Jennifer Bratt started dancing tango in 2000, in New York City, captivated by the old music, the beautiful movements, the intense connection, and the dimly-lit ambience of the milonga. She soon quit her job and and began making frequent trips to Buenos Aires, to devote herself full-time to her obsession. She began teaching and performing, making tango t-shirts by hand, distributing a free tango ‘zine in NYC, importing tango shoes, and she created the website Close-Embrace.com full of articles, tutorials, and photographs she took of dancers at milongas. She became well known for her technique and embellishment bootcamps, whipping ladies into tango shape all over the country. She believes every step should be beautiful, graceful, and elegant and embellishments should be precise and express a lady’s musicality. Jennifer has lived in New York, Austin, San Francisco (where she and Ney owned a tango studio), Miami, and currently New England.

Jennifer and her longtime partner Ney Melo are dedicated to inspiring students to dance tango with feeling, musicality, cadencia, and connection - the way it is danced in Buenos Aires. The atmosphere in their classes is relaxed, personable and lively, and they place equal emphasis on the lady's role as the man's. Technique and the essence of tango, both fundamental to dancing well, are stressed in whatever step is being shown. Their instruction is highly respected and sought out by beginning and advanced dancers. Ney and Jennifer have toured together since 2005. They have taught and performed in Italy, England, Poland, Singapore, Malaysia, Romania, Turkey, Slovenia, Australia, and New Zealand as well as extensively all over North America.

 

Please click the schedule link above for information on where to take workshops and see them perform. If you are interested in setting up a workshop in your community, please e-mail jennifer@malevashoes.com.