The topic of Argentina Tango is no light matter. When we dream, we are good at things we want to learn. With fantasies swirling through the mind, aspiring Argentina Tango divas take to the classrooms in preparation for a pilgrimage to the Argentina Tango capital and birthplace, Buenos Aires. Many travelers have wanted to learn for years, many want to get in shape through dance, and most want to form a connetion to the dance from Argentina that symbolizes the soul of Argentina, the national charater, what we hope to feel when they arrive on the streets of Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. We all start out with Argentina tango images handed down to us through movies, videos, and travel books: gorgeous toned legs jutting out from colorful, special tango-dresses, amazing shoes, and hair coifed perfectly in a shiny bun at the nape of the neck, with flower pinned at the center. How could anyone not love these images? How could you not want to learn to tango, especially before travelling to Argentina?
Basic Tango lessons will give you enough knowledge of the Argentine dance to get by at any club, whether it be in New York or Buenos Aires. They call this conversational Tango. Usually travellers might sign up for Conversational (or Basic) Tango and take classes for a few months, for up to three times a week, to prepare for a trip to Argentina. Some start out at once a week, then, as the trip draws near, will have built up to three times a week. This intensive training just before departure to Buenos Aires ensures a solid knowledge of the basica of this complex dance.
The names of the Argentina Tango steps originate in the barrios of Beunos Aires in the 1800s. Women in long skirts who danced the Argentina Tango in the rough streets make patterns in the dirt. The patterns gave the steps their names. Once you practice the steps and get good enough at basic Tango moves, you may be invited to attena a practica by your dance instructor. This is an evening session where you can dance with different partners and show off your Tango style, Argentina style!
Also, for the female Tango students out there, it’s likely that your class is made up of mostly women, then you may not have even danced with a man yet. The practica is your chance to tango with a man! You will learn something from each partner you dance with, even though you might end up feeling shy or humiliated by what you perceive to be your bad Tango style. You will meet people who are obsesses with the Tango, people who dance Tango more than 8 hours a week, and people who have been dancing Tango all their lives. It has been said that Tango is a dance you learn for life.
