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About Rina
Rina Sawaya started classical ballet at the age of three and studied various styles of dance before finally falling in love with Argentine Tango. She taught and performed in Tokyo until the end of 2011 and arrived in Melbourne in early 2012 where she formed a partnership with Nadim Sawaya.
In classes, Rina specialises in working to rediscover the body’s natural movement for improving body control and awarenesss when dancing Tango.
Rina is a strong advocate of utilising the principles of Tango to help people with various health conditions, so that they can achieve a better quality of life. She has been involved in various studies and research with universities, looking at using dance to alleviate the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Rina is known for her Tango for Parkinson’s work, teaching Tango to those living with Parkinson’s. Her work has been profiled on national TV programs such as ABC TV’s Catalyst and had a short story created about her Tango for Parkinson’s classes on ABC TV’s Lateline.
About Nadim
Nadim Sawaya grew up listening to tango on his father’s old vinyl records. This early music introduction gave him the base that would later make him one of Australia’s top Tango DJ’s. Nadim has been an avid music student his entire life, playing the cello in several orchestras before discovering the joys of dancing Tango.
Nadim’s teaching is informed by his deep understanding and appreciation of music as well as the practicalities of dancing in the social scene where he is highly regarded for his excellent musicality and smooth style. His clean, precise lines give him an elegance that students are keen to aspire to, and his emphasis on tango musicality helps students develop a well-rounded understanding of the dance and its music. Nadim is also a practitioner of Kendo (Japanese fencing) which he believes helps in understanding body mechanics and movement.
Rina and Nadim are recognised for their unique style of teaching, which focuses on improving the body’s natural coordination with their deep understanding of Tango. This focus is evident in the beautiful natural earthiness in their dancing and their elegant, connected and smooth dancing style. Based in Melbourne, Australia, Rina and Nadim have performed at many events, shows and festivals. They have performed at the prestigious dance halls of Buenos Aires as invited dancers, the Melbourne Recital Centre, and placed as finalists at the Tango Dance Asian Championships, receiving the FJTA award in 2016.