What level tango dancer are you?
These are our guidelines for Argentine tango skill levels. Content is edited to address new questions as they arise. Email us with feedback and suggestions. (We gratefully acknowledge the work of seattletangomagic.com, tangoclay.us, abqtango.org, and comoxvalleytangocollective.com in researching this information.)
Why does it matter?
Students are tempted to attend lessons higher than their current skill level because they overestimate their ability, believe no one in class will notice their low skill level, mistakenly believe they will learn faster, think advanced dancers only need to learn advanced patterns, or want to dance only with “better” dancers.
Unfortunately, this frustrates other students in the lesson who have met the criteria and now have to struggle with students who have jumped their level of expertise. It decreases the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the class and hinders the instructors from completing class objectives. And it causes you to miss fundamentals.
Remember: Attending advanced lessons doesn't make you an advanced dancer. The same applies to attending beginner or intermediate lessons. I.e. it is common to see advanced dancers in lessons on tango fundamentals.
FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS:
forward, back and sidesteps, walk, followers’ cruce (cross), pivots, back ocho, forward ocho, rebote (rock steps), partial giros/molinetes/turns both clockwise and counter-clockwise, parallel/cross systems.
THE FOUR CONNECTIONS:
1. Self: balance, coordination, grounding, mental focus
2. Partner: frame, interaction. applying motion principles together
3. Music: rhythm and phrasing in musical interpretation
4. Group: floor craft, ronda (line of dance), los códigos (tango etiquette)
Absolute Beginner and Low-Beginner
Has had zero to four months of weekly lessons and practice in Argentine tango. This includes advanced professional grand champion dancers who have not yet studied Argentine tango.
LEARNING FOCUS FOR ABSOLUTE AND LOW-BEGINNER: Principles of motion and position in tango (first connection). Principles of working with a partner and familiarization with changing partners (second connection). Moving to the rhythm of traditional tango music (third connection.) Introduction to core concepts.
High Beginner
Has had at least four months of weekly lessons/practice in Argentine tango, AND has achieved the following:
COMPETENCIES: Familiar with the principles of tango motion and position (first connection). Able to establish, maintain and recover the three connections in simple motion. Aware of core concepts.
LEARNING FOCUS FOR HIGH-BEGINNER: Establishing, maintaining and recovering the three connections in core concepts. Awareness of parallel and cross system. Introduction to tango etiquette. Musicality: Expanding awareness of traditional tango music. Introduction to vals and milonga rhythm (third connection).
Low-Intermediate
Has had at least one year (200 hours) of weekly lessons/practice in Argentine Tango AND has achieved the following:
COMPETENCIES: Able to establish, maintain and recover the three connections in core concepts. Able to demonstrate/apply core concepts. Understands the concept of parallel and cross-system and can lead or follow from one to the other. Familiarity with, and respect for the etiquette and the music.
LEARNING FOCUS FOR LOW-INTERMEDIATE: Refining core concepts and exploring variations. Changing partners comfortably. Hearing and dancing on the beat of traditional tango, vals and milonga. Applying tango etiquette. Adapting to traditional tango of different tempos by different orchestras. Dancing vals and milonga. Differentiating between open and close embrace. Executing ocho cortado and molinete variations correctly and consistently, solo and with a partner in time to the music while maintaining axis and balance. Introduction to intermediate concepts: boleos, sacadas, ganchos, adornos.
Leaders: Leading a partner in time to the music while maintaining own axis and balance. Maintaining line of dance (floor craft) and waiting for the follower to complete her step before leading another.
Followers: Collecting and waiting for the lead. Following a partner in time to the music while maintaining own axis and balance.
High-Intermediate
Has had 2-5 years (400-1000 hours) of practice, lessons and dancing in Argentine tango AND has achieved the following:
COMPETENCIES: Proficient with core concepts. Able to apply variations on core concepts in social dance correctly and consistently while maintaining the three connections. Understands and observes tango etiquette. Adapts to open and close embrace comfortably and smoothly transitions between the two (depending on the partner’s style of dance). Interprets the beat of traditional tango, vals and milonga consistently. Dances in parallel or cross-system to either side of partner comfortably.
LEARNING FOCUS FOR HIGH-INTERMEDIATE: Refining fundamental technique and core concepts. Interpreting traditional tango from a variety of orchestras. Refining floor craft for dancing in small spaces/crowded dance floors. Refining intermediate concepts. Introduction to complex intermediate concepts and combinations.
Advanced
Has had five or more years (more than 1000 hours of practice, lessons and dancing in Argentine tango AND has achieved the following:
COMPETENCIES: Has mastered the criteria listed above for high-intermediate, including all of the steps and their variations. Able to lead/follow in close embrace from the chest only. Interprets tango, vals and milonga music—dancing to the beat as well as the melody. Dances confidently in very small spaces/crowded floors.
LEARNING FOCUS FOR ADVANCED: Refining fundamental technique. Interpreting more complex traditional tango music. Refining complex intermediate concepts and combinations. Stylizing and refining adornos. Developing and defining a personal style. Introduction to advanced concepts.
Other factors that impact your level:
How long and how often you practice. Who you practice with? Do you practice on your own?
Quantity and quality of classes and workshops you’ve taken. Quality and focus of teachers you’ve studied with (e.g., learning and dancing close embrace is quite different than open embrace).
Natural ability. Transferable dance experience. Habits and muscle memory that interfere with your tango.
We recommend getting used to changing partners right from the start. A dancer is proficient when they are can apply their skills with a variety of partners in social dance.
Leaders may progress more slowly through the earlier levels primarily because they are learning their own role and the followers’ role as well. Followers may progress more quickly through the earlier levels. However, the gap between leaders and followers disappears in later levels as skilled followers learn to follow a wide variety of leaders with different styles. Patience is helpful regardless of level. Leader challenges: Thinking from a followers’ perspective, remembering to bring your partner along. Follower challenges: Anticipation, reaction and response time, balance.
Why does it matter?
Students are tempted to attend lessons higher than their current skill level because they overestimate their ability, believe no one in class will notice their low skill level, mistakenly believe they will learn faster, think advanced dancers only need to learn advanced patterns, or want to dance only with “better” dancers.
Unfortunately, this frustrates other students in the lesson who have met the criteria and now have to struggle with students who have jumped their level of expertise. It decreases the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the class and hinders the instructors from completing class objectives. And it causes you to miss fundamentals.
Remember: Attending advanced lessons doesn't make you an advanced dancer. The same applies to attending beginner or intermediate lessons. I.e. it is common to see advanced dancers in lessons on tango fundamentals.
FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS:
forward, back and sidesteps, walk, followers’ cruce (cross), pivots, back ocho, forward ocho, rebote (rock steps), partial giros/molinetes/turns both clockwise and counter-clockwise, parallel/cross systems.
THE FOUR CONNECTIONS:
1. Self: balance, coordination, grounding, mental focus
2. Partner: frame, interaction. applying motion principles together
3. Music: rhythm and phrasing in musical interpretation
4. Group: floor craft, ronda (line of dance), los códigos (tango etiquette)
Absolute Beginner and Low-Beginner
Has had zero to four months of weekly lessons and practice in Argentine tango. This includes advanced professional grand champion dancers who have not yet studied Argentine tango.
LEARNING FOCUS FOR ABSOLUTE AND LOW-BEGINNER: Principles of motion and position in tango (first connection). Principles of working with a partner and familiarization with changing partners (second connection). Moving to the rhythm of traditional tango music (third connection.) Introduction to core concepts.
High Beginner
Has had at least four months of weekly lessons/practice in Argentine tango, AND has achieved the following:
COMPETENCIES: Familiar with the principles of tango motion and position (first connection). Able to establish, maintain and recover the three connections in simple motion. Aware of core concepts.
LEARNING FOCUS FOR HIGH-BEGINNER: Establishing, maintaining and recovering the three connections in core concepts. Awareness of parallel and cross system. Introduction to tango etiquette. Musicality: Expanding awareness of traditional tango music. Introduction to vals and milonga rhythm (third connection).
Low-Intermediate
Has had at least one year (200 hours) of weekly lessons/practice in Argentine Tango AND has achieved the following:
COMPETENCIES: Able to establish, maintain and recover the three connections in core concepts. Able to demonstrate/apply core concepts. Understands the concept of parallel and cross-system and can lead or follow from one to the other. Familiarity with, and respect for the etiquette and the music.
LEARNING FOCUS FOR LOW-INTERMEDIATE: Refining core concepts and exploring variations. Changing partners comfortably. Hearing and dancing on the beat of traditional tango, vals and milonga. Applying tango etiquette. Adapting to traditional tango of different tempos by different orchestras. Dancing vals and milonga. Differentiating between open and close embrace. Executing ocho cortado and molinete variations correctly and consistently, solo and with a partner in time to the music while maintaining axis and balance. Introduction to intermediate concepts: boleos, sacadas, ganchos, adornos.
Leaders: Leading a partner in time to the music while maintaining own axis and balance. Maintaining line of dance (floor craft) and waiting for the follower to complete her step before leading another.
Followers: Collecting and waiting for the lead. Following a partner in time to the music while maintaining own axis and balance.
High-Intermediate
Has had 2-5 years (400-1000 hours) of practice, lessons and dancing in Argentine tango AND has achieved the following:
COMPETENCIES: Proficient with core concepts. Able to apply variations on core concepts in social dance correctly and consistently while maintaining the three connections. Understands and observes tango etiquette. Adapts to open and close embrace comfortably and smoothly transitions between the two (depending on the partner’s style of dance). Interprets the beat of traditional tango, vals and milonga consistently. Dances in parallel or cross-system to either side of partner comfortably.
LEARNING FOCUS FOR HIGH-INTERMEDIATE: Refining fundamental technique and core concepts. Interpreting traditional tango from a variety of orchestras. Refining floor craft for dancing in small spaces/crowded dance floors. Refining intermediate concepts. Introduction to complex intermediate concepts and combinations.
Advanced
Has had five or more years (more than 1000 hours of practice, lessons and dancing in Argentine tango AND has achieved the following:
COMPETENCIES: Has mastered the criteria listed above for high-intermediate, including all of the steps and their variations. Able to lead/follow in close embrace from the chest only. Interprets tango, vals and milonga music—dancing to the beat as well as the melody. Dances confidently in very small spaces/crowded floors.
LEARNING FOCUS FOR ADVANCED: Refining fundamental technique. Interpreting more complex traditional tango music. Refining complex intermediate concepts and combinations. Stylizing and refining adornos. Developing and defining a personal style. Introduction to advanced concepts.
Other factors that impact your level:
How long and how often you practice. Who you practice with? Do you practice on your own?
Quantity and quality of classes and workshops you’ve taken. Quality and focus of teachers you’ve studied with (e.g., learning and dancing close embrace is quite different than open embrace).
Natural ability. Transferable dance experience. Habits and muscle memory that interfere with your tango.
We recommend getting used to changing partners right from the start. A dancer is proficient when they are can apply their skills with a variety of partners in social dance.
Leaders may progress more slowly through the earlier levels primarily because they are learning their own role and the followers’ role as well. Followers may progress more quickly through the earlier levels. However, the gap between leaders and followers disappears in later levels as skilled followers learn to follow a wide variety of leaders with different styles. Patience is helpful regardless of level. Leader challenges: Thinking from a followers’ perspective, remembering to bring your partner along. Follower challenges: Anticipation, reaction and response time, balance.
