FAQs

There are no abrupt moves in Argentine tango, so if you think rose between teeth, this is the cinema version of tango!

Steps are taught, yes, but it’s up to everyone to decide how to dance and what steps to use. That’s because Argentine tango is improvised. Every step, even the simplest, can look beautiful if there is good chemistry between partners, so there’s no need to rush it, very often less is more.

Tango is more skilled than some other dances, yup, that’s true, but once it all clicks into place, no dance is ever the same, so it never gets boring.

In both our tango group and private classes, we use a structured approach to make sure you learn at your own pace, in a way that you feel comfortable.

Sometimes it is a bit tricky to assess how advanced we are in tango.

For this reason, we have developed a quick guideline to help you determine which tango classes to attend. Remember, it’s better not to jump the gun and avoid going to classes that are not appropriate for your level. You might find it frustrating and struggle to understand the concepts. Tango is a beautiful journey and every stage of it should be cherished!

A quote from VeryTango which we really like: “Beginners want to dance like intermediates; intermediates want to dance like advanced dancers; advanced dancers want to dance like the greats; but the greats always go back to basics.” 🙂

To be comfortable at a level, you should be able to tick the boxes of that level. And if you feel you are lacking some elements and would like to move one level up, you can always complement your group lessons with private tuition – the best way to do improve and solidify what you learned.

The best way to really master and enjoy tango is to have a well-rounded approach and mix tango classes with our friendly Los Angelitos milonga, the perfect occasion to try the steps you’ve just learned and make new friends. Our weekly North London milonga is where tango magic truly comes to life.

If you have any question about your level or which workshop to attend, please don’t hesitate to send us an email: info [@] tanguito.co.uk

Tango group classes are drop in, no booking is needed. Just show up! For private classes, you do need to book, which you can do here. All our classes are in North London.

Nope, you don’t need to come with a dancer partner.

During our tango group classes, we make sure everyone gets to dance with a variety of partners, which is the best way to learn tango. This way, leaders are exposed to different followers and can be more flexible in their leading and followers can experience different leading styles using a repertoire of steps.

As for tango private classes, you can either come with a dancer partner or on your own and dance with one of Tanguito’s professional instructors. Both work really well and there are benefits from both ways of doing things.

First off, give boots the boot! Dance shoes or indoor sneakers that let you pivot and slide easily are preferred. If you don’t have tango shoes (yet), any comfortable shoes with leather soles will do!

Of course, once you catch the tango bug, you’ll want some real tango shoes, and we can’t blame you. They are stunning, they’ll never nag you and will definitely improve your posture and style. To check out what to buy, have a look at our section on men shoes and ladies shoes.

As for clothes, anything that lets you move comfortably and that is not too baggy will do: if what you wear is too baggy, it will be difficult to check and correct your posture.

My first Argentine tango teacher looked at me in the eyes after my first class and said: “I need to be able to see your knees”, which immediately and cynically made me think: “You must be joking. What a nice job you’ve landed yourself!”. He didn’t have a knee fetish, in the end, he just needed to check I wasn’t bending my knees at the wrong time. And now, quite a few years down the line, I would give the same advice. Wear something comfy though, Tight clothes and shoes don’t make for happy shiny people.

How long is a piece of string?

We all are different. Wouldn’t it be pretty freaky if we all had the same eyes, way of walking, laugh? For that reason, we all learn tango at different speeds. Typically, what helps is:

• Previous dance experience. It will have developed your co-ordination and your kinaesthetic memory (that means memory of physical activities, rather than mental activities).
• Sports experience. It too will have developed your co-ordination and muscle strength. We find that pilates and yoga especially help because they help develop core strength. Martial arts are a big plus too, as they develop coordination, usage of the floor and a sense of “partner work”.
• Previous social dance experience (the kind that involves 2 people dancing amongst other pairs of dancers). This should have given you the gist of leading and of following.

But more than anything else, what matters most is to do something you enjoy, and if you fall in love with Argentine tango, you’ll learn fairly quickly. Does it really matter how fast you learn as long as you enjoy the journey? For the overachievers screaming “of course it matters, you numpty!”, I would say it’s not how skilled you are, it’s how good you want to be. The sky is the limit and the ball in your court. We find that consistency is key in learning tango, and so is mixing tango group classes with private classes and of course joining our Los Angelitos milonga, where tango magic happens. All our classes and milongas are in North London.

Argentine tango is a social dance, so it’s customary to dance with a variety of partners. This is the way both our group classes and our Los Angelitos milonga (tango parties) operate. This is a good way to learn, as getting exposed to different individual dance styles will broaden your opinions. It’s all trial and error after all.

Yet, if you are not comfortable with this, that’s perfectly OK – the point is to have fun and to learn a great dance you can enjoy, not to feel pressured in any way. Simply let us know at the beginning of the class so that you and your partner will solely dance with each other.

We strongly encourage role exchange, e.g. ladies dancing as leaders and gentlemen dancing as followers. After all, this is how the Argentines used to learn and practice tango when the dance originally came about in Buenos Aires. So whether you’d like to learn both roles or only the one traditionally reserved to the other gender, simply let us know at the beginning of the class.

Yes, you can – and if you do, we will give you a nice discount. In this case, best is to start at the beginning of a term (please see our yearly curriculum for more information). Contact us for more details.