About tango classes in La Tangueria
Do I need a dance partner?
How do I find a dance partner?
Do we change partners during the class?
Do I need special clothes or shoes to learn the tango?
What if I (or my partner) miss a class?
In which level should I start?
How are the levels organised?
Where and when can I practice?
What is a milonga?
When am I ready for a milongas?
I come from far: is there accommodation near La Tangueria?
Do I need a dance partner?
Yes, at La Tangueria we request that everybody registers with a dance partner for a regular class or a workshop. Only for free trial classes you don’t require a partner. This is to make sure that all the participants can fully benefit of the class.
How do I find a dance partner?
If you don’t have a partner, we can help you find one. Use the partner form to send us your profile and we will put you in contact with dancers of the other role who are also searching a partner. We also have a special Facebook group to help you find a partner. As soon as you find a partner, you can register as a dancing couple.
NB. As we don’t know most of the new dancers personally, La Tangueria can not be held responsible if the partnership doesn’t correspond to your expectations, but we will try to help you find an alternative if that would be the case.
Do we change partners during the class?
Occasionally, the teachers will ask the participants to change partners during the class, to exercise the leading and following roles. However, you will mostly learn new movements with your regular partner.
Do I need special clothes or shoes to learn tango?
To dance tango you don’t need special clothes. Jeans, street- or working outfit are okay, in which you feel comfortable… No special shoes, just avoid rubber soles and open shoes (that don’t stay at your foot when you lift it from the floor). Probably, if the tango virus catches you, you will feel the desire to buy yourself the first (of many…) pairs of beautiful dancing shoes, but there is no need to buy them straight away as they are quite expensive. In La Tangueria we propose the best quality/price dancing shoes of the brand Tangolera.
What if I (or my partner) miss a class?
If you and your partner have missed a class in a series, you can catch up together in a class of the same level or lower (before the end of the series). Please ask the teachers before to check if the class is not too full.
If only one of the partner has to miss a class but the other wants to participate anyway, you can come with another dancer (who is not necessarily a student in La Tangueria) to replace your partner. There is no additional cost for the replacement, but in this case the absent partner loses his/her chance to catch up the class. If you need help in finding a replacement partner, post a message on our Facebook group.
In which level should I start?
We encourage all beginners to start in Level 1 (initiation). The best way to learn and understand the specificities of Argentinian tango is to start with the very basics as the embrace/frame, the leading and following tools, the musicality are different from most other dances. If you are a quick learner you can skip some levels later on, but the very first classes are crucial for everybody. However, if you are a dancer with a lot of experience in other dances (including European or ballroom tango), you can exceptionally start in Level 1A, but we don’t recommend it systematically.
How are the levels organised?
In the first year, La Tangueria proposes 3 levels: Level 1 (initiation), Level 1A (knowledge of the basics), Level 1B (advanced beginner). After the first year, you can go to Level2, which lasts 2 semesters. After 2 years tango practice and classes you are ready for Level 3. The programme of Level 4 (from 3 till 5 years tango) lasts for 2 years. If you have talent and practice a lot during 5 years, you can make it to Level 5, where you stay for at least 3 more years. For Level 6 (the highest level), a minimum of 8 years of regular tango practice are required.
Please be aware that the number of years is an average, as some people learn faster than others. It also depends on how much time you spend (or how many kilometers you dance) in addition to the classes.
Where and when can I practice?
The best way to improve you dance is to practice for at least one hour between the classes. As a student of La Tangueria you have free access to the Practica on Thursday evening (19h>22h15), in the room upstairs (only when there are classes, check the agenda for the dates).
What is a milonga?
A milonga is an Argentine Tango social dance event. You are free to dance with your own partner, but also to invite other dancers (preferably of your own level). The music consists of tango, vals and milonga and is typically played in tandas (sets) with three or four songs per tanda. Between tandas, there are short interludes of non-tango music known as cortinas. The cortina is a customary time to change partners.
There are many milongas in Brussels, you will find a detailed overview on www.milonga.be.
When am I ready for a milonga?
We encourage all tango students to go to dance in the milongas as early as possible. You can start to go to the milongas as soon as you know a few steps (about 5 classes). In La Tangueria we propose a milonga every 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month, and sometimes on Saturday evening (check the dates on our agenda). We regularly invite the beginners of levels 1, 1A, 1B and 2 to join our milonga for free.
Whenever you dance in a milonga, please make sure that you respect the rules and codes: move with the counter-clockwise direction, flow and spacing of the line of dance. On a crowded floor, it is preferrable not to overtake other couples, not to take several steps against the line of dance, nor to allow a big gap to open up in front of you. Also, don’t put weight on your heel in the back steps and be polite if you accidentally hit someone…
In La Tangueriae regularly organise workshops for beginners on how to behave and which steps to dance on a (crowded) milonga.
I come from far: is there accommodation near La Tangueria?
Several excellent hotels in Brussel propose exceptional conditions during the school holidays and weekends (check Booking.com, Tripadivsor…).
In the neigbourhood of La Tangueria and metro station Simonis and not far from the city centre, we recommend several B&B
- Bed & Breakfast Bruno & Bruno
- Bed & Breakfast Art deco
- Hotel Frederiksborg**
- and also the youth hostel Hello Hostel
