opendoor
Forum Master
I would call that a studio in the strict latin sense! I have a wardrobe on wheels in the hallway; that is my studio for a maximum of three couples.
What makes you cringe in tango?
- Thread starter TTanguero
- Start date
Eine ehemalige Werkstatt zu einem Atelier umzufunktionieren?
And 'studio' could cover both in this locale's English.
itwillhappen
Forum Master
I see it similarly. And of the 60%, I could realistically only achieve a sufficiently good dance level for about half of them. And of the other 40% with personal reasons, I could perhaps convince half of them through some form of "social engineering".
It's important to remember that this is a cringe list compiled by professional tango teachers. They make a living from their students spending money on tango lessons, regardless of whether they're later on successful or not.
JournalInTime
Forum Master
It's off-topic for this thread, but the above subject fascinates me:
Here, I have danced at regular milongas at eight places in 2025: 5 are "milonga of a school which is also a studio dedicated almost exclusively to tango," 2 are "milonga of a school which rents the same non-tango studio for all of their milongas and classes," 1 is "milonga of a school which is also a studio, but which they regularly sublet to non-tango people," and 0 are "milonga not associated with a school or a dance studio." I have also danced at some balls and galas, which are always at big, fancy halls – the kind with marble floors, elaborate lighting systems, bar service, staffed cloakrooms, etc. – intended for, well, balls and galas. I've never run into the idea of tango at a community or multipurpose center, church hall, or whatever.
To first order, where I live, people normally assume milonga = school = studio, and if the equation doesn't hold, it's automatically a special event. Non-school and non-studio milongas are balls or something, and not regular. Schools without studios, moving from place to place, don't exist. Studios without schools do exist, but aren't used for tango. Generally, if you go out to dance at a regular milonga, you'll be going to the same place every week for years, and that place will have mirrors, barres, etc. and tango lessons at least some of the time.
opendoor
Forum Master
Please ask to cut your post off and to make it an onw thread.
2025... Mainly milongas:
A small 'ballroom' at one large hotel. Interestingly parts of the hotel dated pre the US existed when it started as an inn for travellers, but its heyday was in Victorian times of the 19th century as it developed around the original site.
A 'conference room' of another hotel (it had a floor suitable for dancing).
The bar and terrace of a yacht club overlooking the Mediterranean.
Everywhere else has been village community halls of various sizes and vintage - apart from the assembly hall of a private school, a church hall (with sprung floor), and the bar of a political party's 'club'. One village hall with portable mirrors and barres for a ballet class (reserved for their use!).
Lessons (well, workshops) in most of those, and private lessons in a large lounge in someone's home.
Fascinating difference. Most of our regular milongas are not associated with any particular school or studio. A studio is just a space that is rented by organizer and other organizers rent it for different dances on other days.
Special one off events are just that.
Most milongas tend to be held in same location for years.
opendoor
Forum Master
Where I live:
- 5 milongas hosted by teacher couples in their own studios.
- 4 milongas hosted by teacher couples in rented rooms (community halls, publically funded neighborhood initiatives, BR-school).
- 2 milongas hosted by freelance DJs in rented rooms.
itwillhappen
Forum Master
I took from our regional Hoy Milonga those where I was at least once:
- 7 milongas hosted by teachers in their tango studios
- 3 milongas hosted by teachers in rented dance studios
- 5 milongas hosted by "free" organizers in rented rooms
In NYC the milongas are all rented out from:
- Inside a restaurant/bar space
- Inside a dance studio (but for all types of dances)
- Inside a general purpose studio (for other arts as well)
- Some community spaces (art gallery, coworking spaces, etc)
- Outdoor spaces in the spring/summer (don’t think they’re rented but needed to be reserved for some of them)
opendoor
Forum Master
(Just musing) your tango teachers (which are many) make a living on privates rather than than to cultivate the field (I mean holding beginner group classes). On the other hand, there still are many BR studios and schools in NYC, both chained and independent (as far as Google reveils).
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I've only ever discovered one dedicated tango 'studio' (in the sense you use about BR). I do find the 'tango studio' concept slightly cringeworthy (even if good). Perhaps on the basis that they were also selling a lifestyle - and then we're back to all the AT extras beyond a dance which, as discussed many times previously, can put off those who become interested, or make those who think they know the secret rules to club membership 'elitest'.
opendoor
Forum Master
What reservations do you have about a real tango studio? After all, you're starting a new chapter of your life there and need to feel at home for at least two years.
And my post isn't actually meant to be very ironic, although I learned tango at the other end of the ranking list for the most beautiful and prestigious studio (in my case it was just a cultural corner shop for immigrants in the station district).
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It depends what's a 'real' tango studio! My reservation is, perhaps, about those offering a 'lifestyle'. And then it depends on what 'lifestyle' means. I'm not into an 'alternative' (or 'wellness', or 'zen', or ...) lifestyle, or 'community' living - where some seek refuge. If it's a 'studio' then I want to learn the moves of the dance and how to execute them well technically. I'm not buying into some aspiration of 1940's (or earlier) Argentinian culture, nor some elitest club. I was quite content during the beginner phase with someone who had an AT dance curriculum (not sequences), could teach well with continuity between lessons, and used the old community hall with a passable floor. Even with clearing the remnants of a wake or a party from the floor before we could use it. It was never 'home'.
No objection to a dedicated space! I do recollect dancing once in a comfortable tango 'clubroom' in München (the wonders of a Verein!)- with sofas, chairs and low coffee tables - but hardly a 'dance studio'.