Learning tango alone is “like baking a cake and then not eating it”.
Although the process of baking a cake can be enjoyable, it takes time to get it right. Similarly, whilst learning the tango can be fun and challenging, it’s not as rewarding if you don’t get to eat it- I mean dance socially. Our tango private classes are incredibly beneficial when learning or perfecting individual technique and steps; however Argentine tango was founded with the intention of it being a social dance. Tango group classes, and Milongas, embrace this conventional social element, making it much closer to the original Buenos Aires tradition.
Learn from each other, like when it all started…
Aside from embracing tradition, we’d like to add that every dancer has their own unique style. You may learn to lead someone in a class then encounter problems when partners have different habits. Every tango dancer needs to learn to adjust. The wider the variety of people you dance with, the more naturally you will be able to adapt, until you don’t have to consciously think about it anymore.
The best way to learn is from each other as well. By joining group classes and Milongas, you may notice a certain way of performing a step that you’d never thought of before. Conversing with people in a similar position to you can also be very beneficial; they may have tips of things that have helped them that may also help you.
Mastering the dance floor is also something that can only be fully practiced during a group class, before applying your manoeuvering skills in a milonga. Overtaking on the outside, sticking to the anti-clockwise circular direction, dodging other partners and static objects are all aspects of tango that require practice just as much as the steps do.
Whilst you’re perfecting the steps in a private or group session, why not try taking it further by trying them out in a Milonga? If you are in the capital, you can try one of the wonderful London Milongas – from Carablanca, Tango at the Light or Corrientes, to name a few – or, if you are a bit anxious about joining more advanced dancers, why not try our Milonga for beginners, which is a cosy, monthly event – the perfect and relaxed occasion to try these fabulous steps in a safe environment?
Abrazo,
Emma Langschied
