BIO

An artist Melbourne-based. A tango singer-dance teacher, DJ and performer whose work – and life – is infused with smouldering intensity and colour. Born in Argentina's beautiful Patagonia region, Elena has lived in cities across the globe. Her creativity is inspired by a curious collage of lived experiences.

In 2003, she began dancing tango, in her home town in Patagonia. Some months later, she moved to Buenos Aires, to learn more about Argentine tango, folk dance and popular culture at IUNA (National Institute of Art) where she studied with the most famous teachers. She practiced the classic and also the modern tango, and finally incorporated the authentic tango at the milongas (tango dance ball) of Buenos Aires.

At the beginning of 2008, she moved to Lisbon, Portugal. It was here, where she found hersef with the problem of communicating with the outside world. Without knowing how to speak portuguese, without her friends and without understanding the culture, it was here where she was supposed to start a new life. The isolation and the situation of being outside of her country, made her doubt in everything she knew before. Then the puppets and the pantomime appeared as a new way of interacting with the people around her, a way of expressing feelings, humor and her passion for tango dancing. By the end of the year, Elena, Tom Weber and Franciane Dos Santos founded the company "VarieTango", with the idea of merging puppetry with dance, singing, and tango. This was the year that the performance "Elena & Gustavo" was born. It was also in Lisbon that she worked as a full time tango dance teacher.

In 2014 she merged herself into a new topic: singing. She has performed in Argentina's most iconic venues from the Golden Age of Tango. She has appeared with the Berlin Tango Community Orchestra, and toured in Europe and Japan.

In 2016 she moved to Melbourne, where her current musical focus are "Tango Mood", and "Pio Pio Pio" (South American folk music for children). As a singer, Elena is best known for her ability to open her heart and explore emotions.


Collaborations
- She was lead singer together with Jessie Lloyd (Mission Song Project) interpreting a genuinely Argentinian-Australian version of the famous “Misa Criolla” by Argentinian composer Ariel Ramirez in 2019.

- Participation as one of the main singers and dancer in the show “Postcards of TANGO” premiered at Frankston Arts Center 2020.

Testimonials
* “She sings with the heart in the throat.” - Alicia Mateo.
* “As a musician, she is greatly talented. The history and emotion of tango music radiates from her when she sings. To see and hear her sing is an honour and a delight!” – Jane.
* “Having watched her progress over a few years I've seen a very talented person becoming a professional musician & singer.” - Mark O’Kane
* “I will never forget her singing performance at the Aegean, as part of the MST programme. It was my first month in Melbourne, and I remember her powerful voice and misty eyes, making me feel that I am in a familiar place, even if on a new continent.” - Dasha Spasojevic
* “Elena is a charismatic and enchanting performer. Her singing ranges from intimate and heartfelt to daring and provocative across a variety of South American genres.” Reanna Willis
* “Elena’s singing brings goes bumps. The emotions she can portrait in he performance is amazing. She shows elegance, humour and passion in every single song she sings.” Zita Van Zanten