Tango is a sensual, romantic, and playful dance. It is a dance for couples. One partner is the leader and the other a follower. Both leader and follower try to maintain harmony and connection through the dance in time with the music. Tango is very social and involves close contact between dancers.
Tango originated in Argentina and Uruguay, popular in the poorer port areas, and is a mix of African and Argentinian dance. The dance travelled to Europe in the early 20th century starting a tango dance craze that quickly spread from Paris to London.
There are 2 types of Tango, Ballroom tango which is stylised and formal, whereas Argentinian tango is more improvisational and informal.
Ballroom tango requires a lot of technique, even at beginner level, compared to other dances. It is more suitable for dancers with some ballroom dancing experience.
Argentinian Tango is less formal but it involves more complex footwork. It is easier for beginners to learn and dancers can quickly pick up standard moves pretty quickly.
Tango requires dancers to be moderately fit, dancers pick up strength and stamina as they progress.
It can take up to year to be proficient. Women usually learn quicker than men. Like any dance, dancers need a high level of commitment and practice in class at least once a week. Watching on demand tango videos will help dancers learn technique quicker.
Find a good qualified tango teacher is the best investment dancers can make.
Tango is very social and learning tango is a fun way to meet and engage with people of all ages and backgrounds. The younger you start the easier it is. Once you have learned the art of tango dancing you will never look back.
Dancers usually choose to wear wear jeans, t-shirts, shirts, regular or dress slacks, skirts or dresses. Dance shoes are recommended as they help dancers glide across the floor.
Tango in a close partner dance, it has very rich potential for expression, improvisation and connection, therefore it is important to not only dress the part but make sure you take care of personal hygiene.
Tango dance classes are available in most cities in the UK. The best tango teachers advertise on Dance Near You.
Tango schools are largely located in London, schools like Kew Studio offer tangos classes run by experienced tango teachers from Argentina.
