Mario Consiglieri and Anabella Diaz-Hojman first came to Australia six years ago. They have been returning each year since and now have a dedicated following. Here is an interview originally published on TangoAustralia in May 2007.

Mario: My earliest tango memory is... listening to Daniel Binelli Tango7 (Maron y azul by Piazzolla) that music really got into me.
Anabella: My earliest tango memory is…  Mom singing tango as she drive us to school

We became partners… in January of 2004

The greatest influence on our dancing is…  listening to Di Sarli and Piazzolla, watching and learning from Gustavo Naveira and Giselle Anne, Chicho Frumboli and Eugenia Parrilla, [and] working on projects with colleagues now.

The orchestras we are enjoying at the moment are…  Fresedo, Biaggi, Canaro, Di Sarli (always), Pugliese, Demare, Donato, Piazzolla, Sexteto Milonguero

What we love about tango the most is…  connecting on many levels with another human being

We are currently working on …our website Mario:…[and} being a better listener with Anabella, with peoples’ needs, turning a weakness into a strength.

The worst thing you can do at a milonga is… not enjoy yourself

The most exciting thing about tango in Buenos Aires is… being with so many friends at one time in one place, watching people connect and get to know each other.

When we come to Australia we like to … spend time with our friends, see new places, try new foods, work as hard as the communities are willing to work with us

Our advice to someone just starting to dance tango is… pace yourself for the long road, there is so much to enjoy in dance... not being over-anxious to achieve will keep it enjoyable.  If you get frustrated with dancing, listen to the music and watch your favorite dancers, if that doesn’t work listen to the music and talk with a friend, if that doesn’t work, maybe a glass of nice red wine to help you find some relaxation and inspiration.

When you come to our workshops you need to… be prepared to work hard.  Be prepared to listen and use a good learning ethic.  Follow the information like you are learning from the very beginning... it doesn't help for you to apply what we teach from an external perspective... get your mind and body into what we propose... and you will feel shortly after exactly what we mean.

Our website is: www.marioyanabella.com
Our blog is: www.mario-y-anabella.blogspot.com

This interview is copyright Tango Australia and may not be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher.