Guidelines
If you attend Práctica Borde, it is assumed you are open to feedback from your partners and from Sarah & Matt. When dancing with a fellow participant, neither partner should assume the role of teacher, even if one dancer is more experienced. Instead, dancers should act more like explorers scouting out uncharted territory together. Here are some ways to achieve that:
Ask questions of each other, rather than tell your partner what to do.
“What if we tried this?” is much better than, “Do it this way.”
Try to frame your feedback using your personal experience.
“I feel off balance at this moment,” is better than, “You’re pushing me off balance here.”
If you feel stuck, call Matt or Sarah over to help you!
While Práctica Borde is a place to explore new territory, experienced dancers should refrain from using beginners as props to try to teach advanced moves. Leg wraps, ganchos, volcadas, and colgadas, etc. should only be explored among intermediate and advanced dancers, not on beginners who have yet to learn the fundamentals of pivoting and giros. We call it Práctica Borde because dancers should work up to the edge of their abilities, not far beyond. This means that the less experienced partner determines the level of dance moves that are explored. Matthew has fifteen years of experience dancing tango, and Sarah, while newer to tango, has extensive professional dance experience. Please feel free to use us to explore the fancy stuff!
Beginner & Intermediate Syllabus
Helpful Tango Terms & Etiquette
Class Descriptions
Drop-In Beginner Tango Classes
These classes are designed to give you a solid foundation in the fundamentals of tango. We will cover all the material in the right-hand column of the syllabus below. As with any art form, consistent practice will improve your tango immensely! See the right-hand column of the tango syllabus document below to learn what we'll cover in these classes.
Práctica Borde (“Edge”) - Hands-On Guided Practice Time
Wherever you are in your tango journey, whether you are a brand-new dancer or a seasoned veteran of festivals and marathons, this time is for you to work on your tango! Sarah and Matthew will be on hand to dance with you and assist you in any way we can. We can teach you a new move or step, problem-solve a challenge you are facing, or just dance a tanda with you!
This práctica is designed to be a true práctica, meaning we will focus more on improving your tango and less on social dancing for its own sake. We expect participants to approach this práctica and their dance partners with a spirit of collaboration, mutual respect, and a desire to explore tango among friends.
Práctica Borde is designed to be a throwback to a time when tango was not learned in a class setting, but rather explored by groups of friends and family members in a neighborhood.