Dale and Gem
Dale and Gem
Schedule and Registration

Connecticut Tango Weekend is a tango extravaganza which takes place on the third weekend of March each year, as a complement to the CT Tango Fest in July. With its instructors Dale Ellison and Gem Duras, its initial focus is the Argentine Tango Boot Camp which is an intensive workshop designed to introduce tango to new enthusiasts. The weekend then includes more advanced workshops and tango socials known as milongas. CT Tango Weekend is the perfect occasion to receive your Argentine Tango training the right way with Dale and Gem who have been teaching tango for more than twenty years. Each workshop except the boot camp, is $36, but review the discount packages for savings, click on the "like" sign to go to registration page, then join us!

Intensive Day I
Argentine Tango Boot Camp for beginners

Saturday, March 21

Milford Arts Council
40 Railroad Avenue South, Milford

2.5 hours of instruction with Dale and Gem packed into this Saturday of intensive Argentine Tango. Limited enrollment.

2:30 - 5:00 pm, with a short break
Argentine Tango basics, embrace and connection. Next phase, pivots, ochos and turns. Free leg movements, combinations with ganchos hooking legs together
"Tango Essence" Workshops in Hartford

Saturday, March 21

Passion Dance Studio
2074 Park St. Suite 103, Hartford

10:00 am: Essential turns
Giro (turns) for a confident tango in tight spaces, with application to various rhythms such as vals and milonga.
11:15 am: Ocho cortado variations
One the most important social dance patterns adorned and demystified!
Packages for Intensive Day I
10:00 am - 12:30 pm: Tango Essence - both workshops, (save $12)
10:00 am - 5:00 pm: Intensive Day I - all day, (save $22)
Tango Intensive Day II

Sunday, March 22

Dance Dimensions
15 Cross Street, Norwalk

Full day of instruction with Dale and Gem. The morning sessions will be suitable for those with some dance experience (tango or other) especially those who completed the bootcamp. The day's materials will progress from easy to challenging to accommodate all levels. The afternoon workshops will incorporate more advanced figures and concepts. Refreshments and snacks will be provided at 5:00 pm, at the closing reception.

Morning:
Dancing to Classic Tango
11:00 am: Paradas and pasadas with embellishments
A classic tango favorite: tango break patterns with adornments and fun variations
12:15 am: Ganchos, essentials and technique
Hooking the legs together for social dance and show!
Afternoon:
Dancing to Nuevo and Stage
2:30 pm: Triple steps for leaders and followers
Quick footwork for multiple back/front sacadas adapted to various musical beats.
3:45 pm: Traveling ganchos and cadenas
Advanced chain sequences with turns and ganchos, applied to nuevo music.
Packages for Day II
11:00 am - 1:30 pm: Classic Tango - both workshops, (save $12)
2:30 pm - 5:00 pm: Nuevo Tango - both workshops, (save $12)
11:00 am - 5:00 pm: Intensive Day II - all day, (save $34)
Privates Lessons with Dale and Gem
(time and location by arrangement)
Perfect occasion to dance with visiting instructor Dale Ellison if you are a leader eager to hone his skills, or get her invaluable input about your style and elegance if you are a follower. Then put it all together with Dale and Gem's expert instruction. $120 for either one student or a couple.
Opening Milonga in Greenwich

Friday, March 20
Performance: Dale and Gem

Fred Astaire Greenwich
37 West Putnam Avenue, Greenwich

Special Milonga (social dance) with a preceding Milonga Lisa/Traspie class for dancing in crowded events. A Mix of Classic and Nuevo Tango music, DJ Gem. Performance by Dale and Gem. Light snacks and wine included!

7:00 - 8:00 pm: Dancing to the Milonga beat: Dale and Gem's favorite milonga lisa and traspie patterns for crowds in Buenos Aires.
8:00 - 11:00 pm: Milonga (Social dancing)

$25 milonga, $25 class, $40 milonga and class. (pay at the door)

Milonga TS Seasons in Milford

Saturday, March 21
Performance: Dale and Gem

Milford Arts Council
40 Railroad Avenue South, Milford, CT

Celebrate the Spring with tango at the 3rd Saturday Milonga hosted by the Tango Sueño Academy. A Mix of Classic and Nuevo Tango music, DJ Gem Duras. Performance by Dale and Gem. Tango Sueño style refreshments and wine included!

8:00 pm - 12:00 am: Milonga
(no "favorite step of the month" in March due to weekend workshops)

$30 admission (pay at the door, $15 students)

Dale and Gem
Dale Ellison and Gem Duras

About the Instructors

Dale Ellison, known in Buenos Aires as Delia, has been dancing Argentine tango for more than 28 years, and teaching for more than 18. She has developed a reputation as a dynamic Argentine Tango teacher and performer in salon, milonguero, nuevo and performance styles of tango.

Originally a San Francisco resident, Dale received her tango training from the stars of the famous show “Forever Tango” most notably Carlos Gavito and Marcela Duran. Initially a salsa dancer and club style salsa instructor, Dale was drawn to tango for its sensuality and passion, later winning the first prize in the first San Francisco Tango Competition in 1998. She has traveled to Buenos Aires numerous times to study with Gustavo Naveira, Osvaldo Zotto, Oscar Mandagaran, Chicho Frumboli, Geraldine Rojas, Graciela Gonzales, Marcela Duran, and women's technique with Lorena Ermocida.

Dale Ellison teaches and runs tango activities as the director of Tango Rojo in Charleston SC area.

Gem Duras has been dancing tango for 28 years and teaching professionally since 2004. In 1990's he studied with the original cast members of the famous show Forever Tango, in particular the legendary Carlos Gavito. He then visited Buenos Aires numerous times to study advanced technique, ballet and stage tango with younger Forever Tango stars Francisco Forquera and Jesus Velazquez, receiving his tango training certificate.

Over many years he became familiar with the styles of such important and diverse dancers as Mariano "Chicho" Frumboli, Gustavo Naveira, Susana Miller, Javier Rodriguez, Osvaldo Zotto, Norberto "Pulpo" Esbrez, Geraldine Rojas, Carlos Rivarola, Juan Carlos Copes, Dana Frigoli and Milena Plebs. As a result he is able to teach and guide the students in various tango styles such as Salon, Milonguero, Nuevo and beyond.

As the director of the Tango Sueño Academy, he holds weekly classes throughout Connecticut and Westchester, NY, and regularly travels to Buenos Aires to follow the current trends in tango. With Tango Sueño co-founder Dale Ellison, he organizes and directs the Connecticut Tango Festival.

Dale and Gem
Dale and Gem

At a Glance

CT Tango Weekend 2026 with Dale Ellison and Gem Duras
  March 20 March 21 March 22
10:00 am   Tango Essence Workshops
Hartford		  
11:00 am   Intensive Tango Day
Norwalk
Dancing to Classic
     
       
2:30 pm   Beginner
Boot Camp
Milford		 Intensive Tango Day
Norwalk
Dancing to Nuevo
5:00 pm     Closing Reception for Participants
Norwalk
   
     
7:00 pm Pre-Milonga Class:
"Milonga"		    
8:00 pm Opening Milonga in Greenwich Milonga TS
Seasons
Milford 		 
Get ready for a weekend of pure excitement!
About CT Tango Fest and Weekend

The CT Tango Fest was founded in 2008 by Dale Ellison and Gem Duras, to introduce Argentine Tango to new dancers, and to increase the vibrancy of the tango activities in Connecticut. The festival is repeated once a year in Summer, with various guests from Argentina and beyond including the World Champions Manuela Rossi and Juan Malizia, world renown couples like Oscar and Georgina, Los Totis, Analia and Luis and more. Aside from classes and milongas, the stage production "Tango Passion Show" features the bandoneon and accompanying instruments in a live tango music setting. Past musicians includes such luminaries as the Latin Grammy winner Raul Jaurena as well as Juan Pablo Jofre, and pianist Emilio Solla.

Connecticut Tango Weekend is a tango extravaganza which takes place on the third weekend of March each year, as a complement to the CT Tango Fest in July. With its instructors Dale Ellison and Gem Duras, its initial focus is the Argentine Tango Boot Camp which is an intensive workshop designed to introduce tango to new enthusiasts. The weekend then includes more advanced workshops and tango socials known as "milongas."

The CT Tango Fest and Weekend have successfully introduced hundreds of dancers to the Connecticut Tango Community since 2008. The activities in Milford are sponsored by the Milford Arts Council, which also presents weekly tango classes on Mondays at its downtown location. Workshops and tango socials have taken place throughout New Haven, Hartford and Stamford Metropolitan areas, as well as Norwalk, Danbury, Enfield and Westhcester, NY.