Dancing Tree Studio
Dancing Tree Academy • 2026 Artist Residency
Learn from The Best • Become Your Best
EL ABRAZO DEL MAESTRO
A Five-Week Argentine Tango Heritage Residency with Visiting Maestro Alejandro Aquino
Toronto, August 12 – September 20, 2026
We are honoured to welcome internationally respected Argentine tango maestro Alejandro Aquino as the inaugural guest artist of the Dancing Tree Academy Artist Residency Program. As one of the dancers personally chosen to perform with the legendary Maestro Osvaldo Pugliese Orchestra, Alejandro carries forward one of the most respected artistic lineages in Argentine tango, sharing its tradition, philosophy, and spirit with a new generation of dancers.
The 2026 Artist Residency marks the beginning of Dancing Tree Academy's long-term vision of fostering international artistic dialogue, preserving the living legacy of Argentine tango, and inspiring new collaborative creation through meaningful cultural exchange.
Bailar el Tango es un arte como pintar, como cantar, como tocar un instrumento musical….como cocinar poniendo los sabores equilibrados, las especias justas. Enseñar y aprender van juntos de la mano. Es un orgullo para mi, transmitir el legado de mis maestros y mi existencia personal como bailarín a las nuevas generaciones de tangueros aquí en Canadá. -- Alejandro Aquino, July 20th, 2026
Dancing tango is an art, like painting, singing, or playing a musical instrument. It is like cooking—finding the perfect balance of flavors and just the right touch of spice. Teaching and learning go hand in hand. It is a true honor for me to pass on the legacy of my teachers, together with my own journey as a dancer, to new generations of tango dancers here in Canada.
— Alejandro Aquino, July 20th, 2026
Alejandro Aquino is one of Argentina's most respected tango artists, internationally recognized as a dancer, choreographer, director, and educator.
Trained at the prestigious Teatro Colón Ballet School before dedicating himself to Argentine tango, he studied with legendary masters including Antonio Todaro, Miguel Balmaceda, and Pepito Avellaneda.
Throughout his distinguished career, he has performed with the orchestras of Osvaldo Pugliese, Beba Pugliese, and Color Tango, appeared in the legendary Tango Argentino in London's West End where he performed before Princess Diana, and created his own internationally acclaimed productions, Tangueros and Milonga Boulevard, serving as artistic director, choreographer, and founder of the Tangueros dance company.
For more than three decades, he has taught and mentored dancers across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, sharing the tradition, artistry, and cultural heritage of Argentine tango with generations of artists.
The embrace is more than a dance.
It is a conversation, a tradition,
and a way of understanding another human being.
Start Your Tango Journey with The Best - From Day One!
Five Weeks • Two Complementary Programs
Program A — Argentine Tango Immersion
Open to all levels, from strong tango foundations to musicality, connection, improvisation, and the exploration of traditional tango styles. Participants will also discover the artistry of Tango Fantasía—the theatrical stage form of Argentine tango that combines the elegance of social tango with expressive choreography and performance.
Program B — Performance & Creative Lab (8 -10 couples)
For dancers pursuing artistic development through performance and creation. Explore the history, aesthetics, and artistic language of Tango Fantasía, refine its essential techniques and stage vocabulary, and collaborate in the creation of an original ensemble work.
A Living Tradition - Tango Fantasía
Five Weeks from Tradition to Fantasía!
It was shaped by the great maestros of Argentina's Golden Age and later developed for the stage by pioneering artists. Alejandro Aquino belongs to the generation that learned directly from these creators and master performers, carrying forward an authentic artistic lineage. Through this residency, participants will experience not only the techniques of Tango Fantasía, but also its philosophy, musicality, and living tradition, passed from one generation to the next.
Refine Your Tango with The Best, Shine Your Brilliance!
Detailed curriculum provided upon registration
Five Weeks from Tradition to Fantasía!
Join Us!