BUDAPEST TANGO MEMO

Unconditional listening and a flawless connection define Katalin Dillmont and Bela Barabas.

These two great professionals of the award-winning Hungarian Tango are missionaries who strive with all their energy and their KITango school to put people back at the center of their teachings. What if the challenges of Argentine Tango were above all those of personal development?

What is your background?

Bela: Tango started for me a long time ago, in 2006. Very quickly, I began traveling abroad for tango festivals. At that time, I was learning a lot through private lessons and workshops. I started teaching around 2008. I met Kata in 2014, and since 2015 we've been working together. Our school, KITango, is based in the heart of Budapest and has over a 15-year history. Three things are important to us:

• connection through improvisation

• musicality

• biomechanics

But we approach these in a specific way. Our goal is to help individuals develop themselves through connection with themselves and others.

Katalin: What I can add is that when Bela started dancing and teaching, the school already existed under the name “Kontakt-Impró Tangó.” Students were called "KIT-people," so it felt natural to rename it in 2017 as KITango Budapest. As for me, I’ve danced all my life. My first memory is of dancing—not walking or talking. I did a lot of gymnastics, had a strong classical dance background, moved into ballroom dance, and competed for over 10 years. I also performed in shows and on TV with dance groups. I experienced contemporary dance too. Let’s say I’ve tried most in dance. Dancing and thinking are the two most important aspects of my life. I have a master’s degree in philosophy, and I wrote my thesis about a specific aspect of dance through the lens of Henri Bergson and Hungarian philosopher and dancer Valéria Dienes. I’m now pursuing a PhD. I'm deeply involved—not just in the practice of movement, but in its theory as well.I also worked in international business for a long time—in the US, Canada, France, and Dubai—mainly in Marketing and HR at an executive level. I returned to Hungary in 2015 as a project manager for an American university, where I was responsible for educational programs. Now, I work as a professional tango teacher and certified therapist, incorporating tango techniques into my therapeutic practice.

Why did you choose tango?

Bela: I first went to a generic ballroom dance school because I believed what my parents said. I only lasted one month—it didn’t feel right. Memorizing all those sequences felt completely disconnected from my soul.Then I got an invitation to a tango show called Tango Fire, directed by Nora Godoy. On stage, I saw a man dancing with a leg problem. I thought, If he can dance like this with just half a leg, I can too. At the time, there wasn’t much information available. Áron Ecsedy was my first teacher. I remember my first question: Should I start with my right or left leg? He answered, It’s up to you—but you have to decide and give that information to your partner.I loved that idea: the most important thing was how to transfer information. That freedom immediately drew me to tango. But to reach that freedom, I realized communication, connection, self-expression, musicality—so many things—were essential. Tango became a path of my life.

Katalin: At the time, I was working abroad as a high-level executive. When I came back, I wasn’t dancing—and my life felt miserable. But I didn’t understand that it was because I wasn’t dancing. One day, a colleague invited me to a tango class. It was free for beginners, but I declined. Still, I felt deeply lost. She insisted again and again, and finally, without much motivation, I went.There was a guy—not very elegant, at least from my ballroom perspective. But then he started talking about dance in a way I had never heard before. I was impressed and wanted to know more. My ego started shrinking, and my interest grew. Weeks passed, then months. I realized tango could be a tool for self-development.That guy was Bela.He came from an untraditional, free-thinking background, while I came from a rigid, rule-based dance world. After a few months at his school, he invited me for a coffee and asked me to assist in his class that coming September—we were in June. I felt like a Disney princess. I accepted because I saw that no one else was doing what he was doing—using language, ideas, and dance in such an integrated way. Tango is more than just dancing. I was clear in my mind from that moment.

What is your approach to tango and life?

Bela: When I started tango, I focused on leading and following—how to express myself as a leader. It’s essential to understand what's happening with your partner and in the space around you.I practiced at home, went to milongas, events, and danced with top followers of that time like Mariana Montes, Juana Sepúlveda, and Maria Filali. Later, I realized that controlling 100% of the movement wasn’t what I wanted. That’s why, when Kata came into my life with her attention, humility, and talent, I needed her—not as a puppet, but as a real partner. I needed someone strong, someone who understands and thinks about what we’re doing, who can integrate knowledge into movement and use it professionally. Nowadays, when we learn something from a maestro, we often immediately become colleagues—not just students—which is a fantastic feeling. Our friends and teachers often say we bring something special and elevate it. We experiment constantly. It shows that even bad decisions can become good choices. But it requires daily work. Not just physical practice—but self-development.

What do you mean by self-development in tango?

Katalin: Some say tango is therapy. No tango isn’t therapy—but it’s a tool.Tango with improvisation and internal body connection can be a powerful tool. After completing my MSc. in Continental philosophy I started to dive into Eastern philosophy, which links body and energy centers as symbols of life. The body isn’t just physical—it also reflects psychological and energetic aspects.Bela will explain this with an example.

Bela: Everything we do has consequences. The direction of energy differs between leaders and followers. Leaders express energy, followers incorporate it and make it visible. Imagine this: you want to carve a statue. First, you cut down a tree, then shape the wood. You must learn which tools and techniques to use, what mistakes to avoid. You observe, reflect, and improve.The follower (in you) is the process that turns that block of wood into art. That’s why feedback is essential. If I only cut trees but build nothing from it, my life loses meaning. Sometimes, the inner process matters more than the outcome.The real question is not what we do—but how we do it.

Is your tango a reflection of who you are? If I want to be a better dancer, do I have to change my life?

Katalin: No, you don’t have to change your whole life. But you should examine what needs to change. If you shift your attitude, your tango will evolve too. It's all interconnected. We often see changes in movement that also affect our mental and emotional life. But tango is not the end goal—it’s a technique, a tool. Sometimes internal conflict arises—between feminine and masculine energy (not male and female). Many people don’t know how to use this dual energy. We don’t tell students what to do—we help them discover it for themselves.We don’t want copies of Bela and Kata. Copying is just the beginning—real understanding comes from combining and transforming. More important than the dancing itself is why we dance. Is it because we seek connection? An embrace? A need? Tango is not just music or steps. It can do much more.We relate closely to Eastern philosophy and especially Buddhist values—asking: is this what I really want? Is this the way I feel myself in the highest level of harmony? These are questions we explore through tango.

Is your approach more European or Western than Argentine, where tango is more of a social or professional pursuit?

Katalin: Many professionals around the world share our perspective, though they may not express it publicly—often for financial reasons.In Central and Eastern Europe, it’s not easy to organize paid activities. Of course, we could expand across Europe. I have dual French-Hungarian nationality. But in a way, this is our mission—to be here.We’ve had private conversations with major names in tango who agree with us but don’t dare speak out. Some are slowly introducing these ideas into their teaching. We might seem outsiders for some (only) in Hungary, but we are simply just honest about our experimental teaching—even if it causes tension.

Bela: Let me return to the statue analogy.If you make something beautiful, people want it. So, you open a factory. Or you teach how to make statues. But most people prefer buying from the factory. They get the product—but never the knowledge or the process behind it.That's the problem. People buy mass-produced beauty, but the essence is lost.We want to give people the essence—so they can make their own art. But that also means planting new trees and waiting years for them to grow.I trust it is a clear picture, I often speak in metaphors, while Kata brings in a scientific and clear understanding. Together, we’re a strong and powerful team.

Katalin: As I said, some consider us outsiders, because we are not only dancing tango we use it as a tool. But we don’t argue—we just like to go much deeper in things than usual.We are very proud of our strong and loyal students and close communities. When decisions come up, Béla and I always find agreement—even if we appear to challenge each other.Since I started dancing with Béla, I brought my structure, and he brought creativity, but one thing we never gave up: we always improvise 100%.Even during performances or classes, we never teach fixed sequences. We observe our students, Béla offers ideas, and I step in. For example, we don’t demonstrate how to do a cross (cruzado)—we let students discover and feel it by themselves.

In Budapest, there are a lot of festivals and marathons—16 each year—and probably even more teachings, practices, milongas and weekend workshops organized by teachers. With all this on offer, do you think the level of dancers has increased in recent years?

Bela: We have a lot of teachers here in Hungary, and hopefully they are all different and colorful in their own ways. We’re lucky to have that. People can explore these different styles and find the one that resonates with them. But on this journey, the most important thing is to stay open-minded and practice self-acceptance.

Katalin: It’s a very difficult question. You mentioned the level of tango and the number of events. I don’t think the two are necessarily connected. We’re more concerned with quality than quantity—especially in what should matter most for tango teachers: the self-development of the student, and the quality of movement.We face serious societal issues in Hungary, and that’s reflected in the tango scene as well.

Bela: We tell the truth—not just the pretty parts. Tango is about reality. It’s about the individual, about being present, about your body and your movement and about the holistic harmony of those— its shouldn’t be about what others think, how you look, how she or he looks, not about someone else’s private life and certainly not about gossips.

What about tango music?

Is it important for you in your practice and teaching?

Bela: It is greatly important. When I started dancing, tango was being reborn. Electric tango was becoming popular. It offered a kind of freedom—a new way to explore the dance, compared to traditional methods.For me, it was easy to begin with electro-tango, like Gotan Project. But soon, even traditional, the golden age tangos became incredibly important to me.To truly dance well, I needed to understand the specifity of tango music. That’s what I learned from Godoy—and I still agree with him. Everything is interconnected.At first, I was more sensitive to music from the '90s, but when I decided to dive deep into tango, I had to explore everything: the La Guardia Vieja, the Golden Age, the 1960s and 70s…

Katalin: At first, music was important to me, but only on a surface level. Then (back in 2014), a month in, first I discovered Hugo Díaz—one of my favorite dramatic tango composers—and everything changed.Later, I discovered staccato rhythms and became a fan of D'Arienzo. DiSarli wasn’t my favorite in the beginning. Speaking from my heart, I must admit I can’t stop loving the late Pugliese and his orchestra and I developed an admiration for contemporary orchestras as well. I often use the new versions of so-called old tangos as a tango DJ.

I adore the art of –just to mention a few - El Cachivache, Tango Bardo, Romántica Milonguera, Forever Tango.Listening to tango and dancing it are two very different things. Some tangos are beautiful to listen to, but less inspiring to dance.Eventually, I realized you can dance tango to almost anything—and that amazed me.

Bela: I agree. You can dance to almost any kind of music using tango technique. It’s about understanding the music—whatever it is—and transmitting that understanding to your partner. Even if it’s metal or classical music, I can express my interpretation through dance. Most of the time, what is considered “tango” is based on the opinion of the observer, not the dancer. But for me, tango is about a connected couple—dancing together, turning together, facing each other, and expressing the music through their bond.

Katalin: You can dance tango in many ways, depending on how you perceive it. It’s about personality.Some people dance in a traditional milonguero style and believe that’s the only “real” tango. They won’t ever switch to something like electro-tango, because they believe their way is the only correct one.For me, all the styles of the past 150 years are true part of tango.

Are some types of music more suitable for tango?

Katalin: Tango starts when you are truly connected to the music—that’s how I see it.I need to feel a deep inner urge: “I want to express myself through this music.”But if you don’t have that, if there’s no emotional drive to step onto the dance floor and communicate something to someone, then don’t dance tango. Some people want to take from tango without giving anything back to the community. But as I always say: if you don’t feel it, don’t do it. Don’t dance to a music you don’t love for some reason at the moment.People often overthink things: “Will this serve me? Will this make me look good? Will people think I’m a great dancer if I do this move?” But when something comes straight from your heart—because of the music, because of your partner—that creates something magical, it creates the beauty in your own truth of the movement.

Bela: In my view, counting beats — “on the 1,2,3,4 or 1 and 3”— doesn’t make sense. It might work technically, but what does it mean to the dancer? That’s not how I dance. It’s too mechanical.Tango has so much more to offer. On our website, we say tango is like cooking—you adapt the recipe based on your taste, just like making a soup.

In the past, you performed for years at the Hungarian National Theater.

Do you have any upcoming stage projects?

Katalin: Yes, definitely! We are working constantly closely with different musicians and artists, but such projects take time.We participated as solists in the Argentine Tango Dance Theater in Budapest for many years, starting in 2018.Even though the show was based on mainly traditional music, choreography, and storytelling, we made it clear to the director—we’d only participate if we were allowed to improvise. And that’s what we did.

Upcoming projects will require a lot of work—new ideas, a script, a team...We’d like to form a group. Not to put ourselves in the spotlight, but to show how tango can evolve and to share its message.

Bela: We never gave up improvisation, even when other performers were doing choreographies. When you improvise on stage, it creates a very different energy. You must be truly present—in the now.Tango is unique in that way.In our new project, we want to highlight this specific atmosphere and the mindset that improvisation requires. That doesn’t work with choreography. The idea isn’t to dictate how tango should be, but to create a space where people can form their own impressions of it.

Given Hungary’s political and economic situation, do you feel art—and tango in particular—is sufficiently supported as a tool for personal growth and well-being?

Katalin: Deeply, I say no. Even if some opportunities exist, they’re accessible only to a selected few. So it becomes an ugly competition. In Hungary, as in politics, a few takes most and doesn’t share, neither care. It’s very sad. Politics is full of egos—just like the artistic scene.These are hard times. As a professional tango dancer, trying to survive on your art is really difficult. There’s little support for art, especially dance.The money always goes to the “old, safe ways”—to people who know each other, who are so called ‘their friends’, to people not even having updated knowledge of their own profession.

Bela: I’m very grateful to tango. It’s a living organism, like a beautiful plant.People in Buenos Aires they give it attention to it: the roots, the branches, the leaves. Here, unfortunately, politics is cutting off branches, thinking that’s the “right” direction. In Argentina, they kind of water the tango with for example competitions like Tango Pista. But even there, they’re starting to realize that competition creates uniformity: same look, same steps, same music. But tango is diverse. People want to learn tango to socialize, to understand themselves and others better. That branch is withering, while the competition branch grows. Organizers say they want diversity in competition, but they don’t want to change their views.

And it’s the same here in Hungary. I agree with Kata—tango can serve so many purposes: self-connection, communication, development in many faces. These uses are already embraced in Western Europe and North America. But here, we reduce tango to just learning the steps.

What’s your opinion on other branches of tango—like neo tango, fusion tango, etc.?

Katalin: Some people believe in the world of tango, and some just fake it. Many teachers think only because they’ve been dancing tango for a longer time than others, they know more. But the important thing in tango is not how long you’ve danced, but the depth and commitment of your learning, the continuous, updated learning and how broad your approach is.When it comes to fusion tango, electro tango, modern tango—there’s a general awareness, but the dancers who practice these styles aren’t well accepted. Chicho once said tango nuevo is not a new style—it’s a new approach to learning. And that’s true. Tango nuevo already existed in 1910. Today, biomechanics is essential, that is the ‘tango nuevo’ of today, and all major teachers should use it in their teaching. Some don’t—they still teach the old way because it’s easier to sell. Biomechanics offers a deeper understanding of oneself and tango.Tango nuevo isn’t “new”—it existed yesterday, 10 years ago, even 40 years ago.

Bela: The Golden Age was also “tango nuevo” in its time.D’Arienzo was tango nuevo back then.“New tango” is just a term.Some people sell it as something specific or stylish—but that’s nonsense.Take the gancho—it’s a classic tango step. But if you watch films from 1934, ganchos were already there.So doing a gancho doesn’t make it “nuevo.”All teachers should spend more time learning and evolving, not just selling.

Isn’t it also the learners’ fault—wanting quick, marketable tango?

Katalin: People come to us because they know we have a specific approach. KITango, is the proof that another – deeper, individual, more open-minded- way of teaching is possible—without offering ready-made tango figures.Some learners want fast results. Some teachers sell it because it’s profitable.This is not how we work. People in our school can spend six months just learning how to truly connect—with themselves, and with a partner.It is important for all of us to understand: the first connection should be made with ourselves, not our leader or follower.If that’s not what someone wants, we’re not the right school for them.

Bela: For many people, progress comes step by step.But those who realize steps aren’t the most important thing—they become strong, lasting members of our community. I’ve been doing this for 20 years, and I’m happy to see the growth of all my students. Many of them no longer relate to us, and no one even knows they started with me or with us, but what they experienced with us is the essence of tango and kept them in the community.That’s how the tango community grows—not through ego or competition, but through connection.