This month January, we see many local teachers are starting their beginner tango classes.  It seems it is a good season to start learning tango from scratch, especially for newbies.

I received a number of enquiries from friends who want to learn tango, on each school of local teachers and their classes.  And they asked me for recommendation which one to choice.

As of a director of TangoTang, I have been organizing the Tuesday Guided Practica at Helena May and coordinating projects to organize classes and workshops by both overseas visiting teachers and local teachers, during the past year.  I have literally been to all beginner/improver/fundamental classes and guided practicas taught by world renowned teachers like Javier & Andrea, Gaston & Mariel, Gonzalo & Mariela and Pablo & Noelia to local teachers Raymond & Lily, Coleman & Fiona, Kamong & Edith and Mona.

I have watched and observed how each couple of these teachers teach their classes, and know about their approach, style, teaching method, attention paid and care taken to students.  And I learnt a lot from them.

So, I am the right person to make recommendation on which local teachers to choose, when talking about taking beginner classes.  And I take the liberty here to make a brief account of each of them:-

Raymond & Lily (Otrotango)

Local breed tango teachers, been to Buenos Aires, started teaching tango about a year ago.  They usually give people an impression they are of Tango Nuevo type, as evidenced by the performances they do in different occasions.  Yet in their beginner classes, they teach the fundamental basic steps, with the teaching methodology of Tango Nuevo.

One thing that distinguishes them from the others, and the one thing that impressed me, is that they teach their newbies students how to grasp the feel of tango, the feel of embrace.

Coleman & Fiona (Tango Romantico)

Another couple of local breed tango teachers, started teaching regularly about a year ago, though the first class they taught were 2 to 3 year ago, like Tango Nuevo style.  During their classes, they are capable of arousing the students' interest in Argentine Tango and keep them curious and enthusiastic in learning more.

They have a specialty in dancing milonga, a specific type of dance different from tango, and they are giving a "bonus" milonga class to the 6 classes package.  Good deal.

Kamong & Edith (Let's Tango)

They have a longer history of teaching and they have their own unique style.  They blend their own theory of Tai Chi, and "signal + energy" into their teaching.  They explain the human body dynamic by using an extendable stick, plus various charts and graphs, so that students can learn with these visual aids.

Their classes are always full of energy and dynamic.

Mona Kuk

Technique, technique, technique.  She and her former partner, Donald, have the longest history in teaching.  I have taken classes from them for about 9 months, and that was the period I made most of my advancement in my tango life, or my pre-Javier tango life.

She just came back from her 3 months stay in Buenos Aires, and is expected to have a lot of new elements to share with us.

Now here is my recommendation.  Take any classes from any teachers you like, as I don't think there is any difference.  The most important thing is that if you want to start tango, start quick and take the greatest number of classes from different local teachers as possible.  And when it is done, you can then move on to take intermediate classes, by which time, you should know what you want and what type of teacher is suitable for you, and whether you want to dance like an octopus or an elephant.

In a few months time, TangoTang will bring an array of world renowned teachers and masters to Hong Kong to teach you.  So be quick, and get ready for such moment to come.

Last update: 20-01-2008 11:39

Published in : Blogs, Dancing