Professional tango dancer, teacher & performer
Joao Carlos Santos David, better known as Carlos, was born in Brazil, where he grew up surrounded by music and dance. From this rich cultural background, he developed a great passion for dance at a young age. Besides the Brazilian samba, he eventually found his true love in the Argentine tango.
Carlos has danced in various professional shows, including Tango & Passion in Brazil. He spent a significant part of his life in Argentina, where he immersed himself fully in the world of tango and received instruction from renowned tango maestros.
In 2008 Carlos began his international career as a professional dancer and dance instructor with Costa Cruises. On board the cruise ships, he traveled all over the world and performed for an international audience. These years formed an important foundation for his development as a versatile dancer, performer, and teacher.
Carlos & Mirella
Nowadays, Den Haag is his home base, where he lives together with his dance and life partner Mirella. Carlos and Mirella have been together for over 14 years and have been married for 9 years now. Together, they not only share their lives, but also their passion for dance and their ambition to continuously develop themselves.
Their motto is:
“As a dancer, you never stop learning!”
This vision forms the basis of their way of working. Carlos and Mirella continue to challenge themselves, train, and acquire new knowledge. At least once a year, they travel to Argentina and Brazil to study with renowned dancers, attend workshops, and further develop their own dance. In addition, they also conduct workshops and shows there themselves.
As a dance couple, Carlos & Mirella are known for their elegance, subtlety, musical finesse and spectacular shows. Their dance combines technical mastery with expression, musicality and a strong connection between the dance partners.
Lecturer
As teachers, Carlos and Mirella also make a strong team. Their classes are professional and well-structured, but at the same time personal, accessible, and full of humor.
Carlos combines his years of international experience with his love for music and movement. His classes focus on techniques, musicality, connection, posture, and personal development. He not only teaches students new moves, but also helps them truly experience the music and the connection with their partner.
Through their natural and enthusiastic way of teaching, Carlos & Mirella know how to inspire and enthuse tango lovers of different levels.
The Netherlands at the World Championship
An important part of their joint career is their participation in the World Tango Championship in Buenos Aires.
After years of intensive training, Carlos & Mirella reached the final of the World Championships in 2016 as the first Dutch couple ever. From hundreds of couples participating in the tough preliminary rounds, only a limited number of couples are selected for the final.
Their success did not stop at one final place. Carlos & Mirella have now represented the Netherlands in the final seven times:
2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2022 · 2023 · 2025
With this, participation in the World Championships has for years been an important part of their international dance career.
European Championships
In Europe, Carlos & Mirella have also achieved several important titles:
🏆 1st place – Official European Tango Championship, Italy – Tango Escenario (2025)
🏆 1st place – UK London Tango Championship – Tango Escenario (2018)
🏆 1st place – Official European Tango Championship, Italy – Tango de Pista (2017)
🏆 1st place – UK London Tango Championship – Tango de Pista (2017)
🏆 1st place – German Tango Championship – Tango de Pista (2016)
These achievements are the result of years of training, international coaching and a constant quest for improvement in their dance.
An international passion
Carlos brings together a unique combination of cultures and dance styles. His Brazilian background, his years in Argentina, and his international experience have shaped him into a versatile artist with a broad perspective on dance.
Together with Mirella, they continue to be active worldwide with classes, workshops, performances, and training sessions. From their home base in The Hague, they continue to build their dance careers and share their knowledge and passion with students and dance enthusiasts both domestically and internationally.
For Carlos, dance is a lifelong journey. A journey in which music, movement, connection, and development are central — because as a dancer, you never stop learning.
