Nasrin Barmaki and Hassan Parsa
Nasrin has a multifaceted and eclectic dance background and training in
diverse styles of dance since the age of 8. She was teaching and
performing Middle Eastern dances long before she was lured to Tango.
Her obsession for tango was inspired with Astorpiazzolla’s music when she
was studying classical music. Her strong background in yoga, martial
arts and multitude of skill has given her the incisive ability to analyze
movement and help to improve a student’s technique on even the most subtle
levels. In addition, Nasrin both follows and leads, giving her further
insight into the technique of and relationship between the two roles. Technique
is always the focus point of her teaching.
Nasrin and Hassan: In their dance, passion ignites, fantasies unfold
and romance, desire,rejection,separation come alive. Nasrin and Hassan
have both studied in the United States and in Buenos Aires, Argentina with
multitude of great masters. These energetic instructors focus on
a fusion of open and close embrace tango ideologies. Connection,
musicality, floorcraft, proper posture, balance, improvisation (the very
nature of art) and technique are emphasized extensively through all their
classes. Currently, as a dance couple they are dedicating most of
their time to dancing and teaching tango. They are available for
private and group lessons, exhibitions and shows.
Jeramy Bede is a charismatic and elegant dancer and was among the first to offer
regular instruction of Argentine tango in Dallas. He has been teaching
for more than 12 years and performing for nine. He emphasizes precise
technique for dancing beautiful figures, as well as mastering the intimate
embrace that is unique to tango.
Clif Davis started dancing after he retired from martial arts where he had spent 20 years teaching
and competing. After 2 years of retirement, Clif knew he wasn't finished competing and teaching
and found a new home with dance. Clif started teaching dance in 1988 and competed for the first
time in 1991. During this time he taught for national chain ball room studios as well as private
studios. Clif gave this up and started teaching as an independent instructor in 1993. He
first fell in love with Argentine Tango in 1991, when he saw it performed at Dallas D.A.N.C.E. and vowed
to learn this dance and compete with it. Clif fulfilled this dream in 2003 when he finished 6th
in the same contest (Dallas D.A.N.C.E) and then again in 2005 when he finished 5th with Sharon Clute.
Another dream came true when he performed an exhibition in front of about 2000 people at McFarlin
Auditorium at SMU in Dallas, Texas. All in all, he has over 40 years experience as an instructor
and most of it involves teaching people how to new and wonderful things with motion and their bodies.
Junne DeGanee has been dancing Argentine tango since 1997. From the beginning,
Junne has traveled to Buenos Aires for at least a month every year to study the dance.
Since 2001, she has increased her travel to Buenos Aires to several times a year for a few
months at a time to further pursue her dancing. Junne's background in dance
includes many years of ballroom and latin dancing, which was highlighted by her
participation in amateur competitions while living in London during the 1970s.
After moving to the United States, she continued with ballroom and latin dancing
until she discovered and fell for Argentine tango.
Lisa Ellison discovered Argentine tango in 1997 and began to pursue the dance
with a passion. Lisa’s style is very "porteño", rhythmic and
responsive. She emphasizes the connection between the partners and
to the music, the essence of tango as a social dance. Her students
find her to be an attentive and informative teacher who is clearly sharing
her enthusiasm for the dance. She has danced and studied extensively
in Buenos Aires and New York. In October 2001 she was a guest instructor
at Portland’s fifth annual TangoFest.
John Trimble cultivates the connection between dancers to foster musicality,
improvisation and self-expression. Known as an adept follower as well as
a sensitive leader, he promotes a thorough understanding of the contributions
of both dancers. John emphasizes technique, including balance, posture,
and muscle tone in pursuit of the perfect tango.
Having been born to an Argentinean and musical family, George began his music education
and exposure to Tango early on in life. George started formal music training at the age
of 10 and continued though high school and college. During these years his teachers
noticed his exceptional musical ability, and with their encouragement he expanded his
knowledge by learning several instruments. In 1992, George discovered Shaolin Kung Fu,
and through constant diligence and patience, he became Senior Instructor and performed
demonstrations in several cities in the United States.
Phyllis' revered teacher, Nito Garcia, has said, "Bailas como sos." (You dance who
you are.) She says, "Come dance with me; you will know who I am."
Darryl considers his major influences to be Carlos Gavito and Nito and
Elba Garcia.
Karen and Larry focus their attention on teaching beginners and intermediates.
They build on the fundamentals of the Argentine Tango. With an easy and
relaxed style, their instruction provides the basic and more advanced movements
and emphasizes connection to both partner and music. Karen was one
of the first teachers of Argentine tango in Dallas and has been teaching
for more than 12 years. Karen and Larry's partnership is characterized
by elegance and grace of movement. Both have studied with top masters
from Argentina and the United States.
Laurie Vega began learning tango in 1997 under local instruction. In 1998,
she was a founding member of Tango Argentino Dallas, and she served on
its board for over two years. From time-to-time, she organizes workshops
and milongas. She also has been invited and has taught in Mexico and Tango
Argentino Dallas' Tangothon. Laurie travels frequently to Buenos Aires
to catch up on the latest tango trends. She also has served as a tango
consultant to the media. Since 2000, she has been asked to choreograph tangos
and perform with professional theater and dance groups. She has taken
workshops and/or private lessons with Juan Carlos Copes and Johana Copes,
Osvaldo Zotto and Lorena Ermocida, Miguel Zotto, Diego Di Falco and Carolina
Zokalski, Fabian Salas and Carolina del Rivero, Fernanda Ghi and Guillermo
Merlo, Marcos Questas, Facundo and Kely Posadas, Nito and Elba Garcia,
Luciana Valle and Alex Krebs, and Natalia Hills.
In 2001, she spent six weeks in Buenos Aires studying tango intensively
under private instruction. In April 2006, she and her partner
represented Argentina in the Dallas International Festival at the
Majestic Theater. They were warmly and enthusiastically received
by the local Argentine community, and their performance was considered among
the three best acts by international viewers. Currently, Laurie is under
the mentorship of world-class stage dancers from Forever Tango. Laurie's
focus in dancing is on technique, elegance, musicality and improvisation.
She has been noted for her embellishments and has been described as being
a highly interpretive, emotional dancer. Laurie offers private and
semi-private lessons and small group instruction. Her work as a trainer
has been noted in Dallas and critiqued in Buenos Aires as "excellent" or
"phenomenal" for those who want to advance faster or excel. Her goal as a
teacher is to inspire others to discover the beauty and spirituality of tango,
to transcend physical barriers and become beautiful forms of movement ...
finding melancholy, seductiveness, joy. Aaahh, life itself!
Henk’s love for tango started at a very early age: His uncle, Alberto Lora, was first
bandoneon with Miguel Caló in Buenos Aires, and tango was part of many happy
weekend music and dance get-togethers at their home. He learned to dance watching
and dancing with other members of his family. He has also had several years of
formal ballroom training. Beatriz comes from a family of dancers: Her brothers
have danced Mexican folk dances around the world, and she trained formally in
Spanish dance. Henk and Beatriz met dancing and have been doing so for 20 years.
They started formal tango training in 1986 with Jorge Decker, and continued later with diverse
masters. For the past five years they have studied with Nito and Elba. They have
choreographed and danced in various amateur productions in the United States, Bolivia, Mexico,
the Caribbean, Holland and Germany. They are past members of Proyecto Tango of Buenos
Aires, Argentina, and represent Las Vegas Tango in Dallas. Their tango teaching is closely
related to their commitment to disseminate Latin-American culture in Texas, and thus their
classes are taught in Spanish. Their curriculum includes musical appreciation and
adaptation, as well as history of tango. During their intermediate cycle they also
include a short series on milonga.