March 28-30, 2025, again at the Clubhouse in Salt Lake City

Our Event

Pioneer Encuentro is a private, invitation-only, dance-role balanced event for experienced dancers of close-embrace Argentine tango. Dancers agree to observe traditional etiquette and attempt to recreate the social dance experience they imagine existed in milongas frequented by the milongueros of Buenos Aires during the Golden Age of tango. These customs include separate seating for leaders and followers, use of the mirada and cabeceo, and careful dance navigation. The Encuentro features classical music that involves cortinas (musical breaks between dance sets) and tandas typically of three or four similar songs from Golden Age tango orchestras.

Our Mission

To host an Encuentro Milonguero: to bring like-minded dancers of close-embrace Argentine tango and superb DJs together for a unique and memorable experience in a historical and intimate social setting.

Our Values

Friendliness, Respect, Tradition, Connection, and Harmony

Friendliness

Pioneer Encuentro participants aim to be friendly, notice and welcome previous participants, and extend a warm embrace to dancers new to the event; essentially, to not overlook or take anybody for granted.  

Respect

Pioneer Encuentro participants are respectful, particularly of their partners and fellow dancers, as well as service personnel and others they come across during the event. 

Tradition

Pioneer Encuentro participants value the codigos and observe traditional practices and codes of behavior that make the Encuentro experience smooth, safe, and enjoyable for all participants.

Connection

Pioneer Encuentro participants value connection with their partners and fellow dancers both on and off the dance floor. They are sensitive to nuance in connection and value the quality of partner connection as more important than dance elements, figures, or choreography.

Harmony

Pioneer Encuentro participants value harmony: musically, physically, and energetically. Though they individually improvise, they are aware of their surroundings and aim to dance in harmony with those around them so that the entire room's pace of movement and energy is coordinated.

Our Team

Pioneer Encuentro Steering Committee for 2025

Mark Christensen, Founder

Lorraine Christensen

Claudia Goulston

William Howell

Sage Agbonkhese

Acknowledgment

We acknowledge and thank Jonathan Yamauchi and Olivia Levitt for their example and for co-hosting the first Pioneer Encuentro Milonguero, August 10-12, 2018, and all the volunteers who have assisted with Pioneer Encuentro in any capacity since that time.

Our Images

Many of the photos displayed on our site were taken by Adrienne Yvr, Andrey Yaroshchuk, Matt Doval, Sara Melzer, Claudia Goulston, Greg Gee, and other tango photographers who are dancers themselves. The fleeting moments they capture reflect their love for tango, respect for their subjects, and photographic skill. They have generously shared the results of their work and this has documented events and preserved memories for many.  We recognize and appreciate their contribution. (More Pioneer Encuentro images are found under Past Events).