Korey Ireland (Berlin)
Korey numbers amongst a particularly small group in tango with substantial professional experience and training in both tango music and tango dance. Between 2000-2010 he taught dancers or directed tango orchestras in nearly all of the major tango festivals in the US, as well events in Europe and Buenos Aires. Because of his unique position in the tango world, Korey has been invited to contribute to several professional training programs for tango teachers in Europe and the US guiding and supporting a next generation of tango teachers. Korey is the founder of a thriving international network of Community Tango Orchestras, and has created a large repertory of music transcriptions and arrangements of traditional tangos that are being used by thousands of musicians around the world. This material also serves as the basis for a series of “Musical Insights” dance workshops (2010 – present), and presentations for dancers around the world seeking a deeper understanding of the music. Since 2010 he has been based in Berlin, Germany where he directs a community tango orchestra, supports 3 other similar ensembles as a clinician/guest musician, occasionally performs/tours with the electro-tango band Otros Aires, and has taught in all 3 of Berlin’s largest tango schools (Mala Junta, Nou, Tangotanzen Macht Schön.)
Masha Abapolnikova (Washington D.C.)
Masha is a professional tango dancer and teacher with over a decade of experience. Formerly the Executive Director of a DC-based non-profit (Tango Mercurio), Masha has helped build the Washington DC’s tango community through outreach programs, regular classes, special and ongoing events and much more. She is known for her clarity, musicality and connection, as well as a warm, engaging teaching style. To fully embrace this dance Masha has immersed herself in studying both leading and following roles and is often seen switching between both on the social dance floor. She is passionate about finding the unique key to improvement for each student and she emphasizes individual technique and natural movement as the foundation for a deep tango connection. Masha has traveled all around the world to study and dance tango, including the US, Argentina and Europe.
Philosophy: We believe that each of us have a unique way of experiencing and expressing tango and the goal of teaching is helping each dancer develop mastery of their own movement dialog — the search for a two-body tango technique where moving in communication is a natural extension of each dancer’s experience of the music.