Every Friday
Chapter Arts Centre, Canton, Cardiff
- Lesson 1 (all levels): 7:30 – 8:30pm
- Practice 1 (all levels): 8:30 – 9:30pm
- Lesson 2 (intermediates): 9:30 – 10:30pm
- Practice 2 (all levels): 10:30 – 11:50pm
Cost: £7 / (£4) all night; £3 / (£2) practice only
Essentials
Lessons at Tango Edge are relaxed and friendly. Everyone is there to enjoy learning, and everyone matters. There is a lot of individual attention and our teachers are always approachable. There’s no need to come with a partner as we swap round frequently – this is great for learning and promotes a friendly atmosphere. Tango Edge lessons are different to many other dance classes in that we don’t teach choreography – instead we teach you the tools and body awareness you need to create your own dances, which will increase in elegance and complexity as you improve. If you are looking to learn a flashy routine in a short space of time then this is not for you. It takes years to dance really well. That said, you will be up and dancing by the end of the first lesson. For more about what tango is and how it works, click here.
You can dress smart or casual as you wish, just make sure your clothes don’t restrict movement. You’ll need comfortable, smooth-soled shoes so avoid rubber-soled trainers, ultra high heels and flimsy things like flip flops.
There is no need to book in advance – contact us first if you like or join us on the day.
Content
The first lesson at 7:30pm is suitable for all levels from absolute beginner upwards. For more experienced dancers it’s an opportunity to review the basics such as walking, posture, the embrace and using the body well. Basics are like scales in music – simple in principle but hard to do well, and no matter how good you are there is always room to refine and improve.
There are only a few rules in tango, but these need to be practiced and reinforced until they become second nature. The focus is on fundamental exercises which are not difficult to understand but which do take time to master, and we would hope to see each person progress over time. Variations on the exercises may be given to individuals to emphasise particular points or to push them further.
In the intermediate lesson at 9:30pm more complex ideas are explored. This lesson is intended for those with a thorough grounding in the basics. For men this means having a good connection and chest lead, being able to lead basic elements such as ocho, cross and turns well and being able to improvise comfortably to the music. For women this means having a good connection and back step, good balance and being able to follow an improvisation well without anticipating.
It usually takes 12 months of regular dancing to reach this stage. If you’d like to check about doing the 2nd lesson please ask.
In the practice sessions we turn the lights down, the music up and dance. It’s a vital part of learning that new ideas are fully explored and practiced, and this is the time for experiments, mistakes and discussions. Becoming a good dancer is hard work!
Venue
Lessons are held in the First Space room of Chapter Arts Centre, Market Road, Canton, Cardiff CF5 1QE.
It has dedicated parking, a bar and restaurant, not to mention cinemas, theatres exhibitions and more.