Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Isn’t Argentine tango a sexy dance with a lot of dramatic flair and a rose between the teeth?
A. NO. The image of the rose between the teeth and the rigid outstretched arms was created in a movie role by Rudolphe Valentino in the 20’s and unfortunately stuck as a camp image of tango. It is NEVER done by argentine tango dancers. Also, the type of tango that you might see on shows like "Dancing with the Stars" is Ballroom Tango. That style of tango is a codified group of steps, and figures, adopted from the Argentine original and taught as part of a ballroom curriculum of four traveling dances: waltz, tango, foxtrot and quick-step. Argentine Tango is a completely improvisational dance where the man leads the woman and the woman follows his lead and adds her own style. There are hundreds of figures in tango and hundreds of emotions that can be felt. The dance can be as simple or as complicated as one would like it to be.
Q. What should I wear to class?
A. You can wear whatever you like, just make sure that your shoes have non-sticky soles (leather is best) so that you will be comfortable pivoting in them. You can buy shoes at Tango Vida or wear shoes that are similar to the shoes we sell.
Q. What if I don't have a partner?
A. It's okay if you don't have a partner. In the fundamentals classes, we will rotate partners and make sure that everyone gets to dance.
Q. How long does tango take to learn?
A. We guarantee that from the first class, you will be moving to the music and each week you will improve, but to truly learn to "bailar como un milonguero", you have to practice and put many miles on the dance floor. Asking "How long does tango take to learn?" is like asking "How long does yoga take to learn?". Tango is a practice, and you will be working on your tango for the rest of your life. At TangoVida, we teach things that you can take from the studio straight to the dance floor so you will have many opportunities to practice.
2 other things that help:
1) Become very familiar with the music of the "top tango orchestras" (not Piazzolla). Here is a list of the orchestras: http://totango.net/best.html. If you do not have their music, there are CD's for sale at Tango Vida.
2) The fundamentals classes are meant to be the foundation of your tango education and you should be taking at least one of them every month in addition to an upper level class. For the men, it is important that they practice their lead on both advanced and less-experienced followers so that they can develop their lead.
Q. What if I have no prior dance experience?
A. Perfect! Argentine Tango is a dance based on regular movement (eg. walking down the street). It is actually easier for people who have never danced before to learn tango.
Q. I have back problems, as well as problems with my knees. Is tango going to aggravate my injuries?
A. Tango will not hurt your back or any other joints. In fact, you will find that tango will improve your posture, as well as increase your flexibility. Furthermore, the benefits of adding dance to your life are just beginning to be discovered. A recent study at Washington University in St. Louis has shown that tango improves balance and mobility in patients with Parkinson's disease: (http://mednews.wustl.edu/news/page/normal/10927.html)
Q. What music should I be listening to in order to practice?
Here is a list of the top tango orchestras: http://totango.net/best.html. You can purchase the music at www.tangostore.com.
Q. Do I need to know spanish in order to learn tango?
A. Knowing spanish is not necessary and in fact tango has its own "lingo" based on the argentine slang called "lunfardo" and from the customs of the milonga so you will find that you will soon develop an impressive "tango spanish" vocabulary! Here are some words to know:
Tanda - a set of 4 songs grouped by rhythm and orchestra (a typical tanda would 4 different milongas by the Canaro Orchestra). It is customary to dance all 4 songs of the "tanda" with your partner.
Cortina - a non-tango music "break" of 30 seconds - 1 minute which signals the end of the tanda. The men escort the ladies back to their tables and then look for new partners before the next tanda starts.
Cabeceo (pronounced "kah beh seh oh")- The proper way to invite a partner to dance the argentine tango. The invitation is made by eye contact first, only after the woman accepts the invitation with a small nod will the man approach her in order to accompany her to the dance floor.
El chamuyo - the small talk and compliments that the man tells the woman in between tango songs in order to get her to smile or laugh. Usually witty and funny
Milonga - 2 meanings: 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.
Vals - The argentine tango version of waltz.
La pista - the dance floor
Please email your questions to info@studiotangovida.com and we will answer and post them (anonymously, of course) on this page.
