05/08/2026
So much of what you experienced throughout the weekend was made possible by the dedication, care, and hard work of this amazing group. We are deeply grateful to the many members of our team who traveled from all over the world to bring their unique love of Tango to our event. We would like to share our appreciation with our entire SoCal family.
Starting with our Event and Competition Coordinator, Melody, who kept the floor flowing and the volunteer team organized with care and precision. Every year with her has become easier, smoother, and more enjoyable for everyone involved thanks to her energy and genuine love for the event. Helping run the festival were Chris, Marina, and Stephen as assistant managers, whose dedication and attention to detail helped the event flow better than ever before.
A special appreciation goes to our Competition Team - Danilo, Brian, and Oscar - for guiding the process with care, clarity, and a steady hand throughout the event. We also want to thank Amanda for her offsite consulting to make sure the competition would run smoothly. Together with the help of our volunteers Addis, Karla, Jade, Sara, and Yu Su, this became our most streamlined competition to date.
We are always so thankful for Mimi, our lovely MC from Berlin, who guided us through the weekend with warmth, charm, and her uniquely magnetic presence.
At the front desk, SCTC veterans David and Joyee, together with Eric and Malina, were there to welcome everyone and help in every way possible.
Fay, our head designer, brought the visual identity of the event to life through her unique background in interior design and fashion. Her team - Meghan, Barbara, Claudia, Gigi, Arpi, and Dion - helped transform Fay’s vision into the whimsical stage we all had the joy of dancing on.
To the setup and cleanup team - Dion, Megan, Melody, Roy, Alex, Robert, Bobby, and Hidir - this festival could not have come together without your herculean and tireless efforts.
Count, assisted by Saddam, provided lighting for the event and created a playful and distinctive atmosphere for us all to dance and share space in. Brick, as always, created the perfect sonic soundscape, making every moment on the dance floor feel rich, warm, and alive. Jim provided one of the softest and most comfortable dance floors on the festival circuit in the U.S.
A heartfelt thank you to our Maestro and Judge Handler Team, led by Jennifer, with the help of Elizabeth, Alexandra, Becky, Damian, and Effie.
Our media team included Eric as head videographer and trailer editor extraordinaire, Don documenting the event on video for our archives, Rui as head photographer capturing so many beautiful moments, and Dagny sharing the spirit of SoCal through social media. With Monika handling social media posts year-round and Goran providing website tech support, our festival continues to reach so many people thanks to your tireless efforts.
Big thanks to our driving team - Roy, Jeff, and Robert - for helping transport our SoCal team and Maestros throughout the weekend. We truly could not have done it without you.
Special thanks as well to Rouzana and Gigi for stepping in wherever a little extra attention was needed.
Lastly, thank you to the rest of our incredible volunteers: Alexander, Amanda, Andrea, Anna, Betty, Bobby, Cobby, Crystal, Danielle, Dimitri, Drew, Elena N., Elena S., Euna, Fernando, Hande, Hidir, Jacquelyn, James, Jamila, Janice, John, Jorge, Lourdes, Margarita, Mel, Rachel, Scarlett, Scott, Tina and Varsha. Your energy, generosity, and willingness to jump in wherever needed are what truly bring SoCal to life. It truly takes a village to create something like this, and we are deeply grateful to each and every one of you.
