Tango Spirit

Tango Spirit teaches Argentine Tango at Creative Studios, 119 Bathurst Street in Sydney's CBD. The studio runs group classes twice weekly: Tuesdays (6:30 PM for beginners, 7:45 PM for intermediate/advanced) and Thursdays (7 PM for beginners, 8:15 PM for intermediate/advanced). Each class is 55 minutes, and you can attend two back-to-back classes (110 minutes total) if you want to learn fundamentals in the first session and advanced skills in the second.

Your first tango class costs $20. After that, single classes are $30, two classes per night are $40, and full-time university students pay $20. You can pay cash, by bank direct deposit, or by credit card (1.9% surcharge). Classes are described as relaxed and friendly, with a focus on walking with fundamental combinations and the embrace. Every class ends with an improvised tango performed by the instructors, followed by informal practice time where you can dance with classmates and friends.

Jacqueline Gutierrez Simpson, born in Chile, started her tango journey in 1995 and began teaching in Sydney in 2001. From 2001 to 2006 she worked for The World Tango Festival in Buenos Aires as an interpreter for classes by maestros including Juan Carlos Copes, Maria Nieves, and Javier Rodriguez. She was one of the founders of Sydney Tango (2003–2022) and a director of Tango Entre Amigos (2001–2017). In 2007 she co-founded Tango Spirit with Anthony Miller. From 2007 to 2008, Jacqueline participated in a research study with the University of New England and McGill demonstrating that tango is as effective as meditation for depression. She has taught and performed in Santiago de Chile, Bali, Jakarta, Tokyo, and Shanghai. In 2022 she appeared as a protagonist in Disney's 100-year celebration at Westfield and was selected as a main artist for the award-winning documentary Beats of Colour.

Anthony Miller holds a Master of Science degree and works as a DJ and music producer with expertise in sound recording, postproduction, and song restoration. He is resident DJ at Tango Spirit's milongas and has been invited to DJ and dance at festivals worldwide: Santiago, Seoul, Tokyo, Beijing, Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai, Buenos Aires, Ljubljana, Lviv, Vladivostok, Istanbul, Bali, Jakarta, Krakow, Wellington, Melbourne, Brisbane, Hobart, and Adelaide. He was the official DJ for the Mundial Preliminaries in Indonesia and Istanbul. Anthony also runs DJ classes in Sydney and worldwide.

The studio hosts milongas (social tango dances) at various locations. Recent events include the Tango Spirit Milonga at Vine Church Hall in Surry Hills (street parking available from 8 pm; St Margaret's Car Park at 417–435 Bourke Street, $2 per hour), and the Haberfield Milonga at St David's Uniting Church Hall, 51 Dalhousie Street (8 pm–11:30 pm, second Friday of the month). Tango Spirit also offers private bridal dance lessons with individually created choreography, ranging from simple and elegant styled dances to fully choreographed tangos, and can provide performances and introduction lessons for corporate and special events. The studio hosts workshops: a Summer School program in December covering Vals and Milonga (5 pm–6:30 pm), and instructors regularly participate in international marathons and festivals.

Your first class costs $20 and runs 55 minutes. You'll learn walking with fundamental combinations in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. The class ends with the instructors demonstrating an improvised tango using the moves you've just learned, followed by informal time to practise and socialise with other students.

Jacqueline Gutierrez Simpson has taught tango in Sydney since 2001 and co-founded Tango Spirit in 2007; she has performed internationally and participated in university research on tango as therapy for depression. Anthony Miller, M.Sc., is a DJ and music producer who co-directs the studio and is the resident DJ at its milongas; he has DJed at tango festivals and championships worldwide.

The studio welcomes anyone regardless of skill level and offers separate beginner classes; the first class is half price.