Zwei Menschen tanzen Tango

Argentine Tango

Since the end of the 19th century, tango dance in its various incarnations spread throughout the world from its Buenos Aires origins. At tanzhaus nrw, we dance Argentine tango, a less regulated form of tango, as it is practiced at tango balls, so-called Milongas, in Buenos Aires. The communication between leader and follower remains at the centre of this multifaceted and constantly evolving dance and music culture. Jost Budde, together with Stefanie Clausen, Andrea Stegmaier and Mareike Focken, shaped this sector of tanzhaus nrw into what it is today. They developed a teaching method that enables dancing starting right away from the first class onward. Their style combines traditional with modern elements, like neo-tango or tango nuevo. 

Instructors

Zu sehen sind die Tanzdozent*innen Andrea Stegmaier del Prado und Armin Arabi, sie mit hochgesteckten Haaren und schwarz-weissem Oberteil und er mit Glatze und Bart, einem türkis-schwarz gemustertem Hemd und Hosenträgern

Andrea & Armin Arabi

The tanzhaus tango-team consists of Jost Budde, Stefanie Pla Pérez, Mareike Focken and Andrea. They teach in different constellations and were instrumental in setting up tango classes at tanzhaus nrw.

Andrea grew up in Chile. There she began training as a stage dancer and dance teacher, subsequently completing her education in Germany. Having taught tango for many years, in her classes she focuses particularly on the individuality of the participants and on bringing out their own expression and potential.

Armin Arabi has already taught many generations of dancers in Essen, Wuppertal and Krefeld. He has worked with the tanzhaus tango-team for many years - both as a teacher and on stage. Teaching tango has become more and more fulfilling for him over the years. However, he is also passionate about performing regularly at tango events around Europe. He dances with great precision and musicality.

Porträt von Andrea Stegmaier del Prado

Andrea Stegmaier del Prado

Andrea Stegmaier del Prado grew up in Chile. There she began training as a professional dancer and dance teacher, completing her training in Germany.
Throughout her many years as a tango teacher, it has become particularly important to her to focus on the individuality of the participants and to bring out their own expression and creative potential.

Mareike Focken und Jost Budde

Mareike Focken & Jost Budde

Argentine tango has been a constant source of fascination for more and more people around the world for many years. The tanzhaus nrw tango team, consisting of Jost Budde, Stefanie Pla Pérez, Andrea Stegmaier and Mareike Focken, has developed a distinctive teaching method that enables participants to dance freely from the first class on. Their style is informed by many long nights in Buenos Aires’ Milongas, while they join traditional elements with modern influence, the so-called neo tango or tango nuevo tendencies in the younger generation of dancers. Their well-founded classes bring the “connection with the partner” to the fore, or, as Jost puts it, “couple dancing in embrace”. In the introductory course basic steps are taught and the fun of movement is in the foreground.

Porträt von Stefanie Pla Pérez

Stefanie Pla Pérez

Stefanie Pla Pérez has been teaching Argentine tango for many years and has also worked internationally as a dancer, lecturer and DJane at a wide variety of events. Starting from the traditional Tango Argentino in music and dance style, she curiously follows the current trends and combines old with new, always looking for naturalness and joy of movement. Stefanie began her dance training as a child with classical ballet, modern and jazz dance. Simultaneously with her studies and her work on the opera and children's theater stage, she discovered her love for Argentine tango, which she was able to discover and pass on internationally as a dancer and teacher. Years later, she also found the movement principles of tango for herself in classical Pilates training. Out of enthusiasm for the similarities between Pilates and Tango, the heart project "Tango meets Pilates" was initially born in 2018, the techniques she also incorporates into the lessons. In addition to working on a good tango dance technique, it is important to her to convey to the participants the joy of music and musical dancing, the individual quality of movement and the harmonious connection to the dance partner, so that they can experience tango dancing again and again as a wonderful event.

Andrea Stegmaier und Stefanie Pla Pérez

Stefanie Pla Pérez & Andrea

The tanzhaus nrw tango team consists of Jost Budde, Stefanie Pla Pérez, Andrea Stegmaier and Mareike Focken. They teach in different constellations and have been critical in establishing the tango department at the house. 

Stefanie Pla Pérez has been teaching Argentine tango and has also been active as a dancer, teacher and DJane, appearing internationally. Based on traditional Argentine tango in music as well as dance style, she curiously follows current tendencies, connecting traditions with new developments, constantly on the lookout for natural expression and joy in movement.

Andrea Stegmaier grew up in Chile and concluded her education in stage dance and dance education in Chile as well as in Germany. As a tango teacher, she emphasises the participants’ individuality and their own set of expressions, carving out each participant’s own, individual potential. 

Porträt des Tango-Teams

Tango Team

Das Tanzhaus-Tango-Team besteht aus Jost Budde, Stefanie Pla Pérez, Mareike Focken und Andrea. Sie unterrichten in unterschiedlichen Konstellationen und bauten den Tango-Bereich am Haus maßgeblich auf.

Jost Budde unterrichtet seit Ende der 1980er Jahre Tango Argentino. Er absolvierte eine Tanzausbildung an der Sporthochschule Köln, lernte u.a. bei Meister*innen des Genres wie Antonio Todaro und produzierte zahlreiche Tanz- und Theaterproduktionen. Er verfügt über eine langjährige Unterrichtspraxis in Sport, Tanz, Performance und Improvisation. Jost organisierte zahlreiche Tango-Festivals, veranstaltet regelmäßig die Noche de Tango am tanzhaus nrw, daneben große Outdoor-Events wie Tango am Kö-Bogen.

Stefanie Pla Pérez unterrichtet seit vielen Jahren argentinischen Tango und ist daneben international auf verschiedensten Veranstaltungen als Tänzerin, Dozentin und DJane tätig. Ausgehend vom traditionellen Tango Argentino in Musik und Tanzstil, verfolgt sie neugierig die aktuellen Tendenzen und verbindet Altes mit Neuem, immer auf der Suche nach Natürlichkeit und Bewegungsfreude.

Andrea wuchs in Chile auf und absolvierte ihre Ausbildung in Bühnentanz und Tanzpädagogik sowohl in Chile als auch in Deutschland. Als Tangodozentin ist es ihr besonders wichtig, die Individualität der Teilnehmer*innen in den Mittelpunkt zu stellen und den eigenen Ausdruck, das Potenzial eines jeden herauszuarbeiten.

Mareike Focken kam als Linguistin bei einer Studienreise zufällig mit Tango in Kontakt, lernte dann insbesondere bei Jost Budde und verband ihr Fachwissen über sprachliche Kommunikation mit der tänzerischen. Seit 2007 ist sie Teil des Tanzhaus-Tango-Teams und richtet den Fokus im Unterricht auf Freude und Freiheit in Verbundenheit. Als Tänzerin war sie u.a. in Produktionen am tanzhaus nrw und in der Tonhalle Düsseldorf zu sehen.