Tango Uncorked

I sat down with the very interesting Wei Wang this week. We had a nice chat about his life growing up in China, England, and eventually Canada before moving to Flushing Queens. I've known Wei for a long time and he has always been a very interesting guy. I really enjoyed our conversation and learning more about him. Don't miss the story about Smooth Criminal either. It's especially funny.

This week we sit down with Dagny Miller from NYC. I had a really nice time chatting with Dagny and learning about her journey from being a med student and then stumbling into being a personal chef. Her ideas about art and creativity and her positive outlook. It was a good time for me to have this conversation and I hope you get as much inspiration from it as I did.

Today I am chatting with my good friend Jason Koo. He is a writer, a rabid Cleveland sports fan, and an all around interesting human. He is the FOUNDER of Brooklyn Poets which he started back in 2012. I wanted to put his poem, written for Robin Thomas, here but it's a pdf and I can't cut and paste it so I am adding a link to his website. jasonykoo.com There you can check out his writings and purch...

This week we sit down with Natalie Laruccia. I was at a party a few months ago and chatting with Natalie when she began telling me all these interesting and crazy stories about her experience growing up and living in Buenos Aires and immediately I knew we had to do a pod together. I am sure you will enjoy and relate to a lot of her experiences. Enjoy.

For my final part of the 4 part series recorded in Cleveland Ohio at the Tango Bowling Marathon I sit down with Craig Herrington who is from Cleveland Ohio. He has a lot of interesting points regarding learning and teaching that I really enjoyed discussing with him. Hope you enjoy the conversation.

Part 3/4 of the Cleveland Series. I sit and chat with Pooja Kumar of Austin Texas. We chat about life in the the blue dot of Texas and reminisce about life in NYC. Pooja runs, Guardia Vieja productions. She creates tango events in Austin that have already become legendary. 

Part 2 of the Cleveland Series and I am chatting with Rod Relucio from Chicago. Rod works with Jenny Teeters and together they have had a wonderful impact on the community in Chicago. Today we sit down and talk about everything from the Bulls to the Butts. It's a really fun conversation and I hope you enjoy it.

I went to Cleveland this past weekend for the 8th Cleveland Tango Bowling Marathon and grabbed a few people to sit and chat with. My first guest was Catherine Young from Madison Wisconsin. We chat about her time in the arts, working in tango in Madison, and also her idea of the perfect step. It's a fun conversation.   (02:44) Catherine Young introduces herself as a tango teacher from Madison, Wisc...

Gayle sat down for an amazing conversation this week. I learned a lot not only about Gayle but what I believe is a very positive and healthy way to look at the dance. We also discuss her early days in New York City as a modern dancer, her work in finance that helped her have time to continue her growth as a dancer, her work as a painter and an artist, and also her philosophy about what tango means...

Norma Silver drove her Silver Toyota into the city last week to sit down and chat about her very interesting life and all the things she has done before finding tango. Born in Brighton Beach, she traveled the world at a time when the patriarchy was at a very strong place and most women were expected to stay put and to their "duties." Norma never allowed herself to be boxed in and she went off to t...

I had the pleasure to sit down and chat with Juan Pablo Vicente, one of the organizers of La Nacional. It was my first time talking with a co-organizer and we shared a lot of experiences in this crazy business of running a Milonga in New York City. La Nacional is New York City's oldest milonga's and it was interesting to learn how Juan Pablo got involved with organizing it and what motivated him t...

I sit down with my good friend Kim Fraczek in Bushwick and we talk about all of her work with the Sane Energy Project. Her recent success in stopping a pipeline from being built, PLUS, her funny tango stories. She has some very crazy tango stories. Show notes will be coming soon.   (02:29) Kim Fraczek shares her experiences in environmental activism, including a recent victory in stopping a pipeli...

Batt Johnson sit's down with us to chat and tell us about what he's been up to all these years and what led him to dance. His upbeat, optimistic energy was a joy to be around, is always a joy to be around. Batt is the type of person who when he walks into a room the energy of the room improves.  He is someone who has lived through a lot and still maintains a deep fascination for people and for lif...

Kening Zhu stopped by to chat and we learned a lot about her writing, art, and inspiration. She shares her thoughts on why sharing her writing helps her learn about herself and we also discuss the potential power dynamic between dancers. I learned about what it is like to be an introvert and how she uses a daily formula to establish a grounded well being. 4:18 - Kening Zhu. // 5:20 - Working Marat...

Carlos Andrés Dueñas came to the States from Colombia. His journey is interesting and relatable to a lot of immigrants who have come here. To make a better life. To leave a place where they weren't feeling inspired, or fulfilled, and to try life in a new place. 0:00 - Beginning. // 1:15 - 1st job in the US and arriving. // 7:30 - School in Colombia. // 9:00 - What makes a tango person. // 15:30 -...

Dr. Michael Ricciardi was a lot of fun to sit down with and get to know. He has accomplished a lot in life and still maintains a humbleness that I find really nice to be around. We sit down in his home in Staten Island and discuss quite a bit from his experience studying in Buffalo to his first experience dancing tango in New York. Please welcome Dr. Mike to the show. 0:00 - Bus to Staten Island....

Lucille Krasne came to New York City in 1969 and then she started the tango community... Ha... Sort of. Today we hear from Lucille and her involvement in the development of the NYC tango community. From "Hit and Run" events to Central Park Lucille has been a serious reason why the community has developed the way it has. Show notes - 0:00 - 1997 and the beginning of her journey. // 15:00 - Esmerald...

Have you ever craved something that you couldn't get your hands on? On today's show we sit down with Dan Dunbar, owner of Dun-Well Donuts in Williamsburg. Dan has some very funny stories regarding how he basically invented a vegan donut, his dreams of deep sea diving with sharks, and a lot of other fun stuff!!

Today on the show we will speak with Rebecca Shulman from New York City.  Rebecca began dancing in 1991 and her first visit to Buenos Aires was in 1992. We talk about all sorts of stuff regarding life, tango, dreams, and much more. (00:00) Adam Hoopengardner reflects on the naming process for the podcast, settling on 'Tango Uncorked' to capture the essence of sharing ideas and stories about T...