It takes two to tango, on and off the dance floor

Ryno van den Berg and his new bride Elena Tokarenko are here to bring some sizzling romance back into your relationship, with Latin and ballroom dancing!

They have danced all over the world, but have recently decided to make Salt Rock their home for at least part of the time.

“We came to the North Coast for the relaxed lifestyle,” said Ryno. “It feels like being on holiday. Every morning we go for a run on the beach.”

The pair led totally separate careers – and lives – up until about five years ago. They have each been competing in Latin and ballroom dancing for over 30 years.

Ryno came into dancing at the late age of 22, but rose to great heights, becoming the six-time undefeated South African Latin American and Ballroom dance champion.

Russian dancer Elena has been dancing with her brother since the age of four. She was a finalist in the Rising Star event of the British Open UK and the US Open. She was also in the top 24 of those open divisions.

In 2014 Ryno was urgently looking for a dance partner for a contract on a cruise ship heading to Alaska, so he sent out a desperate message on Facebook. As luck would have it, he had met Elena at a party in Hong Kong just five years prior, and she responded to his message, agreeing to help him out.

“We got to know each other and within a week we had started dating,” said Ryno. “So it was pretty much love at first sight.”

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Together they are the 2018 South African champions and Hong Kong champions of Latin American dancing. A month ago they won the 27th Presidents’ Cup Professional Latin Championships in Hong Kong.

Their life together is pretty idyllic. They spend a month at a time performing and teaching on cruise ships.

Then they return home or compete and teach in various destinations all over the world. They are currently preparing for the World Professional Showdance Championships in Germany this November.

Salt Rock is set to benefit greatly from their presence as they will be starting social dance classes on September 24 at the Salt Rock Country Club.

Lessons will be on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, with a kiddies class from 5pm to 6pm and an adults class from 7.15pm to 8.15pm.

“We are starting with our seven lessons ‘crash course’ for beginners. We will be teaching ballroom Latin – the foxtrot, the slow waltz, the quick step, the tango, the Cha Cha – all of those dances.”

Ryno believes that there is no better tonic for a fraying relationship.

“Dancing brings people together and reestablishes that spark that sometimes, in most relationships, is missing.”

Contact Ryno at 079 188 5768.

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