General Information:
Event Program for ATUSA 2026
- 4 nights 5 days of 100% pure authentic Tango Argentino. You can be a festival participant, a spectator, a supporter or a competitor in the 2026 ATUSA Official Tango Championship & Festival.
- 4 nights of the sole unique Official Argentine Tango Championship in the USA with best tango couples participating from all over the USA states and abroad!
- 5 World Class Master Couples from Buenos Aires- with great international reputation and excellence in both teaching and performing -, will be directing the 36 workshops!
- Live music by TANGO BARDO on two evenings!
- Super Welcome Classes with two Master Couples + Grand Opening Milonga with Festival Maestros Presentation and Demo on Thurs evening.
- 36 Great Tango Workshops all focused on your learning and improving your tango!
- Special Workshops: Musicality Workshop by Tango Bardo
- 4 matinee Milongas Fri, Sat, Sun and on Memorial Monday!
- 4 evening Milongas Thurs through Sun 9.00 pm – 2.30 am
- Amazing music by 5 expert tango DJs!
- 2 spectacular Masters Shows on Saturday and Sunday + Special Performances on Friday!
- 20,000 sq. feet of open dance space for our milongas, competitions and workshops
- Great accommodation at special discounted rates at the fantastic San Francisco Airport Marriott Waterfront Hotel.
- Discounted buffet breakfast coupons
- Discounted parking rates!
- Complimentary Hotel airport shuttle.
To register click here
Workshop Levels
Schedules and/or descriptions of classes may be subject to change. They will be announced should they occur. Classes will start and finish on time, so please do not be late. The teachers reserve the right to request that a student leave any class if they feel he or she is unable to keep up or is disruptive. For those unable to keep up, the management will make every attempt to substitute a class at an appropriate level, but no refunds will be offered. To be fair to all attendees, the teachers will not alter the level of their classes for students unable to keep up. The festival classes were designed to teach specific topics/material according to the assigned level. For the students ‘own benefit, they should register to the workshops according to their level in the dance at the time of registration.
We have included a simple description of the levels and classified the classes in four groups:
- All Levels
- Intermediate
- Intermediate / Advanced
- Advanced
1. ALL Levels: suitable for everybody and great to go over technique issues, go over fundamentals and to acquire good habits. Great to review, reinforce and improve motions we have learnt before or that we want to learn now. Navigation resources and musicality will be emphasized. Basic understanding of technique, simple concepts and steps/moves are required. Therefore, these are NOT beginner level classes.
3. Intermediate: a reasonable level of technical understanding of tango, handling close and open embrace and a good repertoire of steps is needed (molinetes, barridas, voleos, sacadas). At this level, dancers need to have good navigation and connection. Partner rotation is recommended.
4. Intermediate/Advanced: These classes are intended for more experienced intermediate and advanced dancers. You should meet all the requirements of the intermediate level described above, apart from being able to lead or follow more challenging tango figures and to navigate on a crowded floor. Partner rotation is recommended in these classes though it will be up to the teachers.
5. Advanced: excellent understanding of the technical aspects of tango, navigation, improvisational resources and connection are major factors. You should be able to execute complex tango figures. We strongly advise that you register as a couple to get maximum benefit of the content of the class and from your time with the maestros. Some advanced classes offered will be limited to couples to maximize class content. In others, partner rotation will be up to the teachers, but is not mandatory.
Please see our Class schedule page to help you chose the right class.
Role balance
The organization understands how frustrating it is to attend classes where there is not an equal number of leaders and followers. To that end, we would appreciate your cooperation in registering with a partner or at least early enough so that we can plan to help achieve balance for the lessons. That is why we are the only festival which offers an online pre-registration to classes. In that way we can see how many leaders and followers register in each class and do our best to balance them either using the “second choice” class selection or adding volunteer class assistants. Although we will make our best to role balance the classes, we cannot guarantee a partner per dancer, nor can we be responsible for your partner’s level in classes that rotate partners. Therefore, to maximize your class time, it is always best to bring your own partner.
Video policy
NO VIDEO or STILL CAMERAS will be allowed during the workshops/classes. You may videotape the 5 minute summary at the end of each class as long as the instructor allows it.
NO PROFESSIONAL VIDEO or STILL CAMERAS will be allowed during the Competition and Masters Shows.
Refund policy
Festival Cancellation Policy 2026
- A registration cannot be shared and is not transferable.
- If you cancel your registration by January 15, 2026, you will receive a full refund, minus online transaction fees (approximately 5%).
- If you cancel your registration between January 16 and February 16, 2026, you will receive a 50% refund, minus online transaction fees (approximately 5%). Alternatively, you may choose to roll over your full registration fee to the 2027 event.
- If you cancel your registration between February 17 and March 20, 2026, you may roll over your registration to the 2027 event; no refunds will be issued. Please note that any difference in the festival pass price for 2027 will be due at the time of registration.
- No Refunds or Roll Overs will be issued from March 21, 2026.*
*Exception: In cases of force majeure, a rollover to 2027 will be granted, provided you present supporting evidence.
Competition and Milongas timetables
1. Competition & Milongas
Thursday:
4.15 pm: SUPER WELCOME CLASSES (Class I: All Levels; Class II: Intermediate-Advanced level)
6.00 – 7.45 pm Competition: Salon Tango Senior Qualifying Rounds + First Qualifying Rounds of the Tango de Pista and the Stage Tango Official categories.
7.45 – 8.45 pm Break
9.00 pm – 2.30 am Grand Opening Milonga with presentation and demo by our Festival Maestros at 11.00 pm
Friday:
4.00 – 7.00 pm: Matinee Milonga (Pugliese Ballroom)
5.45 -8.15 pm Competition: First Qualifying round for Vals and Milonga categories, Final Round for Salon Tango Senior category, Second Qualifying Round for Tango de Pista and Stage Tango Official categories
9.00 pm. – 2.30 am BLACK & WHITE FRIDAY MILONGA
Saturday:
5.30 – 7.30pm Matinee Milonga (Pugliese Ballroom)
6.00 – 8.00pm Competition: Semifinal Rounds of the Tango de Pista and the Stage Tango Official categories.+ Semifinal rounds for Milonga and Vals categories + Preliminary rounds for the Salon Tango Pro-Am category.
9.00 pm. – 2.30 am GALA Milonga – Dress to impress! with Live Music by Tango Bardo + Main Master Show
Sunday:
3.30 – 6.00 pm Matinee Milonga (Pugliese Ballroom)
6.00 – 8.15pm Competition: Grand Final! “So you think you can Tango?” Competition. Final Rounds for: Salon Tango Pro – Am, Vals and Milonga categories. Tango de Pista and Stage Tango Official Categories.
8.30- 9.00pm Coronation of all Champions and the new Official USA Tango Champions 2026, – who will represent the USA at the Tango Mundial in Buenos Aires!
9.00 pm. – 2.30 a.m. Farewell Evening Milonga with Live Music Music by Tango Bardo and Masters Show!
Memorial Monday:
1.00 – 5.00 pm AFTERGLOW Matinee Milonga (Piazzolla Ballroom)
To purchase Dance Passes and Single Milonga Tickets Click here
