Maria Elena Ybarra

Maria Elena, originally from Argentina, is a professional tango dancer for over 18 years, teacher for 10, and choreographer. Her technique is influenced by great Argentine Tango teachers and masters such as Carlos and Maria Rivarola, Carlos and Rosa Perez, and Natalia Games and Gabriel Angio with whom she has studied.

Maria Elena has taught tango in Buenos Aires and throughout the US, participating in several festivals and workshops: Boston Tango Festival, Valentango, Portland-Oregon, Denver Labor Day Tango Festival, Princeton Tango Festival, Ann Arbor Fire & Ice Tango Festival, Portland October Fest, Tango Sutra DC, Albuquerque Tango Festival, San Diego Tango Festival, and Tango Element. She has also taught workshops at CU Tango-Illinois, University of Texas at Austin and Vanderbilt University, as well as regular classes at Yale, Princeton, and Columbia University. In 2016, she had the honor to go on tour, teaching Tango Dance, Tango History and performing along with Facundo Barrionuevo and two renown Argentine musicians from Buenos Aires – Eduardo Tami and Leandro Marquesano – taking our show to Le Moyne College NY, Goucher College Maryland, Grand Valley State University Michigan, Carthage College Wisconsin and Missouri Western State University.

Class Description

My classes are dynamic and fun and provide my students, of all ages and levels, with a solid but versatile technique that allows them to enjoy the dance, connecting with the music (phrase, rhythm, melody, syncopation) and their partners. Starting from simple steps my classes are designed so the students are able to fully comprehend more complex sequences. Teaching and performing as both a leader and follower, I aspire to an elegant yet earthy and playful dance. I teach those interested in the social form as well as the stage form of the dance. In my classes, roles are not associated with gender and I strongly encourage leaders to follow and followers to lead.