I'm in my late-40s, originally from India, handsome, ineligible. My parents tried to get me married once upon a time, but yada-yada-yada. I began my tango career wearing a three-day stubble and a bandanna. After two years, I cleaned up and had a shave, and started wearing jeans instead of track suits. The bandanna has more or less been retired, and I've lost a bit of hair.

Forgoing jest, my main teachers are Gale Robinson and Phillip Dizick. With these two, it was like a tango and movement bootcamp. Without these two, I would be stumbling all over the place. They've both made an indelible impact on my life and I can't imagine life without having met them. Aside: both had an annoying way of always being right. 

Gale ran the erstwhile Danceasy on the east bay. She made me cry because she was such a tough and unforgiving taskmaster. She has the most intricate knowledge of technique and structure, and has a rich, lovely personality and a dry sense of humor that makes her a treat to be around. 

Phillip Dizick is nowhere to be found as of this writing. In 2011, after a bout with dementia, and actually making a full recovery, he moved somewhere in Kansas. A former competitive ballroom dancer, Phillip is an extraordinary human being, and will irritate the hell out of you with details, yet you'll have the most rewarding experience being in his company and witnessing his stupendous grasp of movement. 

The Milongas at Lake Merritt in Oakland are no longer running; they stand terminated due in equal parts to Covid and extreme burnout and disillusionment. There will, however, be a start afresh and anew at a different venue. On many nights, I taught an intermediate structure and concept class at the Milonga before I grew up and realized I had no idea how to dance! Nevertheless, I taught ways to discover figures on the dance floor using basic circularity. The lessons were packed with material and technical tips I had no business giving, only two years into dancing when the milonga opened. However, I did encourage everyone to work at their own level (and me at mine!).

After dancing, DJing is my passion. My career arc as a DJ has been slow and measured, and while I've gained considerable acclaim as a DJ, I will still say that I'm an under-promoted name for reasons within and without.

In my non-tango life, I'm an Information Technology professional. I design IT solutions for primarily the financial industry. I have a Master's in Computer Science and a first degree in Engineering, which make for an analytical approach to my dance. 

You are welcome to add me to Facebook ("Ashvin Iyer") - I'll be the best friend you ever had and I promise I won't write about what I'm wearing, take pictures of the food I'm about to feed my dog, post inane status updates just to score "Like"s, or make asinine remarks about everyday nothings.

Posted on Weds Feb 2 2022

Make a free website with Yola