About Us | Fuego Tango Club

WHY DANCE TANGO?

To make friends, find joy, cultivate mindfulness, improve health - the list goes on and on!

In this video, find out why so many people around the world are drawn to tango.

WHY LEARN FROM US?

COMMUNITY & INCLUSIVITY

If you want to make friends who will last a lifetime, look no further! We’re helping to grow a warm and wonderful community of dancers here in the Twin Cities. We welcome students from all backgrounds and cater to a variety of learning styles. And, while tango originally developed around rigid gender roles, nowadays there are many fabulous female leaders and marvelous male followers - and many of us enjoy stepping into both roles!

AUTHENTICITY

J learned tango from many famous master teachers, and Rachel spent 6 months training in Buenos Aires, the birthplace of tango. In our classes, you’ll gain many insights into tango music & culture. But that alone doesn’t guarantee authentic Argentine Tango. For us, authentic tango is not about putting on a show; it’s about being present enough to truly connect with another human being and move together as one.

DEPTH OF EXPERIENCE

Between the two of us, we have over 30 years experience teaching tango in many cities across the U.S. and in Europe. We also bring a wealth of knowledge about body mechanics, music, and motor learning from our non-tango lives. The result is a holistic learning experience that transfers into life beyond the dance floor. Many students benefit from an expanded level of empathy and emotional intelligence - plus heightened communication, leadership and partnering skills. At its deepest level, tango is about self-discovery and transformation. Wherever you may be stuck in life, tango has a way of shaking things up!

MEET THE TEACHERS

J ABLING is a respected and renowned instructor of Argentine Tango. He's been teaching tango for almost 25 years, honing his unique style of teaching that brings in a wealth of life experience. Drawing on his knowledge from fields such as martial arts, body mechanics, and music, J has a metaphor that fits every situation and every student. Before becoming a tango teacher, he was a classically trained vocalist and musician, which gives him especially valuable insight into tango musicality. J’s students have often commented on his ability to simplify complex movements and bring about important and lasting breakthroughs.

RACHEL MOON has been an avid social dancer for over 25 years, and fell in love with tango in 2009. In 2015, she spent 6 months training in Buenos Aires and, soon after her return, began teaching with J. In her pre-tango life, Rachel worked in education and has an M.A. in Speech Language Pathology, giving her expertise in the area of motor learning. During the pandemic, Rachel did extensive research into tango history/orchestras, translated many tango lyrics to English, and gave dozens of presentations to share what she learned. Aside from morsels about tango history, Rachel also brings a healthy dose of humor to class.

PARTNERSHIP IN ACTION: While J analyzes and breaks down complex movements and concepts through an arsenal of visuals and metaphors, Rachel brings a focus on kinesthetic learning, striving to translate the feeling of tango and help students acquire new muscle memory. Together, J and Rachel provide a holistic, multi-sensory learning experience. They served the Annapolis Tango community from 2016-2021, as well as teaching and DJing across the U.S. and in Europe. From 2020-2022, J and Rachel focused primarily on Tango Music Trainer, an online musicality training program. In 2023, they founded Fuego Tango Club and are honored to serve the Twin Cities now!