WHAT TYPE OF TANGO DO YOU TEACH?
As you may know, there are two types of tango - Argentine tango and Ballroom tango.
They share a name but they are about as different as dances as you can imagine!
Argentine tango pre-dates Ballroom tango and we believe it is the authentic (and best) kind!
If Argentine tango is what you’re looking for, you’ve come to the right place - it is our speciality.
And if you’re not sure, then come and find out what it is all about. We’d love to show you how wonderful the Argentine version is.
WHAT SHOULD I WEAR TO CLASS?
Clothing:
Pretty much any kind of clothing will be fine for our tango classes. A lot of people come in whatever they happen to be wearing before the class.
Just consider whether what you’re wearing would restrict leg movement (for example a tight skirt). And perhaps bring an outer layer that you can take off if you get hot.
Footwear:
There are of course specialised Argentine tango shoes, but most people don’t buy these for their first lesson. They bring ordinary shoes until they’re sure that they will definitely be continuing with tango.
When choosing your footwear for class, there are some options that are better than others …
For Gentlemen - we recommend leather-soled shoes rather than trainers, rubber soles or anything with a lot of grip.
For Ladies - we recommend a comfortable pair of high heels or, if you don’t have/like high heels, leather-soled flats.
But don’t worry too much about footwear. If you realise the shoes you’ve brought aren’t the best, you can also do the class in socks!
DO I NEED PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE?
The answer to the question is an absolute and definite: no!
You don’t need any previous experience — either in tango or in any kind of dance form.
We have been teaching Beginners tango for over a decade, and know how to teach you in easy “bite—sized” pieces, even if you are a “blank canvas”.
Tango originally was danced by ordinary, people, without any formal dance training. By definition, it is accessible to everyone!
CAN I REALLY COME WITHOUT A PARTNER?
Absolutely!
Some people bring a partner of course, but plenty come on their own.
And if you’re on your own, we simply rotate partners at frequent intervals throughout the class. This has the added bonus that you get the chance to meet everyone in class.
And in Argentine tango, it is in fact part of the culture to change dance partners. On a tango night, it is rare that we dance with just one person - most people dance with several partners during the evening … and even with strangers.
And the best way to prepare you for this? To change partners in class!
WHAT IF I MISS A CLASS?
Even with the best of intentions to attend classes every week, life often has different plans!
And some people worry that this means they’ll feel lost the next time they come to class. This is absolutely not the case. You will be able to pick up where you left off.
Plus you have in us, two very hands-on teachers, who really want to make sure you have a great class. We will make sure we give you extra help (if ever we think you need it).
WHEN DO I MOVE TO THE NEXT LEVEL?
It may seem like a way off now, but there will come a time when you feel you’re ready to move to the next level of classes.
The good news is we have tango classes for levels from Beginners through to Advanced.
We do not encourage racing through the levels however. We are strong believers that slow but steady wins the race. Students in our advanced classes have often been learning tango for many years.
And the most important level of all? The Beginners level! It is here that you learn the foundation tango principles on which everything else is based.
We always recommend you have a chat with us when you think you’d like to move levels. Our aim is for you to have an exciting new challenge, but never feel out of your depth.
ARE THERE ANY AGE LIMITS?
One of the wonderful things about our Argentine tango classes is the range of ages that it brings together.
It is never too early or too late to start tango.
We have students from their early 20’s to their early 80’s. We love that our lessons are inter-generational.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO LEARN TANGO?
This is the million dollar question!
Once you start learning tango, you realise that tango has hidden depths and you could continue learning new things about it forever - if you choose to do so!
However, in its most basic form, tango has only.a few essential elements. By the end of the first class you will have learnt how to put some of these elements together to create a dance. And you should be able to dance a tango from the beginning to end.
I’VE DONE TANGO ELSEWHERE, WHAT LEVEL SHOULD I START?
As long as you’ve learnt Argentine (rather than ballroom) tango, it should be possible to start with us at a similar level to the level of classes you’ve been doing elsewhere.
However, there may be some small differences in style and teaching technique. And sometimes the way tango schools classify levels may differ.
For this reason, it is often a good idea to come to the level below the one you’ve been taking elsewhere. It is a good way to get to know us and our way of teaching, and you can always move up to the next level, if we feel this would be right for you.
I’VE LEARNT MANY DANCES BUT NOT TANGO, WHAT LEVEL SHOULD I START?
As a dancer, you’ll have corporal awareness and co-ordination, but there are still some basic principles - unique to tango - that you will need to understand. And these principles are taught in our Beginners classes.
Don’t worry, you won’t find our Beginners classes slow-paced. We are professional dancers of multi-disciplines and have taught many professional dancers. We know how to give you the right level of challenge and you’ll be amazed at how fascinating Argentine tango is! You have an exciting discovery waiting for you!