Toru Takenaga
Profile
Last updated: August 25, 2024
Toru & Etsuko
Formed as a pair in 2017.
While maintaining day jobs during the week, they dedicate their time to promoting Argentine Tango, mainly based in Kyoto.
Their activities include event performances, hosting weekly practice sessions (Kyoto Tango Club), inviting international artists, and supporting planning and operations.
They are also featured dancers for the KANSAI Tango Orquesta.
Photo © Miguel Santillan
Performance History
- 2017, 2018: Performed with actress Aya Sugimoto at her birthday party, Repos Gion, Kyoto
- Sep 2018: Tango performance at Hankyu Umeda Store’s Latin Bazaar Exhibition, Osaka
- Jun 7, 2019: Latin American Evening hosted by the Kansai Consular Corps, Osaka
- Oct 22, 2019: KANSAI Tango Orquesta 1st Memorial Concert, Step Hall, Osaka
- Nov 16, 2020: 60th Anniversary Event at Toyobo Research Institute, Shiga
- Nov 23, 2020: Argentine Tango Show at “Akari” Karasuma-Oike, Kyoto
- Dec 20, 2020: KANSAI Tango Orquesta 2nd Concert, Toyonaka Arts Center, Osaka
- Feb 20, 2021: Planetarium Concert “100 Years of Passion for Tango”, Kyoto
- Mar 20, 2021: “Akari Milonga in Kyoto” Performance
- Aug 29, 2021: “Midsummer Night’s Tango” Planetarium Concert, Kyoto
- Oct 30–31, 2021: Tango Show at Cafetín de Buenos Aires, Osaka
- Nov 3, 2021: Platinum Milonga Special, Libertango, Ginza, Tokyo
- Dec 27 & 30, 2021: Tango Shows “Love Passion” and “Tango Fantasia 2021”, Kyobashi Veronica, Osaka
- Mar 6, 2022: “Tango: From the Streets of Buenos Aires” Planetarium Concert, Kyoto
- Apr 10, 2022: Sakura Tango Festival 2022 After Milonga, Fukuoka
- May 29, 2022: “Ensueno Milonga” at Cafetín de Buenos Aires, Osaka
- Jun 5, 2022: KANSAI Tango Orquesta Spring Live at SPinniNG MiLL, Osaka
- Jul 17, 2022: Osaka Tango Weekend at Grand Salon Juso, Osaka
- Aug 14, 2022: ELLA BAILA – Tango Live Show, Natalia Hills Asia Tour, Osaka
- Aug 15, 2022: Salsa Candela Afro-Latin Festival Japan, Otsu City Hall, Shiga
- Aug 20, 2022: Planetarium Concert “Argentine Tango under the Stars”, Kyoto
- Aug 21, 2022: Argentine Tango Live at Cafetín de Buenos Aires, Osaka
- Aug 27, 2022: El Puente Milonga, Takarazuka, Hyogo
- Sep 3, 2022: “Milonga Berretin” at Cafetín de Buenos Aires, Osaka
- Nov 23, 2022: KANSAI Tango Orquesta Autumn Concert at SPinniNG MiLL, Osaka
- Dec 4, 2022: “Christmas Milonga” with Special Guests: Fabian Peralta & Josefina Bermudez, Kyoto
- Jan 8, 2023: “Hana Party” at Kitayama Monolith, Kyoto
- Jan 15, 2023: CD Release Milonga for Tango Grelio Vol.3 at Café Rumbita, Kyoto
- Feb 19, 2023: “Hana” 37th Concert at Kyoto Concert Hall
- Feb 26, 2023: “EL CXUCLE Theater Show”, Seoul, Korea
- Mar 4, 2023: “Tango Cinematico” Planetarium Concert, Kyoto
- Apr 1, 2023: Ritmo Milonga, Tokyo
- Apr 8, 2023: Sakura Tango Festival 2023 After Milonga, Fukuoka
- Apr 22, 2023: El Puente Milonga, Takarazuka
- May 4, 2023: Salsa Candela Kyoto Latin Festival
- Jun 16, 2023: “Sukoyaka Salon #9”, Kyoto
- Aug 13, 2023: “Hana” 38th Concert, Kyoto
- Aug 19, 2023: Keyaki Summer Festival, Kyoto
- Aug 20, 2023: KANSAI Tango Orquesta Summer Concert, Osaka
- Sep 17, 2023: “Berretin Milonga”, Osaka
- Oct 7, 2023: Kyoto Anniversary Milonga – Rumbita 20th & Rodrigo’s 70th
- Oct 21, 2023: Viva★Tango!! Show, Okayama
- Oct 29, 2023: Hiroshima Tango Thanksgiving Final Milonga
- Dec 10, 2023: “El día dio Tango KYOTO”, Kyoto
- Jan 27, 2024: “EL TANGO” Concert, Sakai
- Feb 18, 2024: “Argentine Tango World vol.4”, Osaka
- Feb 29, 2024: “For Export”, Tokyo
- Mar 3, 2024: Argentine Tango Flash Mob, Tokyo
- Mar 23, 2024: Sakura Tango Festival 2024 After Milonga, Fukuoka
- Mar 31, 2024: “Memorias de Carlos Gardel” Osaka Concert
- Apr 7, 2024: “Parados Tango Dream”, Kyoto
- May 18, 2024: Tango in the Station – Naniwa Station, Osaka
- Aug 17, 2024: Keyaki Summer Festival, Kyoto
- Aug 18, 2024: “Hana” 40th Concert, Kyoto
- Aug 25, 2024: KANSAI Tango Orquesta Summer Concert, Osaka
Media Appearances
- Dec 19, 2019: FM79.7 Kyoto Radio Café – Rica’s Tango Café (Guest: Toru Takenaga)
- Jan 1, 2022: ABC TV – Geinoujin Kakuzuke Check 2022 New Year Special – Tango Segment
Publications
- Dance View Magazine (Oct 2019): Featured Kyoto Tango Club
Awards
- Apr 14, 2019: 1st Place (Audience Vote), Tango Pista – Asia Championship West Japan
- Sep 12, 2021: Winner, OPEN DUTCH TANGUERIL (Online)
Hosted / Collaborative Events
- Weekly Practice: Kyoto Tango Club, Sat 10:00–13:00, since Dec 2018
- Tango Trial Events: Kyoto Youth Activity Center (Sep 2019–Jan 2020, suspended due to COVID-19)
- Pablo Manassero & Lucia Pividori Japan Tour – Kyoto (Aug 24, 2019), Osaka (Aug 31–Sep 1)
- Ernesto & Paola in Kyoto: Rumbita, every 5th Saturday (2019–2022)
- Kansai Tango Orquesta Quartet Live – Kyoto (Feb 6, 2021)
- Tango Shows – Cafetín de Buenos Aires, Osaka (Oct 2021)
- Tango Therapy Japan: Volunteer Briefings (Jan 2020, Oct 2022)
- Osaka Tango Festival 2020 – Osaka Central Public Hall (Nov 29, 2020)
- Salsa Candela Afro-Latin Festival Japan 2022 (Aug 15–16)
- “Tango for the Future” Concert – Kyoto (May 3, 2022)
- Piazzolla 100th Anniversary Concert – Osaka (Nov 13, 2022)
- Tango Concert – Hiltula-Tanimoto-Tsutsumi Trio, Kyoto (Sep 25, 2022)
- Agostina Tarchini Japan Tour – Osaka/Kyoto (Jan 27–29, 2023)
- 125th Japan–Argentina Friendship – Kyoto Tango Art Museum (Sep 18, 2023)
- Kyoto Anniversary Milonga – Rumbita & Rodrigo (Oct 7–8, 2023)
- Tango Flash Mob – Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre (Mar 3, 2024)
📩 For performance requests or inquiries, please visit the Contact Page