Frequently Asked Questions
Scroll down to see the answers to all your frequently asked questions or click on the quick links below:
If there isn't an answer for your question, email us so we can add it to this list.
LESSONS, CLASSES, WORKSHOPS RELATED QUESTIONS
What should I wear to my first lesson?
All you need is your everyday clothing and comfortable footwear with not much grip so you can pivot easily. Don't worry if you don't have dance shoes, any leather or suede soles work fine.
Do I need to arrive early to lessons?
We ask students to arrive at the time stated as the lesson start time. All group lessons start a few minutes (max 5min) past the start time to allow time for people to make payment and get their shoes on. We ask students to be present for the start of the class so as not to miss the individual technique exercises we give at the start of each lesson.
How long is a lessons?
Group lessons stated as 1 hour, 1.5 hours and 2 hours will have respective teaching times of 55 minutes, 1 hour 25 minutes and 1 hour 55 minutes.
Do I need to register for classes?
You do not need to register for the regular classes. Registrations are usually only for workshops and you will see clear instructions to register if required.
What should I wear to my first lesson?
All you need is your everyday clothing and comfortable footwear with not much grip so you can pivot easily. Don't worry if you don't have dance shoes, any leather or suede soles work fine.
Do I need to arrive early to lessons?
We ask students to arrive at the time stated as the lesson start time. All group lessons start a few minutes (max 5min) past the start time to allow time for people to make payment and get their shoes on. We ask students to be present for the start of the class so as not to miss the individual technique exercises we give at the start of each lesson.
How long is a lessons?
Group lessons stated as 1 hour, 1.5 hours and 2 hours will have respective teaching times of 55 minutes, 1 hour 25 minutes and 1 hour 55 minutes.
Do I need to register for classes?
You do not need to register for the regular classes. Registrations are usually only for workshops and you will see clear instructions to register if required.
What is included in each group lesson?
Each 55min lesson is structured in the following way:
· Exercises for technical skill development
· Study of Material (with style/different embrace detail)
· Sequencing with variations
· Musical/dance floor application
· Improvisation tips
· How to challenge yourself further
· Film the material for your records
Each 55min lesson is structured in the following way:
· Exercises for technical skill development
· Study of Material (with style/different embrace detail)
· Sequencing with variations
· Musical/dance floor application
· Improvisation tips
· How to challenge yourself further
· Film the material for your records
What can I expect from a group lesson at Tango Garden?
+ 55 min. structured lessons.
+ 2 senior teachers + assistant(s) to maximize help available to students.
+ Friendly and welcoming environment focused on your learning.
+ No need to come with a partner
+ Role numbers usually even out but occasional extra leaders/followers are always well looked after with .
+ “change partners” is called out but you don’t have to change if you’ve come to study with a partner.
+ Questions welcome
+ Practice room available at 5pm.
+ 55 min. structured lessons.
+ 2 senior teachers + assistant(s) to maximize help available to students.
+ Friendly and welcoming environment focused on your learning.
+ No need to come with a partner
+ Role numbers usually even out but occasional extra leaders/followers are always well looked after with .
+ “change partners” is called out but you don’t have to change if you’ve come to study with a partner.
+ Questions welcome
+ Practice room available at 5pm.
Do I have to change partners during a class or workshop?
You do not have to change partners if you do not want to. We recommend changing partners but it is not obligatory.
You do not have to change partners if you do not want to. We recommend changing partners but it is not obligatory.
Do I need a partner for classes and workshops?
Regular Weekly Classes & Tango Garden
You do not need a partner to take these weekly drop-in classes. Most people come alone, although it's always great if you have/find a partner who'll dance the opposite role to take classes with. We cannot guarantee even numbers in these classes or any classes where there is no advanced registration, although they do often even out fairly well. We highly recommend that you do not get put off if you turn up one week and find not enough of the opposite role, from experience we know that numbers often level out or even flip around the following week. If you'd like stability in the classes you can do your part towards it by attending regularly.
We also offer discounted partner package offers to reward people who are keen to study regularly with a partner. See offers page
Tango Clinic
This is a steady group of drop-in and package students who are serious about learning at a high level. As such, we encourage Tango Clinic students to arrange a partner, this helps keep numbers even and maximises the learning experience for all. You can still come alone of course but it would be a good idea to inform us so we can tell you if we anticipate a major role imbalance. Although we do not guarantee even numbers, we do our best to maintain a balance in this small group.
Workshops
We do advanced registrations for all our workshops to ensure even numbers. We recommend that you register with a partner of your choice. If you register without a partner you will be put on a waiting list until someone of the opposite role has registered to make a pair. We change partners regularly in every workshop, so you do not have to stay dancing with one person, the pairing is purely administrative.
Regular Weekly Classes & Tango Garden
You do not need a partner to take these weekly drop-in classes. Most people come alone, although it's always great if you have/find a partner who'll dance the opposite role to take classes with. We cannot guarantee even numbers in these classes or any classes where there is no advanced registration, although they do often even out fairly well. We highly recommend that you do not get put off if you turn up one week and find not enough of the opposite role, from experience we know that numbers often level out or even flip around the following week. If you'd like stability in the classes you can do your part towards it by attending regularly.
We also offer discounted partner package offers to reward people who are keen to study regularly with a partner. See offers page
Tango Clinic
This is a steady group of drop-in and package students who are serious about learning at a high level. As such, we encourage Tango Clinic students to arrange a partner, this helps keep numbers even and maximises the learning experience for all. You can still come alone of course but it would be a good idea to inform us so we can tell you if we anticipate a major role imbalance. Although we do not guarantee even numbers, we do our best to maintain a balance in this small group.
Workshops
We do advanced registrations for all our workshops to ensure even numbers. We recommend that you register with a partner of your choice. If you register without a partner you will be put on a waiting list until someone of the opposite role has registered to make a pair. We change partners regularly in every workshop, so you do not have to stay dancing with one person, the pairing is purely administrative.
I have a pack of group lessons, do I have to take them consecutively?
It is highly recommended that you take the pack of classes as close to each other as possible to maximise retention of information in the body memory. However each pack will have it's deadline and usually allows for a missed week or two without penalties, check the details of your pack. Monthly passes are restricted to that month, classes not taken within the month cannot be recovered or refunded.
I have a lot of dance experience but have never done Tango, which level should I attend?
If you are new to tango, you must come to the beginners lessons. As a dancer you may find you make quick progress but the first beginners lessons are important to understanding the specifics of tango.
How old do I have to be to take part in the lessons?
All adults are welcome. Email us if you have a question about lessons for under 16s.
It is highly recommended that you take the pack of classes as close to each other as possible to maximise retention of information in the body memory. However each pack will have it's deadline and usually allows for a missed week or two without penalties, check the details of your pack. Monthly passes are restricted to that month, classes not taken within the month cannot be recovered or refunded.
I have a lot of dance experience but have never done Tango, which level should I attend?
If you are new to tango, you must come to the beginners lessons. As a dancer you may find you make quick progress but the first beginners lessons are important to understanding the specifics of tango.
How old do I have to be to take part in the lessons?
All adults are welcome. Email us if you have a question about lessons for under 16s.
TANGO GARDEN RELATED QUESTIONS
Do I have to use the "Cabeceo" at Tango Garden?
In short, The cabeceo (meaning head nod gesture) is a way of asking and accepting dances using facial expressions and a nod of the head (Read "What is The Cabeceo" below for a lengthy description).
Tango Garden is an Argentine Style Practica Social, this means that formalities such as dress code and seating are relaxed (although the line of dance must still be respected!). In such a setting, where people move around the space and interact informally, the cabeceo also changes character and can become quite informal. For example, if you're having a friendly conversation with someone, it is not surprising if, in Argentina, they simply ask "queres bailar?" or "would you like to dance?". This is because, if you've been making a lot of eye contact in conversation, it may seem more natural to ask verbally rather than try to ask with eyebrows and head gestures. Of course if you don't know a person and don't know how they feel about you, the polite thing to do would be to cabeceo rather than confront them with a "do you want to dance?", as this can be uncomfortable for the other person and makes it awkward to refuse and we all know theirs no point getting a dance with someone that doesn't feel like dancing with you at that point in time.
Do I have to use the "Cabeceo" at Tango Garden?
In short, The cabeceo (meaning head nod gesture) is a way of asking and accepting dances using facial expressions and a nod of the head (Read "What is The Cabeceo" below for a lengthy description).
Tango Garden is an Argentine Style Practica Social, this means that formalities such as dress code and seating are relaxed (although the line of dance must still be respected!). In such a setting, where people move around the space and interact informally, the cabeceo also changes character and can become quite informal. For example, if you're having a friendly conversation with someone, it is not surprising if, in Argentina, they simply ask "queres bailar?" or "would you like to dance?". This is because, if you've been making a lot of eye contact in conversation, it may seem more natural to ask verbally rather than try to ask with eyebrows and head gestures. Of course if you don't know a person and don't know how they feel about you, the polite thing to do would be to cabeceo rather than confront them with a "do you want to dance?", as this can be uncomfortable for the other person and makes it awkward to refuse and we all know theirs no point getting a dance with someone that doesn't feel like dancing with you at that point in time.
I'm a follower, can I ask leaders to dance at Tango Garden?
The short answer is YES, but there are ways of asking. If you approach a person and ask them outright "do you want to dance?" (be you a leader or follower), you can't be too offended if they say "no" for whatever reason*(see below). We have to understand that the person may be tired, waiting to dance with someone else, uncertain about the music, or simply rather not dance with you and although that may be a little upsetting, it's better than having someone feel obliged to dance with you out of politeness.
As mentioned above, Tango Garden is an Argentine Style Practica Social and being an informal space, there are no 'rules' about having to use the cabeceo, you have to use your judgement about what's appropriate with each person you're considering inviting. If in doubt it may be better to go for the safer, more subtle option of making eye contact and using the cabeceo. We run a friendly social space and part of our ethos is to encourage people to be kind, generous and caring towards other members of the tango community and aim to bring a smile to another person's face. However, if a person doesn't want to dance for whatever reason*, their personal choice to refuse a dance aught to be respected.
*What we don't find acceptable is if a man tells a woman she is "not allowed to ask". We consider this to be discriminatory. Living in London in the 21st century, we like to think of ourselves as living in a society which values equality and 'the milonga' or 'practica' is a space which is part of the here and now, to be shared and enjoy with our contemporaries today. It is not a time-warp zone, where suddenly well established modern social norms are discarded in favour of discriminatory behaviour towards women.
If a woman doesn't want to ask that's perfectly fine, for example, Maral doesn't tend to ask people outright and she has her own reasons. But to be told that the woman is not allow to ask according to the 'rule' in Tango, in quite a poor understanding of how Tango works and the power and agency women hold in Tango in the Milongas of Buenos Aires and no such 'rule' (were there such a rule) is good enough excuse to disempower more than 50% of the dancers in a room.
The short answer is YES, but there are ways of asking. If you approach a person and ask them outright "do you want to dance?" (be you a leader or follower), you can't be too offended if they say "no" for whatever reason*(see below). We have to understand that the person may be tired, waiting to dance with someone else, uncertain about the music, or simply rather not dance with you and although that may be a little upsetting, it's better than having someone feel obliged to dance with you out of politeness.
As mentioned above, Tango Garden is an Argentine Style Practica Social and being an informal space, there are no 'rules' about having to use the cabeceo, you have to use your judgement about what's appropriate with each person you're considering inviting. If in doubt it may be better to go for the safer, more subtle option of making eye contact and using the cabeceo. We run a friendly social space and part of our ethos is to encourage people to be kind, generous and caring towards other members of the tango community and aim to bring a smile to another person's face. However, if a person doesn't want to dance for whatever reason*, their personal choice to refuse a dance aught to be respected.
*What we don't find acceptable is if a man tells a woman she is "not allowed to ask". We consider this to be discriminatory. Living in London in the 21st century, we like to think of ourselves as living in a society which values equality and 'the milonga' or 'practica' is a space which is part of the here and now, to be shared and enjoy with our contemporaries today. It is not a time-warp zone, where suddenly well established modern social norms are discarded in favour of discriminatory behaviour towards women.
If a woman doesn't want to ask that's perfectly fine, for example, Maral doesn't tend to ask people outright and she has her own reasons. But to be told that the woman is not allow to ask according to the 'rule' in Tango, in quite a poor understanding of how Tango works and the power and agency women hold in Tango in the Milongas of Buenos Aires and no such 'rule' (were there such a rule) is good enough excuse to disempower more than 50% of the dancers in a room.
Followers Tanda at Tango Garden?
We sometimes have a 'follower's tanda' at Tango Garden, where followers can feel comfortable asking leaders to dance, we do this not because followers are not "allowed" to ask at other times but simply because often there are more followers than leaders in the room, especially new faces who haven't had the opportunity to dance yet.
We sometimes have a 'follower's tanda' at Tango Garden, where followers can feel comfortable asking leaders to dance, we do this not because followers are not "allowed" to ask at other times but simply because often there are more followers than leaders in the room, especially new faces who haven't had the opportunity to dance yet.
DEFINITIONS / GENERAL QUESTIONS
What is Tango Nuevo (New Tango)?
Read this article by Maral Kojayan to get a fuller understanding of what Tango Nuevo is.
What is Tango Nuevo (New Tango)?
Read this article by Maral Kojayan to get a fuller understanding of what Tango Nuevo is.
What is the ronda or the line of dance?
The ronda means the 'round', referring to the movement of couples anticlockwise around the dance floor. The line of dance refers to the ronda, and more specifically it could be a reference to the line or lane you are dancing in and the leaders front.
The ronda means the 'round', referring to the movement of couples anticlockwise around the dance floor. The line of dance refers to the ronda, and more specifically it could be a reference to the line or lane you are dancing in and the leaders front.
What is the cabeceo?
The Cabeceo (meaning head nod gesture) is a way of asking and accepting dances using facial expressions and a nod of the head. This is a polite formal way to ask and accept a dance as it's discreet and avoids the embarrassment of having to cross the dance floor to ask for a dance, and risk being turned down openly.
The cabeceo is an artform rather than a behaviour protocol. Just as a conversation has certain conventions but is quite subjective; requiring contextual understanding, sensitivity to the situation, the other person and a willingness to engage, so too the cabeceo is a non-verbal conversation. We get better and more natural at it over time and with practice as long as we have an interest in developing it.
Like a conversation (and much to most people's misunderstanding), the cabeceo is not one sided, i.e. instigated always by the leader or by the follower. It's much more fluid and starts with ordinary eye contact. As we know from our non-tango life, holding a gaze implies interest, so it is with the cabeceo. Once interest is established, in most cases the male leader (because Tango was situated in a machismo culture and habits continue) 'asks' the lady if she wants to dance by a small head movement or raising of an eyebrow and she either ignores his gesture or nods or smiles to accept. Of course, when people know each other already, or even sometimes when they don't, the cabeceo can be much more playful and the so called 'format' can change. For example, once eye contact is established, the follower may smile cheekily or innocently or sultrily, or just move her eyes or an eyebrow which sets the tone for the interaction and is her way of 'asking' the leader to dance. He might respond by a similar gesture as if to say, 'are you asking me to ask you to dance?' and she may respond with another little gesture as if to say 'maybe, why don't you try and see' or 'yes' or 'of course, I'd love to'... and each gesture would of course look very different and no one person is in charge of the asking.
So you see, the 'rules' for the cabeceo are as fixed as the rules for flirting, flirting without words. If you're in a pub late at night you might behave one way, if in a posh formal looking bar, you might behave another, if you're at a friend's child's christening it might be quite different to flirting with someone at a singles night and if you're a woman who feels strongly about taking charge of her night as opposed to being wooed you'd behave differently again... The whole thing is so personal and contextual, the only thing certain about the cabeceo is that it's a reference to asking without words with subtle facial expressions and head gestures. How you use it, and how successful you are at it, therein lies the artform.
The Cabeceo (meaning head nod gesture) is a way of asking and accepting dances using facial expressions and a nod of the head. This is a polite formal way to ask and accept a dance as it's discreet and avoids the embarrassment of having to cross the dance floor to ask for a dance, and risk being turned down openly.
The cabeceo is an artform rather than a behaviour protocol. Just as a conversation has certain conventions but is quite subjective; requiring contextual understanding, sensitivity to the situation, the other person and a willingness to engage, so too the cabeceo is a non-verbal conversation. We get better and more natural at it over time and with practice as long as we have an interest in developing it.
Like a conversation (and much to most people's misunderstanding), the cabeceo is not one sided, i.e. instigated always by the leader or by the follower. It's much more fluid and starts with ordinary eye contact. As we know from our non-tango life, holding a gaze implies interest, so it is with the cabeceo. Once interest is established, in most cases the male leader (because Tango was situated in a machismo culture and habits continue) 'asks' the lady if she wants to dance by a small head movement or raising of an eyebrow and she either ignores his gesture or nods or smiles to accept. Of course, when people know each other already, or even sometimes when they don't, the cabeceo can be much more playful and the so called 'format' can change. For example, once eye contact is established, the follower may smile cheekily or innocently or sultrily, or just move her eyes or an eyebrow which sets the tone for the interaction and is her way of 'asking' the leader to dance. He might respond by a similar gesture as if to say, 'are you asking me to ask you to dance?' and she may respond with another little gesture as if to say 'maybe, why don't you try and see' or 'yes' or 'of course, I'd love to'... and each gesture would of course look very different and no one person is in charge of the asking.
So you see, the 'rules' for the cabeceo are as fixed as the rules for flirting, flirting without words. If you're in a pub late at night you might behave one way, if in a posh formal looking bar, you might behave another, if you're at a friend's child's christening it might be quite different to flirting with someone at a singles night and if you're a woman who feels strongly about taking charge of her night as opposed to being wooed you'd behave differently again... The whole thing is so personal and contextual, the only thing certain about the cabeceo is that it's a reference to asking without words with subtle facial expressions and head gestures. How you use it, and how successful you are at it, therein lies the artform.
