Now is your time to learn to dance Argentine Tango in Baltimore, Maryland. Begin your exploration of this beautiful, colorful and dynamic art form and social scene with an enthusiastic and dedicated group of dancers. Discover the unseen connections and interplay between music, art, movement and self expression.  A new way of learning this legendary dance through weekly classes at Inner Space Tango Fest with Artistic Director David Richardson, as your guide will help you make this dance a new and exciting part of your life.

Wednesday, September 17
Time: 7:00 PM
St Matthias & Church of the Messiah
5801 Harford Rd Baltimore, MD 21214

No Partner needed, no special attire needed, no previous dance experience needed

A celebration of World Music and Art and Dance

Balkan Music Concert and Dance
Learn Balkan Village Dance
with world renowned Bulgarian Traditional Music Ensemble Bulgarika

Live on stage and joining the guests on the dance floor
Wednesday, September 17, 2025
Where:
St. Matthias & Church of the Messiah
5801 Harford Rd
Baltimore, Maryland
https://www.innerspacetangofest.com


to volunteer contact: David Richardson, Artistic Director
Inner Space Tango Fest
[email protected]

                                                                       
Bulgarika is a unique folklore band playing traditional music from all the Bulgarian regions. Nikolay Kolev and Donka Koleva have invited two extraordinary musicians to join them for the 2025 tour:
Stoyan Kostov on tambura and Anton Shekerjiev on tupan and kaba gaida.

Donka Koleva (vocals) is a native of the village of Tuzha in the Stara Zagora region of Thrace. She graduated from the National School of Folk Arts in Shiroka Luka, Bulgaria, and performed for three years with the Sliven Folk Dance and Music Ensemble. She was director of the Folk Song Chorus of Sopot, has been a featured soloist on Bulgarian Radio-TV, has participated in numerous singing competitions in Bulgaria and Europe and has been featured on numerous recordings. In 1997 her recording of Javore was named “Song of the Year” in the Bulgarian national radio competition. Since immigrating to the U.S. she has taught and performed widely across N. America, both privately and at numerous camps, festivals and other events. In addition to her vocal talents Donka serves as Bulgarika’s manager and has organized 12 national tours for the bands Kabile’, Cherven Traktor, Bulgarika and the Kolev Family Ensemble.

Nikolay (Kotata) Kolev (gadulka) a native of the Thracian Rose Valley village of Karavelovo, has been playing gadulka since age 10. After graduating from the National School of Folk Arts in Shiroka Luka, Bulgaria, he performed for three years with the Sliven Folk Dance and Music Ensemble. In 1984 he founded the orchestra “Sopot”. In 1985 he formed the wedding-music ensemble “Rozova Dolina” and in 1992 the prize-winning ensemble “Balkanski Glasove”. In 1994 and 1995 the latter group took first prizes at the Varna Festival. Nikolay has accompanied many well-known singers including Vulkana Stojanova, Roumen Rodopski and Todor Kozhuharov. He has also taught many students at a number of Balkan camps in the U.S. In 1999, Nikolay was
the first Bulgarian to be recognized by the Slavic Heritage Council of America for his outstanding contributions to music.

Stoyan (Pileto) Kostov has been playing Bulgarian tambura for over 50 years. He graduated from the folk music school in Kotel and the Plovdiv Academy of Music and Dance. Stoyan performed with Ensemble Trakiya and played tambura with Harmanliska Troika, and guitar with the Ograzhden ensemble in Sandanski, where he also directed the “N. Vaptsarov” Folk Ensemble. Currently he lives in Phoenix, AZ.

Anton (Shekera) Shekerdjiev developed a deep appreciation for traditional music from a young age. Born into a family of musicians in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, his father's performances at weddings in the Thracian Valley instilled in him a profound understanding of the region's vibrant musical culture. He formed a Balkan music band with fellow Bulgarian musicians brothers Hristevi in Spain, touring extensively throughout the Iberian Peninsula. He relocated to the United States, where he formed the band Kyklo with an American musician deeply inspired by Balkan music. He is honored to be touring with Bulgarika.
                                                       

Cuarteto Rotterdam is tango – full of passion, virtuosity and power. Taking into account more than 100 years of tango history, they perform the early and more cheerful kind of tango music from the Guardia Vieja era with such ease that it makes everyone want to dance. In a compact quartet style, they present the Golden Age of tango from the 1940’s with the elegance of the grand orchestras a la Di Sarli, Troilo, D’Arienzo, Pugliese or Salgán. They feel so close to the challenging Tango Nuevo of Astor Piazzolla that the heartfelt melancholy and complexity of this music is real enough to reach out and touch. And they are curious – willing to explore the new aspects of tango of the 21st century. To share their view that Tango is continually evolving, they artfully incorporate contemporary Argentine and European tango pieces in their concert and dance programme.
The quartet’s classic structure, consisting of bandoneón, violin, piano and double bass, provides a sound experience ranging between tradition and modernity. With their creativity, imagination and experience this small orchestra conjures up a world of tango for all kinds of emotions.

The Musicians
Michael Dolak (Germany) – bandoneón
Susanne Cordula Welsch (Germany) – violin
Judy Ruks (Netherlands) – piano
Facundo Leónidas Di Pietro (Argentina) – double bass

For the first time anywhere the Avolos Solera Duo will join Cuarteto Rotterdam onstage for a sensational celebration of the Cuarteto's 20th Anniversary. Be there for this exciting collaboration, bringing together some of the brightest lights in live Argentine Tango. Be inspired by this tour de force of virtuosic musicianship in the genre of the most excellent danceable Tango which you'll find only in Baltimore at Innerspace Tangofest Grand Milonga. Revel and dance to history in the making.

Heyni Solera, Bandoneonist / Composer / Ethnomusicologist / Producer 
Praised for her “soulful bandoneón” (Washington Classical Review), Heyni Solera is a sought after bandoneonist in Washington, D.C. Heyni has enjoyed a career in the US and abroad performing in Argentina, Canada and Australia and collaborating with prominent tango artists such as Ramiro Boero, Julian Peralta, Pablo Jaurena, Santiago Segret, Pedro Giraudo and many more. In 2019, Heyni was a member of the Argentine tango orchestra schools La Orquesta de Tango de la Una and the Conservatorio Superior de “Manuel de Falla”, where she had the opportunity to perform in the prestigious Centro Cultural Kirchner.
Heyni is also half of the Avalos-Solera Bandoneon Duo. In April of 2022, they released the album, Bach en Bandoneon, and this past summer presented the album on their first United States tour. Heyni is the bandoneonist of Las Almas, an ensemble which focuses on female tango musicians in a typically male dominated genre, and has performed several times at the San Francisco International Arts Festival. As a scholar, Heyni received her Masters of Music in Ethnomusicology at the University of Maryland, College Park. She has developed the lectures A GPS for Tango Listening: What Makes Tango a Tango? and Today’s Woman in Tango: Carving Out Spaces amongst others. In April of 2022, Heyni had her Kennedy Center debut with the Latin-Grammy nominated PanAmerican Symphony Orchestra, and has performed with the ensemble at the Argentine Embassy of Washington, DC. She also creates various content such as “Today’s Tango with Heyni”, a mini-series that features today’s contemporary tango musicians throughout the world, and “Discovering Troilo,” a mini-series that delves into the iconic style of Anibal Troilo’s tango orchestra.
 
Rodrigo Avalos, Bandoneonist /Composer Rodrigo Avalos is an Argentine composer, arranger, bandoneon and guitar player. He was born in Olavarría and started his musical studies at an early age. In 2017, he graduated from the Escuela de Música Popular de Avellaneda as a guitar tango player. Since that year, he began studying composition with Gabriel Senanes.

Between 2016 and 2019, he was the musical director of the Orquesta Típica La Carmen, an orchestra of twelve musicians. This orchestra performed his arrangements and original compositions, and played in many theaters and milongas of Buenos Aires. He successfully completed two tours in several European countries.

Currently, he is working as a bandoneon professor at the Colegio Nacional de Buenos Aires Tango Orchestra and was also a part of the Orquesta Escuela Emilio Balcarce. As a composer, he is writing music for various ensembles, instrumentations and film scores.

We'd like to recognize musical instrument historian, restorer and former pioneering punk rock bassist, Don Peyton for his outstanding work getting the double bass you'll be hearing during the Milonga, prepared to go on tour with Cuarteto Rotterdam. When Cordula mentioned that they were looking for an instrument for their bassist to play during their second US tour. As it's not practical to fly with a double bass in overhead she asked if there was a local supplier that could be arranged. David was hesitant to reveal that he owned one himself knowing that his had acquired a few characteristic growls, groans and chirps over the years, that not all music fans would appreciate.

After discussing his, and the band's dilemma with whoever would listen, a miracle worker walked into the picture via conversations with neighborhood musicians in preparation for an altogether different event. Unbeknownst to David, he had a neighbor living just two blocks away, whom he had never met who is an expert in double bass repairs.

Don Peyton is a luthier, the rare, visionary craftsperson who makes, repairs, and refurbishes stringed instruments in the lute family such as violins, cellos and guitars. David eventually called him and explained his predicament. Don said drop it by. In a matter of days Don had the giant humming again, and back on its feet and ready to share the stage with the most discerning virtuosi. This is an example of the serendipity that makes Tango special. You'll hear Facundo Leonidas Pietro and Cuarteto Rotterdam rock the house with this now phenomenal instrument here in Baltimore at Inner Space Tango Fest Grand Milonga.

Overlooking a beautifully landscaped courtyard, the Upper Level Grand Hall of the Church of the Messiah is the space. The vintage hardwood floor, with it's comfortable, velvety spring is legendary in the neighborhood as "perfect for dancing". The sound, acoustics and ambience of the space has been called amazing by touring performers, artists and dancers alike. Nearby cafes and restaurants in the vibrant Hamilton Lauraville community can provide everything from British High Tea, to authentic Thai cuisine, to farm fresh dining with something for everyone. 

A big part of Argentine Tango is history. It's about acknowledging, and owning history in subtle and tangible ways, both the good and the not so good. Another big part of Argentine Tango is being in the present, which means acknowledging what has passed and doing what is to be now.

Yet, we at Inner Space Tango believe history is important to keep in mind, especially when it could cause anyone to feel unsafe were they to become aware of it. Knowing about history also gives us the ability to try to make sound decisions, that can sometimes be, if explored to their fullest effect, beneficial to all.

At Inner Space Tango and Argentine Tango Space Project events we will take proactive measures to assure safety, both in perception and in fact, to the best of our ability, and we expect that all participants will do the same.

In doing so, we invite anyone who is aware that the history of their own actions may reflect upon the perception of safety at an Inner Space Tango event, to bring such awareness to the organizers' attention, with an explanation of the steps they'd be willing, and able to take to mitigate any safety concerns on behalf of all. We further request anyone who witnesses, or is subject to abusive behavior during any event to bring their concerns to the attention of the organizers who will address the issue while respecting the confidentiality of the persons reporting.

The organizers reserve the right to deny entry to anyone for safety concerns or otherwise, without consideration of refund or any other compensation. Unfortunately, misunderstandings do sometimes occur, and we will do what we can to avoid misapprehensions. Nonetheless, we believe this proactive approach among all should greatly assist the community in enhancing the environment around Argentine Tango, protecting goodwill among dancers, while promoting the ethic of personal honor and mutual respect in the world.

Specifically, please note: Abusive behavior will not be tolerated during Inner Space Tango events. Intentional violations of any person's physical integrity, threats to the safety of any person, or violations of the personal effects of any person, by any means, will be cause for denial of admission, expulsion from, and exclusion from any and all Inner Space Tango and Argentine Tango Space Project activities at the sole discretion of the organizers.

More Safety Information
Please make yourself aware of the emergency exit locations.

Please use your own judgement to the extent of your physical abilities and be vigilant to your acceptable level of exertion. Stay hydrated and manage and regulate your own level of activity, no one is going to tell you to slow down. Dancing is at your own risk. Physical activity always carries inherent risks and Inner Space Tango assumes no responsibility for injuries or ailments attributed to any attendee's participation in the Argentine Tango. Neither Inner Space Tango, staff, organizers, performers, artists, vendors, sponsors, or Church of the Messiah assume responsibility for any losses attributed to any individual's failure to exercise reasonable diligence as a participant during Inner Space Tango Fest.

A First Aid Kit is available on site in case of emergency, inquire of the organizers or staff.

There is no smoking of any kind or vaping permitted in the Church of the Messiah or anywhere within 20 feet of the entryway.

Please use the parking area at the rear of the church or the neighboring establishment and avoid parking on residential streets if possible. There is ample parking on the two lots.

Each person is responsible for their own belongings, neither Inner Space Tango, the Church of the Messiah, the organizers, performers, collaborating artists or staff assume any responsibility for personal items lost, misplaced or mislaid. However, the organizers will offer the courtesy of an attempt to reunite owners and effects via a simple lost and found posting, if needed, post-event. The retrieval of lost items will however, be solely the responsibility of the owner, the organizers will not provide shipping.

Please take the normal precautions that would be well advised of anyone when moving about in public at any place.

By agreeing to participate in Inner Space Tango and Argentine Tango events and activities, you indicate that concur with the policies in the above document and that you will abide by them to the best of your ability.

Look out for the best of yourselves and for one another. Be the moment and make history, and have a great time doing Argentine Tango.

There will be no refunds for Inner Space Tango Fest Grand Milonga and Dinner after April 20, 2025 . Refunds requested prior to that date will not be processed until 2 weeks after the event.