top of page

BYRON BAY TANGO FESTIVAL 2026

fb_icon.png

FESTIVAL PROGRAM | March 6-8, 2026

Alex2025.JPEG
mendoza2-25.jpg
DJ photo.jpg

All events at Byron Bay Community Centre, 69 Jonson Street, Byron Bay

Friday 6th March Byron Bay Community Centre

Afternoon

​

From 1:00pmRegistration in Foyer of Community Centre

 

2:00 - 5:00pm. Hello! milonga DJ Ben (Byron)  - Main Auditorium

 

2:00 - 5:00pm. Alternate Neotango Milonga DJ Esther (Byron) - Upstairs room. Entry for non-pass holders are also available for this milonga. $20 at door for these attendees.

Evening

​

6:00pm. Drinks - Bar Opens

 

7:30pm - Midnight. Welcome Milonga with DJ Wendy - Main Auditorium

Saturday 7th March Byron Bay Community Centre

Morning

​

From 9:30am. Registration in Foyer

​

10:00am -1:00pm (break at 11:30am)  Immersion class 1 with Andres and Natacha :Communication and Improvisation [Red Pass] - Main Auditorium

​

10:00am - 1:00pm. Morning milonga DJ TBA - Upstairs room

Afternoon

​

2:00 - 3:00pm. Workshop 1 [Blue Pass & Red Pass] Milonga Traspie' - Main Auditorium

 

1:00 - 4:00pm Afternoon milonga with DJ Mona (Sydney) - Upstairs room

​4:00-5:00pm. Chacharera class 

​

4:00 - 5:30pm. Piazzolla Concert by Mendoza Quartet and Friends [Not included in festival passes. Purchase online byrontheatre.com or at door]  - Main Auditorium

Evening

​

6:00pm. Drinks - Bar Opens

 

7:30pm - 1:00 am. Festival Milonga with DJ Alex (Sydney), live music by Festival Orquesta Tipica and performances by  Natacha and Andres- Main Auditorium. Note that live music starts at 7.30pm. Don't be late!

Sunday 8th March Byron Bay Community Centre​

Morning

​

For festival attendees not taking workshops, the morning is free to browse the Byron outdoor markets or laze on the beach. Afternoon milonga starts at 1pm followed by Beach Milonga at 4pm.

​

10:00am -1:00 pm.  Immersion class 2 with Andres and Natacha [Red pass] Making each tanda special.- Main Auditorium​​​

Afternoon

​

12:00 noon- 1:00 pm First Step Tango for beginners. With local GoTango teacher Esther. No partner necessary; $20 at door. Upstairs room

​

1:00pm - 4:00pm. Afternoon milonga DJ Alex (Sydney) - Upstairs room

 

2:00 - 3:00pm. Workshop 2 [Blue Pass & Red Pass]- What makes vals...a vals? - Main Auditorium

3:15 - 4:15pm. Workshop 3 [Blue Pass & Red Pass] Our favourite steps:2026 edition- Main Auditorium

 

4:00 - 6:45pm. Sunset Milonga Belongil Beach (bottom end of Main Beach, easy walking distance from the Byron Centre), Byron Bay with DJ Wendy. In the event of inclement weather, the milonga will shift to the Byron Centre (Upstairs room)

Evening

​

6:00pm. Drinks - Bar Opens

 

8:00 -11.30pm. Farewell Milonga. Our guest teacher Andres' will be our DJ!

Festival Registration. All events are at the Byron Community Centre, found in Jonson Street, Byron Bay. The registration desk will be open from 1pm on Friday 6th March 2026.

​

Immersion Classes. Please note that the immersion classes are for experienced dancers. As a rule of thumb, circa 5 years of tango dancing and attending classes, workshops and practicas. Limited to 30 couples.

The festival is centered on a group of dance couples who commit to a weekend of intense learning with internationally recognised instructors. This year Andres Molina and Natacha Lockwood will lead the immersion classes, consisting of 2x 3.0hr “seminars”. The structure of each seminar will be fluid and interactive to maximise learning and retention. 

​

Immersion 1.  Communication and Improvisation 
What is leading? What is following? What does it mean to be active? How to do it?
How to deepen our communication to be able to generate as much as we receive, and to inspire and get inspired for a full improvised experience. A workshop to explore our way to blur boundaries between leading and following to find a 50/50% of presence in the couple.

Immersion 2Musicality and quality of movement. Making each tanda special.
Open your ears and find inspiration exploring different ways of listening the music and adapting your interpretation with technique and qualities of movements. From your tiptoes until the top of your head, dance with new colors and sensations to make memorable tandas.

 

​​​

Tango Workshops. These workshops are designed to extend and deepen the skill of dancers in a specific subject matter. Requires competency in tango dancing; absolutely not suitable for those with basic skills only. Limited to 30 couples.

​

Workshop 1: Milonga traspié. Move your booty! Explore different ways to highlight the rhythm. Using the floor and weight for a better connection and groovy sensation.

Workshop 2: Vals it up! What's makes a vals... a vals? Exploring what makes it feel special.

Workshop 3: Our favorite steps. 2026 edition!
Challenge yourself with cool sequences... as an excuse to work on technique, communication and structure. 

​

Milongas. A series of six morning and afternoon informal milongas are held in the upstairs room, each with a different guest DJs. There is a formal milonga each evening with music by DJs and live music on Saturday by the Festival Orquesta Tipica, featuring members of the Mendoza Tango Quartet with guests musicians and singer Solange Lipcin.

​

Private Lessons. Andres and Natacha will be available for private lessons. For bookings SMS Conrad on  0413348186

 

Special Events. For several years, the Festival has hosted a concert by the Mendoza Tango Quartet celebrating a critical aspect of the music of Astor Piazzolla. This year,  and friends will feature compositions by Piazzolla and other contemporary composers.


This event is open to the general public and entry is not included in the festival passes. Tickets will be available at the Byron Bay Community Centre (book beforehand or in person at their box office)

Astor-Piazzolla.jpg
Festival fb2026flyer6x4printEarlybird.JPG
bottom of page