Medieval Tango Retreat
What To Expect
95 Participants
- This retreat is not a ‘mass’ event. This helps in establishing a real and human contact with people, just as Tango should be
- We expect dancers from across North America & around the world, so book early to avoid missing out on this one-of-a-kind event
Gender Balance
- We will strive for role-balanced event to create good energy
Milongas
- 3 afternoon milongas
- 4 evening milongas
- Saturday evening Gala Milonga with performances by our guest maestros
Great Music
- We know how important the music is, so we have invited very experienced and knowledgeable DJs for everyone's dancing enjoyment
Wood Floor
- The facility features a large Great Hall with a beautiful solid wood floor and medieval decor where lessons and milongas will take place
Fun Tango Workshops
- Enjoy and learn from experienced tango teachers, Melina and Leonardo, in a fun format with a medieval flair!
Medieval Activities & Period Costumes
On-site various medieval activities:
- Sword-fighting demonstrations
- Group campfire
- Long-bow archery
- Medieval yard games - available to use (staff will teach you how to play)
- Choose from a wide variety of beautiful period costumes
Morning Yoga and Stretching
- For early birds, wake up and enjoy a gentle yoga and stretching session lead by an experienced yoga instructor
Great Food
Premium selection of locally produced foods chosen for quality, taste & presentation
- Continental breakfast
- Saturday and Sunday brunch
- Welcome BBQ supper on Friday
- Saturday Medieval Outdoor Long-table Feast where you'll eat like a noble
- Thursday and Sunday supper at a small additional cost
- Thursday supper will consists of medieval inspired dishes such as soup, venison stew served on a bed of buckwheat groats
*Vegetarian options available, please notify us when registering.
Organized Excursions or Explore On Your Own
- Organized excursion to the world renowned Royal Tyrrell Dinosaur Museum in Drumheller, AB
- Organized hike to Horseshoe Canyon located in Canadian Badlands
- Or explore on your own Canadian Badlands and hoodoos
* Organized excursions at an extra cost
Enjoy and Relax in Beautiful & Peaceful Surroundings
- This location is surrounded by beautiful nature, green meadows and hills, away from the noise and the frenzy of the city. And thanks to the natural insect control, the beautiful swallows, the mosquitos won't be a nuisance!
- Lie on the grass, listen to the sounds of nature, enjoy the blue sky of the day and the stars of the night
- Go for nature walks in the country side
- Take time for yourself!
The Cast
Melina Mistral & Leandro Haeder - Guest Maestros
Montreal, Canada/Argentina
Melina and Leandro met last year in Montreal and greatly enjoyed dancing and teaching together. They realized that they complimented each other's strengths and that by exchanging knowledge they could build a strong partnership. With many projects in the making, including a tour in Asia and in Canada, they are very excited to take part in the Medieval Tango retreat!
Leandro Haeder Called the "tango doctor" because of his large technical understanding of the dance and his ease to pin point the concerns in a dancer's body, Leandro is cherished by his students. He started Tango 17 years ago, In Caleta Olivia - Patagonia, where he taught the dance for 3 years at CEMEPA (art school), before moving to Buenos Aires. There, he taught at several milongas such as La Viruta, Club la Independencia, El Beso Club, etc. and creates 3 practicas in collaboration with other dancers : Practica Varon (with Lucas Paez), Tangosterona (with Sergio Segura) and Que lo Pariooo (with Cristian Palomo, Melisa Sacchi and Laly Victoria). For the last 3 years he has travelled internationally to Asia, Europe and North America, working with many other professional dancers.
Melina Mistral Recognized for her elegance and power as a dancer, respected as a pedagogical and dedicated teacher, Melina’s passion for Argentine Tango is undeniable. When she isn’t traveling throughout North America or Europe, performing in festivals, giving workshops and DJ’ing, she works in Montreal. Taking her first Tango steps as a teenager, in her neighbourhood studio Montango (where she taught for many years), Melina fell in love with the dance. With a slightly different background from the usual professional dancers, Melina’s body knowledge came from years of martial arts training and sports. Impatient for more coaching, she continued her studies with teachers from all over the world and took many classical ballet and Pilates classes to complement her dance. She has since then worked with different dancers (such as Ney Melo (NYC), Cristian Sierra (Chile), Veronica Toumanova (Paris), Phi Lee (NYC) and Raphaël Baron (Mtl)), as well as participated in several Tango shows and movie sets. She has also explored both the leader and follower’s roles in the dance, making her a strong solo teacher and versatile dancer. She is currently on a world tour of Europe-USA-Asia-Canada.
Melina Mistral - DJ
Montreal, QB, Canada
Starting as a dancer and then as a teacher, Melina began to explore DJ'ing over 6 years ago. Playing at first in the local milongas of Montreal, her home base (Montango, Las Piernas, TSC, Milonga Cariñito, la Milonguita del Barrio), she slowly introduced herself on the international stage as she traveled to teach. She has since DJ'ed in San Francisco, Atlanta, Washington DC, New York, Ann Arbor, North Carolina, Virginia, the Netherlands and France for festivals, marathons and local milongas. Recognized for dancing both roles in Tango, Melina's understanding and sensitivity to the need of the dancers as well as the ronda and keeping a good energy on the floor, are the foundations of her music choices.
Dmitry Pruss - DJ
Salt Lake City, Utah, US
Dmitry Pruss discovered Argentine Tango in 2006.
He has years of tango organizing experience with the club events in Salt Lake City, as well as organizing a very popular Mountain Milonga Retreat in Utah.
Dmitry also writes his own tango blog and turned his love of tango poetry and music into DJing, translating lyrics and giving lectures. He feels it is his duty to share his knowledge and experience of tango music with other dancers.
Dmitry DJ's at milongas, festivals and workshop across the United States, as well as in his native Russia and Ukraine.
Sir Daniel and Lady Linda - Our Hosts
Three Hills, AB, Canada
Sir Daniel and Lady Linda are avid medievalists and love to host guests. They fell in love with all things medieval on a high school trip to England - where they had their first medieval feast. They have been involved in medieval reenactment and medieval fairs ever since. Sir Daniel does full contact armoured combat and Lady Linda does medieval crafts and cooking. They both do traditional archery. They have traveled extensively and have visited every continent (except Antarctica). They love to read, listening to music, and dancing. In 2015 & 2016 they won medals for wheelchair dancing (Lady Linda uses a wheelchair). In 2017 they opened the Good Knights Medieval Encampment to the public.
Vera Baraz & Daniel Calcines - Organizers
Edmonton, AB, Canada
Daniel was born in St. Petersburg, Russia to an Argentinian mother and a Cuban father, and like tango itself, he is international. Growing up in Cuba, he was immersed in latin dance and music from an early age, as well as listening to tango music thanks to the influence of his mother, a native of Buenos Aires. Daniel speaks fluently in Spanish, English and Russian. Vera grew up in Russia and came to Canada with her family in her early teens. She attributes her passion for the latin music and dance to meeting her husband Daniel. In 2000 both of them went for the first time to Buenos Aires, Argentina, a native country of his mother where his family now resides. Both fell in love with Argentine tango and since then have been studying relentlessly with some of the best instructors both in Argentina and around the world. Inspired to share tango’s beauty and passion with Edmontonians, they have been teaching lessons, organizing practicas, as well as weekly and monthly milongas in their city of Edmonton, AB, Canada.
Tracey Pierog - Yoga Instructor
Edmonton, AB, Canada
Owner and instructor with Elysian Health and Fitness, Tracey has been teaching dance fitness and yoga classes since 2006. She has taught locally in Edmonton, Spruce Grove, St. Albert, Leduc, Canmore, and Calgary as well as internationally. Tracey has danced all her life, and especially enjoys Jazz, Modern, Ballet, Hip-Hop, Salsa, and Bollywood. She has been able to expand into the realm of Ballroom, and has danced Argentine Tango in Buenos Aires, Vienese Waltz in Vienna, Austria, Flamenco in Saville, Spain, and Salsa in Berlin, Germany.
Tracey has been studying and practicing yoga since 1995. She is certified in Physical Yoga, Yin Yoga and is an avid fan of all schools of practice. She is also certified in several meditation practices that she has used to coach her clients to a place of zen! She has an extensive anatomy, physiology and dance background and educates in form and technique using Barre Method instruction. Tracey loves the creativity and exhilaration that come with these many forms of movement and recognizes them all as forms of living art.
Tango Workshops and Yoga
Technique & Adornos for Followers by Melina (Thursday)
Forfeit Thy Body to Tango
Melina puts a lot of emphasis on accepting and understanding one's body to be able to dance well. If we try to look a certain way or copy someone with a different body type than us, we will never truly enjoy our dancing. Working on deconstructing certain myths of the free leg as well as empowering each dancer through strong technique, this follower's technique and embellishment class is for all of those who want to discover the world of possibilities lying in their bodies.
Group Lesson with Melina & Leandro #1 (Friday)
Throw Down the Gauntlet
In medieval times, throwing down a gauntlet at the feet of an enemy meant to challenge them to a duel. In this class, Melina and Leandro will each present some of their favourite steps, all pista (dance floor) friendly, dueling each other with who has the funkier step! Who will win?
Come over and try out and judge these steps for yourself!
Group Lesson with Melina & Leandro # 2 (Saturday)
An Egg in the Nest
When collecting eggs from hens, peasants would leave one egg in the nest to encourage the chickens to continue laying eggs in the same nest.
In this class, Melina and Leandro will explore the foundations of Tango techniques, through the eyes of many styles and kinesiological awareness, on which the students will be able to continue building their dance in the future.
Group Lesson with Melina & Leandro # 3 (Sunday)
Barley Break
Barley Break, a game conceived during medieval times, was played inside a circle which was drawn on the ground and in which players had to run from " the it player" in order not to get tagged. If tagged, they had to join hands with "it" and help "it" tag more players.
Based on this idea, Melina and Leandro built a game to enhance students' creativity by exploring the multiple possibilities from the "basic step", working on the fluidity of the line of dance and getting more comfortable in tight spaces! You won't couch a hogshead with this one! (To couch a hogshead is an old English slang idiom which means to fall asleep easily.)
Privates with Melina & Leandro
Limited number of private lessons are available on request. Please book early and contact us directly to book!
Yoga & Stretching with Tracey: Friday through Sunday
Stretch Thyself
Thou hast been summoned! Pilgrims! I beckon thee! Cease from thy daily toil for some time to engage in a restorative process. Let the Maiden-Fair lead ye through a ritual sure to balance thy bodily humours! Be soothed by the gentle music of the lyre, whilst ye stretch and heal thyself. Loosen thy hind-shanks and reach thine arms toward the heavens. Relax thy muscles and be ye light of heart…