Avik is driven by the belief that a little dance and music can make
the world a better place. And so, he dances tango, DJs, plays bandoneon,
organizes workshops, learns spanish, and will even drink mate despite
the fact he otherwise avoids caffeine. Perhaps most of all, he enjoys
sharing the beauty of tango with others. His instruction over the past
5 years has helped to develop the Ann Arbor tango community into one
of the largest in North America.
Avik specializes in teaching social tango emphasizing connection,
musicality, and improvisation. He has come to be known for his clear
explanations which expose the core of any tango idea whether it be
about movement or musicality. In addition to his regular classes in
Ann Arbor, he has taught all over North America and beyond. Some of
the more interesting tango adventures he's been on include a
month-long immersion in Buenos Aires, teaching tango to a Bollywood
actress in Mumbai, India, and touring the U.S. with tango band Trio Folias. Despite this
experience, he continues to have a vivid memory of what it was like to
start learning this challenging dance and this aids his teaching in a
profound way.
An eternal tango student, Avik has taken classes from dancers in
many tango traditions. The teachers who have left their mark most
clearly are Gustavo Naveira, Susana Miller, Alex Krebs, and Robin Thomas. And in great measure, he has been
guided by his experiences with his many talented students.
In his other life, Avik is nearing the end of his Ph.D. in Environmental
Psychology at the University of Michigan.
If you're curious about what that is, feel free to ask--he enjoys trying to explain that
almost as much as he likes to explain sacadas and boleos.