15, 22, 29
May 6, 13
Where: 36-112 (Building 36 - Room 112, 50 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA 02139)
What: Two levels of tango classes with professional instructors (read their info below)
Class Schedule
Class 1: Beginner & Advanced Beginner 6:45pm - 8pm: join this class if you are completely new to tango, have taken a couple of classes or have other dance experience, but not tango; Class 2 attendees can join this class for review free of extra charge.
Class 2: Intermediate & Advanced Intermediate 7:45pm - 9pm: join this class if you have more tango experience and/or have taken more than one MIT Tango Class series. Class 2 attendees can join Class 1 for free.
If you are unsure about your level, arrive for Class 1 initially.
To get the most out of your class session, please arrive early!
Important notice for non-MIT attendees: MIT closes general public access to campus buildings at 7 pm, so please arrive before that time for Class 1. For Class 2, we will station a greeter at the Building 36 main entrance at 50 Vassar St. from 7:45-8pm.
Entrance Fee
Series Pass for up to 13 classes: valid for Feb 5 - May 13
General public: $250
MIT staff, MIT community (MIT alumni, MIT partners and family) and non-MIT students: $120
MIT students: $80
MIT Series Pass holders receive Free Entrance ($20 value!!!) to Guided Practica with Guillermo Merlo at Dance Union Studio (starting Feb 13th) (16 Bow St. 2nd floor, Somerville) on Tuesday evenings 7:30-10:30pm. This is a tremendous benefit and opportunity to progress, and very generous of Guillermo to offer— so please take advantage!
Single class:
General public: $25
MIT staff, MIT community (MIT alumni, MIT partners and family) and non-MIT students: $12
MIT students: $8
Further Notes
Read our Statement of Conduct here.
Partners: No partner is necessary. We will be rotating partners often. We think partner rotation is a good idea to help you improve your dance; however, having said that if you are uncomfortable changing partners we will understand if you want to skip partner changes. However, we really prefer that you DO change partners, since we are all trying to work together to get better.
Clothing & footwear:
- Wear comfortable clothing.
- Footwear: wear shoes with leather or suede soles (or skip the shoes and wear fuzzy socks) so you can pivot. Make sure the shoes stay on your feet easily (no mules or slingbacks) so that you can walk backwards.
About instructor Fernanda Ghi
Feb 5, 12, 19, 26
Fernanda Ghi has been dancing from a very early age, and chose tango dance as her only form of artistic expression. She has traveled the world for more than three decades, creating, producing and teaching, and stands out as one of the artists of the hinge generation between the tango of the 1980s and the 2000s. Her teaching has been continuously evolving along with her personal growth, adapting the dance to each social moment without losing its essence. Fernanda maintains that tango is based on three fundamental pillars: a clear definition of the partners’ roles; a constant and active embrace; and a common axis of the dancing couple. The starting point is the music, which determines the dynamics of expression, and thus creates a “style”, but the “style” is never the starting point. A clear understanding of the mechanics ensures that no undue stress is placed on the body and each movement is a response to a partner’s movement. The Tango that Fernanda teaches is based on a deep understanding of the essence of the dance, and allows each student to find their own personal manner of expression, without losing the universal language of Tango and the culture from which it comes.
Fernanda has performed in countless shows and exhibitions, and became the World Argentine Tango Champion in 1999. Ghi and and her partner were the first non-Asian dancers ever invited to perform at the Imperial Theater in Tokyo and were the feature dancers on the PBS special ‘Tango Magic’ with Pablo Ziegler and the Orpheus Orchestra. Fernanda has performed in concert with several Symphony Orchestras (New Mexico, Long Beach, Costa Mesa, Cincinnati) and was commissioned for the creation of a tango ballet for the Tulsa Ballet Dance Company. In 2017 and 2018, Fernanda served as a judge at the ‘Tango Mundial,’ the World Competition for Argentine Tango. Fernanda’s new performance company creates a fusion between Argentine Tango and other art forms, such a theater, visual arts, opera and other styles of dance. Fernanda is the Founder of FGDA, a Boston-based academy that trains amateur and professional dancers.
About instructor Guillermo Merlo
Mar 4, 11, 18; May 6, 13
Guillermo Merlo is a dancer, performer, Tony-Award-nominated choreographer, and legendary talent in the world of Argentine tango. He was one of the original Broadway cast members in the 1997 production of Forever Tango, which ran for over 330 performances at the Walter Kerr and Marquis Theatres in New York City. Guillermo won 1st place in the IDO World Argentine Tango Championship in 1999. He toured internationally for over 15 years, has performed with several symphony orchestras, and was commissioned for the creation of a tango ballet for the Tulsa Ballet Dance Company. He and his partner were the feature dancers on the PBS special “Tango Magic” with Pablo Ziegler and the Orpheus Orchestra, and they had the honor of being the first non-Asians ever invited to perform at the Imperial Theater in Tokyo, Japan. Guillermo has served as a judge at several competitions, including The Tango Mundial in Buenos Aires, The World Competition for Argentine Tango in Montreal, Canada, and the ATUSA Argentine Tango USA Official Championship & Festival in San Francisco, CA.
Guillermo is known for his elegant style, unique interpretations, creative choreography and powerful command of the stage. Maestro Merlo brings to his students a wealth of dance knowledge that is rooted in his native country of Argentina, developed alongside some of tango’s most celebrated milongueros and performers, and thoughtfully instructed from beginners to professionals alike. Guillermo seeks to share not only this wonderful dance, but also the values that he continues to learn from tango: compassion, respect, vulnerability, community, and the power of human connection.
About instructor Mia Dalglish
Apr 8, 15, 22, 29
Mia Dalglish has spent her career in both the performing and visual arts worlds. Dalglish has trained with Fernanda Ghi as a dancer and instructor since 2010. She was a manager and instructor at the tango academy, Artango Dance School for 7 years. She presently teaches tango at Fernanda Ghi Dance Academy (FGDA). From 2015 - 2022, Dalglish was also a Co-Creative Director at Hybridmotion, a dance theater and movement consulting company that she Co-Founded.
Since 2010, Dalglish has served as Photographic Curator for Pictura, a renowned fine art gallery that specializes in contemporary photography. She is a portfolio reviewer for national and international photography conferences and serves as a judge for international photography competitions. Dalglish's unusual combination of movement and visual arts expertise result in unique offering of skills and perspectives.