Wilderness Tango Event

WILDERNESS TANGO EVENT – August 2026 email: [email protected] Jonathan: 07811 163560 LINK HERE FOR REGISTRATION: OPEN - https://forms.gle/C8ZaKBADMfUDDwo1A Wednesday 26 August - Monday 31 August (Late August Bank Holiday) Arrival: 2pm Wednesday 26 August 2026 Departure: 11am Tuesday 1 September ++++++++++This is an 11 Milonga event with a pre party, including tango workshops, wellness classes and fun activities, running over 6 days and 6 nights. We aim to be role balanced++++++++++ WHERE South Ward Farm, Bere Alston, Yelverton, Devon PL20 7EX, HOW TO BOOK Registrations: Open via the link ABOVE: Facebook Group: Wilderness Tango Registration enquiries: [email protected] http://tango.theenchantedwilderness.co.uk HOW TO PAY Once you have completed and submitted your online booking, you will receive an automatic online receipt. In due course you will then be sent an email to let you know if you have been successful. Please be patient if you don’t hear immediately and this may take a little while. If your place is accepted, we will email payment instructions. All bookings become valid once we have received your payment. Privacy, Terms and Conditions will be at the bottom of your acceptance email. DESCRIPTION We welcome you to join us for tango dancing and communal fun for 6 days and 6 nights over the late August bank holiday weekend in our beautiful riverside location, near Bere Alston in the heart of the enchanting Tamar Valley, an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It’s a serene getaway, surrounded by lush fields and the flowing waters of the River Tamar. If you are not in the mood for dancing, then relax on the farm under the trees, stroll in wildflower meadows, cool your feet in the stream or swim/kayak in the river. There are wonderful river walks where you can enjoy the sound of rare birds. If you want the magic of the hands of reflexology, Alexander Technique, and other Wellness activities, sign up for these relaxing experiences. Start your day with Tai Chi. The huge meadow with views of the Tamar River has plenty of space for tents, caravans, and camper vans. The Buddha Barn, an old barn, which has been restored, provides a lovely dance floor. PRICES Full Event Pass: £130 Includes all the milongas and practicas, and any Free class from Wednesday until Monday night Weekend Pass: £120 Includes all milongas, practicas and free classes from Friday until Monday night Single Milonga Pass (Not Saturday): £15 Single Milonga Pass (Saturday) £20 Day Pass (Not Saturday) includes all free classes £35 Day Pass (Saturday) includes all free classes £40 Pre Party drop-ins £10 on the door WORKSHOP PRICES Sophie Martinez £20 single workshop as a drop in £55 for 3 sessions over 3 consecutive days Michael Lavocah £18 single workshop £30 for 2 workshops booked together Kate Miller and Yuri Bellicanta £15 single workshop Alexander Technique £15 single workshop HAPPY TO BE WITH SOPHIE MARTINEZ Workshops and Private Lessons Sophie Martinez is well known and loved by us in the south-west, with a long history of collaboration and friendship. Sophie always brings great energy and commitment to her teaching at home in Seville and around Europe where she has taught extensively. We’re really happy to have her back at Wilderness, delivering three progressive workshops with focus on body mechanics, awareness and the all-important ‘tango connection.’ The ‘how’ of tango? Sophie will show us! MICHAEL LAVOCAH Workshops, DJ, Private Lessons, TAI CHI Michael brings tango music to life, by connecting us as dancers to the musicians and explaining their stories as we glide around the dance floor. A leading expert on the music of tango’s Golden Age, he is a natural raconteur. His seminars are world famous: to date, he has given presentations in more than thirty cities in fifteen different countries. We’re delighted he is joining us again at Wilderness, delivering two workshops in his signature passionate style; and conducting us from his DJ desk in the milonga! Wake up early and join him for his other passion Tai Chi. YURI “GAUCHO” BELLICANTA Workshops, DJ, Private Lessons KATE MILLER: Workshops and Private Lessons Yuri ‘Gaúcho’ Bellicanta and Kate Miller are champions of the Baltic Open Tango Cup 2018 (Tango Pista and Tango Vals), achieving also 2nd place in Milonga. They were also finalists at the Munster European Tango Contest 2018 (3rd place Milonga category) and 2019. They met dancing and have an elegant dance style fuelled by powerful subtle musicality. They are very dedicated to sharing their passion and knowledge of Tango with others. There is a link to YouTube and instagram, where you can find more info on this couple. https://www.metafierrotango.com/about EDDIE from [email protected] DJ, Photographer It’s lovely to welcome Eddie again with his contagious love and knowledge of tango music . He brings a natural flow ‘de la energia’ to the dance floor which creates a vortex of oneness with the music STANIA DIFFEY DJ Stania Diffey is an experienced tango DJ and teacher from the South West of England.With many years of working closely with dancers and a strong knowledge of tango music, she enjoys creating balanced elegant tandas that keep the energy flowing. A familiar face at Tango Feast and many local milongas. She also has her own tango school in Exeter where she offers weekly classes. ANDREW OLDROYD DJ Andrew has been running Tango events and DJing for over 25 years. His DJing style is strictly golden age traditional, with perhaps the occasional tanda outside of this period. Andrew chooses music for its uplifting qualities; the ‘A - sides’ one might say. The music needs to be beautiful, energetic and romantic. The music should help the dancers lose any heaviness, grow wings and fly. He cuts a striking figure on the floor too, never without his beret! WELLBEING ACTIVITIES Start the day with a lightness of heart, mind and body TAI CHI with Michael Lavocah 0915 until 1015 Free morning class on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE with Gunda Fielden and her crew Learn the connections between your mind and body. Start to regain poise and lightness of movement On Monday there will be a class in the Buddha Barn to explore how freedom of movement can affect your dance and help give poise and balance Private Lessons will be available during the whole of the festival with either Gunda or Natalie REFLEXOLOGY Enjoy a foot massage to give your feet a holiday. Birte Raap will delight your feet with a foot massage to de-stress and be ready for the next milonga. RIVER ACTIVITIES Bring your own paddle board - kayak - water craft – swim, there is a tidal estuary. Follow this link to hire watercraft from Plymouth - https://tkwatersports.co.uk/home WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES SOPHIE MARTINEZ Each workshop is 1hr and 15mins In these workshops we welcome Sophie from Seville, who will deepen exploration of energy circulation in the body through simple and precise exercises. She will show us how deeper awareness of our anatomy can bring greater engagement with our own bodies, as well as our partners, and how we propose and receive ideas influences the dance and the embrace FRIDAY 10.30 until 11.45am WORKSHOP 1: SOPHIE MARTINEZ ENERGY, EMBRACE, CHANGE OF WEIGHT, WALK Investigate the flow of energy in the body (vertical, horizontal) and how it impacts on the movement in the pelvic floor system and in the embrace. How we can explore our own creativity and expressiveness to find mutual interaction across the change of weight and walking SATURDAY 10.30 to 11.45am WORKSHOP 2: SOPHIE MARTINEZ ENERGY, EMBRACE, REBOUND Deepen our exploration of energy circulation in the body through simple and precise exercises. They will help us to investigate in depth how the pelvic floor system is engaged and involved with the centre, coccyx, hips, knees, feet. How we use the centre to propose and receive in the dance and in the embrace. SUNDAY 10.30 to 11.45am WORKSHOP 3: SOPHIE MARTINEZ SPIRAL ENERGY, OPPOSITION, ORGANIC COUNTERPOSTURE, EMBRACE Bring our exploration into the spiral energy of the body. How the spiral naturally activates counterposture and impact in the embrace, and investigate the different lines of force that are involved in proposing and receiving in the dance. Explore through simple sequences that allow for re-examination of how we move MICHAEL LAVOCAH In these workshops Michael brings tango music to life, by connecting us as dancers to the musicians and explaining their stories as we glide around the dance floor. A leading expert on the music of tango’s Golden Age, he is a natural raconteur. His seminars are world famous: to date, he has given presentations in more than thirty cities in fifteen different countries. Each workshop is 1hour and 15 mins SATURDAY 12.15 to 1.30pm WORKSHOP 1: MICHAEL LAVOCAH PEDRO LAURENZ – DANCING TO LYRICAL MUSIC Working with his singers Alberto Podesta and Carlos Bermudez and exploring techniques of the 3 expressive levels and the flexible embrace. Michael will explore with us how to shift our focus between these layers. When a singer like Alberto Podesta hits a dramatic, emotional note, it can make our heart sing and a flexible embrace can allow us to breathe into the energy SUNDAY 12.15 to 1.30pm WORKSHOP 2 : MICHAEL LAVOCAH Pugliese AGAIN! The never-ending story of his brilliance! Because of his dynamic shifts in tension, dancers must learn to hold their balance, extend their movement and suspend time. The music frequently stretches, decelerates and can come to a complete stop. Michael will guide us how to interpret these distinct structural and emotional elements that define his style. KATE MILLER AND YURI BELLICANTA Each workshop is 1hour and 15 mins FRIDAY 12.15 to 1.30pm Workshop 1: Milonga Express All aboard the Wilderness Train for a dynamic ride PRIVATE LESSONS Private lessons can be booked at the event or on the booking form. Private lessons are charged at £55 hour and are paid direct to the teacher. Kate and Yuri teaching as a couple are £65 hour. MICHAEL LAVOCAH Michael Lavocah is a highly experienced teacher, using his knowledge of both music and tango to create a truly unique teaching experience for his pupils. You will leave his classes with new tools and skills to take to the dance floor. KATE AND YURI (teaching as a couple) Yuri ‘Gaúcho’ Bellicanta and Kate Miller are champions of the Baltic Open Tango Cup 2018 (Tango Pista and Tango Vals), achieving also 2nd place in Milonga. They were also finalists at the Munster European Tango Contest 2018 (3rd place Milonga category) and 2019. They met dancing and have an elegant dance style fuelled by powerful subtle musicality. They are very dedicated to sharing their passion and knowledge of Tango with others. There is a link to YouTube and instagram, where you can find more info on this couple. https://www.metafierrotango.com/about SOPHIE MARTINEZ Experienced dancer and performer from Seville, who is interested in combining the mind and body awareness to deepen knowledge of the dance WILDERNESS SCHEDULE AUGUST 2026 WEDNESDAY BUDDHA BARN 3pm onwards Check in 7 to 11pm Pre-Party Milonga DJ: Mr Wilderness Free for those booking a full event pass £10.00 on the door walk in THURSDAY BUDDHA BARN 10am onwards Check-in opens 9.15 to 10.15am Free: Wellness Activity 10.30 to 1.30pm Private Lessons 2 to 6pm DJ: Afternoon Milonga Yuri “Gaucho” Bellicanta 7.30 to 11.30pm DJ: Evening Milonga Andrew Oldroyd MARQUEE 10.30 onwards Open practica (playlist) For dance and would be DJ’s FRIDAY BUDDHA BARN 9.15 to 10.15am Free: Tai Chi with Michael Lavocah 10.30 to 11.45pm WORKSHOP 1: SOPHIE MARTINEZ ENERGY, EMBRACE, CHANGE OF WEIGHT, WALK Investigate the flow of energy in the body (vertical, horizontal) and how it impacts on the movement in the pelvic floor system and in the embrace. How we can explore our own creativity and expressiveness to find mutual interaction across the change of weight and walking. 12.15 to 1.30pm WORKSHOP 1: KATE AND YURI Milonga Express All aboard the Wilderness Train for a dynamic ride 1.30 to 2pm Open practica 2 to 6pm DJ: Afternoon Milonga [email protected] 8 to 12.30am DJ: Evening Milonga Michael Lavocah MARQUEE 10.30 to 1pm Open practica for dance and would be DJ’s Afternoon Private Lessons SATURDAY BUDDHA BARN 9.15 to 10.15am Free: Tai Chi with Michael Lavocah 10.30 to 11.45 WORKSHOP 2: SOPHIE MARTINEZ ENERGY, EMBRACE, REBOUND Deepen our exploration of energy circulation in the body through simple and precise exercises. They will help us to investigate in depth how the pelvic floor system is engaged and involved with the centre, coccyx, hips, knees, feet. How we use the centre to propose and receive in the dance and in the embrace. 12.15 to 1.30pm - WORKSHOP : MICHAEL LAVOCAH PEDRO LAURENZ – DANCING TO LYRICAL MUSIC Working with his singers Alberto Podesta and Carlos Bermudez and exploring techniques of the 3 expressive levels and the flexible embrace. Michael will explore with us how to shift our focus between these layers. When a singer like Alberto Podesta hits a dramatic, emotional note, it can make our heart sing and a flexible embrace can allow us to breathe into the energy 1.30 to 2pm Open practica 2 to 6pm DJ: Afternoon Milonga Andrew Oldroyd 8pm – 1.00am DJ: Evening Milonga Yuri “Gaucho” Bellicanta MARQUEE: 1030 until 1pm Open practica for dance and would be DJ’s Afternoon Private Lessons BUDDHA BARN SUNDAY 9.15 to 10.15am Free: Tai Chi with Michael Lavocah 10.30 to 11.45am WORKSHOP 3: SOPHIE MARTINEZ SPIRAL ENERGY, OPPOSITION, ORGANIC COUNTERPOSTURE, EMBRACE Bring our exploration into the spiral energy of the body. How the spiral naturally activates counterposture and impact in the embrace, and investigate the different lines of force that are involved in proposing and receiving in the dance. Explore through simple sequences that allow for re-examination of how we move 12.15 – 1.30pm WORKSHOP WITH MICHAEL LAVOCAH Pugliese AGAIN! The never-ending story of his brilliance! Because of his dynamic shifts in tension, dancers must learn to hold their balance, extend their movement and suspend time. The music frequently stretches, decelerates and can come to a complete stop. Michael will guide us how to interpret these distinct structural and emotional elements that define his style. 1.30 to 2pm Open practica 2 to 6pm DJ: Afternoon Milonga Michael Lavocah 8:00 to 12:30am DJ: Evening Milonga [email protected] MARQUEE 10.30 to 1pm Open Practica Afternoon Private Lessons BUDDHA BARN MONDAY 9.15 to 10.15am Free: Tai Chi with Michael Lavocah 10.30 to 11.45am Workshop: Alexander Technique for Tango dancers 1pm to 5pm DJ: Afternoon Milonga Stania Diffey HOMEMADE SCONES AND JAM 5 to 9pm DJ: Evening Milonga Mr and Mesdames Wilderness MARQUEE 10.30 - 1pm Open practica for dance and would be DJ’s Afternoon Private Lessons DANCE Each day throughout the course of the Wilderness event, there will be an afternoon and an evening milonga. We have exciting and vibrant workshops from our tango teachers and lucky to have Michael Lavocah with us to share his vast musical and dance knowledge. Sophie Martinez will be inspiring us to move with awareness and focus and Kate and Yuri will be taking us on a fun journey on the Milonga Express workshop. For those wanting to practice, we have a daily practica and private lessons to take your dance to another level with our friendly, expert teachers – Michael, Sophie and Kate and Yuri, and perhaps a few surprises. There are 2 areas for dance – The Buddha Barn used for all milongas and the new Marquee for practice and private lessons. MUSIC We will play Tango, Vals and Milonga with cortinas. In the afternoons there will be mainly traditional tango and depending on the DJ, with some modern flavours. During the evening milongas, there will be traditional music mostly from the Golden Age period. We would expect people to respect normal Código of the milonga. CHILL OUT BARN COMMUNAL AREA FOR COOKING The Chill Out Barn is the main communal area, which has kitchen facilities – fridge, hob, sink, several kettles and dishwashing facilities. Space in the fridge is limited, please bring your own cool box if possible. There is a limited supply of crockery, so please bring your own bowls and utensils if possible. Perfect for visitors to gather, chat and dine together at the large dining table. We hope people will hang out and eat together so if you feel like it, please bring food and drink to share. A gathering place for all mealtimes with a pretty outside garden. OVERNIGHT STAY/ACCOMMODATION South Ward Farm will be open from 2pm Wednesday 26 August. You are welcome to have an early stay and explore our beautiful countryside. Please contact us for availability, if you would like to arrive or depart outside of the event date or need info please contact us. There are many local B&B and it is also possible to hire camper vans, caravans, motorhomes, tents and yurts, delivered and set up on our site: Bell Tent hire: devonbelles.co.uk/empty-tent-hire Campervan, Caravan, Motorhome hire: www.camplify.co.uk MOTOR VEHICLES email: [email protected] Jonathan: 07811 163560 CAMPING READY MADE TENT AND PITCHES Please enquire! NORMAL TENT PITCH Wednesday 26th August until Monday 31st August inclusive Per Pitch (Bring your own tent) £100 event price for 6 nights for 2 people Individual nights £17 for 1 night for 1 person Individual nights £20 for 1 night for 2 people please email separately for additional nights Add £3 per night – for more than 2 people sharing Field is sheltered and sloped. Main camping area. Facilities – Outside toilets and showers PRIVATE CAMPING PITCH Bring your own tent £110 event price for 6 nights Wednesday until Monday inclusive 8 pitches available Facilities – Outside toilets and showers Each private pitch is level and has it own view and is accessible by car. They are a small distance away from the main camping area. SMALL CARAVANS, MOTORHOMES CAMPERVAN £120 – event price for 6 nights Wednesday until Monday inclusive £22 – individual nights per night Facilities – outside toilets and showers Accessible for an up to 7.3 metres motorhome or caravan. (if your motorhome or caravan is longer, please check with us) Please state the size of your vehicle Sloped site Outside water tap No chemical disposal point. Please email for hook up availability £10 per night BOAT BED (reserved) Event price £400 max 6 nights With hook up Double bed Electrics, camping gas hob, small fridge Facilities: Please ask for a full list of what is included Shared shower and compost and mains toilet nearby DRIFTWOOD COTTAGE (reserved) GYPSY WAGON (reserved) Event price £300 max 6 nights With hook ups 1 pull out double bed Facilities: Please ask for a full list of what is included Shared shower and compost and mains toilet nearby BEEHIVE CABIN (reserved) Event Price £500 max nights With hook ups Double bed All facilities: Please ask for a full list of what is available Own shower and compost toilet DORMITORY (all reserved) Event price for 6 nights £110.00 . Floor space sharing Dormitory (9 spaces): Individual/extra nights are £20.00 per night. . Single beds made up with duvet and pillow, towel included 4 single beds in female side 3 single beds in male side 2 new beds in downstairs dorm (reserved) Facilities: Shared shower and toilet. The kitchen is in the chill out barn and is shared. LOCAL SUPERMARKET CO OP - Bere Alston, 5 min drive or 15 min walk PLACES TO EAT LOCALLY The Olde Plough Inn - Fore Street, Bere Ferrers PL20 7JL Fish and Chip Shop - 7 Station Rd, Bere Alston PL20 Edgecumbe Hotel PUB only- 2 Fore St, Bere Alston, Yelverton PL20 7AD Hope Cottage - Coffee Shop, 41 Fore St, Bere Alston PL20 7AB LOCATION/DIRECTIONS South Ward Farm, Bere Alston, Yelverton, Devon, PL20 7EX Your blissful and idyllic escape is within reach by both road and public transport (check Bank Holiday schedules in advance) • 30 minutes by foot from Bere Alston train station. • 28 minutes by train from Plymouth • About 1 hour from Exeter Airport by car • 35 minutes from Plymouth by car or train