This site hopes to reach all those that love Latin culture, especially, lovers of these two dances that are the most popular Latin dances around the world.
First of all, it is very important to say that the American Ballroom has created their own version of Argentine Tango and Salsa and these styles has a big influence Social Dance as well. In our classes we keep the the traditional forms and flavor accepting also the evolution that the popular dances are getting day by day.
Well, for the reason I teach the Tango there is one that explains it very simply: I am from Argentina, from Buenos Aires, and tango has been present since my childhood in Buenos Aires, from which I have my most melancholy and happiest memories. Although the tango dance didn’t have a strong presence at the beginning, its music, its lyrics, and the porteno life, lead my destiny.
Tango formally arrived in my life when I was 23 years old. At that time I was dancing for an Argentine Folk Dance Performing Group. That year was decisive for my artistic Career and my life on stage. I discovered my real vocation and my place in the world.
My first years teaching tango, with my very good friend and choreographer Ruben Suares, in the year 1987 were very important to my formation as a educator. From that time on, I have acquired lot of strength, knowledge and an open mind in order to continue learning because the tango, as an empirical and popular dance, is living culture.
Salsa, another example of “living culture”, arrived in my life 11 years ago, when this dance had a great impact in Buenos Aires. As a popular dance, it immediately attracted my interest. One of the reasons I think, was its similarity with the turns in rock & roll that I used to dance with my first boyfriend when I was 14 years old. Oh yes, rock & roll was very popular in Buenos Aires in the 70’s, although it was considered a low level dance.
I began to teach Salsa in 1996. In 1999 I met my husband, a Cuban who has danced all his life and for me, that was the best intensive course that I could ever have done because it gave me the chance to learn this dance very profoundly and part of the history behind it. I still learn something everyday, not just about the dance but all about Cuban culture and how they feel about it which is so different from an Argentinian.
The way Cubans dance the Son, the Guaracha, the Salsa, the Songo, the Changui, or whatever you want to call it. I learned what are the “fulas” (dollars); what is the “yuma” (the USA); who is Orula (saint), so many interesting things. All this that I learned, and my passion for this dance is what I try to transmit in my classes.
To finish, there is one reason, the most important why I am here teaching just a little part of the Latin culture and that reason is Neyen, my son. I want, as a Latina and a parent, that our kids learn who they are, and where they come from, and all our cultures have to give to them. Because if they know their roots they will be better people and will accept all the diverse cultures. I have to give him tango and salsa and everything behind these two Latin popular creations.
I hope you enjoy this web site and let’s keep supporting our cultures!
Patricia Paz is a native of Argentina. She was born in San Isidro, province of Buenos Aires. After some years, her family moved to Nunez located at the capital where she lived all her childhood. In high school she moved to Belgrano and then finally to Saavedra, which she considers her home town. Patricia moved permanently to the US in 2000. She married in 2001. In 2002, she had a son called Neyen, that translated from “mapuche” means “gift of life”. Patricia maintains a close connection with her family, friends and culture in Buenos Aires.
Patricia has two professional degrees. She is a Physical Education teacher, qualified by the Instituto de Educacion Fisica “Enrique Romero Brest” (INEF) and is also qualified as a Folk and Native Dances.
Professor from the Instituto Nacional Superior de Folklore (INSF). As a Physical Education teacher she worked for the Instituto Santisima Trinidad in San Isidro County at the high school level. She also organized and directed the Sport Camp for this institute.
In 1985 Patricia began Folk Dances Fusion Workshop with Beatriz Durante at the University of Buenos Aires. One year later year she became a member of the Uballet, “ Ballet de Tango y Folklore de la Universidad de Buenos Aires”. With this troupe she toured Brazil in 1991, and France in 1993. As a singer, she performed with the Musical Troupe at the Instituto Superior de Arte Folklorico while she was a student there.
Patricia began to teach tango in 1987 teaching workshops and performing choreographies throughout Argentina with Ruben Suares, director and choreographer of the Instituto de Arte Folklorico. In Buenos Aries, she taught in her own studio and also for other organizations. She currently teaches regular weekly classes and sponsors special workshops by visiting Master instructors throughout the year.
In 1995, the University of Cincinnati invited her to present a tango show “Tango, poesia y baile en un mismo escenario” (“Tango, poetry and dance in the same scene”). That same year, she also taught tango for the Cincinnati Argentine Tango Society at the University YMCA. Between 1995 and 2000 she traveled between the US and Argentina to teach workshops and private lessons.
In 1996, Patricia continued her formal voice training through singing classes with Marga Grajer, one of the most prestigious teachers for popular music in Buenos Aires. In 1998, she co-wrote and performed in a Tango concert “Maldito Rimmel” with Marcela Bublik.
Patricia produced her first CD “Improvisando” in 1999. For 5 years, she has served as the Artistic Director of the Silver River Arts Project (SRAP) a non-profit educational group organized for the promotion of Argentine Art and Culture.
2004 was a busy year for Patricia. For the second year in a row, in February, she produced the tango event, “Jornadas de Tango, A Tango Journey” featuring Master teachers Facundo and Kely Posadas wich has become a annual event. In August, she produced, directed and performed in “An evening at the Tango Dinner Theater”, a full scale tango musical production featuring dancers Angel Garcia and Rosa Collantes from New York City.
Later in 2004, Patricia was honored to be invited by the Cincinnati Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to present a vocal performance and a dance performance by her performing group “La Troup Tanguera” for the Gala for the Argentine Ambassador, Exc. Jose Octavio Bordon.
Also in the fall of 2004, Patricia wrote “Learning about Argentina, through its, music, dance and traditions”, an educational program designed to enlighten elementary school students understanding of Latin and Argentine culture and presented it for first time in the Saint Bartholomew Catholic School in Hamilton County. Patricia expects to receive a grant to expand this program to other Tri-state schools.
Patricia begin to dance Salsa in 1994 and start to teach in 1996. In 1997 she took Rueda de Casino Classes teach this style a year later. Her marriage with a “bailador Cubano” dancer gives her the chance to learn this dance intensively and to perfect her teaching in the Cuban style that she is promoting in the Midwest.
In 2005, she forms, direct and dance with the group Rueda de Casino “ Pan y Canela”. First Rueda de Casino performing group in the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Area.
In 2006, form Dos Minas Crazy with Barbara Bill, to promote and organize latin cultural events such as Eduardo Tami Trio Concert at the Argentine Bean and at the Music Hall Pre-show for the Tango Flamenco in October 2005. She also is invited by the trio to perform as a singer in these events.
In 2006, Patricia opens her web site, SalsaTangoSon, that intend to promote tango, salsa and latin culture in general.
Patricia is a regular Argentine Tango, Salsa Casino and Rueda de Casino Instructor at Step’n Out Studio in Covington. She was invited to be an Instructor at the First Salsa Congress in Cincinnati in May 2007.
Patricia has many projects, she would like to achieve in the future. All of them related with, music, dance and latino art in general. She thinks this is her reason in life and why she has born for.