Tango tourism is big in Buenos Aires. Go to certain milongas (tango dances) and you will see numerous tourists dancing among the locals. These tourists often start dancing in their own countries, become hooked and then travel to Buenos Aires with the specific purpose of perfecting the dance. And there are many people here willing to help them. Milongas are held every night of the week and a large number of dance schools offer lessons. But for dedicated tango dancers the way to really improve quickly is to take private lessons.Private tango lessons start at around 200 pesos up to 300 pesos per hour. Finding the right teacher is important. I decide to go on the recommendation of a friend whose dancing I notice has really improved. I ring the teacher Nora Schvartz who tells me she recommends students take at least three private lessons. But if I do not like the first one then I only have to take a single lesson. The reason? Tango is a difficult dance. It requires at least three lessons to really notice some improvement and make progress.
I arrive at an apartment in downtown Palermo that Nora has converted to a dedicated dance studio. Nora, a diminutive lady who speaks English, French and Spanish, watches me dance with eagle eyes. Any delusions I had that I could dance are immediately deflated as she starts from the basics. As I have had four years dance experience already (admittedly with not much practice) it is humbling but also gratifying to be taught to walk. The walk is the most basic element of tango and also the most essential. It looks deceptively simple but many tango dancers will perfect their walk over a lifetime.
Once Nora has corrected a few basic mistakes a young tango dancing lawyer called Matias dressed in a tight black t-shirt arrives - my dance partner. Nora has paired him up with me as it is easier to practice with a dancer who is around the same height. I also find out that Nora specially selects the dance partners using only the top young dancers in Buenos Aires. Matias for example was a recent top ten finalist in El Campeonato Metropolitano de Tango Salon - an important tango competition in Argentina. The lesson also lasts two hours making it good value for money as Nora charges at the cheaper end of the private lesson scale. She does not let much go unnoticed correcting virtually every part of my body. By the end I am somewhat overwhelmed by all the things I have to work on. Nora tells me as many tourists do not have long to spend in Buenos Aires she prefers to correct everything she can. That way people can then return home and work on things in their own time.
For people who want to learn quickly private tango lessons are actually very good value. You could easily spend more taking group classes and not get the level of personalized teaching and feedback you receive in a single private lesson. Because tango is such a subtle dance between two people of weight transfer, balance, timing and following the man's lead even subtle corrections can make a huge difference to the flow of the dance. As I attend milongas later that week I already notice improvements. It may take time and practice but for me private lessons have been a good investment as well as a great way to get to the heart of Buenos Aires and the dance.
When looking for private lessons consider:
How long is the lesson? Lessons can range from one hour to two hours for the same price.
Is a dance partner supplied? Some teachers expect you to bring your own partner.
How experienced is the partner you will be dancing with? Some lessons employ beginning to intermediate dancers but this makes it harder for you to learn.
For more information: www.noraschvartz.com.ar