2025 Tango FESTIVAL INSTRUCTORS & DJ’s

Instructors:

 Marcos Pereira & Florencia Borgnia

Argentina / New York City

Second place winners in The Buenos Aires City Tango Championship, 2015. Finalists World Championship of Tango , Buenos Aires, 2017 and 2018.

Florencia and Marcos formed a partnership in 2013, after more than a decade of individual development and exploration of tango. They studied with the grand masters of argentine tango, achieving a uniquely elegant, refined style of dance, combining elements of traditional tango, with its roots in tango salón, with techniques incorporated through the study of tango escénico, while maintaining the fundamental essence of tango, an intimate connection with the partner through the embrace.

As teachers, they are characterized by their methodical and punctilious technical elements in order to be comfortable, elegant and in constant connection with the partner, always pointing at the importance of both roles in the couple.

Since 2014 Florencia and Marcos have taught at the prestigious Escuela Argentina de Tango in Buenos Aires, throughout Argentina and around the world. They were members of the Corporación Tangos Alumnos, and they also were regulars in shows at the historic Café Tortoni in Buenos Aires. In 2015 they were invited to join the Espacio Nacional de Tango Argentino, an educational institution that aims to preserve the knowledge and experience of tango as a cultural art form, directed by Silvana Grill. That same year they won second place in the Campeonato de Tango de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires, a milestone achievement in their dance career.

They continue to explore and refine their understanding of dance, seeking to achieve the most accurate transmission of the roots of tango.

Eleonora Kalganova

NEW JERSEY

Eleonora Kalganova is a dance artist and teacher who focuses on exploring improvisation, flow, and communication as a process and a way of dancing Argentine tango (since 2009).

Growing up in post-Soviet Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Eleonora was fortunate to study from an early age and in depth many different forms of dance: folk, ballroom, character, historic, ballet, and modern. Her remarkable and rare educational experience formed Eleonora as a very special and distinct dance artist, tango dancer, and improvisor.

After successfully completing nine years of rigorous study, Eleonora graduated from the State Dance Academy in Tashkent and became a principal dancer with the prestigious Alisher Navoi Theater of Opera and Ballet. As a professional dancer, she gained a solid understanding of movement, anatomy, music, performance, and dance composition.

Over time, Eleonora became increasingly fascinated and involved with Argentine tango. After years of study—with intelligence, passion, professional dedication, and her unique dance background— Eleonora started to develop a one-of-a-kind Flow style.

Joining many disciplines and influences, she has created her own particular and unmistakable style of dance and pedagogy. Breaking away from the rigidity of steps and memorization, Eleonora encourages students to develop improvisational skills through simple and dynamic techniques, achieve a relaxed style, and, most importantly, find new and liberating ways of relating, expressing, and communicating non-verbally with others. A generous, sensitive, and kind teacher, Eleonora finds a special “key” to every student.

Eleonora lives in the United States (New Jersey). She travels extensively nationally and internationally, performing and conducting workshops. She continues to be a student of tango and life.

DJs:

Edmond Bardhi

ANN ARBOR, MI

Edmond was exposed to a large variety of music from both visiting and local DJs in Ann Arbor. DJing regularly at different events in Ann Arbor has allowed him to develop a rich style full of rhythmical presence and lyrical complexity. Throughout the night, Edmond manages the flow of energy to enhance the dancers' connection by being versatile and attentive. He keeps the crowd energized with playful cortinas and by strategically infusing subtle contrast in his music.

Somer Surgit

ESTONIA

As an explorer of Argentine Tango since 2004, Ken enjoys playing tandas of sensual tango, melodic vals, and playful milonga in both traditional and alternative music. Watching a dance floor filled with dancers who share a common passion for the creative art of dance excites him.

Since he began playing music for dancers, Ken has been the primary house DJ in three different tango dance venues in Columbia, SC between 2007 and 2017. He has also been featured in events like Spoleto’s Tango on the Beach (2006 to present), Columbia’s Mad Hot Tango Marathon (2010-2012), Columbia’s Argentine Tango Regional (2014-2015), Charlotte’s Candlelight Alternative Milonga (2016), Queen City Tango Marathon (2018 to present), Dancing with the Stars (9 seasons), Las Carolinas Tango Marathons, SouthEast Tango Festival, and Milonga La Pantera along with several ballroom grand openings and numerous private tango events.

As an audio engineer, Ken has mixed live music for such artists as: Alejandro Ziegler, Osvaldo Barrios, Athens Tango Project, De La Noche, Orquesta MaCuba, and Palmetto Latin 9.

He also enjoys hosting events, such as: Tango by the Lake, WinterHeat, and The Columbia Tango Marathon as well as performing tango and other genres of dance.

Gary Naranjo

PITTSBURGH, PA

Gary Naranjo bio coming soon.

Koichiro Suzuki

PITTSBURGH, PA

Koichiro Suzuki is an internationally recognized tango DJ, with a Master’s Degree in Performance Music at Duquesne University. Koichiro incorporates his complex music background and deep understanding of musicality into his DJing. He has performed worldwide—in countries like Argentina, Japan, Canada, Italy and Poland—where he’s known for his thoughtful and engaging music selections. With his deep musical knowledge, Koichiro curates dynamic, crowd-responsive sets that draw on both the rich tradition and modern evolution of tango.