If you haven’t danced tango before, the main thing you need to know is that there are many different approaches to tango as a dance – with no clear system for classifying them. There are various styles, e.g. ‘close hold’ or ‘open hold’, but the key difference is whether the dancers move stiffly through pre-set routines or dance in a more fluid, subtle and genuinely improvised way. ‘Ballroom tango’ (as seen on Strictly Come Dancing) is definitely in the first category. The tango actually danced in tango clubs (‘Argentine tango’) varies. Many people – especially in the UK – just quickly learn a few routines and dance a ‘semi-ballroom’ style of Argentine tango. The Argentineans call this ‘export tango’: it’s just for foreigners who want to look like they’re dancing tango. But a few of us make the decision to slow down and concentrate on the basics: posture, connection and ease of movement.

At Tango Serendipity, we work on the basics… You’ll need to bring a bit of patience, as it takes a while before you’re introduced to the more explosive aspects of tango, but when you do reach that stage you’ll be doing it properly – without bad habits or short cuts. And it’s much less stressful: no routines to learn, no counting. The sessions are more about exploring then memorising; we hardly ever use the words ‘left’ and ‘right’.

Steve
Tango Serendipity