Tracks. Beginner leaders have too many things to worry about to make space for the follower's agenda.
Leaders. How was your Tango journey?
- Thread starter Pharaoh
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ArbeeNYC
Forum Master
One of the first classes, although we often practiced in a practice hold.
Here most start learning it in close embrace right from day one. What embrace you dance is dictated more by what style your beginner instructor taught.
I don't known if I have mentioned it. Young ladies at University milongas and practicas are mostly open to dance close embrace. But with their peer leaders (men), they will dance in open embrace. As a leader plenty comes down to whether followers feels you are secure and comfortable in close embrace.
opendoor
Forum Master
Once again, I can't confirm that. However, I don't know what it's actually like today in 2026. But before the pandemic, I often showed up at university milongas or open collegiate tango classes to find my next regulary dance partner or a backup vice partner. They alltogethet only danced nuevo stuff in open hold (much like salsa at university, they dance NY on2 in lightspeed or acrobatic LA). In my opinion, single female freelancers in their early forties at grand slam milongas are most open to deep embrace dancing. And they're actually no longer part of collegiate classes or recreational university sports programs.
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enrosskay
Member
Another question for the floor.
At what stage do group classes lose their utility? I've seen opinions vary from: they were never any use, to you should keep attending for the purposes of dancing with new people, and developing musicality.
To make the question a little narrower: when does one reach the point of diminishing returns for going 2-3x a week to group classes, the majority of which are beginner/improver? Assuming the dancer in question is now intermediate. At a certain stage, it's not helpful to dance with quite limited beginners. But to throw a spanner into the works, assume also that the dancer doesn't have the option of regular milongas, and so by not attending group classes a few times a week, and having only limited (let's say 1x a week) access to private classes, the only dancing he will then do is 1x a week private, plus maybe a milonga every fortnight....is it then worth it to go to these beginner classes, just to keep the music and moves in the body?
At what stage do group classes lose their utility? I've seen opinions vary from: they were never any use, to you should keep attending for the purposes of dancing with new people, and developing musicality.
To make the question a little narrower: when does one reach the point of diminishing returns for going 2-3x a week to group classes, the majority of which are beginner/improver? Assuming the dancer in question is now intermediate. At a certain stage, it's not helpful to dance with quite limited beginners. But to throw a spanner into the works, assume also that the dancer doesn't have the option of regular milongas, and so by not attending group classes a few times a week, and having only limited (let's say 1x a week) access to private classes, the only dancing he will then do is 1x a week private, plus maybe a milonga every fortnight....is it then worth it to go to these beginner classes, just to keep the music and moves in the body?
Miradamiranda
Well-Known Member
I’ve danced for a very long time, yet I still show up to group classes, even beginner-oriented, when I have the opportunity. Good teachers can teach at different levels simultaneously. You can always pick up a tid bit of a useful nugget. Especially if, the first X times around, when learning something specific, you were focusing on other aspects of that thing. Now I have the brain surplus to learn the other role. When I was a beginner, many of my class partners had danced for many years already. They came for the intermediate class that followed the beginner class, and realized they’d get a lot out of taking the beginner class also, to brush up on basics.
Additionally, if there’s a lot of partner rotation in the class (hopefully there is), you figure out how different partners respond differently to what you are doing.
ArbeeNYC
Forum Master
My experience as well.
ArbeeNYC
Forum Master
What's wrong with prácticas?
Also, you can still learn things at workshops (which are short-term group classes).
ArbeeNYC
Forum Master
I did that as well. It helped to "cement" certain things in place. Learning old things in new ways gives you a different perspective on them and the possibilities.
itwillhappen
Forum Master
Group classes are nice for the social aspect, but they usually offer no value when it comes to musicality - even if music is playing in the background while practicing steps.
I stopped taking weekly classes after eight months. At the time, I was attending two intermediate and one advanced class. The problem was - and still is - that teachers have to focus primarily on the less talented students. I also looked at the "very advanced class", and that wasn't the level I wanted to aim for after years of instruction. After that, I only attended selected workshops when the opportunity was right.
Now, it is far more efficient for me to take a private lesson nearby with my partner every week or two.
And for fun, I’ve recently started attending a weekly men's class.
opendoor
Forum Master
Never, as they change the ends they are for:
You'll always recruit your next regular follower there. Your current one will most likely defect to a more experienced dancer tomorrow. The second reason is to show loyalty to your teacher, but of course, you should also take lessons with other teachers. And for dancers like me who have been around for a long time, it's also a way to refresh their vocabulary.
One more thing: I tried to explain projection as simply as possible. Was that helpful, enrosskay? To master the lead-follow technique is a crucial moment in one's tango career: it marks the transition from absolute beginner to beginner level. The knowledge of basic body mechanics is a requirement of teaching. Unfortunately only few "teachers" know the difference between hip torsion, flexion and rotation. You can separate the wheat from the chaff among tango teachers by their technical language and their ability to abstract.
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TTanguero
Forum Master
I think this depends very much on the focus, your learning style, your social network, and the ability of the teacher.
Focus: Group lessons tend to be better for vocabulary ideas than for technique.
Learning style: Can you learn by seeing or do you need to feel the technique involved?
Social network: If you don't already have plenty of people to dance with at your local milongas or an event you are visiting, then group classes can be a great way to meet new partners.
Ability of the teacher: A skilled teacher will offer personalized attention to each person in the class and recognize the different types of needs they have. Not all tango teachers are skilled.
Personally, it's rare that I don't get at least one insight from a group class. However, when I compare the value of one private against, say, four group classes for the same cost, then the private makes way more sense for me.
I think they were primarily of use for learning what steps exist. A lot of the other information was varying degrees of inaccurate / incomplete / inconsistent / incompatible. At some point I had to consciously try to forget everything.
I believe that cross-training something other than tango is better for picking up random useful ideas.