Our Instructors

Welcome to Tangarina Shirley! I’m Shirley Yao, Principal Instructor, tango tragic (the good kind), and your friendly reminder that tango is 50% connection, 50% musicality… and 110% “wait, where did my left foot go?”

I’ve been immersed in tango for 16 years, completely captivated by its rhythm, connection, and artistry. My background in ballet and Pilates still shows up in my teaching, not in a scary “point your toes or else” way, but in a practical, body-smart approach to posture, balance, movement mechanics, and finding that delicious feeling of being grounded and free at the same time.

I’ve also had the incredible opportunity to train in Buenos Aires, right in the heart of tango culture, where the embrace is real, the music is sacred, and your “one more tanda” can accidentally become “see you at sunrise.” Along the way, I’ve learned from some of tango’s most respected masters, including Carlos Rivarola, Guillermina Quiroga, Alejandra Mantinan, and many others who’ve shaped how I understand tango as both a dance and a conversation.

Because tango never stops evolving (and neither do we), I’m committed to continual learning. I regularly travel to festivals and marathons around the world, training with leading international teachers such as Facundo Piñero & Vanesa Villalba, Gianpiero Galdi & Lorena Tarantino, Manuela Rossi & Juan Malizia, plus a long list of inspiring artists, so I can bring the freshest ideas, clearest technique, and most useful “aha!” moments back to you.

My mission is simple: help you discover the joy, confidence, and connection tango can bring and contribute to pushing Australian Tango forward through teaching, collaboration, and building global networks. Whether you’re here for better technique, deeper musicality, or to finally stop apologising to your partner mid-ocho, you’re in the right place.

Now… shall we dance? 💃🕺