Jessie Chung

Jessie discovered Tango when visiting Barcelona in 2003. She learned Tango dancing in Vancouver in 2003 and began to DJ in 2006. Her favourite Tango music ranges from 20s to 50s. She likes her tandas to be of the same orchestra, style, mood and year or same time frame. She believes that without dancers, a DJ is nothing. She plays for the dancers and she wants them to feel satisfied and pleasantly tired when leaving the milonga.

Sunday Milonga, Sunday May 29th 9:00 PM - 1:00 AM, Croatian Cultural Center - Auditorium II

Michael McCarrel

For Mike, Argentine tango is all about the music. He began dancing in 2006, and after helping found the Portland State University Argentine Tango Club, he soon began DJing regularly at its events. In 2008, he spent three months in Buenos Aires delving deeply into the dance, music, studying with several instructors and attending many milongas. After returning to his hometown of Portland, Mike began DJing frequently around town as well as co-founding the Mississippi Milonga, Milonga al Norte and is the Dj in residence at the Ladybug Milonga. He has since DJ'd in Seattle, Houston, New York, Eugene, and Ashland and has been invited to Dj the Grape Escape Tango Festival, Vancouver Vantango fest and the Providence Tango Marathon. In the ways of DJing and dancing, Mike is available for private and group instruction. He strives to give his students an understanding of underlying technique, which will allow them to explore and grow as dancers. His strongest influences include Daniel Tuero, Cecilia Piccinni, Ariadna Naveira, Dominic Bridge, Alex Krebs, and Felipe Martinez.

Vantangofest Grand Ball, Saturday May 28th; 8:30 PM - 12:30 AM, Croatian Cultural Center - Auditorium I
Alternative Milonga, Sunday May 29th; 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM, Croatian Cultural Center - Auditorium II

Jeanne Castle

Jeanne’s music and dance are both dedicated to the social style of dancing tango. When she began to learn tango in 1999 she soon found the heart of her dance was supported by the Golden Age of tango music. The music she plays is dedicated to the dancers in the room before her. They play her senses and she chooses the orchestra and the songs within a tanda in the moment. She thinks of an orchestra and a song like the body of a dancer with bones, muscle, heartbeat, fluids, energy, strength and surrender. She thinks of the cortina as a thread for the evening, holding the spaces between the tandas in a continual line of engagement. The joy she finds in making the music for an evening where she can feel the buzz of the ronda and the couples dancing is unspeakable.

Friday Milonga, Friday May 27th 9:30 PM - 1:00 AM, Croatian Cultural Center - Auditorium II

Meng Wang

Meng Wang is a DJ for the dancers. Being a very active social dancer himself, he takes pride in providing rhythm, energy as well as emotional depth to the dancers on the floor. His early DJ influence came from non-other than the Maestro of musicality himself, Chicho Frumboli, who spent a lot of time lecturing to Meng on how to play the right music for the dance floor. Meng Wang has been the DJ for major Tango Festivals such as Palm Spring Tango Festival as well as Los Angeles SMITH Tango Festival.

All-night Milonga, Saturday May 28th 12:00 AM - 5:00 AM, Media Luz

Nick Jones

Nick Jones approaches dancing with great abandon and seriousness. Mixing formal Argentine Tango styles to create creative, musical style that pushes the limits of the genera.

As an enthusiastic teacher, choreographer, performer, dj and tango musician he is invited to tango festivals and workshops around the world. His current partners are Diana Cruz, Rebecca Schulman and Amy Anderson.

Denise Kainz - Yoga Instructor

Denise has always loved being physically active; enjoying the outdoors and all that nature has to offer. She decided that her line of work should also be what really inspires and nurtures happiness from the inside out.

At 26 she went back to school and obtained a Diploma in Health and Fitness Studies from Simon Fraser University. With that diploma she began to work for the City of Vancouver in Parks and Recreation as an Aerobic, Weight Training, and Back Care Instructor, and for Grouse Mountain as a Ski Instructor – eventually becoming a full time Fitness and Recreation Programmer for the next 15 years.

She graduated from Yoga Teacher Training in 2003 and it changed her life. She resigned from her full time post with the City to teach Yoga, Pilates, Personal Training, and Ski Guide in winter.

At the end of every yoga class that she teaches, she will always say “We can’t take care of anyone else unless we take care of ourselves first”. She thanks the students for their presence and energy. She always considers it an honor and pleasure to help nurture and guide them through their practice.

According to Denise - "Taking the time and investing in yourself; to really be present, aware, and connected - will help you with everything else in your life… and Especially Tango"