Omg Erin of #ErinAndDoruk is the best!

A local tango teacher had commented on my right shoulder being lower than my left, and I knew that was the case because 13–14 years ago I noticed it when sewing. A PT had determined it wasn’t scoliosis or a leg length discrepancy, just my pelvis being twisted and told me how to reset it, but that doesn’t last by itself.

Activating all the core & pelvic muscles Erin told me to when dancing? They’re level.

#tango #ArgentineTango #posture#bodyMechanics

I’m now at the airport after spending the weekend at the home of #ErinAndDoruk in Michigan. It was a #tango fundamentals seminar; not “first day dancing,” but rather a fair bit of “tango theory,” understanding the structure of the dance and how to analyze figures in terms of the code of walking. And of course, how to execute them.

I also did the teacher training with them, since I’ve started substitute teaching in @dcqueertango

It was great! #ArgentineTango #dance

Erin did her degree in dance and used to be a Pilates instructor before becoming a full time professional #tango dancer. She KNOWS how bodies move.

She’s also hypermobile like me.

She was able to pinpoint exactly what muscles I need to activate to dance without pain from my knee injury! And she pointed out specific steps that were putting me in dangerous positions and how to correct that and gave me exercises to help with the hypermobility-related problems.

I’m now at the airport after spending the weekend at the home of #ErinAndDoruk in Michigan. It was a #tango fundamentals seminar; not “first day dancing,” but rather a fair bit of “tango theory,” understanding the structure of the dance and how to analyze figures in terms of the code of walking. And of course, how to execute them.

I also did the teacher training with them, since I’ve started substitute teaching in @dcqueertango

It was great! #ArgentineTango #dance

Oh, one more thing:

Here’s a video of Martín & Maurizio’s performance here last Sunday. You can see Maurizio’s pivots in the first 20 seconds.

youtu.be/XhCTG7H8fTc?si=NgkDem

Last night, my carpool buddy told me that at the Philadelphia #Tango Festival, a local professional was 🤯 by Martín & Maurizio’s lesson on pivoting bc they generate it at the hip. That’s how Maurizio does 1080° pivots.

Maurizio has tried to teach it to me before, but he’s the only teacher I’ve heard teach it that way.

Today in #Pilates, the instructor told me “pivots come from the hips” before hip exercises. I told her the above. “It’s a big joint. It has more power. Why wouldn’t you?”

Me, last night, to carpool buddy: “imagine if I’d started Pilates in 2012 when my doctor told me to. Well, second best time is now.”

Pilates teacher, today: “imagine if you’d started Pilates before tango.”

Yeah.
#pilates #tango #exercise

Last night, my carpool buddy told me that at the Philadelphia #Tango Festival, a local professional was 🤯 by Martín & Maurizio’s lesson on pivoting bc they generate it at the hip. That’s how Maurizio does 1080° pivots.

Maurizio has tried to teach it to me before, but he’s the only teacher I’ve heard teach it that way.

Today in #Pilates, the instructor told me “pivots come from the hips” before hip exercises. I told her the above. “It’s a big joint. It has more power. Why wouldn’t you?”

“El Adios” by #OsvaldoPugliese is playing

Me: this is one of those ones in the second to last tanda of the night that I don’t want to lead to

Friend: eh it’s not too bad

Me: like WTF am I gonna lead to this part? Well, ok, if I could lead boleos…

Friend: ooooh yeah. I remember at one point thinking “what do I even need boleos for?” And then I started dancing to Pugliese more and went “you know what would go great here? A boleo. You know what I can’t lead? That.”

#tango #ArgentineTango

About 8–10 years ago, my #EhlersDanlos doctor (Dr F) told me to take up #pilates (starting with private lessons so the instructor can ensure good form since the EDS makes me more injury-prone). She said #yoga would be acceptable too (NOT hot yoga!!!), but Pilates would be safer.

In April, I was taking a #tango lesson with Germán Filipeli, and he said I needed more core strength to do volcadas and should take up Pilates.

Weak stabilizer muscles are manifesting knee pain, so I finally started.

Are you coming to DC for World Pride? Do you dance tango? (Or want to give it a try?) We will be hosting a milonga the night before the Pride Parade.


Be Here Queer! Tango Milonga

Friday, June 6th, 2025

8 to 11:30pm


Join the DC Queer Tango Collective and the Cultural Arts Center and Visual and Performing Arts Department of Montgomery College for a night of social tango dancing, with live tango music! We'll get started with a beginners' queer tango dance class at 7pm, followed by dancing from 8 to 11:30pm. Everyone is welcome to our queer-centered space. We gather to celebrate, in joy and community, and we dance to honor those who have fought for, and continue to fight for, safe and inclusive dance spaces. DJ Alicia Michelle will spin the tango tunes, and we will be joined by tango music duo Arco & Aire, Heyni Solera on bandoneon and Max Wollam-Fisher on the cello.


Everything is free of charge and will take place at the beautiful Dance Studio (CU205) of the Montgomery College Takoma Park Campus, 7995 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, Maryland.


See you there!

#WorldPride #pride#DC#WashingtonDC #tango #milonga #queerTango #tangoQueer #queerDance #lgbtq #lgbt #queer#SilverSpringMD #queerJoy #queerDC#WorldPride2025 #eventsDC #events #free#liveMusic #bandoneon #cello#TakomaPark #tangoArgentino#ArgentineTango#DMV #dance #party

On Saturday, the organizers of Conexión #QueerTango Festival said they wanted to give the Filipeli twins a challenge this year. They danced with a third man, Leonardo Sardella.


For context, the twins took third place in the 2019 Tango World Championship, the highest two men have ever placed; trying to give them a challenge is justified!


In the first song that had all three, they danced as though jealously fighting over each other.

#TangoQueer #tango #queer #tangoArgentino#ArgentineTango #queerDance #queerJoy#MiamiBeach

Nicolás spins Leonardo in a calesita (weight on right foot, left leg extended), but with him effectively squatting so his left leg is straight out. Nicolás is walking backward around Leonardo to create the effect. Germán jumps over Leonardo’s leg when it nears him, as if it were a jump rope.
Nicolás spins Leonardo in a calesita (weight on right foot, left leg extended), but with him effectively squatting so his left leg is straight out. Nicolás is walking backward around Leonardo to create the effect. Germán jumps over Leonardo’s leg when it nears him, as if it were a jump rope.
Germán leads Leonardo to kick backwards between Nicolás’s open legs. Nicolás faces away from the camera, and Germán faces toward it. Leonardo is facing right, according to the camera. Nicolás is taking a step forward (away from the camera) with his right foot as Leonardo’s right foot passes between his legs.
Germán leads Leonardo to kick backwards between Nicolás’s open legs. Nicolás faces away from the camera, and Germán faces toward it. Leonardo is facing right, according to the camera. Nicolás is taking a step forward (away from the camera) with his right foot as Leonardo’s right foot passes between his legs.
Twin brothers Nicolás & Germán Filipeli dance with Leonardo Sardella between them. Germán is leading. All three men have short dark hair and beards. The twins are wearing maroon blazers and black pants. Leonardo is wearing a black shirt, black and silver plaid waistcoat, and silver pants. Nicolás looks serious. Leonardo is grinning.
Twin brothers Nicolás & Germán Filipeli dance with Leonardo Sardella between them. Germán is leading. All three men have short dark hair and beards. The twins are wearing maroon blazers and black pants. Leonardo is wearing a black shirt, black and silver plaid waistcoat, and silver pants. Nicolás looks serious. Leonardo is grinning.
Two people dance with a glowing pride flag in the background. The back of a short-haired person in dark blue faces the camera. That person is following. Across their back, we see the leader’s arm, and over their shoulder, the curly-haired leader’s face.
Two people dance with a glowing pride flag in the background. The back of a short-haired person in dark blue faces the camera. That person is following. Across their back, we see the leader’s arm, and over their shoulder, the curly-haired leader’s face.
The woman with the pixie cut, midriff top, and skirt from the first photo follows a white-haired woman in white pants and a blue blouse. To their left, a woman with a baby blue bob cut and a short-haired blond, both dressed in black, dance. A woman in a rainbow dress walks across the background. The pink-haired woman follows a man in a white shirt. Other couples dance in the background.
The woman with the pixie cut, midriff top, and skirt from the first photo follows a white-haired woman in white pants and a blue blouse. To their left, a woman with a baby blue bob cut and a short-haired blond, both dressed in black, dance. A woman in a rainbow dress walks across the background. The pink-haired woman follows a man in a white shirt. Other couples dance in the background.
In the foreground, a woman in a red tank top follows a bearded man in a purple shirt and black waistcoat. In the background, a man in a black t-shirt with salt & pepper hair and beard leads a dark haired person in green pants, white shirt, and a yellow cropped jacket.
In the foreground, a woman in a red tank top follows a bearded man in a purple shirt and black waistcoat. In the background, a man in a black t-shirt with salt & pepper hair and beard leads a dark haired person in green pants, white shirt, and a yellow cropped jacket.
In the foreground a blonde man in a floral shirt follows a woman in a black top and red floral skirt. Just behind them is the curly-haired woman in black & white from the previous photo. In the background, a woman wearing her pink hair in a ponytail, dressed in black tank top and pants with shiny tan shoes leads a blonde woman in a sparkly black mini dress and silver heels. The man in the floral shirt is tango teacher Andrés Ozzuna, owner of Wooden Table Baking Company, which makes Argentine alfajores.
In the foreground a blonde man in a floral shirt follows a woman in a black top and red floral skirt. Just behind them is the curly-haired woman in black & white from the previous photo. In the background, a woman wearing her pink hair in a ponytail, dressed in black tank top and pants with shiny tan shoes leads a blonde woman in a sparkly black mini dress and silver heels. The man in the floral shirt is tango teacher Andrés Ozzuna, owner of Wooden Table Baking Company, which makes Argentine alfajores.

Photos from last night’s performance by Liliana Chenlo and Martina Waldman at Conexión #QueerTango Festival in #MiamiBeach.

#queerDance #queerJoy #queer #tango #tangoQueer#ArgentineTango#TangoArgentino