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Dancer

Elba Garcia

Elba Garcia is a tango dancer known for her partnership in life and dance with Nito García, whom she met at a dance in a small town outside Buenos Aires in 1973 [1]. The couple began teaching internationally in 1991, were the subject of the 2018 documentary Nito y Elba: Nobleza de arrabal, and returned to in-person milongas in 2021 [1][2].

2006: 22009: 22010: 92011: 12012: 12013: 22014: 52015: 152016: 92017: 42019: 12023: 1
2006’10’202023
performances filmed, by the year danced· our videos

2006: 2, 0; 2009: 2, 0; 2010: 9, 0; 2011: 1, 0; 2012: 1, 0; 2013: 2, 0; 2014: 5, 0; 2015: 15, 0; 2016: 9, 0; 2017: 4, 0; 2019: 1, 0; 2023: 1, 0

  1. 55% of Elba Garcia’s filmed performances are from 2014–2016.

    How we know

    The shortest run of years that holds at least half of them: 29 of 52 performances in our videos, each filmed Occasion once, under the year it was danced.

  2. 28 of Elba Garcia’s 52 filmed performances (53%) are with Nito Garcia, 2009–2019.

    How we know

    Each filmed Occasion once, with the partner the video credits; a partner is named when they share at least half of them.

Elba Garcia is a tango dancer whose career is documented mainly through her partnership with Nito García (also written Nito Garcia) [1]. A dance listing records the two as partners .

According to an account of the couple's story, Elba lost her first husband in a road accident in 1970, two months before Nito lost his wife [1]. The same account states that she met Nito García at a dance in a small town outside Buenos Aires in 1973, and that by 1975 she had become his partner in life and dance [1].

The couple later married and moved to Junín, then to Mar del Plata [1]. In 1991 they made their international debut when they were invited to teach in San Francisco and Los Angeles [1]. In 2018 a documentary about them, Nito y Elba: Nobleza de arrabal, was released [1]. After the pandemic, in 2021, she returned with Nito to in-person milongas, having written her memoir during lockdown [2]. In 2025 the couple were interviewed in Buenos Aires about how the ronda was born [3].

Early life and meeting Nito García

Elba Garcia lost her first husband in a road accident in 1970 [1]. According to the same source, this happened two months before Nito García lost his wife [1].

In 1973 she met Nito García at a dance in a small town outside Buenos Aires [1]. By 1975 she had become his partner in life and dance [1].

Marriage and residence

Elba and Nito later married [1]. The couple moved first to Junín and then to Mar del Plata [1].

Teaching career

The couple's international debut came in 1991, when they were invited to teach in San Francisco and Los Angeles [1]. A dance listing also records Elba Garcia as Nito Garcia's dance partner .

Documentary and later years

In 2018 the documentary Nito y Elba: Nobleza de arrabal was released [1].

During the pandemic lockdown Elba Garcia wrote her memoir [2]. In 2021 she returned with Nito to in-person milongas [2].

In 2025 Elba and Nito were interviewed in Buenos Aires about how the ronda was born [3].

Related

Her principal partner in life and dance was Nito Garcia [1].

References

How Tangopedia works

  1. 1.Nito and Elba: The Story of Love · ultimatetango.com
  2. 2.El gran regreso de Nito y Elba a la milonga · historias-mayores.es
  3. 3.How the ronda was born: conversation with Nito & Elba · tangodjalenka.eu

How they dance

From TangoTube's videos · our data

Filmed

2006–2023

What they dance

  • Tango 81%
  • Vals 19%

Cities filmed in

  • St Petersburg9 videos
  • Lugano6 videos
  • San Francisco6 videos
  • Athens4 videos
  • Moscow3 videos
  • Milan2 videos

Career

Titles, partnerships and events, newest first

  1. 2023Filmed at · Milonga La Baldosa
  2. 2017Filmed at · Nora's Tango Week
  3. 2016Filmed at · Nora's Tango Week
  4. 2016Filmed at · Antwerpen Tango Festival
  5. 2016Filmed at · White Nights Tango
  6. 2015Filmed at · White Nights Tango
  7. 2015Filmed at · Mala Leche
  8. 2015Filmed at · Nora's Tango Week
  9. 2012Filmed at · Milonguero Nights
  10. 2010Filmed at · Festival LuganoTango
  11. 2010Filmed at · Milonguero Nights
  12. 2009Filmed at · Nora's Tango Week
  13. 2006First filmed with · Nito Garcia

What we don't know yet4 of 5 known

Whether they lead or follow.

Teaching, a school or milongas they organise? Add them to this profile
Interviewed them? Send the recording as oral history

Data: recordings, facts and sources

Partnered with1

Nito Garcia — partnered with Elba Garcia

Single source

Notes7

Loses her first husband in a road accident, two months before Nito loses his wife.1970

Single source

Meets Nito García at a dance in a small town outside Buenos Aires.1973

Single source

Becomes Nito's partner in life and dance; they later marry and move to Junín, then Mar del Plata.1975

Single source

International debut: invited to teach in San Francisco and Los Angeles.1991

Single source

The documentary Nito y Elba: Nobleza de arrabal is released.2018

Single source

Returns with Nito to in-person milongas after the pandemic, having written her memoir in lockdown.2021

Single source

Interviewed with Nito in Buenos Aires about how the ronda was born.2025

Single source

Era1

Era electronic-festival2009–2023

Single source

Partners

Danced together in TangoTube's videos · our data

Who danced with Elba Garcia, year by year

Events

Where they were filmed, most first · our data

Timeline

  1. 1970Loses her first husband in a road accident, two months before Nito loses his wife.

    source

  2. 1973Meets Nito García at a dance in a small town outside Buenos Aires.

    source

  3. 1975Becomes Nito's partner in life and dance; they later marry and move to Junín, then Mar del Plata.

    source

  4. 1991International debut: invited to teach in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

    source

  5. 2018The documentary Nito y Elba: Nobleza de arrabal is released.

    source

  6. 2021Returns with Nito to in-person milongas after the pandemic, having written her memoir in lockdown.

    source

  7. 2025Interviewed with Nito in Buenos Aires about how the ronda was born.

    source

Most watched videos

On TangoTube · our data

All their videos on TangoTube

Connected

From TangoTube's videos · our data

Listen

  1. Desde el almaOsvaldo Pugliese1985
  2. Yunta de oroOsvaldo Pugliese1957
  3. Café DomínguezÁngel D'Agostino · Julián Centeya1955
  4. A Evaristo CarriegoOsvaldo Pugliese1985
  5. Don Agustín BardiOsvaldo Pugliese1961
  6. RecuerdoOsvaldo Pugliese1944
  7. De espaldasOsvaldo Pugliese · Abel Córdoba · no clip yet1982
  8. Indio mansoCarlos Di Sarli1958
  9. ChiquéOsvaldo Pugliese1953
  10. EmancipaciónOsvaldo Pugliese1955
  11. Gallo ciegoOsvaldo Pugliese · no clip yet1959
  12. Anselmo Acuña el reseroCarlos Di Sarli · Roberto Rufino1943

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