UQ Business School academic moonlights as a tango dancer

In addition to his teaching and research responsibilities at UQ’s Ipswich campus, Dr Paul O’Brien has a hidden passion – for the tango.

In fact, Dr O’Brien has a passion for South and Central America, a passion that saw him, with a few other Argentine Tango fans in Brisbane, establish a charity in 2002 to help the region’s destitute children.

Known as the Sociedad Para Los Ninos (Society for the Children), the charity’s major fundraiser is the annual tango charity ball – or Milonga Para Los Ninos – to be held this year on Saturday, July 28 at the Queensland Irish Club in Brisbane.

Dr O’Brien said 40 per cent of the funds raised through ticket sales would go direct to the charity.

“Tickets are $75 and $30 of that goes directly to children who are living in the kind of poverty unthinkable by most Australians,” he said.

“And don’t worry if you can’t dance, you’ll enjoy a welcome drink, a two course dinner, and a range of outstanding dance and musical performances – with the satisfaction of knowing you’re helping raise funds for a worthy cause.”

The charity will hold balls all over Australia – and in Auckland – this year. It has also just finalised a deal with the Argentine Government and some Argentine charities to build a A$200,000 dormitory and education centre to replace a ramshackle foster home housing kids supported by the charity.

To find out more about the tango ball, contact Paul O’Brien on (07) 3381 1217 or email p.obrien@business.uq.edu.au.

For more information contact Cathy Stacey on (07) 3365 6179 or 0434 074 372.