FAQ
(With gratitude to our students, past and present, who were terrified of asking these questions, but did anyway. Absolutely no such thing as a “I have a stupid question!”)
Tango? Like what’s on Dancing With The Stars, right?
Not at all. Stage tango (tango escenario) is choreographed, very dramatic, and, as the name implies, is meant to be performed. Yes, there are often lifts. It’s great, it’s fun, it’s for the stage! That’s the DWTS version. The style we teach is socially danced tango (tango salón), which is what you’re going to see at every milonga in New York and worldwide
Milonga? Practica? Huh?
Milongas are tango socials. They can take place in restaurants, dance studios, or outdoors. They tend to be a lot more formal with their own rules (codigos) than a practica, or a practice session. We host a monthly practica—Practica Para Dos—where dancers of all levels, including past and current students, work on different aspects of their dance and have an opportunity to ask Anaïs or one of the instructors questions 1:1.
You mean this dance has actual etiquette rules?
It really does. While classes and practicas are a lot more easy-going, milongas are a whole other animal. Cabeceo and mirada become your best friends, and yes, you will find out what they mean once you start dancing tango.
Do I need a partner?
Absolutely not. Classes are evenly balanced between dance roles precisely for that reason. This is also why we always rotate partners in class. Besides, you develop your dance skills by dancing with as many people as possible.
Why is it so different from every other partner dance I’ve done?
Most partner dances have the “safety net” of the basic step. That basic step doesn’t exist in Argentine Tango. As an improvised dance, you create something new with every person you dance with, and every person brings something completely uniquely theirs to the dance. Argentine Tango is the ultimate lesson of being in the moment, here and now.
What if I’ve never danced before?
Argentine Tango is walking. You will hear that many times. It doesn’t matter that you’ve never danced. In fact, in a way, that might actually benefit you.
Do I need special shoes? Clothing?
Clothes you can comfortably move in are best for class. For footwear, anything you can easily walk and pivot in without sticking to the floor. Ballet slippers, jazz sneakers, or even ballroom shoes can work when you start dancing tango. After some time, you may want to invest in a pair of tango shoes.
Dance roles?
Partner dances are usually divided between a ‘leader’ and a ‘follower’. We are big fans of people knowing both how to lead and follow, but we strongly believe that you should learn one role first for at least 2-3 cycles before learning how to dance the other.
What if I want to dance only with one person and not switch partners?
Please contact us if that's the case.
How long before I feel comfortable with this dance?
GREAT question! There are different levels of comfort with this dance, and it all depends on you. What “comfortable” means to you varies drastically from person to person. You will likely feel ready for a milonga after a month or two. You may start understanding more the essence of tango after 6 months. After one year, you might contemplate moving to Argentina. (Yes, it happens. Often much sooner than a year. And that’s where you start discovering tango all over again in a completely different way.)
You talk a lot about tango history and musicality. More dancing, less talking, maybe?
Argentine Tango is a “living” dance. That means it evolves with every generation privileged enough to know what it is as a dance and as a musical genre. Learning solely about the technical aspect of the dance without history, which is indelible from Argentina’s history as a country, is very limiting. Believe us when we say your dance will improve from understanding as much about it as possible. La vida es un tango. We really do mean that!
"Actually, I’ve already gone to Buenos Aires and taken one lesson, and that person said I had a lot of natural ability, so I think I should enrol in your Intermediate class."
Please dance a few songs with Anaïs, whether as a leader or a follower, and your advancement will be discussed accordingly.