dance class/lesson beginners!

[Lotte]

Hi!

My boyfriend and I are living in Buenos Aires since November. Before we go home we would like to try a tango class. Someone knows where I can I find a tango class for beginners (I am really not a good dancer but at least want to try), both group or private are welcome. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[toongeorges]

I am not an expert, it would be nice to hear the answers of an expert, also because I am planning to return to Buenos Aires around September for a couple of months and I want to dance tango as well.

I only know of two places.

A very touristic place to dance tango is La Viruta (Armenia 1366): http://www.lavirutatango.com
It is very informal and included in the price of the classes is the entrance to the milonga (i.e. when they dance tango, not the type of dance).

I think you can give la Viruta a try, because you can combine your first class with a milonga afterwards. Around 10 - 11 PM, the milonga is still full of inexperienced people of which many are also dancing tango for the first time. If you want to dance, I advise you to dance early in the evening. It could be nice to stay until 3 AM or later, just to watch, because the later in the evening, the more experienced the dancers. You probably will not be dancing at 3 AM anymore, because you'd be intimidated by how the other people are dancing.

Personally, I think La Viruta is a nice place to go to a milonga as a tourist, because it is very informal. However, I think the classes are not the best quality, because they teach a lot of people at the same time. At the beginning of the milonga, the teachers show off how they dance, which I think is not necessary, but maybe that is what tourists want to see or the teachers need to boost their ego, whatever.

You can check the schedule on the Internet, it seems they have classes every day except Monday and I guess the milonga is after the classes.

The other place I danced at is http://www.mayoralyelsamaria.com.ar/
near Callao/Santa Fe. They have no milonga there, but classes were better than at la Viruta. Also the building is nice. There are group classes each Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I think it is at 2PM and 8PM, I do not remember exactly and do not see it mentioned at their website. You can take there private classes every day.

 

[jantango]

Before you set out to learn the dance, listen to the music on the radio 92.7 FM or find music on YouTube. You can only dance to music you know. You must love tango music before you dance it.

You need to make a commitment to a series of classes and then practice. A private class is for those who have learned the basics and want to progress. Recommended for couples to study with a couple of teachers.

La Viruta is a tango class factory for younger dancers. The other studio on Callao and Santa Fe teaches the basics of tango performance, not the social style.

There are thousands of tango dance teachers in BsAs. They advertise in El Tangauta www.eltangauta.com and other tango magazines available at the milongas. www.lamilongaargentina.com You begin with tango, later learn vals and milonga. It's a commitment, first to know the music, then learn the dance.

Decide what your goal is in learning to dance tango. Do you want to memorize choreography for exhibition to impress your friends or to enjoy improvising on a social dance floor. There are teachers for both. Finding the right one may take time. If you are interested in dancing socially, ask any teacher how often they go out to dance in the milongas. If the answer is never or very little, continue looking for a teacher.

El Tangauta is celebrating 16 years of publication with a festival on March 22-23 with free classes, shows, etc. from 6pm to 3am on Santiago del Estero between San Juan and Cochabamba. Check out the free classes for a teacher. The schedule is posted in their latest issue online.

www.jantango.wordpress.com

 

[urbanjunglejane]

Check for classes in El Beso on the net (Riobamba y Corrientes)
Classes by Maria Plazaola are the best!
I had been taking tango classes with Argentinian tango teachers( in Paris). I have been living for 7 years in Buenos Aires now. I have never attended better group classes!

 

[Bajo_cero2]

Check for classes in El Beso on the net (Riobamba y Corrientes)
Classes by Maria Plazaola are the best!
I had been taking tango classes with Argentinian tango teachers( in Paris). I have been living for 7 years in Buenos Aires now. I have never attended better group classes!

El beso is closed
la Viruta is an awful place for learning. At high end traditional milongas, when someone wants to insult your dance, he calls you virutero.
Regards

 

[BednBreakfast]

I suggest Mariposita de San Telmo. Carolina and Francisco are great teachers.... http://www.mariposita.com.ar/

 

[NeilS]

La Viruta is located in Palermo on Armenia near Cabrera.

 

[La Fleur]

Hi!

My boyfriend and I are living in Buenos Aires since November. Before we go home we would like to try a tango class. Someone knows where I can I find a tango class for beginners (I am really not a good dancer but at least want to try), both group or private are welcome. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

I have had a number of visitors who wanted to really get the feel of real tango, but only had a very short time here. Some have gone to a couple of group classes, but generally those people have been disappointed. However the ones who have gone to TangoTaxiDancers for their special introduction to tango (http://www.tangotaxidancers.com/InglesOffers.html) have been delighted with the whole experience.

Those visitors not only get to have their first tango experience of tango in the arms of an expert, but also get to enjoy a milonga with that teacher as a dance partner too, having the codigas of the milonga explained in situ. Even if this is their very first time dancing tango, they are able to do it 'for real' in a milonga in Buenos Aires. Hard to put a value on that!

So that is another option for you to consider. I hope you enjoy yourselves.

La Fleur

 

[trennod]

My Argentine girlfriend and I are wanting to take tango classes and I am actually thinking of getting her a surprise lesson for the first time.

For those who are serious, I am hoping I might be able to grab a couple of recommendations for highly regarded teachers, that take private classes and teach beginners? 1 block from Scalabrini Ortiz y Las Heras) so preferably something closer.

Neither of us have danced Argentine tango before, although I danced ballroom until I was 17 and was an Australian champion back in the day (which included the ballroom tango ) so hopefully we can pick it up ok!

Thanks in advance

 

[toongeorges]

I would like to receive recommendations as well! In less than a month I will be in Buenos Aires for a couple of months and one of my main aims is to dance a lot of tango. Thanks everyone who already made suggestions in this thread, I will check them out!

I can post my experiences in this thread, but that will only be from next month on.

Does someone have advice on finding a dance partner for milongas? Last year when I took some tango classes in Buenos Aires, there were always some women who showed up as individuals (except in la Viruta, but that were bad classes anyway), so I could have a dance partner. However I found that I learn best tango by practicing. Classes are good for getting inspiration, but I learn the most by trying out. In Buenos Aires many woman only want to dance with you if they have seen you dancing before, but to see you dancing, you need a dance partner first! Does anyone have a solution to this problem, or should I just go to classes and look if I find someone about my level there who wants to dance in milongas as well?