May 22-25, 2026

The 14th edition of the Philadelphia Tango Festival will take place May 22-25, 2026 (Memorial Weekend). Each year, we choose a theme to unite the various activities of the festival: the workshops, seminars, practicas, milongas, concerts and more.

This year’s theme is CONSCIOUS IMPROVISATION. At the heart of this theme is a paradox: through deep study of tango’s structure, and by practicing composition or choreography exercises, we can achieve greater freedom, fluidity and musicality in improvisation. This is conscious improvisation, rooted in tango structure, but exploring the infinite experiences, musicalities and combinations that are made possible by that structure.

We have assembled an extraordinary team to guide us on this exploration…

TEACHERS / PERFORMERS
Octavio Fernandez & Carolina Giannini
Rino Fraina & Graziella Pulvirenti
Andres Amarilla & Olesya Kershaw
Pablo Garcia Gomez & Iwona Ionescu
Ignacio Ondartz & Meredith Klein

LECTURER
Matias Mauricio

MUSICIANS
Tipica Messiez
Duo Villarreal Crom
Emiliano Messiez

DJs
Maria Valentina
Gabriel Gaumond
Octavio Fernandez
Ignacio Ondartz

Festival Offerings include:

• Four in-depth seminars (3 workshops each), exploring the festival theme in different ways. These seminars are taught respectively by: Octavio & Carolina, Rino & Graziella, Andres & Olesya, and Matias Mauricio / Duo Villarreal Crom.
• A four-workshop Beginner Track, taught by Pablo & Iwona, open to everyone. No experience or partner required.
• Four extraordinary seated concerts
• Four live music milongas
• Presentation of multiple hot-off-the-press new tango CDS, produced by our Bochinche Records
• An on-site cafe run by extraordinary Chef / Poet / Performance artist, Luli.
• Four afternoon practicas
• Workshops for intermediate and advanced tango dancers on a variety of themes
• and so much more!

Registration will open by December 31, 2025. Please come back then!