Private Classes

There are hundreds of Tango teachers in Buenos Aires offering private classes. Most of them are great but it could be overwhelming finding the right one for your needs. If you are a beginner, don’t obsess about finding the “best” teacher!

Here are some key pointers:

  • Most famous/expensive teachers typically focus on helping intermediate to advanced level dancers.
  • Famous teachers also don’t usually instruct many beginner/intermediate students, unless they have a school or academy.
  • There are a few famous teachers that charge lower rates and still focus on beginner/intermediate students, but are more difficult to find.

Note: Prices don’t define the quality of teaching. For example, there are many great teachers that charge between US $20 to $40 per hour. And there are some teachers that charge as high as US $150/hr! Price is not a good indicator of the quality of teaching.

Questions to ask a prospective teacher:

  • How many years of Tango dancing experience do you have?
  • How many years of Tango teaching experience do you have?
  • What % of your students are at my level (beginner, intermediate, advanced, etc)?
  • What is your hourly rate? And do you have a discount if I commit to ongoing classes?
  • Do you have a special rate to try your class once?
  • Do you go with your students to Milongas and/or Practicas? How often?
  • Do you organize a group class for your students every week? Try their group class to see how they teach and if you like their student community.

Tip: find a Teacher that offers community by taking their students to Practicas/ Milongas, introducing them to other students and other dancers, etc. You’ll learn faster, find practice partners, make friends, and enjoy the journey much more.

How to Find Teachers in Buenos Aires:

  • Try different group classes at Escuela Mundial de Tango, then ask the teacher about private classes. Most of the teachers there speak English and have reasonable prices.
  • Go to group classes at the beginning of Milongas & Practicas and if you like the teacher’s teaching style and how they explain, ask the teachers about private classes.
  • Ask for recommendations in the TangoVida Lounge.
  • The Hoy Milonga website has a list of some teachers.

Tip for finding great teachers with reasonable prices: Talk to the famous or well recommended teachers who are too expensive for your budget. Tell them that you can’t afford them, and ask them to recommend someone who has their teaching style, but is more affordable. They usually know other great teachers who are lower priced – sometimes these are their protégés and past students who learned from them and became teachers. These other teachers are also who they send their regular students to when they are traveling abroad. You may have to try this a few times until you find a teacher that you like and fits within your budget.

Also, most teachers will offer a discount if you commit to a certain number of classes or pre-pay for a pack of classes. After they give you their initial price, ask them if they have such a discount.

How to get the best out of your private classes:

  1. Try at least 2-3 teachers before deciding on which one(s) to continue with. And, find a teacher that fits within your budget in order to take at least three classes per week. It is very difficult to make progress with just one class per week if you’re not already a proficient Tango dancer.
  2. Don’t get smitten by famous teachers if you’re a beginner. They’re expensive, and they typically specialize in working with intermediate to advanced students. Find teachers who focus mostly on beginners or intermediate students. They can also help guide you with which events are best for you, you’ll meet their other students at your level, find practice partners, go to events with the teacher and all their students, etc.
  3. Take classes with both Leader and Follower Teachers as they will teach you from different perspectives.
  4. After your initial 6-10 classes, take classes with at least two different teachers (ideally with both a Leader & Follower Teacher). This will help you understand better and you’ll get tips for the same movement from different perspectives. Remember that you’ll dance socially with people with various styles and it’s best to also learn from teachers of different styles.
  5. As you take classes from different teachers and/or watch videos, you’ll notice that there are many different ways or styles for dancing the same movements. This does not mean that a particular teacher or dancer is wrong. It’s best to understand the different ways of doing something, try them yourself, and then choose which style for a particular movement is best for you – and at which moment in your dance.
  6. A good guideline is that for every hour of private class with a teacher, you should do two hours of focused practice to truly absorb the learnings. The best method is to find a Practice Partner or use a Taxi Dancer for this focused private practice.

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