The 3rd Tango Aires Marathon has come to an end and marked another important chapter in the journey of Tango Aires.
For four days, the city of Xanthi hosted an international tango marathon, bringing together dancers from different countries and tango backgrounds.
A shared experience, on and off the dance floor.
Below, you will find reflections from participants, photos and videos from the event, as well as a message from the Tango Aires team.
From the very beginning, the Tango Aires Marathon has been closely connected to the city of Xanthi and its unique character.
During the 3rd Tango Aires Marathon, historic buildings and venues across the city hosted milongas and gatherings, creating an environment where memory, space, and the contemporary experience of tango naturally came together.
These venues were not merely a backdrop, but an active part of the overall experience.
Music played a central role in the experience of the 3rd Tango Aires Marathon.
Throughout the marathon, the DJs shaped the atmosphere of the dance floor, accompanying the tandas and moments of connection, and giving rhythm and continuity to the flow of the dance.
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.
Dr. Hakki Ince discovered Tango 22 years ago, a journey that transformed both his understanding of music and life itself. Although the beginning was difficult, Tango reshaped his world, deepening his musical passion, which had been part of his life since childhood.
As an amateur musician who played guitar and sang, Tango opened up new dimensions of rhythm and silence for him, leading him to become a Tango DJ. For the last 9 years, he has been DJing in various cities in his country and internationally, including Greece, Ukraine and Croatia. His experience as a DJ allows him to create a unique atmosphere on the dance floor, making the participants smile and applaud his music – a magical moment that he values as a treasure.
Dr. Ince stresses the importance of careful selection and curation of music. A good DJ must listen repeatedly to find heart touching tracks that he aims to share with the dancers. His mission is not just to play music, but to create a joyful experience for everyone. He is committed to bringing satisfaction to each participant and feels responsible for the atmosphere he creates.
His favorites are from the golden age of tango, but he is open to new music if it brings happiness to the dance floor. To him, being a Tango DJ is more than knowledge – it’s about sharing happiness through music.
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.
In love with tango for 12 years, Mata believes that music matters! She selects the music with emotion and passion! Her tandas are colorful, melodic, and danceable! Mata will inspire you with beautiful music and a pinch of challenge.
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.
Her first contact with tango as a dancer, was in 2015,. Since 2018, she has started showing a special interest in tango music, as she considers its musicality, an integral part of a good dancer.
Since then, she has played music in milongas in Greek cities, such as Xanthi, Larissa and Katerini, but also often in practicas of the TangoAires and Tangazo groups of which she is a member, in Xanthi and Katerini respectively. What excites her about tango music is the variety of rhythms and textures. At the milonga, her goal is to satisfy even the most demanding dancer, which is why the music she plays is aimed at all levels of dancers.
As she says, her purpose is to see the couples experimenting in the ronda, smile and be passionate. Her program is characterized by energy, intensity and rhythm, but also by groovy cortinas! She loves Golden Age tangos, but has a particular affinity for tango re-enactments by modern orchestras.
Our celebration ended with a special evening this year. New and old friends shared the same feelings as if they had known each other for a long time. For us at Tangoaires, it was a surprise to see so many participants offering their help and recognizing our voluntary efforts… thank you!
We could have held this event in a hotel or an exhibition center or even a small stadium, considering the number of applications we received. However, that is not our goal. Our goal is for everyone who comes to get to know the little gems of the city, to be as many as can become a group, and in the end to get to know each other by our first names! That is precisely why we are enlisting as much help as we can so that after each evening we are ready to welcome you to a different venue, creating new images.
For all this effort, first and foremost, we would like to thank our volunteers who gave us their time and love, who were always there with a smile, helping to make everyone feel welcome… what you offer is invaluable! To everyone who enriched our buffet with their delicacies… everything was delicious!!!
Sophia and Fotini from the catering company who worked overtime to provide us with their fresh delicacies whenever we asked for them!
Aristos Tamias who, among other things, spent countless hours setting up our website www.tangoaires.gr in time for the event.
Nikos Intzes, who took care of our sound!
The Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Ms. Polyxeni Brika, the manager of the Manos Hadjidakis House of Art and Thought, Ifigenia Spanopoulou, and the staff who helped and supported us.
The Municipality of Xanthi, and especially Mr. Anastasios Tarenidis, for granting us use of the Old Town Hall and for his assistance.
The Thracian Art and Tradition Foundation for entrusting us with such an important monument!
Our sponsors who provided us with their products so that all our guests could get a taste of our city… Paparaskevas, Rossidis, Bebekidis, and local businesses, Flower Factory, Tam-tam traditional café, 41kai vale, Gameland, Stavrakaras, Sekletia for supporting our madness.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Despina Damianidou (elegancia portena), Kimourtzi Aikaterini-Styliani (Cathrine Stella shoe collection), Politimi Kitsidi (Polytimi Nature Awakening), and Polina Kozarova (piuma d’oro) for enhancing the event with their creations each year.
Alkyoni Pap and Alexis Kadoglou Tango filmmaker, who, even though the moments are already etched in our minds and hearts, will make them last forever!
Our pilot and friend Sotiris Aslanidis for his photographic flights!
A huge thank you to the DJs, Sonja Zivanovic, Emir Ljaljević, Mickoska Dance, Hakkı İnce, Мата Венци Джореви, Adnan Demirel, Yiannis Dafnis, Sarah Karavasili, who are actually our friends, for getting everyone on the dance floor with their selections and not letting us rest for even a tanda!
But we will always thank all of you for the love with which you embrace our celebration and the energy you bring to our team and our city!
We will always strive to reward it.
And, as we do every year, we would like to apologize to all those who did not manage to register for the event in time. Our desire to provide the best possible service to those who have already registered, to maintain the best possible balance between damas and cavaliers, and our concern for the proper use of our facilities do not allow us to exceed certain limits.
We consider it important to inform you that with your participation, we have managed to financially support the activities of our city’s Historical & Folklore Museum again this year. In this way, you too have become volunteers in the effort our team makes every year. It is a great honor for us and for our city.
And we will say it again! In this group, tangoaires, more than each person’s dancing skills, we appreciate the warmth of their embrace and smile. And all of you filled us with these things again this year! We will continue to volunteer because that is the only way this event will retain its warmth!
Filled with memories and happiness, we renew our appointment for next year, hoping that no one will be missing!!!
With a special evening, our celebration concluded once again this year. With new and old friends sharing the same emotions, as if they had known each other forever. For us at Tangoaires, it was a delightful surprise to see so many participants offering their help, recognizing our volunteer efforts. We thank you!
Dancers from Greece and abroad publicly shared their experiences of the 3rd Tango Aires Marathon.
Their words reflect the atmosphere, hospitality, and character of the event as it was lived by those who joined us.
Taken together, these reflections confirm the Tango Aires Marathon as an international meeting point shaped by people, connection, and shared experience.
Είναι πάντα ξεχωριστά! Και είναι έτσι, γιατί μεταφέρετε αυτή την υπέροχη ζεστασιά της ομάδας σας αλλά και της πόλης σας, σε όλους μας που συμμετέχουμε. Σας ευχαριστούμε που μας προσφέρετε τόσο όμορφες εμπειρίες και συναισθήματα!
For each edition, I thought it couldn't be better organized, but it's always much better than the previous one! I can't wait for the next one. Thanks for your amazing hospitality and Panagiota, I know it was the "easy part" 🙂, but thank you for the Sunday sun as well.
Αγαπημένα Πλάσματα , που γίνατε τόσο γρήγορα Αγαπημένα , σας Ευχαριστούμε από τα μεγάλα βάθη της Καρδιάς μας για τη ζεστή Φιλοξενία , την Αγκαλιά ~ και δεν αναφέρομαι μόνο στις tantas που συναντηθήκαμε κι αυτοσχεδιάσαμε ~ στην Αγάπη που δεχτήκαμε κι αυτή που επιστρέψαμε ! Έχουμε απόθεμα και μαζί μας που θα κρατήσει για καιρό και θα προστίθεται σαν τα καράτια από κάΤι ανεκτίμητο και πολύτιμο με την υποκειμενική μετάφραση του καθένα/-μίας ! Ευχαριστούμε όλ@ αυτά τα Χαμόγελα που ανταμώσαμε στην είσοδο , on the dance floor , στο μπουφέ , στη σκάλα , τη σάλα που άλλαζε κάθε φορά , στο δρόμο κι ό,που αλλού πέριξ ! Για τους υπέροχους χώρους δεν έχω λόγια ~ βαθειά ΣυγΚίνηση ειδικά και στον τελευταίο ιστορικό χώρο/μνημείο !Αυτό είναι το Επίθετο στα ονόματα όλων των Πλασμάτων που συμμετείχαμε και φτιάξαμε αυτό το υπέροχο Γλυπτό , ποτισμένο με τη διάΘεσή μας τη μετακινούμενη ! Τους Φίλους που συναντήσαμε και τους καινούργιους που αποκτήσαμε ! Μεγάλη αγκαλιά ~ αυτή τη φορά εξ'αποστάσεως , μέχρι το επόμενό μας αντάμωμα ! Σας γλυκοφΥλώ Αγαπημένα όλ@ !
I was happy to come and leaving such a good party always makes me sad. Thank you for the magic, the tenderness, and the love. I am endlessly grateful for the tandas we had, the gracious ladies that danced or refused, the emotions we shared and your perfume that lingered like memories on my shirt and hands… face. You filled my soul and body with happiness that I will carry until we meet again. To my beloved friends, old and new—take care, until we reunite and dance together once more.
So this past weekend I've been in Greece for the first time. And boy was it an amazing first time! 🤯 I kinda knew that I'm going to have great dances at Tangoaires Marathon as I've met some of the people from Xanthi and Greece in Skopje and Kolašin, danced with them or saw them dancing. I've been also told by the people I trust that there will definitely be some amazing dancers there. And I'm grateful for all the amazing tandas. But I honestly couldn't even dream about the level of hospitality and care I was about to find there. Yes, part of the amazing experience were the beautiful town of Xanthi and great venues and DJs and great food but what I will cherish most and the main reason I will definitely return there is the care Panagiota, Sarah, Christine, Kostas, Aristos and the rest of their wonderful team showed since before we applied until we got back home. ❤ It was honestly pleasure to be on the receiving end of all of it. And was also a pleasure seeing how their group gives their all for all of it to work well and how much joy and pride there is in everything that they were doing. 🥰 Even the people not part of the team were also super welcoming and willing to make us feel at home 🙏 Σας ευχαριστώ πάρα πολύ μέσα από την καρδιά μου. Τα λέμε του χρόνου! ❤ P.S. After party was also a great closure for the wonderful weekend and I had best roommates and travel buddies I could ask for! 🎉
Dear Panagiota, Kostas and team, You did it again! Impecable organization, outstanding choice of venues and djs, all in all a wonderful event for the 3rd time 🙂 . Now looking forward to the 4th !!
For a week I was thinking about what words of thanks to write to this amazing team. You are wonderful people dancers, friends. We left with a sweet nostalgia and anticipation for the next one. Djs, volunteers, participants, photographers, cooks, musicians, you did an amazing job. I hold this sweet feeling that cannot be described in words A hug and lots of kisses to everyone.
Usually, when I go to tango events, I hope to see some lovely people I know, meet new ones, dance with as many as possible, explore a new city, try delicious food, or have amazing roommates. This time, I had it all! I owe this incredible experience mostly to Sarah, Panagiota, Christine, Kostas, Aristos, and the rest of their wonderful team for inviting me to DJ in Greece for the first time. Their hospitality and kindness are truly something I deeply appreciate and will always remember. I can't wait for the next edition of the Tangoaires Marathon! ❤️
Dear to my heart tango people from Xanthi's marathon - both organizers and participants ❣️ ... when there is something happening in life for me is more important to live it than to shoot it (even I am into photography a lot!). Once I do experience such event and it is way bigger and stronger than I was expecting and I am able to describe with words, I just feel I got larger in my soul and feel the warmth of it and I just smile with a memory of it... So this might explain why I did not put even one comment and just hearts under your emotional posts; why I just took once my phone during all the milongas to make a video for our beginners in Plovdiv, Bulgaria - so they can just see a piece of magic and feel the atmosphere in order to join bravely next year! (And as I have just 1 video, it is easy for me to decide what to post 😅) From my heart to your hearts, as, tangero to tangero, as human being to human being and even more - as soul to soul, I cherish each one of you, I feel love and gratefulness to you all, and I am blessed to be so joyful and rich with such special people on my path 🙏❣️ I thank you and I would just feel previleged to have opportunity to hug you again, to dance for 4th year in those special historical buildings and to share togetherness in various forms... Efharisto poli ❤️❤️❤️🥰🥰🥰🙏🙏🙏 ( Panagiota Skarlatou , thank you for inviting me to share, otherwise I would have just continuing being here dreamy and smiley about what you made possible for us - you are a true magic team 🔥🔥🔥)
The moments of the 3rd Tango Aires Marathon were captured through the lenses of the photographers and videographers of the event.
Photos and videos document the energy of the dance floor, the encounters between dancers, and the unique atmosphere created across the venues of Xanthi.
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.
The venues that hosted the 3rd Tango Aires Marathon were an essential part of the experience.
Historic buildings and distinctive spaces in Xanthi became places of meeting, dance, and exchange, strengthening the connection between tango and the city’s character.
A neoclassical – style building erected in the early 20th century. It is typical of the communal buildings, built by the Greeks during the last few years of the Ottoman Empire. It is located at what was then the main commercial street in order to house the ” Greek Club”. It was a donation of the merchant Michael Matsinis.
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.
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.
Three-storey preserved building, of the 19th century.
Urban mansion of eclectic architecture, built around 1880 by the tobacco merchant Moses. Local sandstone from the quarries of Mandra and Rhodope granite were used.
The double central staircase is impressive. It has a rich interior decoration of ironwork and plaster decorations of a material, the composition of which has not been ascertained to date, as well as for its carved ceilings.
The 3rd Tango Aires Marathon has come to an end, but the journey continues.
The Tango Aires Marathon remains a living process, evolving through the experiences, the people, and the encounters that shape each edition.
In this way, what was shared during the 3rd Marathon becomes the foundation for the chapters that follow.