Artist in Residence (Fall 2024)

Virginia Pandolfi, recognized in the world of tango, not only for her talent as a dancer, but also for her abilities as a teacher, is also the creator of one of the most recognized tango festivals for women worldwide, Mujercitas Tango Festival. With over 20 years of experience, she has long been one of the most influential representatives of the tango, particularly among women. By learning her technique, women find the evolution and development of a dance with more body awareness and freedom of movement. Born in the city of Córdoba, she took her first steps in tango with local teachers, and soon settled in Buenos Aires, quickly inserting herself into the work circuit of the artistic environment. Her beginnings were influenced by an apprenticeship linked to stage tango, but over time the direction of her career leaned strongly towards improvisation dance, ballroom dancing, and milonguero. In her journey as a teacher and dancer, she has traveled the world representing her country and its culture. She has been accompanied by great dancers with whom, at different stages, became iconic couples that are still present in the memories of tangueros worldwide. She has worked in festivals on all continents as a teacher, dancer, and also as a jury for official competitions, linked to the Tango World Cup that takes place every year in Buenos Aires. Her dance today is the fruit of a path composed of two fundamental ingredients, the love of dance and the commitment to work. In her role as a teacher, her classes are the space to understand tango with these two axes as basic principles for the learning path. Over the years, Virginia has developed a teaching method which make her classes a work space where precise and detailed information provide tools for the study of the technique. These tools allow each individual to dance with ease and creative openness.

Tango found Amanda when she was studying to be an engineer in 2010. It was the perfect moment to wake her up to the real joys of life: connecting with people, grabbing life by the horns, and being open to unexpected discoveries. Because of tango she has traveled the world to attend marathons and festivals around the United States, Canada, and Europe, bonded with people of all ages and backgrounds, and learned new skills such as teaching, DJing, and event organizing. Amanda joined the faculty in 2020. She uses her deep understanding of the tango to help students reach a level of satisfaction with their dancing.

Ramu took his first tango lesson in 2000 in Buenos Aires and was hooked instantly. He started the Michigan Argentine Tango Club at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and has danced, DJ’d, and taught all over the US and Canada. The host, DJ, and resident teacher at Milonga Zandunga, a regular DC area dance party, Ramu joined the Tango Mercurio faculty in 2013. His teaching and dancing are characterized by a keen musical interpretation, infectious enthusiasm, and a deep love of both the music and dance. He teaches tango for the social dance floor with an emphasis on connection, musicality, and improvisation.

Sarah has been dancing since her childhood. Her dance and body education experience ranges from ballet, yoga and pilates, to international ballroom dancing. After enjoying competitive ballroom dancing in the U.S. for many years, she fell in love with Argentine tango in Washington, DC in 2013.

She joined Tango Mercurio as tango instructor in 2015. Inspired by the music and her dance partner, she brings elegance and grace to the dance. As a medical professional, Sarah enthusiastically communicates the potential of Argentine tango for maintaining mental and physical well-being with the DC community.

Joerg has been dancing since his teenage years in Germany. With his wife Sarah, he founded and managed a ballroom dance club in New York City and participated in numerous ballroom competitions in the U.S. He placed 2nd in the National Championships in waltz and international style tango in 2009.

After discovering Argentine tango in 2013, Joerg focused on developing his passion for tango through musicality and connection. He started teaching tango with Tango Mercurio in 2015. As a professional educator, he enjoys inspiring new dancers to appreciate Argentine tango.

Nick Thompson is an Argentine Tango dancer who was born and raised in Washington DC. Nick has been dancing Argentine Tango since the beginning of 2009 when he was attending college in Portland, Oregon as an Art major. During that first year, Nick was exposed to, the tango club at his university, the local practicas and milongas, as well as his first festival. Nick was so inspired, the next year he did a summer abroad in Argentina to get the chance to study with local teacher there. After finishing university, he went on to become a teacher abroad in Xi’an, China, where he taught English, Art, and eventually Argentine tango in classrooms. The next year he started teaching in the local coffee shops and soon built the first tango community in Xi’an, China. Nick finally returned to the US in 2016 and has been dancing, teaching, organizing, and hosting milongas in the DMV ever since.