Antonio Martinez dances a beautiful and personal "milonguero" style and he is considered one of the top dancers in the popular milongas of Buenos Aires, like Cachirulo and El Beso. Antonio started dancing 16 years ago under the instruction of Cristina Pugni, one of the stars of the original cast of Forever Tango. Over the years he had the opportunity to study under the directions of several of the most prominent dancers and teachers like Jorge Firpo, Coca y Osvaldo, Natacha Poberaj, Fabián Peralta, Hector Falcon, Edit Paez and Carlos Gavito. Significant to his growth as a teacher were the classes he taught at "Cosquin en la peña" of musician Ica Novo in 2001, at Club Bohemios (La Boca) in 2002, and at Club Español,( (La Plata). In 2005-2006 he collaborated and taught for Unitango. He has worked assisting Oscar Casas in his classes at Region Leonesa and Fernando Lores and Geri Gluzman in their classes at Maipu 444 on Sundays.
He has been teaching for 10 years, first in Argentina (Buenos Aires and Greater BsAs) and now in Italy with his partner Francesca Bertelli.
With Francesca, he recently founded FrAnTango Buenos Aires, and he is now based in beautiful Tuscany. Together they teach a tango that although respectful of the milonguero tradition incorporates innovative concepts giving both leader and follower a central role in the dance. Posture, walking, connection in the embrace and musicality are the pillars of their teachings. The goal is to teach their students how to achieve a tango that is totally creative and respectful of the dance-floor. In their classes Antonio also focuses at clearly explaining the lead ("la marca") never with the hands or the arms, always with the embrace: a dancer who can properly lead will free himself and his partner from set figures and steps achieving a truly creative and blissful dance.
Their schedule of regular classes in Florence and Montecatini Terme can be found here:
What is tango? Here is Antonio's perspective in his own words:
"El tango es la vida misma que se manifiesta en un sentimiento declarado con el abrazo,
un camino que va con la musica, corazon a corazon, y lo sentido, es muy particular;
es un secreto sagrado entre dos.
Es un " amor " de tres minutos que se eterniza en el alma.
ojos cerrados y un guia.
Es un dialogo sin palabras, siempre nuevo y profundo."
un camino que va con la musica, corazon a corazon, y lo sentido, es muy particular;
es un secreto sagrado entre dos.
Es un " amor " de tres minutos que se eterniza en el alma.
ojos cerrados y un guia.
Es un dialogo sin palabras, siempre nuevo y profundo."
Trans.: "Tango is life itself which is expressed in a feeling declared with an embrace, a walk that goes with the music, heart to heart, and the sensitiveness is very special, it is a sacred secret between two beings. It is a "love" that lasts three minutes that lasts forever in the soul, with eyes closed and a guide. It is a dialog without words, always new and deep."
