4th Tango Aires Marathon in Xanthi, Greece

The 4th Tango Aires Marathon is now a fact

he 4th Tango Aires Marathon has come to an end, leaving behind much more than memories.

Once again, Xanthi hosted an international tango marathon that brought together dancers from different countries, backgrounds, and tango journeys, all sharing a common present on and around the dance floor.

Below, you will find reflections from dancers who joined us during this experience, along with photos, videos, and a message from the Tango Aires team — and, of course, a promise.

An International Tango Marathon in Historic Venues of Xanthi

From its very beginning, the Tango Aires Marathon has been closely connected to the city of Xanthi and its historic spaces.

This year, the 4th Tango Aires Marathon continued that path, bringing life back into venues filled with memory, history, and a unique atmosphere.

Through the contemporary experience of tango, these spaces became places of movement, connection, and shared presence.

4th tangoaires marathon sites house of culture fex
4th tangoaires marathon sites P
4th tangoaires marathon sites House of Manos Hadjidakis

A Message from the Tango Aires Team

...because love always leaves traces!

 There are moments that, no matter how hard you try, simply cannot fit into words.
And yet, somehow, we must find a way to thank so many of you.
The people who, for four days, made our city beat differently, breathe differently, feel differently.

The traces that remain

The 4th TangoAires Marathon has come to an end, but inside us it feels as though it never truly left.

Because the traces you left behind… a smile, a warm embrace, a glance that lingered just a little longer … are still here, and will remain for a long time.

When exhaustion turned into offering

After a wild, heartfelt, deeply emotional farewell party, at a moment when one would expect only exhaustion to prevail, we saw many of you stay…

Helping.

Lifting chairs, arranging spaces, cleaning up, ignoring sleepiness, early alarms, or the long journey back home.

Thank you!!

Our volunteers

Our volunteers… words will never be enough.If tango is the language of the embrace, your “I offer” was the purest language of love.You were everywhere: before us, after us, around us, and above every difficulty .You supported every minute, gave life to every detail. Those who enriched the buffet, those who worked backstage, those who lifted, carried, ran, and those who collected the rainwater from the storm…Foivos Blank Mixalis Kesanlis Δέσποινα Χατζηστεφάνου, Christos Evaggelou , Xara Kiltsiki , Τόνια Βασιλείου , Theano Karatsioumpani, Naziri Maria in front line , as well as Stogiannidou Anastasia, Vasiliki Aivazoglou, Dimitris Thch, Giorgos Pemas, Stella Polyzou and so many more…you are selflessness in human form.

Sponsors, creators and those behind the lens

Our sponsors and supporters stood by us with trust and generosity, giving us the opportunity to turn our vision into reality. The creators, artists, and exhibitors who added color and inspiration,and the people behind the camera who transform emotion into image and image into memory ,you turned the marathon into a story… Elegancia Porteña, Cathrine-Stella Shoes Collection, Polytimi_Nature Awakening, Alkyoni Pap, Sotiris Aslanidis, Alexis Kadoglou Tango filmmaker…. RESPECT!!!!
The DJs and the pulse of the dance floor
And our DJs… Those who kept the pulse alive, who read the room like an open book, who traveled with us through every tanda and every cortina.
Without them, the magic would not be the same… Adnan Demirel, Matteo Marotta TangoDj, Marius Bulgaru, Emir Ljaljević, Ick – Ivon Carolina, Sarah Karavasili, TDj Yiannis Dafnis…you simply did MAGIC!!!!

The spaces that opened their hearts

The historical venues that hosted us opened not only their doors, but also their hearts. And for three days, you were their heartbeat. Nothing would have been the same without these spaces. We sincerely thank the people responsible for each venue for trusting us once again this year.

Thank you, and our apology

Thank you , all of you , for what you brought with you: Your steps, your stories, your embraces, your laughter, your silences, your willingness to connect with people you hadn’t known before, and to leave carrying something more with you, just as we did. We apologize to those we were unable to host this year. It was not indifference; it was respect, for those we had already committed to serve as best as we could. Our effort to maintain flow, balance, and respect for both the spaces and the people made us strict at times. We will continue striving for the best , even if that means limiting participation further in the future.

Carrying it forward

We are happy to share that once again, thanks to you, we will be supporting the activities of the city’s Historical & Folklore Museum.
We walk away from all this full.
With a sweet kind of tiredness, with bigger hearts, with moments that will follow us for a long time.
Until the next TangoAires Marathon…
We hold on to something a friend told us:
“This celebration isn’t something you simply experience…
it’s something you carry in your mind and your heart.”

One last note

And one small, but important note…
If we upset anyone, try stepping into our shoes for just a moment.
We worked day and night, gave everything we had and even if people like to attribute superpowers to us…no, we are very normal humans, and as such, we also have — and must set — our limits.
And… yes, we are truly sorry that we couldn’t bring the sunshine a little earlier…

Finally

Finally…

All of us on this year’s TANGOAIRES Marathon organizing team
thank you from the bottom of our hearts and we can’t wait for the next one!

What Dancers Say About the Tango Aires Marathon

Dancers from Greece and abroad shared their experiences of the 4th Tango Aires Marathon publicly. Their words reflect the atmosphere, hospitality, and collective energy of the event, as experienced on and off the dance floor.

 

Άψογη διοργάνωση, θερμή και φιλική ατμόσφαιρα, καλή διάθεση, καθώς και πολλές όμορφες στιγμές. Συγχαρητήρια σε όλους σας! Ένα μεγάλο ευχαριστώ, μαζί με τις καλύτερες ευχές μου για όμορφες γιορτές, γεμάτες υγεία και χαρά.🌷

Clara Ines Martinez

Με πολύ αγάπη για το Tango έχετε αγκαλιάσει αυτή την εξαιρετική διοργάνωση✨💖Συγχαρητήρια σε σένα Panagiota Skarlatou και σε όλη την ομάδα σου και τους συντελεστές εθελοντές και επαγγελματίες για την εξαιρετική δουλειά και τον συντονισμό σας. Επίσης πολλά ευχαριστώ σε όλους τους 230 συν χορευτές που συναντηθήκαμε από 14 χώρες στην όμορφη και φιλόξενη Ξάνθη. Hasta la proxima ❤️🌺🙏

Maria Thomopoulou

Ακόμη επεξεργάζομαι στο μυαλό μου ...την κάθε λεπτομέρεια του 4ημερου...το πόσο άψογοι και φιλόξενοι ήσασταν...με πόση αγάπη και επιμέλεια ήταν όλα οργανωμένα...! Νιώσαμε την "αγκαλιά" σας όχι μόνο στο Tango...αλλά και στην καρδιά μας! Δεν υπάρχουν λόγια να το περιγράψω...αλλά συναισθήματα που κουβαλάω μέσα μου και με κάνουν να νιώθω ότι έζησα ένα 4ημερο γεμάτο Tango και ωραίους ανθρώπους! Όλα ήταν εξαιρετικά και σας ευχαριστούμε!!! Να έχετε πάντα τη θέληση...και την αγάπη να δημιουργείτε τόσο μαγικές και επιμελημένες εκδηλώσεις!!!

Olga Chasioti

Υπέροχες μοναδικές στιγμές! Εξαιρετική διοργάνωση! Πολλά χαμόγελα και θετική ενέργεια!! Συγχαρητήρια σε όλους σας!!! ❤️

Efi Andreadou

Υπέροχη διοργάνωση! Μας κάνετε πάντα να νιώθουμε υπέροχα και ανυπομονούμε να είμαστε ξανά εδώ μαζί σας. Συγχαρητήρια Panagiota Skarlatou και σε όλη την ομάδα! ❤️❤️

Tanya Todorova

We've completed another fantastic organized marathon: the 4th Tango Aires Marathon. We're sad to see it end, but we're eagerly awaiting the next one. As always, I'd like to thank the entire organizing team, led by the lovely Panagiota, who put in a tremendous amount of effort to create this exciting and wonderful experience; all the DJs who invited us onto the dance floor with their delightful music and made me run back to the stage countless times; and all the dancers who shared their beautiful energy with their warm embraces. See you again at the 5th Tango Aires Marathon, with love🙏🥰❤️

Inanc Dm

The Tangoaires event in Xanthi was my first time attending, and it truly left a wonderful impression on me. My heartfelt thanks to the organizer Panagiota Skarlatou , to everyone who contributed to making this event possible, to all the tango participants, to the DJs, and to the entire team for their warmth and hospitality. Your dedication, kindness, and passion for tango created an unforgettable atmosphere. I am grateful to have been part of it. 💕

Murat Tndgn

Dear Tangoaires team; organisers, TDJ's, helpers, photographers and all participants. Thank you. You made me happy many times during the week-end. So lovelies persons you are. Thanks to out tour guide too, I have learned a lot. I have arrived late, left early but in between I was part of a beautiful event, met my precious friends, met great new people. I am back home with your lovely memory and already with some nostalgia. Big hugs to you all. See you soon. 🤗✨️

Gün Arun

So. As all good things come to an end so has this event and as I told Panagiota Skarlatou and others by far the best marathon we attended in Greece. Thank you for hosting us and welcoming us with open arms and hearts. Thank you Stella Gkavaki and Yiannis Dafnis for suggesting this event to us. Thank you Sarah Karavasili and Aris and the rest of the team for your hospitality and all the DJs for the fantastic energy you gave us these four days. And thank you to all the amazing partners for the fantastic tangasmic tandas. We promise to be back! (That's a threat 😂) See you at the after party.. Abrazos

Svetlana and Ajit

One more time … coming back to my home while thinking… When will be the next edition…) 😉…! Every year they add more comfort and pleasure…! Thanks to all the team, worked precisely on their project able to construct us better conditions…!🍀❤️🍀 And thanks a lot to the society, for their brilliant acceptance towards us and for their warm hugs as we’re a part of their family…! Lots of appreciation for the organizers but firstly for the mood the created, that we feel like at home…! And one more time thanks to you “Atomic Ant…)!!!” God bless you and all who concerned by creating this amazing event….!❤️❤️❤️

Hakkı İnce

These reflections continue to accompany the Tango Aires Marathon beyond its final tanda, confirming its character as an international meeting point shaped by people, connection, and shared experience.

 

Photos and Videos from the 4th Tango Aires Marathon

The moments of the 4th Tango Aires Marathon were captured through the lenses of the photographers and videographers of the event.

Soon, this section will feature photos and videos that reflect the atmosphere, encounters, and energy of tango as it unfolded across the venues of Xanthi.

4th tangoaires marathone the moodmakers marius bulgaru banner
4th tangoaires marathon the moodmakers Emir banner
4th tangoaires marathon the moodmakers Matteo Marotta banner
4th tangoaires marathon the moodmakers Ivon final banner
4th tangoaires marathon magic catcher alkyoni
4th tangoaires marathone the moodmakers banner
4th tangoaires marathon the moodmakers yiannis banner
4th tangoaires marathone the moodmakers adnan banner

Until the Next Tango Aires Marathon

The 4th Tango Aires Marathon has come to an end, but the journey continues.

The Tango Aires Marathon remains a living process, shaped by the experiences, the people, and the encounters that extend beyond a single edition.

In this way, what was shared this year does not close here, but becomes the foundation for what comes next.

Discover the Tango Aires community and its journey

Explore the 3rd Tango Aires Marathon

4th tangoaires marathon sites house of culture fex

In the bustling alleys of the Old Town lies the Cultural House of FEX. A building from the early 20th century, designed in neoclassical style. It was constructed on the main street of the town at the time to host the “Hellenic Club” and is characteristic of the communal architecture of the final years of Ottoman rule. It stands as a donation from merchant Michail Matsinis, a benefactor of Xanthi.

4th tangoaires marathon sites P

On the outskirts of the centre of Xanthi are the tobacco warehouses, examples of the architecture of industrial buildings, representing the economic prosperity of the city in the 19th century.
One of them houses the Foundation of Thracian Art and Tradition. In its premises there are exhibitions, lectures, seminars and courses by scientists and artists.
The area of the tobacco warehouses, an important part of the city in terms of area and value, is directly linked to the economic boom of the city, has been preserved to a satisfactory degree as an urban fabric and is one of the best existing sets of industrial architecture in Greece. The building is a creation of the 19th and early 20th century and is an excellent example of architecture, classified as a listed monument.

4th tangoaires marathon sites House of Manos Hadjidakis

The Art and Thought Complex, of the “Grand Maison” mansion, the house where Manos Hadjidakis was born and spent his early years, was built at the end of the 18th century in two phases. It is the most typical example of Xanthi’s cosmopolitan perception of the beginning of the previous century in architecture.

It was built in a privileged position, on a hill, to have a view of the entire area of ​​the city iback then.

This building, both externally and internally, is a priceless work of art and is now classified as a historical monument.

Sarah Karavasili

4th tangoaires marathone the moodmakers marius bulgaru banner

TDj MARIUS BULGARU
is a well-known and very appreciated Romanian TDj . As always, he will raise the energy of the event with his inspired tandas, combining the Golden Age orchestras with the XXI century ones. His unique style of shaping the tandas creates an ambient of veritable connection.
“I have always wanted to bring something new, fresh, and consistent in everything I do. With this desire in heart and mind, I started my career as a DJ for tango events, 7 years ago. My objective, when I play the music, is for the dancers to enjoy the dance, the energy as well as a pleasant feeling of “something else”. I like to create diversity by combining tango from the Golden Age tandas with the freshness and exuberance of tangos performed by modern orchestras. I have adopted my maestero Marcelo Rojas’ favorite: Milonga es una fiesta!
I am honored to be welcomed by the tango communities and I thank all the dancers for the fact that they are on the dance floor when I play the music.”

Sarah Karavasili

4th tangoaires marathon the moodmakers Emir banner

He is best known for his musicality as a dancer, but this comes naturally from his immense love of tango music.

He has been exploring it since he started dancing many years ago and has been a resident DJ at local milongas for several years. He has also had the opportunity to DJ at events , in Serbia, Bulgaria and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

His sets consist mainly of tandas from the Golden Age of tango, but he also likes to spice it up a bit with some late music by Pugliese, Calo and D’Arrienzo.

He is also known for his special attention to his choice of vals and milonga.

Matteo

4th tangoaires marathon the moodmakers Matteo Marotta banner

From the heart of the Italian milonga to the most authentic tango moments across Europe, with a passion for music that transcends reason and an aesthetic precision that turns every tanda into a narrative, Matteo declares:

“I live music like I live dance… a wonderful journey made of energy, pure emotions, passion, and alchemy. Music is the most intimate expression of who we are — our deepest harmony. A portrait. I love to immerse myself in the milonga, to feel it within — milonguero and DJ as one. Tango in your embrace, taking us back in time — our heart dances, our soul dances.”

With a deep sense of tradition and an instinctive musical alchemy in his selections, Matteo doesn’t just play music — he lives each tanda with us.

Get ready for an unforgettable experience.
A musical journey where the body is led, the heart follows, and the soul finds its voice.

Ivon

4th tangoaires marathon the moodmakers Ivon banner

Ivon Carolina, born in Argentina raised in Greece, has been involved in Tango for over 15 years.

She started Djing in the Athenian local Milongas 10 years ago and she continues until today.

Having shared Tandas in various cities of Greece and abroad – In local Milongas, but in Festivals and Marathons as well.

Her choices are from the golden age of Tango, she always relies on improvisation by “reading” the dancers and the energy of the dance floor.

“Α Bailar se ha dicho… !!”

4th tangoaires marathon magic catcher alkyoni

Alkyoni Papakonstantopoulou (Poison Tango) by chance started studying photography at the same time she started learning tango.

As she enjoyed observing the dancers as much as she enjoyed dancing, she started taking her camera with her to milongas and practicas so that she could take pictures when she wasn’t dancing. She has covered domestic and international events photographically.

Being strongly influenced by her painting experience, she strives to constantly experiment and evolve her artistic boundaries.

Sarah Karavasili

4th tangoaires marathone the moodmakers banner

Her first contact with tango as a dancer, was in 2015. Since 2018, she got deeply interested in tango music, as she considers musicality an integral part of a good dancer. Since then, Sarra has been a tdj in milongas in several cities of Central and North Greece, such as Thessaloniki, Larissa, Drama and Alexandroupoli. She also often plays music in festivals, milongas and practicas of the TangoAires and Tangazo teams of which she is a member, in Xanthi and Katerini respectively.

At the milonga, her goal is to satisfy even the most demanding dancer; that is why the music she chooses is for all levels of dancers. As she says, her purpose is to see the couples experimenting in the ronda, smile and get passionate. Her program is known for its energy and intensity, spiced up with a little drama! In regards to her cortina selections, they typically are as weird as she is! She loves Golden Age tangos, but has a particular affinity for tango re-performances by modern orchestras and brand new tango compositions.

Yiannis

4th tangoaires marathon the moodmakers yiannis banner
TDj Yiannis Dafnis met tango at 2010 as a dancer. Since then and along with dance, he searches and studies tango music, tango orchestras and their characteristics and the selection of music in a milonga (TDj-ing). Since 2014, he has been a radio producer, in a weekly tango radio show, named “Tangomagia” at RadioXanthi 93.5, that lasts two hours, every Thursday 20:00 – 22:00! His audience is from all over the world as everybody can listen the radio show in www.radioxanthi.gr He counts 350 radio shows and that led him to study deeply the tango music and learn many details for tango orchestras and singers and also stories behind the songs! He has played tango music as TDj at international Tango Festivals in abroad, such as Naxos Tango Festival(2022), 8 th Bulgaria Close Embrace Tango Marathon, 10 th Athens Tango Marathon, 4 th , 5 th & 6 th Cyprus Tangomeeting(2017,2018,&2019), 2 nd Nomads Tango(2019), Abrazo Milonguero Festival,3 rd Sofia Tango Festival(2018), Tango Dream Varna Marathon(2017) and in Greece Abrazo Milonguero TANGO Festival 2018, also in some of the most famous milongas such as “MILONGA HERMOSA”, “El Cabeceo”, “Cathedral” (Athens) and “Milonga La Serenata” και “META – Milonga” at Thessaloniki. He has been as TDj in many milongas in the northeastern part of Greece at Alexandroupolis, Komotini, Xanthi and Chrysoupoli. As TDj, he works towards building the mood of the milonga, by traveling the dancers deeper and deeper into the music. As a tango dancer along with his experience of TDj-ing in many different kinds of milongas (day and night, short and long) and also in practicas, he is able to adapt the program in any circumstances. His program focuses on the dancers and his main goal is to keep them energetic and dancing all the milonga long! He plays tango music mainly from golden age tango orchestras and completes his program from other age orchestras and modern orchestras.

Sarah Karavasili

4th tangoaires marathone the moodmakers adnan banner

He first met the world of tango in 2010 doing Latin dances. He continued his tango life as a social tango dancer for 5 years and in 2015, he added tango as a DJ as well as dancing. He currently lives in Istanbul and participates in many local and international festivals and marathons in Turkey and abroad as a dancer and also works as a tango DJ at these events.
His approach to tango DJing is to choose mostly danceable traditional music for tango dancers. In this way his motto is to get the happiness of the dancers in the environment, which is the most important thing. He arranges the tango accordingly. In other words, he organizes the night live performance with the reactions of the dancers. In fact, in this sense, we can say that the music of the night is created together with the dancers.
In addition to rhythmic tandas, he adopts a style that designs the night with his choices that appeal to romantic and inner feelings. He believes that creating and researching tango tandas is a lifelong process. His favorite orchestras: Carlos Di Sarli, Juan D’Arianzo, Anibal Troilo, Miguel Calo.