Tango With Jake and Danarae

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To see reviews of our classes, click here.

Tango Comedy Performance at Berretin

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No Group Lessons at the Moment

We had a wonderful experience teaching at Ankeny Street Studio. We're taking a break from lessons to travel, dance, and get ready for our next adventure. Thank you to all of our students and especially to Jane, the studio owner.

Private Lessons

There is no subsitute for private instruction. Come alone or bring your partner. Both of us will be there to teach you. Lessons last 60 minutes.

What is Argentine Tango?

Argentine Tango is an improvised dance.

Its origins can be traced back over 100 years to the melting pot of Buenos Aires from where it spread to the streets, salons and stages of the world.

Tangueros generally keep their feet close to the floor as they walk, ankles and knees brushing as one leg passes the other, but there is no "basic step." Even in a sequence, every movement is led in direction, speed and quality. So rather than patterns, tango relies on a direct non-verbal dialogue communicated through the embrace.

Teaching Philosophy

We teach together not only because we enjoy it, but also because we believe students learn best when they are able to get the perspective of both a man and a woman. Since people learn in many different ways, we get to know how each student learns and tailor our message to suit him or her.

In addition to teaching the specifics of tango, we help students set attainable goals, have reasonable expectations, and gain a solid understanding of where they need to focus their energies in order to get to the next level.

What to Wear

When you go out dancing, put your best foot forward, whatever that means for you. Some gentlemen wear suits, others wear trendy cargo pants. Ladies wear skirts, flowing dresses, or nice pants.

When you come to class, wear anything comfortable.Tango involves a lot of pivots, generally this means your shoes should not have rubber soles. Especially for women, it is important your shoes give you stability and support, so platforms and strapless shoes should be avoided. If you don't have any suitable shoes, you should bring thick socks to class.

If you dance long enough, dance shoes will become your obsession.