Double role training camp with Pepa Palazon 2.–4.7.

This course is aimed for all double role and queer Argentine tango dancers. Participation requires at least basic skills in Argentine tango either as a leader or a follower and some experience in the other role. You might as well be an experienced dancer in both roles or advanced in one role, expanding your skills in the other role. There'll be plenty of learning opportunities for everyone!

Course contents

Our teacher Pepa Palazon is specialized in teaching musicality for dancers for almost a decade. Her method is based on musical audio perception: she teaches you to understand music from perception (listening) and from movement (your body reaction to what you hear). The learning starts from listening different elements in the music and continues for moving your body to what you hear.

Pepa works with the verticality of the music, the different lines (e.g. main rhythmic and melodic elements, instruments etc.) you learn to distinguish when listening to the traditional tango orchestras. The examples are very concrete and will be practiced thoroughly both solo and in couple. Roles and partners will be actively changed at the classes.

During the weekend we'll work with different elements of musicality using selected tangos to find them in the music and to practice. For example: stop time or pulse by Di Sarli, sincopa by Pugliese or Troilo and weak time by Biagi. The body work helps you to integrate the topic into your dance and will help you to improvise and create your own dance in the music, using the elements you already master in tango.

In addition to the classes and practicas, we'll have milongas on all three evenings.

On both mornings we'll have a bodywork session to wake up our bodies. We'll also have time to relax and hang out, have sauna, swim, eat and get to know each other for the whole long weekend.

It's possible to book accommodation at STEP until Monday morning or to head home on Sunday evening.

Teacher

Pepa Palazon is a graduate of Conservatory of Music of Buenos Aires in tango and folklore, specialized in musical training for tango dancers. She is teaching musicality in the whole world in person and online, and for example was selected as the Musicality Teacher at the 2026 Tango World Championship in Buenos Aires. 

Additionally, Pepa runs Viva La Pepa! -milonga in Buenos Aires and -festival in Madrid. She also has a YouTube channel where you can find interesting interviews with tango personalities from past to present: Tengo una pregunta a vos! (I Have Question for You!) with English subtitles.

Schedule

Friday 2 July

10.30–11.30 registration, accommodation

11.30–12.30   course start: introducing the concept

12.30–13.30   lunch

13.30–15   class 1

15–15.30   practica

15.30–16   coffee

16–17.30   class 2

17.30–18   practica 18–19 dinner

18–20   lakeside sauna (mixed shift – please bring swimming suit)

20–00   milonga – DJ Jaana Hänninen

22–23   evening snack

Saturday 3 July

8.30–9.40   breakfast

9.40–10.10   bodywork session

10.15–11.45   class 3

11.45–12.30   practica

12.30–13.30   lunch

14.15–15.45   class 4 15.45–16.15   coffee

16.15–17   practica 17–20   lakeside sauna (17–18 women, 18–19 mixed shift,19–20 men)

18–19   dinner 20–00   milonga – DJ Pepa Palazon

22–23   evening snack

Sunday 4 July

8.30–9.40   breakfast

9.40–10.10   bodywork session

10.15–11.45   class 5

11.45–12.30   practica

12.30–13.30   lunch

14.15–15.45   class 6 – milonga! 15.45–16.15 coffee

16.15–17.30   course closing, taking videos

17.30–18.30   dinner

18.30–23   milonga – DJ Heini Soutamo-Kohlrausch

22–23 evening snack

Prices

Early bird price 159 €, until 31.3.

Regular price 179 €, 1.4.–18.6.

The price includes all meals (breakfasts only for those with accommodation), classes, practicas, milongas and lakeside sauna sessions.

The milongas are open only for the camp participants.

If you wish to stay overnight at STEP, you may book accommodation:

+ 40 € in a shared twin room Fri-Sun (price for one person)

+ 80 € in a single room Fri-Sun

Sheets and towels +20 € or bring your own.

Sunday-Monday night is optional:

+ 20 € in a shared twin room (price for one person)

+ 40 € in a single room

Both the course and accommodation are paid when registering. Cancellation for full refund possible until 18.6.

Venue

STEP Education Järvenpää, Järvenpääntie 640, Kaskisali: https://step.fi/kaski-sali/

There is plenty of free parking space and charging stations for e-cars. For caravans and mobile homes there are a few spots with electricity, located close to the road (35€ per night).

Public transport: local R-trains bring you from Helsinki to Ainola train stop or Järvenpää train station. From Ainola it's 1,3 km walk and from Järvenpää it's 6 minutes ride with the local bus 665. The bus runs only once an hour so please check the schedules: https://www.hsl.fi/en (from the stop 'Järvenpään asema' to the bus stop 'Ainola, Ainolankatu 1')

Registration

Registration will open on 31 October 2026 and close on Sunday 20 June 2027. Registration form will be at STEP Edudation's web page, click the 'Hae koulutukseen' button on top of the page: https://step.fi/koulutukset/kahden-roolin-tangoretriitti-pepa-palazonin-kanssa/

Other

The course needs a certain amount of participants for being organized. There's a limited amount of spots so please register as early as possible!

For those who arrive earlier, there will be Amigos del Tango's milonga in Helsinki on Thursday 1.7. evening. Infos coming up at tango.fi/en closer to the date.

AdT's Double role group will also organise an outdoor dancing event (weather allowing) for Monday 5.7. and perhaps some other activities before/after the weekend, if there is interest. Please let us know if would like to join extra activies: doublerole@tango.fi

More info (registration, accommodation, meals, payments):

STEP Education Co-ordinator

Katja Forsström

katja.forsstrom@step.fi

+358404877499

In co-operation (course content):

Amigos del Tango Double role group

www.tango.fi/doublerole

doublerole@tango.fi