Feb 24: Jorge Nel (+shoes), Andres Bravo, Carolina Jaurena

This week, Lounge features Jorge Nel (in person, and his shoe boutique), Andres Bravo and our very own Carolina Jaurena.


8.30 Upper level class with Jorge Nel and Andres Bravo
Intermediate class with Jennifer Wesnousky
Beginners with Paul Pellicoro


All classes included free with admission


Midnight performance with some combination of Jorge Nel, Andres Bravo and Carolina Jaurena


JORGE NEL SHOE BOUTIQUE! Mr Tango Shoes :)
Excellent prices and large selection!


More about our artists

Jorge Nel Giraldo was born in 1956 and made his artistic debut when he was 8 years old. His endeavors span more than 30 years and reflect his love and dedication to dancing and teaching, particularly in his favorite art form, the tango.
From 1976 to 1985, Jorge was instructor-director of physical education at the high school level. In 1978, he founded the Dorada school of Folkloric Dance, where he was director/coordinator until 1985. After completing his formal education, he served as Professor of Theatre Arts in the National Air Force of Colombia.
In 1985, he won the first National Tango Championship in one of the most popular festivals in Colombia: "La Feria de Manizales."A year later, he came to the United States under contract for the company "Martin Fierro," where he directed a show for three years. In 1990 he founded "El Club Amigos del Tango,” which currently has 1,978 members. He started Florida's first "Tango Dance Academy" in 1992 and from 1992 to 1996 was the organizer of "El Festival Mayor Del Tango."
In 1998, in recognition of Jorge's twelve years of excellence in artistic work, Mayor Alex Penelas of Dade County honored him with an award, proclaiming May 15 as "Jorge Nel Giraldo's Day." That same year, he was nominated as an official Member Representative for The National Tango Academy of Argentina in the United States.
In 1999, Jorge appeared as a tango dancer a scene from the motion picture “Random Hearts.” Harrison Ford and Kirsten Scott Thomas starred in the film.
Jorge is considered the pioneer of Argentine Tango in South Florida. He was also instrumental in spreading tango to many parts of the United States, such as Washington, Boston, Philadelphia, Houston, Cleveland, Tucson and many cities throughout Florida, where he led numerous tango dancing seminars. He continues to work in South Florida while traveling to other cities to teach tango.

ANDRES BRAVO Andres Bravo represented Colombia at the eighth World Tango Summit held in San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina with the Colombia Tango Company
In 2002 became part of the the cast of recognized Argentine Show, Jumeirath Beach Hotel located in Dubai United Arab Emirates for the period of six months. National Tango Champion 2006.2009.
National runner-up in the stage tango Festival 2007,2010
National champion in stage tango Tango Festival 2008, 2009 He has a great recognition as an instructor and as a tango dancer.

CAROLINA JAURENA: Influenced by her parents, a Bandoneon Master and her mother a Tango singer, from an early age Carolina pursued a desire to perform. Her training includes ballet, salsa, and flamenco to where she now specializes in Argentine Tango. She has worked with some of the most recognized names in the tango world, Jorge Torres, Fabian Peralta, Cesar Coelho and Hugo Patyn. Having been fortunate enough to work with some of the best, it comes as no surprise that Carolina’s career is filled with a long list of dance credits that includes, Tango & Tango at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, Tango Fantastico at the Bellearyre Music Festival, on Broadway at Town Hall in the show “Tangos for la Milonga” with Romulo Larrea and in 2005 she traveled to Europe to perform with the Sudwestfalen Philarmonic at the Symphonic Tango night in Hilchenbach-Lutzel, Germany.
In addition, she was also a featured dancer, singer and actress in the Two River Theatre Company production of Blood Wedding and performed in the Buenos Aires month celebration at the World Financial Center. She was also invited to perform at The 10th Annual Orlando International Fringe Festival in Florida, "Tango Summit" with the Panamerican Symphony Orchestra, and "100 años de tango, de Villoldo a Piazzolla" at the prestigious Solis Theatre in Montevideo, Uruguay. She performs regularly with Teatro Si in New Jersey and in New York with Leonardo Suarez Paz's "Cuartetango" and Thalia Spanish Theatre in Queens.
Carolina is also a much sought after performer in television and film, having appeared on such shows as Fox 5 “Good Day New York” with Penny Crone, "Today in NY" on NBC. In 2006 she was a first prize winner on the popular program Sábado Gigante on Univision. However, the height of her professional career was marked by her role as a primary dancer in the feature film Random Hearts directed by Sidney Pollack and starring Harrison Ford. Carolina talents are not just limited to teaching, but she is a much respected and sought after instructor as well.
Over the years, she has been invited to perform and teach at several Dance Festivals including; The Colorado Dance Festival, The D.C. Tango Festival, The Boston Tango Festival, and the "Tango Norte” 2007 Stockholm Tango Festival. Most recently, Carolina was invited to teach at Nashville Tango and performed with the Nashville Chamber Orchestra in Tennessee, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, and performed with “Tango Five” at the Einhalden Festival in Germany. Most recently, Carolina performed with the Westfield Symphony Orchestra, Phoenix Symphony Orchestra, Evolution Tango Show in Dallas, Texas.