About Graham Stanford

Born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Graham dedicated over two decades to the meticulous restoration of houses before transitioning his expertise to the realm of dance. Today, he specializes in reviving dancers, guiding them back into a harmonious connection with their bodies and the music, while also introducing newcomers to the intricacies of a vibrant, improvisational, and social tango.

His students appreciate his ability to take abstract ideas of body fluidity, emotion and connection, transforming them into tangible tools to help make tango fun to learn.

Graham began studying body movement at age 13 through Kung Fu and Tai Chi. He incorporates principles from martial arts into his teaching style grounding students in their bodies, hearts and energy. He has danced tango in over 16 countries, including almost a year of intensive instruction in Argentina over the course of 4 immersive trips in 2016, 2018, 2019, 2022. Graham has taught workshops in Washington D.C., Portland, Maine, NYC, Boulder-Steamboat-Fort Collins, Colorado… and will be teaching in Bend, Oregon in Spring 2026. He does call Albuquerque home.

Many wouldn’t expect a structural carpenter to fall in love with dance, but Graham exemplifies tango’s ability to capture those outside the standard conception of a “tango dancer”. He truly believes in making tango accessible to anyone and loves witnessing an individual become the dancer they never thought they could be.

What’s it like working with Graham? (Testimonials)