8th Style Tango
Learn To Tango in Santa Fe, Taos, & Online.
8th Style Tango Instructors
CHRISTA RODRIGUEZ
Primary Tango Instructor/DJ
Christa Rodriguez began studying tango in the fall of 2003 in Seattle, still in her teens at the time. Her work ethic and generosity with incoming beginners was recognized by her teachers and she was encouraged to start teaching and DJing after only a couple of years. Over the next decade she teamed up with The 8th Style School of Tango, starting out as an assistant instructor, eventually becoming a co-owner while helping turn the school into a juggernaut of community building and Tango education. Rodriguez then went on to found Mission Tango in San Francisco and was instrumental in the early formation of the L.A. Tango Academy. After years of these types of projects and touring internationally, she settled down in Santa Fe in 2016 where she currently lives with her dog Gus and long time partner and collaborator Jaimes Friedgen, teaching Tango and enjoying the beauty of New Mexico.
JAIMES FRIEDGEN
Primary Tango Instructor/DJ
Jaimes Friedgen is one of the most accomplished and influential Tango teachers in the United States. Starting Tango as a teenager in the mid-Nineties, Friedgen had the opportunity to study with many extraordinary dancers and teachers, many of whom are no longer with us. He has carried forward their teaching as well as his own innovations by either founding or consulting for some of the most successful Tango schools in the U.S. and abroad. Though widely considered to be one of the best dancers in the world, Friedgen continues to drill solo exercises every day and take classes of all levels in both roles. His uniquely effective system of teaching draws the most dedicated Tango students from all over the world; no matter the level, from absolute beginner to professional Tango dancer, Friedgen has a knack for finding the most useful challenges to improve one’s Tango.
SIMONA FARO
Tango Teaching Assistant/DJ
Simona Faro's interest in Argentine Tango began in 2015 when she began studying with Svetlana Petkovic in Albuquerque. Her interest soon became a passion for the full tango experience, including its technique, musical style, and sociability. She has traveled extensively in the U.S. and Europe to participate in tango classes, milongas, workshops, marathons and festivals. Simona has played an important role in New Mexico’s tango community as a dancer, DJ, photographer and founder, along with two amigas, of a community-building concept known as Amilonga to offer more opportunities to dance, learn, practice, and strengthen friendships. Simona's goal is to grow the New Mexico tango community and spread the love for Argentine tango.
GUILLERMO CERNEAZ
Guest Tango Instructor
He was born in the heart of Buenos Aires and has been dancing tango since he was 19. He has been teaching tango for over 13 years in different studios such as Tango Brujo, Escuela de Carlos Copello, Mora Godoy studio, Tangocool and Soho Tango in Buenos Aires. He has also been traveling and teaching in Europe and Canada.
As a teacher he focuses on the social aspect of tango incorporating the elegant and traditional style. I have created a method of teaching using different exercises which allows the student to learn faster and dance more dynamic way. His class is progressive and builds new elements on top of what you already know so you can be creative and be free.
As a dancer he is known for his musicality, speed and precision.
He has partnered Guillermina Quiroga, Paula Rampini and Paula Rubin.
MARCELO "EL CHINO" GUTIERREZ
Guest Tango Instructor
Marcelo “El Chino” Gutierrez is one of that unique and lucky generation of tango professionals/ dancers that “came of age” in an era where tango came to a crossroads and renewed itself in the 2000’s.
He benefited both from being able to study with such old school masters as the Dinzels, Nito and Elba, the Rivarolas, Teresa Fernández (Todaro system) and Victor Arne; and from being part of the tango revolution that started with Gustavo Naveira and came to be known as Tango Nuevo.
What tango is today, in 2014, is a mix of these two: the old and the new; the old understood better thru the new; the new reaching back to the old for tradition; the old reaching forward to the new for inspiration; the old and the new intertwined and made stronger through these interactions and for mutual respect. The best tango professionals of today understand, dance and teach tango based on this dichotomy.
El Chino started studying tango in 1998. He studied dance and choreography at IUNA (Instituto Universitario Nacional de Arte – Buenos Aires) where he received professional training in choreography, Russian and French classical dance, modern dance, jazz and yoga.
For the past 10 years he has worked on developing and perfecting the teaching system he has become so well known and respected for; a system focusing on stability, groundedness, comfort, natural body movement, core leading, organic leading and following..etc. Just a few classes with him can drastically improve your dancing and change your entire outlook of tango.
His famous exercises and specialized ideas: “Grounded,” “Standing leg,” “Push the Floor” and “The Horse Ride” exercise. Which has been copied by many others. He provides insightful tips, tools and techniques to help his students achive sel-confidence and self-consciousness to maximize their effort and dance effectiveness.
El Chino is regularly sought out to teach workshops of his system to groups of professional tango dancers around the world; and is also well known for his ongoing Cobra (teaching women to lead in tango) classes in Buenos Aires.
CHRISTOPHER NASSOPOULOS & CAROLINE PEATTIE
Guest Tango Instructors
Caroline Peattie & Christopher Nassopoulos are Argentine tango teachers known for conveying the fee and nuance of tango and helping workshop participants find grace and balance in their dance. They bring keen insight and specific teaching tools to help students find their own authentic walking stride and cadencia, which are essential to social tango.