Tango Mercurio

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Learn to Dance Tango
For Beginners
Class Schedule
Curriculum
Instructors

Fall 2010 Guests

Mercurio FAQ

Local Instructor Team

Our instructors collaborate based on three shared goals:

1. the commitment to personal, ongoing education and development
2. the desire to discuss and evolve teaching approaches together
3. the conviction that tango dancing is beneficial and worthwhile in the broader context of urban community building and enrichment.

Sharna Fabiano is Executive Director of Tango Mercurio and Artistic Director of its performing ensemble, Sharna Fabiano Tango Company. She grew up in Vermont and thanks her mother for placing her in ballet class at the age of five. After a circuitous journey through many other dance forms, she discovered the Tango in 1997 and in the years that followed, made six journeys to Buenos Aires. Both there and in other travels, she studied authentic Argentine social dance from some of the greatest names in the modern Tango Renaissance, including Daniel Trenner, Rebecca Shulman, Brigitta Winkler, Juan Bruno, Pedro "Tete" Rusconi, Omar Vega, Graciela Gonzalez, Gustavo Naveira, Mariano "Chicho" Frumboli, Pablo Pugliese, and Pablo Veron. Today, she is one of the most accomplished tango artists in the United States, recognized around the world for her elegant and powerful quality of movement and for her mastery of both leading and following roles.

Sharna's complete bio can be found at www.sharnafabiano.com

Noora-Lisa Aberman began dancing as a child of five. Starting with intensive ballet training, she later branched out to modern dance, flamenco, and Barata Natyam. Eventually discovering partner dances, she dabbled in samba de gafiera, lambada, salsa, meregene, and finally Argentine Tango. Since discovering tango, it has become her primary dance passion. She began teaching and performing in 2007. Noora loves the subtlety and depth of the dance. She sees the communication and connection achieved between leader and follower as that which make tango unique among dances. As a teacher she works to make this available to her students by developing their technique and lead and follow ability, while emphasizing that the fundamental purpose is to enjoy the experience with one's partner. Her main influences in Argentine Tango have been Luren Bellucci and Michael Walker, Sharna Fabiano and Isaac Oboka, Jaimes Friedgen, Diego Benavidez and Natasha Agudelo, and Javier Rochwarger.

More about Noora at www.tango-red.com

Dima Berk was attracted to Argentine tango music and the unique sensuality of the dance shortly after moving to DC. Between 2001 and 2006, Dima made several journeys to Buenos Aires to study the art of tango with legendary maestros. Dima spend next several years investigating the complexities of the dance with local and guest instructors. Fabian Salas, Chicho Framboli, Javier Rochwarger, and Sharna Fabiano heavily influence his style, which is characterized by fluidity and seamless transitions between traditional and modern tango. He has over nine years of dance experience including a variety of modern dance and martial art influences. Dima has been teaching since 2004 and has performed at Fiesta DC, the World Bank, and the 9:30 Club, as well as numerous private events. His teaching style emphasizes musicality, improvisation, and strong communication between partners.

More about Dima at www.tango-red.com

Isaac Oboka grew up in Denver, Colorado. In 2002, the tango captured his imagination and sent him on a quest across hundreds of dance floors throughout the United States. With the smooth, effortless quality attributed to the most sophisticated social dancers, his tango is full of surprises, originality, and humor! In 2005, Isaac moved to Buenos Aires for an intensive study of three months, and the following year began his professional career as an instructor and performer. He relocated to DC in 2006, and since then has taught and performed in dozens of cities across North America and Europe. He has performed locally at the Kennedy Center, Dance Place, the DC Tango Marathon, Dance DC Festival, Atlas Performing Arts Center, and numerous other venues. Isaac is greatly inspired by the innovative dancing of Argentine artists Chicho Frumboli/Eugenia Parrilla and Gustavo Naveira/Giselle Anne. His tango path has been influenced by many people including Nick Jones, Alex Krebs, Jaimes Friedgen and Homer Ladas.

Isaac also works as a photographer, maintaining an online portfolio of striking images.

Bright Small began dancing tango over six years ago in Boston, where he was well-known for the comfort and subtlety of his close embrace style. In 2007, he left his career as a military officer to study tango in Buenos Aires, where he spent 13 months doing intensive training and a comparative study of traditional and modern tango styles. Some of his most influential teachers include: Gachi Fernandez, Sebastian Achaval, Fabian Peralta, Valentina Villaroel, Jose Halfon/Virginia Cutillo, and Nancy Louzan. Bright's love for tango stems from his passion for music and his fascination with the elegance of tango figures and technique. His teaching reflects a blend of sensory and analytical approaches to unlocking the complexity of the tango. He helps students to find a technique and style that best fits their bodies and personalities, emphasizing comfort and creativity over dogmatic rules. In addition to tango, Bright also studies modern dance and Alexander technique. Growing up, he played violin for over 15 years, playing his final performance under the direction of legendary bandoneonist Hector Del Curto at the Tango de los Muertos festival in 2005.

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Learn to Dance Tango For Beginners Class Schedule Curriculum Instructors Fall 2010 Guests Mercurio FAQ		Local Instructor Team Our instructors collaborate based on three shared goals: 1. the commitment to personal, ongoing education and development 2. the desire to discuss and evolve teaching approaches together 3. the conviction that tango dancing is beneficial and worthwhile in the broader context of urban community building and enrichment. Sharna Fabiano is Executive Director of Tango Mercurio and Artistic Director of its performing ensemble, Sharna Fabiano Tango Company. She grew up in Vermont and thanks her mother for placing her in ballet class at the age of five. After a circuitous journey through many other dance forms, she discovered the Tango in 1997 and in the years that followed, made six journeys to Buenos Aires. Both there and in other travels, she studied authentic Argentine social dance from some of the greatest names in the modern Tango Renaissance, including Daniel Trenner, Rebecca Shulman, Brigitta Winkler, Juan Bruno, Pedro "Tete" Rusconi, Omar Vega, Graciela Gonzalez, Gustavo Naveira, Mariano "Chicho" Frumboli, Pablo Pugliese, and Pablo Veron. Today, she is one of the most accomplished tango artists in the United States, recognized around the world for her elegant and powerful quality of movement and for her mastery of both leading and following roles. Sharna's complete bio can be found at www.sharnafabiano.com Noora-Lisa Aberman began dancing as a child of five. Starting with intensive ballet training, she later branched out to modern dance, flamenco, and Barata Natyam. Eventually discovering partner dances, she dabbled in samba de gafiera, lambada, salsa, meregene, and finally Argentine Tango. Since discovering tango, it has become her primary dance passion. She began teaching and performing in 2007. Noora loves the subtlety and depth of the dance. She sees the communication and connection achieved between leader and follower as that which make tango unique among dances. As a teacher she works to make this available to her students by developing their technique and lead and follow ability, while emphasizing that the fundamental purpose is to enjoy the experience with one's partner. Her main influences in Argentine Tango have been Luren Bellucci and Michael Walker, Sharna Fabiano and Isaac Oboka, Jaimes Friedgen, Diego Benavidez and Natasha Agudelo, and Javier Rochwarger. More about Noora at www.tango-red.com Dima Berk was attracted to Argentine tango music and the unique sensuality of the dance shortly after moving to DC. Between 2001 and 2006, Dima made several journeys to Buenos Aires to study the art of tango with legendary maestros. Dima spend next several years investigating the complexities of the dance with local and guest instructors. Fabian Salas, Chicho Framboli, Javier Rochwarger, and Sharna Fabiano heavily influence his style, which is characterized by fluidity and seamless transitions between traditional and modern tango. He has over nine years of dance experience including a variety of modern dance and martial art influences. Dima has been teaching since 2004 and has performed at Fiesta DC, the World Bank, and the 9:30 Club, as well as numerous private events. His teaching style emphasizes musicality, improvisation, and strong communication between partners. More about Dima at www.tango-red.com Isaac Oboka grew up in Denver, Colorado. In 2002, the tango captured his imagination and sent him on a quest across hundreds of dance floors throughout the United States. With the smooth, effortless quality attributed to the most sophisticated social dancers, his tango is full of surprises, originality, and humor! In 2005, Isaac moved to Buenos Aires for an intensive study of three months, and the following year began his professional career as an instructor and performer. He relocated to DC in 2006, and since then has taught and performed in dozens of cities across North America and Europe. He has performed locally at the Kennedy Center, Dance Place, the DC Tango Marathon, Dance DC Festival, Atlas Performing Arts Center, and numerous other venues. Isaac is greatly inspired by the innovative dancing of Argentine artists Chicho Frumboli/Eugenia Parrilla and Gustavo Naveira/Giselle Anne. His tango path has been influenced by many people including Nick Jones, Alex Krebs, Jaimes Friedgen and Homer Ladas. Isaac also works as a photographer, maintaining an online portfolio of striking images. Bright Small began dancing tango over six years ago in Boston, where he was well-known for the comfort and subtlety of his close embrace style. In 2007, he left his career as a military officer to study tango in Buenos Aires, where he spent 13 months doing intensive training and a comparative study of traditional and modern tango styles. Some of his most influential teachers include: Gachi Fernandez, Sebastian Achaval, Fabian Peralta, Valentina Villaroel, Jose Halfon/Virginia Cutillo, and Nancy Louzan. Bright's love for tango stems from his passion for music and his fascination with the elegance of tango figures and technique. His teaching reflects a blend of sensory and analytical approaches to unlocking the complexity of the tango. He helps students to find a technique and style that best fits their bodies and personalities, emphasizing comfort and creativity over dogmatic rules. In addition to tango, Bright also studies modern dance and Alexander technique. Growing up, he played violin for over 15 years, playing his final performance under the direction of legendary bandoneonist Hector Del Curto at the Tango de los Muertos festival in 2005.