Why Advanced Tango

2009, September 26, Igor Polk

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Indeed,
"Why to learn Advanced Tango when I want nothing else but to come to dance parties and have good time?" or
"I just want to show couple of movements to my guests, can you show me several easiest of them?".

These are very difficult questions to answer to people who do not know what Tango is.

And jumping ahead, it is very easy to answer to people who already tried and know what the path of Tango is and how difficult it is get to the right way. For these people the answer is very simple: Learning Advanced Tango from the very first lesson is the easiest and fastest way to success. Period.

What is the success in tango? The success in tango is multidimensional and multi-level, but it includes this:

"Or, that is way too complex for me, I want something simple, do not they say that tango is just a walking dance?"

Yes, but it is not because anyone who can walk is dancing Tango, but because one has to walk like in Tango to dance it.

There is only one way of dancing tango - the right way. Any simplifications introduced by many teachers in order to attract more students do nothing but introduce bad habits which are extremely difficult to get rid of. This does not work!

Tango is improvisational by nature. Learning tango the advanced way saves you tons of money and time, I am talking about $1000s, no kidding. The movements produced right and with the right understanding of tango rhythm tell you themselves what to do and how to dance it. You do not have to learn many things ones you know the basics in advanced way ! Your body will do it all. The greatest and most wonderful and even very complex dance will come out itself ! Magically !! This is the power of doing things right and systematic from very beginning: it takes a little more to lay down the basement, but the building you are making is unshakeable and tallest and most beautiful. And it kind of builds itself once you get to the first store.

Learning tango right from the very beginning, you will save yourself hours of frustration later on, trying to learn the more complex figures many teachers are so fond of. Without proper basement, it is like building on sand - it falls down and cracks again and again, and no amount of patches can replace the absence of solid foundation. Building on sand does not work !!! No one is able to dance an advanced figure if he does not know how to make a single step in advanced way.

"All right, so let us start doing things right, but how long it will take me to start dancing? I want to dance right now !"

You will dance at the very first lesson. To do things right is not difficult, it is only a matter of attitude.

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So, coming back to the question, we have to answer another one: "What is Advanced Tango". It is especially important to understand since I claim that even the simplest things in Tango can be advanced.

Advanced tango includes correct tango technique, understanding of rhythms and dance structure, and utmost ability to lead and follow. The mark "Advanced" is on those things which propel directly to the highest levels of tango, yes, those ones which can be seen on stage in "Forever Tango" show or experienced at hidden milongas of Buenos Aires with rare masters. "Advanced" propels your experience and abilities. Knowing things "Advanced" accelerates learning of any successive material. While "not Advanced" things may serve as help at fist and then they hinder the progress and serve as an effective break, burden for the better dancing.

There is absolutely no reason to learn anything but advanced. Learning "Advanced", you will learn faster, better, and have your tango future open wide for any kind of experience.

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Copyright©2009 Igor Polk
Dance Tango in Palo Alto and San Francisco Bay Area