FAQ
Q. What should I wear / bring to class?
SoTango's classes are not acrobatic or highly aerobic so just wear comfortable clothes that do not restrict your walking. Consider your personal hygiene and its effect on your partner. For fresh breath mints are good but avoid chewing gum in class because this wrecks your rhythm when dancing.
For men - if you sweat easily you may like to bring a change of top and a towel.
Read more here on personal hygiene for class.
Regarding footwear:
Leather or smooth soled shoes are ideal.
Flat or low heeled shoes are recommended for the first lesson.
If you don’t have shoes that contain your feet well and allow you to glide easily on the floor you can wear socks.
Preferably avoid thongs or grippy soled shoes.
Q. Where can I buy Tango shoes?
Please see retailers listed in 'Shoes and Attire' in our Links Page
Q. What type of tango shoes should I wear?
For a comprehensive answer read: The best shoes for tango
Q. Can I attend without a partner?
Yes certainly. Many people attend our classes without a partner. We make booking essential so that we can know how many leaders and followers are attending and we can bring in assistants to balance out the mix if necessary. Of course sometimes the class mix may not be exactly even but we know how to work with this to ensure everyone gets plenty of dance time with a partner.
Q. Do my partner and I have to rotate with other people in your classes?
No. Rotation is encouraged but optional.
Q. What can I do in between classes to help develop my Tango?
The variety of exercises we use in our classes to warm-up can be practised at home with or without a partner.
Familiarise yourself with the music of the "top Tango orchestras" (not Piazzolla).
Attend Milongas (tango dance parties). If you do not feel good enough to dance socially you can still learn a lot by watching.
Q. What music should I practice to?
Q. Where can I find tango music?
You can find the answers here: Music for dancers new to Argentine tango
About learning Tango
Q. How long does Tango take to learn?
This is like asking "How long does it take to learn yoga or play the violin?". Tango is a practice, and you will be working on your tango for the rest of your life.Our beginners course is designed so that from the first class, you will be moving to the music and each week you will improve. But to dance well socially you need to practice and 'do the miles' on the dance floor.
Q. Do I need any prior dance experience?
No. Argentine Tango is a dance based on regular movement (eg. walking down the street). If you can walk and hear the beat of the music you can dance the Tango.
Q. What if I have 'two left feet'?
Many of our students have described themselves in this way and many of them have become very competent dancers! Prior negative experiences with learning to dance may have left you with the belief that you cannot dance. Our recommendation is "just give it a go!'' You may be pleasantly surprised!
Q. Can I learn from Videotapes?
If you are not able to get to any schools in your area, there are many videos available to study. You will need a partner to study with. Even if you are studying by video, we recommend occasionally traveling to take classes (group or private) and attend Milongas to get experience dancing with others. Whilst you can learn much from tapes, hands-on experience is irreplaceable. For a guide to the many videos available see: Video Resources for the Tango Dancer
Q. What tango music should I practice to?
Click here for a guide to music for people new to tango.
About SoTango
Q. Do you teach any other dances other than Argentine Tango?
At SoTango we teach Tango Vals and Milonga which are both dances from the Tango tradition. We do not teach any other Latin dances or Ballroom Tango
Q. What style of Tango do you teach?
At SoTango we teach authentic Argentine Tango - as it is danced socially in Buenos Aires. At our beginner level we start in open embrace and progress gradually to a closer embrace. However you can dance as close or open as you and your partner like, it's your choice.
Q. What is the average age of people in your classes?
People of all ages attend our classes. Our youngest students are in their late teens to early 20s Our eldest students are in their 60s. The majority of our students are in the early 30s - to late 40s age group.
Q. Do you offer private lessons?
Yes, click on private lessons.
Q. Do you prepare couples for their wedding dances?
Yes, we have successfully taught many couples improvisation and simple choreographies for their wedding dances. Tango is a wonderfully romantic and sensuous dance to celebrate the occasion of a wedding. We offer this training by private lessons.
About Tango in general
Q. Is Tango the dance with the rose between the teeth and rapid head movements?
No. The image of Tango danced with a rose between the teeth, rapid head movements and the rigid outstretched arms was created in a movie role by Rudolph Valentino in the 1920’s and has since become a stereotypical and erroneous image of Tango This is stage or "Hollywood style' Tango. Quite a few people develop an interest in dancing tango because they have seen performance of tango on stage or in a movie. The tango you see on stage is related to social tango, but it is also very different. Stage tango is called "Fantasia" and is more theatrical and exaggerated than social tango.
Watching a performance is a wonderful opportunity to see tango and (hopefully) hear a live tango orchestra. Once you've heard a bandoneon played live, you'll never forget it.
Q. Is Argentine Tango the Same as Ballroom Tango?
No. They started out from the same roots, but location, time and the ever evolving nature of dance have made them separate dances. The American and International ballroom tangos very different from the tango danced socially in Argentina. Argentine tango is different from the ballroom tangos in its posture, embrace, improvisation, movement, balance, steps, and music. It's completely different from the top of your head to the bottom of the soles of the shoes you dance it with.
If you have a background in ballroom tango, just think of Argentine tango as a completely new dance - not as an enhancement of the one you already know.
Q. What does 'Milonga' mean?
It can mean two things: 1) The place where one goes to dance tango ("I am going to the milonga tonight") or 2) one of the rhythms in the Argentine Tango family of 3 rhythms (Tango, Milonga, Vals). The milonga rhythm is usually happier and faster than the tango rhythm.
More questions? Please contact SoTango.