Our Team
Who we are
Masha and Aja have been serving the Washington metropolitan area and the global tango community as teachers, performers and event organizers for conjointly more than 30 years. They have run popular milongas, brought high quality instructors to town, worked with musicians, built a non-profit, trained new teachers, appeared in documentaries and theater productions, and taught thousands of people how to dance tango! Their student base spans the full spectrum of complete beginner to teacher-in-training. During their time in the non-profit sector they served populations such as veterans, seniors, kids and the LGBTQ+ community. Masha and Aja met in 2010. Their combined vision, skills and creativity have been explosive ever since.
Fábrica is blessed to be comprised of an extraordinary team.
Our Team
Aja Fenn (Co-founder)
Formerly the Artistic Director of an arts-education DC based non-profit, Aja has helped build the Washington DC's tango community through outreach programs, classes, special and ongoing events and much more. She discovered tango in the year 2000 and has since made countless trips to Argentina to deepen her understanding of this intricate and interpersonal dance. One visit involved a year of daily study in both roles with master teachers, and nightly dancing in the milongas and practicas of Buenos Aires. Aja is authorized to teach various embodiment practices including the Justisse Method®, and the Non-Linear Movement Method®. These practices have awakened her to the interplay of feminine and masculine energy, which lies at the heart of all things. Her work with tango embraces and reveals this symbiotic polarity. Her teaching career has taken her to London, Berlin, throughout the United States and Australia. Listen to an interview with Aja on Humans of Tango podcast.
Masha Abapolnikova (Co-founder)
Masha is a professional tango dancer and teacher with over a decade of experience. Formerly the Executive Director of an arts-education DC-based non-profit, Masha has helped build the Washington DC's tango community through outreach programs, classes, special and ongoing events and much more. She is known for her clarity, musicality and connection, as well as a warm, engaging teaching style. To fully embrace this dance Masha has immersed herself in studying both leading and following roles and is often seen switching between both on the social dance floor. She is passionate about finding the unique key to improvement for each student and she emphasizes individual technique and natural movement as the foundation for a deep tango connection. Masha has traveled all around the world to study and dance tango, including the US, Argentina and Europe.
Yves René (Instructor)
Born in DC, Yves discovered Argentine tango in Boston in 2007 and was captivated at first sight. He encourages students to explore both sides of the embrace to provide a rich understanding of the tango connection. He approaches tango learning as a lifelong journey, and strives to support a community that fosters the growth of students both inside and outside the classroom. After extensive teaching in Boston from 2015 to 2022, Yves moved to Washington DC and is now thrilled to be part of such a vibrant and growing tango hub.
Patricio Lizarraga (Instructor)
Born in La Paz, Bolivia, Patricio Lizarraga emerged into this world destined to carry on a legacy of dance. His family's roots were deeply emersed in dance, both socially and professionally, and from an early age he was enveloped in this world. Under the warm glow of his father's spotlight, Patricio first witnessed the mesmerizing allure of tango. In that moment the flame of passion for tango was ignited within him. At the age of 15, he embarked on a journey that would shape him into a true tango virtuoso. Under the guidance of his family's dance heritage, he began training diligently, dedicating countless hours to practicing the intricate steps and soulful movements that tango demanded. His insatiable thirst for learning led him to seek wisdom from some of the most esteemed figures in tango. Patricio humbly learned from world champions and revered teachers, incorporating their wisdom into his own unique dance style. Over the years, Patricio's skill and artistry flourished, and he found himself gracing stages and dance floors across the nation. Patricio felt a calling to pass on his knowledge and expertise to others. His teaching is driven by a desire to ignite the same spark of passion in his students that had been kindled in him years ago.
Gabriel Medeiros (Instructor)
Gabriel took his first tango lesson in 2009. He is based in Annapolis, MD and has danced extensively throughout North and South America. Gabriel is a believer in the joyous ability of Argentine tango to connect and bring people together, which is why he began teaching in 2013. His teaching focuses on simple, musical steps, aimed at deepening dancer's connections to each other and the music, unlocking each student's power to express and enjoy themself.
Phil Jones (Instructor)
Since 1960, Phil has danced a multitude of genres. He began his deep study of Argentine tango in 2007, and started teaching it in 2015. His passion lies in achieving - and helping others achieve - genuine unity within the partnership and with the music. It is his belief that even complex movements can feel effortless. His teaching breaks down the interconnectedness of the whole body in tango movement, enabling students to practice and execute such movement beyond a particular step or figure. In 2022 Phil performed tango on stage with Parasol Arts Dance Company, Denver CO, and won various awards at the ATUSA championships. He built (with his own hands) and operates Bienvenido Dance Studio in Takoma Park, and has co-hosted, since 2017, the weekly radio show “Bienvenido al Tango”, where listeners can enjoy unexpected pleasures and take a deep dive into the history and evolution of tango music. Above all, when it comes to tango, Phil is like a kid with a toy that he loves to share. He likes to remind people that tango is fun – the complexity, the physicality, the music, the social challenge, the mental struggle, the clothes, the emotion – it’s all a special treat we are lucky to have!
Timothy Raben (Instructor)
Tim discovered Argentine tango one dreary evening in New England while suffering from the pangs of boredom. The unique mix of music, movement, and human connection sparked a new love. Pretty soon nothing could keep him from the dance floor: learning, practicing, and exploring tango. After many years dancing, DJing, and teaching all over the Americas and Europe, Timothy recently relocated to DC. Timothy describes the joy from tango as ethereal: sometimes it's just a moment that lingers, sometimes it forces you to take a break, and sometimes you just have to stay out on the dance floor.
Sasha Milentey (Instructor)
Born in Belarus, Sasha's tango adventure began in Bologna, Italy, in 2013. A decade later, a transformative teacher training program at Fábrica Tango Academy connected her to the vibrant Annapolis tango community. This unleashed a discovery of her gifts, talent and passion for teaching. She has since embarked on a new chapter as a tango teaching assistant and local tango instructor. Sasha loves building community, and sharing her passion and knowledge about tango with aspiring dancers. She is especially known, by all, for her immense generosity of heart.
Seyhan Gül (Cielo Shoes & Clothing Founder)
Growing up in Turkey, Seyhan was exposed to folk dance from a young age. He took his first Argentine tango lesson in 2011 in Ankara. Since then, he has been working with constant curiosity and commitment to improve his technique, connection, and musicality. He places a high premium on quality clothing and supporting the artisans in his home country, this vision resulted in the creative direction and birth of Fábrica’s tango’s apparel and shoe line “Cielo”.
Baird Straughan (Annapolis Práctica Host)
Baird loved Lindy Hop but Sue danced West Coast swing. They compromised in 2007 and chose tango as their dance together. In it, Baird explores his need for connection - to his partner, to the music, to the community. He’s worked professionally in organizational development and adult learning, and loves to watch the way dance communities evolve, how they’re imprinted by their leaders, how one dancer’s choices reverberate among all the others in a práctica. He is fond of saying that the only thing more difficult than learning tango is teaching tango, and he deeply respects those who can find the words - or silences - that help the music slowly filter from the student’s brain to the body and into the embrace. Who knows how this miracle happens? He is delighted to be part of Fabrica’s team and their humble, tenacious pursuit of the best way to connect people in this life-long dance. Baird hosts the Sunday Annapolis Práctica on the weeks that Aja is away.
Debbie Badro (Patron Saint of Fábrica Tango Annapolis)
Debbie’s passion for dance and music started when she was a little girl and eventually carried her to the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore for 8 years. Later, she pursued ballroom dancing, competing and winning in many US and international events. When Argentine Tango was first introduced to Annapolis by Julie McCormick, Debbie attended the very first class and fell in love with the dance. Her dedication to supporting Tango in Annapolis has materialized in significant acts of generosity. In 2016, she and her husband Nabil purchased the Severna Park Racquetball and Fitness Club (SPRFC). Since then, SPRFC has become an epicenter for Tango in the area, hosting regular Argentine tango classes and practicas in addition to other social dance events. Her fostering and support of the Tango community in Annapolis exemplifies Debbie’s passion, dedication and beneficence. Debbie resides in Severna Park, Maryland with her loving husband and 2 boys, Michael and Benjamin. She became a Nurse Practitioner after pursuing her Masters in Science, a career that she has practiced for many years.