How to Get Started Dancing Argentine Tango

Tango is often portrayed in movies as being a fiery and passionate dance. Two dancers move confidently about the floor with their cheeks together while their legs and feet perform complicated movements to interpret the music. Argentine Tango is a wonderfully romantic and passionate dance that can be a rewarding and fun way to spend an evening.

Before learning Tango, you must understand the distinction between Argentine Tango and the form of Tango that is danced at most ballroom dance parties. Argentine Tango is the original form of the modern dance, dating back to the 19th century--although its history is somewhat muddled, with Spanish and African influences. Tango was then codified and morphed into the popular ballroom form in the early 20th century. However, if you go into a "milonga", or Tango dance, or to a Tango salon in Buenos Aires and many other places in the world, they will be dancing Argentine Tango.

Choosing an Argentine Tango Instructor

When looking for an Instructor, make sure that you specify that you are looking for Argentine Tango. If you walk into a ballroom dancing studio and simply ask for Tango lessons, you are likely to get the ballroom version.

Ask how the instructor learned their Argentine Tango. They should have studied it for several years--or intensely for at least a couple of years--before teaching it. They should have either studied in Buenos Aires, or from someone who studied with someone from Buenos Aires, or at the very least have studied with someone who studied with someone from Buenos Aires! While none of this is a guarantee that the teach will be any good, at least you will know that they are probably teaching similar techniques to what is actually danced in Argentina.

If the instructor uses a codified syllabus or is certified by a ballroom dancing society, you will be learning a ballroom version of Argentine Tango. This consists of a series of memorized patterns, which are not only not authentic to the dance, but they take away from what Tango is supposed to be about: the connection between the leader and follower. Argentine Tango is a true lead and follow dance. The lady is never quite sure what the man is going to do until he does it, but their connection is such that she follows him effortlessly. While this is somewhat true of ballroom Tango, the follower there relies somewhat on her previous knowledge of the codified patterns.

While many dancers advocate learning in private lessons, this is costly--between $50 and $100 per hour. Group lessons are much more affordable, and depending on your Tango community, there may be visiting masters who put on valuable workshops. A combination of the three is very effective.

Argentine Tango Lessons

The most important thing to remember when learning Argentine Tango is to have patience. It takes men three to five times longer than women to learn to dance, because they have to learn how to lead, interpret the music and move safely around the dance floor in addition to learning what to do with their own bodies. They will often spend weeks or months just learning how to walk properly in Tango! This is an excellent investment of time, because it creates a solid foundation for future dancing.

Practice doesn't make perfect, but it does improve learning. While taking Argentine Tango lessons, try to attend some "practicas", which are like practice social dances. Here, it is acceptable to stop and work on something you are having trouble with, and more experienced dancers may be willing to help you or answer questions. Milongas are more formal, and it is not acceptable to stop in the middle of a dance to discuss a problem.

There is much to learn when it comes to Argentine Tango, but these tips should get you started. Happy Dancing!