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Learning Tango in LondonHow do you learn Tango and where do you go to learn? - We have all the answers... by Carole Edrich |
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Sublime, romantic and expressive, the lyrics of tango support a movement that is sophisticated, sensual and erotic. I’ve wanted to learn for years but only recently found the time to do so. Since my objective was to be able to dance tango socially, I started by taking every beginners course I could find. Getting bored and disincentivised is a common problem for those of us with a dance background who share classes with those who have none and while I don’t want bad habits I’m not aiming for performance perfection, so was looking for a laid-back class that didn’t go too slowly. Experience shows that those who dance brilliantly can’t necessarily teach, so I wanted clear, well structured lessons as well as teachers to whose style I’d aspire. There’s a wealth of choice in London, with teachers, styles and locations galore. I discovered that many tango lessons also offer ‘practica’. This is a period after the course where students can practice without formal tuition. It’s a great way to consolidate what has been learned and although there’s no formal teaching, most teachers will help if you have a particular problem.
 © Carole Edrich
After an exhausting two weeks I settled on the lessons run at the Crypt in Clerkenwell. Paul and Michico do the improvers, intermediate and advanced and Tom, Diana and Seryu work with the beginners. The Crypt is a gorgeous, photogenic location with a good wooden floor that; while not sprung, is pleasant to dance on, the teachers are all pleasant people with great senses of humour, the lessons well structured (we were even given a printed page listing what we’d learn in our first eleven weeks) and the atmosphere of classes and practicas very friendly. Some fantastic dancers do so much of their dancing unconsciously that they forget to teach the details. That’s great if you’re already confident enough to work them out for yourself, but won’t be much good if you’re unsure of the basics. Paul says he has been in the London tango scene since its beginnings in 1986 and over a cup of tea we discussed some general guidelines for those looking for lessons in social tango. He points out that learning to lead and follow is unnecessarily difficult if men and women are taught different sets of steps separately and the teacher then assumes it will work out without showing how. Look for someone who demonstrates an understanding of how the body moves, how pairs move together on the dance floor and of how the feeling, pace and moves are communicated. (Tom gave us an excellent exercise where leaders held their hands behind their backs and were therefore forced to use their bodies to communicate). Musicality is important too, in one lesson we were all taught to step to the music at different speeds to develop more of a connection between music and movement.  © Carole Edrich
The Halloween Masked Ball at the Crypt in Clerkenwell marked my graduation from self-conscious, clumsy beginner to enthusiastic social dancer. I’m still a bit gawky and have lots more to learn, but since learning and dancing really good tango is a lifetime’s work, I’m happy that I’ve learned to feel the music, follow the lead and the social etiquette of tango dancing. There’s little more intoxicating than the feeling when lead and follow fit together and movements, changes of pace and patterns feel sensuous and natural. I’m working hard now because I want more. Beginners Lessons and Practica There are a huge number of beginners lessons in London, these are the ones I tried: Monday:
El Once at The Crypt, St James Church, Clerkenwell Close. Lessons and practica. Tuesday: Zero Hour at the Dome, next to Boston Pub. Entrance on Dartmouth Park Hill, Tufnell Park London N19. Lessons, practica and club. Wednesday: Pineapple Dance Studios, Covent Garden. Lessons only. Thursday: The Tango Club. 8 Hop Gardens, St Martin’s Lane. Lessons, practica and club. Friday: Tango Federico. The Urdang Academy, 20-22 Shelton St. Covent Garden. Lessons only. Saturday: Alternate Weeks are run by Nikki and Valerie together or Paul and Michiko together at The Crypt, St James Church, Clerkenwell Close. Lessons, practica and club. Sunday: La Milonga de la Luna (monthly) The Polish Hearth Club, 55 Princes Gate Exhibition Road, London , Gt London, SW7 2PN. Lessons and club. Tango in Action also does intensive daytime beginners tango at various dates and locations An invaluable discussion group for all aspects of tango, its history, interpretation, teachers, trips and courses is the discussion group Tango-UK at |
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