OUR TEACHERS
Michele Delgado & Ervey Castillo
Michele has been dancing tango since 2003 and moved to Buenos Aires in 2005. For two and half years she focused on learning tango from the best dancers but also on teaching and creating beautiful dancers. Her students have won and placed in US competitions and her social dancers are among the favorite partners. Michele credits her Argentine instructors with her success. Michele is a former president of Tango Colorado. A Colorado native, she has lived in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Paris, France where dance was her passion in both.
Vanessa Stephan
Vanessa fell in love with partner dancing in 2004 and passionately pursued Ballroom, Lindy Hop, and Blues, Tango, WCS, and Fusion, always balancing skills to both lead and follow. After teaching Ballroom in a university setting, Vanessa relocated to Boulder in 2014 to serve as a Teaching Assistant and Instructor for Gustavo Naveira and Giselle Anne at their Boulder Tango Studio, where she acquired a deep understanding of tango structure, and technique, while also broadening her teaching style. Vanesa now teaches weekly lessons in Denver and Boulder and offers private lessons.
John Miller & Jesica Cutler
Jesica is a master of anatomy, John is a whiz at structure, and together their classes present a clear and integrated understanding of Tango, both in movement and in composition. They have been teaching together for over a decade, and work extensively to foster community, particularly at colleges and universities. They have taught at numerous festivals across North America and they host Tango on the Rocks, one of the most popular festivals in the United States.
Tom & Analii Stermitz
Tom Stermitz has been a prominent figure in the evolution of Argentine Tango in the US since 1996 and one of the founders of Tango Colorado. He specializes in the Milonguero or Close-Embrace style of social tango, which he explored over multiple trips to Buenos Aires milongas since the 1990s. He studied with a multitude of teachers from various schools of tango giving him a deep knowledge that bridges all styles. 25 years of teaching provides Tom with an arsenal of teaching techniques to enhance proficiency for all levels and styles. Analii has 40 year background in movement therapy and dance methodology and loves teaching beginners in many disciplines of dance.
Lorita Travaglia
Lorita Travaglia has an extensive background in dance having had a professional performing career with ballet companies around the world that spanned 22 years. She currently works as Ballet Master at Colorado Ballet since 2006.
Lorita has been dancing Argentine Tango since 2005. Her initial teachers were Nick Jones and Grisha Nisnevich and continues to study with the Argentine Maestros, Gustavo Naveira and Giselle Anne who inspire her continually and act as Artistic Advisors for Parasol Arts.
Since Creating Parasol Arts in 2002, Lorita has directed, choreographed and performed in Parasol Art's annual productions. She enjoys exploring the artistic and creative aspects of Argentine Tango and aims to bring inspiration to people from all walks of life in her teaching and productions.
Paula Kirkland
Paula Kirkland has dedicated her life to the study of dance, movement and the art of teaching. She holds a BFA in Dance from Wright State University and is a former professional ballroom dancer. She has had the honor of studying with Gustavo Naveira and Giselle Anne since she began tango in 2011. Paula has performed and taught with Aldo Romero at the 2019 Boulder Tango Festival, the 2021 Stowe Tango Music Festival and the 2021 Tango on the Rocks. Currently, she is teaching and performing with Patrick Bohn. Together, they have Embrace Tango Academy and they host a monthly milonga. Paula is also a Pilates Teacher and a Gyrotonic Trainer and loves to use these methods to train tango dancers.
Brian Dunn and Deb Sclar
Deb Sclar and Brian Dunn taught their first tango classes together in 1998, the same year they started performing tango together. Since then, they have shared their tango passion with students and audiences across the USA and around the world. Over the decades since, they have taught uncounted thousands of students in group classes and delivered over 7,500 hours of private tango lessons. After organizing festivals and seminars with world-class Argentine tango teachers for many years, they now focus on the acclaimed Buenos Aires TangoIntensivo(tm) Sessions with their longtime partner Luciana Valle, delivering sixty-nine week-long Sessions since 2005. To participate in these programs, they have traveled to Buenos Aires thirty-nine times for visits of two weeks or more. They love watching tango students light up with an awareness of what this enigmatically passionate dance can offer them.
Guest Teachers
Giselle Anne
Throughout her academic dance training, which included contemporary dance, ballet, and folklore for more than 10 years, Giselle Anne simultaneously pursued tango in a largely self-taught manner due to the limited availability of tango instructors in the 1980s. Nevertheless, she had the opportunity to learn from two of the most renowned "milongueros" of the time: Antonio Todaro and Pepito Avellaneda. With nearly four decades of professional experience, Giselle Anne has showcased her talent as both a dancer and choreographer, performing and teaching worldwide. Together with Gustavo Naveira, she co-created a comprehensive tango methodology focused on a deep analysis of tango movement and structure. This method has been tested and refined through years of teaching worldwide and at her tango studio in the United States. In their 29 years of dancing together, Giselle Anne and Gustavo Naveira have participated in countless festivals globally, sharing their artistry through teaching and performances, including their own show : “Tango Generations”. Her dancing is characterized by a remarkable balance of strength and grace, consistently maintaining a high standard of excellence.
Fiona Foster & Nick Jones
Fiona & Nick delve to the core of tango, how do we communicate? From first day to performing, they spend their days helping dancers find their voices. Fiona knows that “to be fond of dancing is a certain step towards falling in love.” She was the president of the CU Tango Club, where she met Nick in 2005. She half-hails from a land of petticoats and pettifogging, England, where she DJed, taught, and organized for visiting teachers. When not dancing, you can find her playing tango violin and Baroque recorder, studying Anthropology, and hosting a radio show on KGNU. Nick Jones is just a “hoofer with a spare set of tails.” These he keeps in the Library for emergencies along with ’78 RPM records and bizarre musical instruments. He started dancing tango in 1996 and playing bandoneon in 2002. He put together a tango quartet, Tangozo, in 2020.
Grisha Nisnevich
Grisha Nisnevich is a dynamic and influential figure in the world of Tango and guitar. Renowned as a Tango instructor, musician, lecturer, and DJ, he brings passion and expertise to every aspect of his work. With an active touring schedule, he captivates audiences worldwide with mesmerizing Tango performances and engaging educational experiences. A master of both classical and tango guitar, Grisha is celebrated for his signature Concert-Lecture and Interactive Mixer on the "Structure of Tango Music," offering deep insights into the rhythms and nuances of the genre. Through his group and private classes, he inspires dancers and musicians alike, blending technical mastery with a profound understanding of Tango’s rich traditions.
Facundo Agüero Maisano
Facundo is a DJ, dancer, performer, choreographer, and tango teacher. He studied tango at the National University of Arts in Buenos Aires, where he trained in tango dance techniques, styles, and pedagogy, as well as stage, performance and choreography.
As an instructor, Facundo emphasizes self-awareness and reflection, encouraging students to explore the nuances of the dance and refine their technique.
He has assisted in the direction and choreography of dance, tango, and acting productions and has performed in tango ballets and various tango dance productions.
Jonathan Bruneau
Originally from Québec, Jonathan began dancing Tango in 2008 after receiving his Masters Degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering, as an artistic escape from the confines of the laboratory. As part of his training, he attended numerous intensives under the direction of Nick Jones, Diana Cruz, John Miller, Gustavo Naveira, and Giselle Anne. He taught Tango at the University of Colorado Boulder for several years and performed on multiple occasions, including in Parasol Arts’ Carmen show. Prior to Tango, he trained and taught Chito-ryū, Gōjū-ryū, and Isshin-ryū karate for 20 years.
Martin Rubbiolo
Martin started dancing tango in his native Argentina in 1995. He has studied with a variety of teachers since that time and continues to take classes both in the USA and Argentina. He teaches Milonguero and Tango Nuevo styles and enjoys combining the two. Martín performs, also for private events, teaches private lessons and also DJs.