D.C.-based choreographer Sharna Fabiano isn’t much for the establishment. Back in 2003, she raised the ire of traditionalists with a treatise on “Neo Tango Music” that suggested it was time for tango to embrace modern rhythms. Still, Fabiano’s correct in asserting that tango never suffers from an infusion of moxie: She leads and follows with zesty gliding steps, cheeky kicks, and fleet footwork. Fabiano and her regular partner Isaac Oboka are also fantastic improvisers, something that probably wouldn’t win them points with competition judges concentrating on upper body contact. With her new piece, Uno, Fabiano is taking a break from scraping away at the foundation of Argentine tango to tackle the genre’s preoccupation with nostalgia, albeit with a modern score and spoken lyrics. There goes the neighborhood…again. If tango lives and dies on determination, Fabiano is about as headstrong as they come.

The performances begin at 8 p.m. Saturday, March 29, and 7 p.m. Sunday, March 30, at Dance Place, 3225 8th St. NE. $22. (202) 269-1600.