Tbilisi Tango, a school that teaches the iconic Argentinian dance, is celebrating its 16th anniversary with its 5th annual Tbilisi Tango Weekend (TTW) from January 26-28.
The school first opened in 2008 and has since been teaching classes to the public. The current owner, Levan Gomelauri, who is also a teacher and organizer of the event, has been with the school since it first started. TTW is an event comprised of several different nationalities, the biggest one being Georgian, but people from 10-15 other countries often attend the event as well.
“This experience helps generally, to develop our dance and share our embrace,” said Gomelauri.
According to Gomelauri, tango is a social dance that is intended to share intimacy and closeness with those with whom you are dancing, so by having visitors from various countries, everyone can share the characteristics of the dance. TTW is for people who already know the basics of tango. The dance has various levels, and since this event will act as a social event, rather than a choreographed one, people will be doing improvisations with those they meet there.
“In this embrace you find some sensations, as to friends, family, someone you love,” Gomelauri emphasized.
Tango events usually have different formats that they are conducted in, such as Encuentros and Festivals, but TTW will be in the style of a marathon. It will first start on Friday with dances, also known as milongas, from 21:00-3:00, followed by an all-day schedule on Saturday and Sunday. In total, guests will be able to enjoy 27 hours of social, tango dancing.
Gomelauri first discovered tango when he was studying at the Tbilisi State Conservatory. He had a teacher who started dance classes for students and teachers, which eventually expanded into something that was offered to the community. When the teacher moved away, Gomelauri took over his classes and made the school what it is today.
In 2017, after learning the dance secondhand, Gomelauri visited Argentina for three months to discover where it had originated from. It was there he met his current wife, Cecilia Acosta, who is also now a teacher at the school along with Gomelauri’s brother, Beka Gomelauri. Beka initiated TTW after he participated in marathons in Europe and realized their school could run similar events. At the time, Tbilisi Tango’s marathons were happening at random times throughout the year, and at different venues. Gomelauri suggested aligning it with the school’s anniversary, and it’s been that way since.
TTW’s venue has changed a few times over the years, so the capacity for guests depends on where the event is being held. In 2024, the maximum number of participants is 160. Gomelauri said that after COVID-19, tango exploded with events because people were dying to have that social interaction they had been missing out on.
In addition to being a tango instructor, Gomelauri is also a music composer who teaches in the conservatory. To him, composing and tango both serve as an artistic outlet where he can express his feelings.
“It’s something that is inside, and you want to share this emotion somehow, like go out and do art with it, I found the same thing in tango as composing something,” said Gomelauri. “In tango, you also express emotions in body language that you are taught, so it was very interesting for me as a form of how you can take the emotions you have inside you and through music share them with the partner you are dancing with.”
Tango, a social dance, is designed to allow dancers to share the full spectrum of emotions. The dance is performed through music, so partners can share their feelings of sorrow, energy, and anything that coincides with the music playing in the moment.
For the attendees, there will be snacks and drinks available throughout the weekend. There will also be additional events free to participate in, including a city tour, a yoga class, and two dance classes. The dance classes connect to tango and will be biomechanics, which is developing the biomechanics of the body for dancing tango, and Argentinian folklore dances, the samba, and chacarera.
The event will take place at 28 Lado Asatiani Street, a five-minute walk from Liberty Square in Tbilisi.
Those wanting to participate must register online and pay 120 euros, the total cost for the weekend. The organizers are hoping to create a community for the weekend where everyone feels welcome.
“Our main goal, as organizers of this weekend, is to create a cozy and friendly atmosphere, making it a perfect place to exchange embraces and all the warm emotions,” the event’s Facebook page states.
By Shelbi R. Ankiewicz
