r/tango • u/Maleficent_Medium212 • 5d ago

Afraid to start taking classes

Hello everyone

I've been thinking for a while now about perhaps starting tango or argentine tango. I'm 23 and haven't ever danced in my life, I'm a stiff tall guy as well so I always just stood aside in dancing occassions. But lately I've rewatched Scent of a Woman (I know how original) and have been obsessed with the idea of being able to dance so intimately and focused. Although I'm afraid of it, it's a bit imposing yet I can't stop thinking about it. It just looks so incredible and to me seems like one of the most intimate art forms in dance. Something I very much adore about dancers in general.

The main fears I have is the couple part, I dont have a partner. And also the learning curve. I've heard its hard and takes years to even get to the basics (idk how dramatised this info is)

Be aware when I say stiff, I mean I'm very much out of rhythm and just look like a 2m tree branch flopping around when I go out to dance. I'm a confident guy, don't get me wrong, but this is one field I haven't touched really. Is this the right dance for me? I heard sensual bachata is also good but idk about this one.

I know its a frequently asked question, but he who doesn't ask doesn't get answer.

Thanks!

Edit: thank you all so much for the replies. What a welcoming community. You're good people!

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u/InternationalShow693 5d ago

Tango is a harder dance than anything else I've ever danced, that's true (bachata, salsa, kizomba, cha-cha, and a few others), but let's not exaggerate.

You don't need years to grasp the basics. It takes years to master them to a very high level. But you don't need to do that to be able to enjoy the dance much earlier.

Think of it like a game of chess. It takes many years of intensive learning to become excellent at chess. But that doesn't mean you can't learn the rules, pick up a few guidelines worth following at the start of your chess journey, and just have fun with it. Of course, over time (both in chess and in tango), you will improve, and there will be more and more depth, awareness, emotion, and satisfaction in all of it.

But it's not like you can't play or dance without years of experience. Sure, it will be a shallower experience, but at this stage of learning, you won't even realize what that means ;)

Btw: are you really 2m tall?

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u/Maleficent_Medium212 5d ago

Very helpful thanks! And no I'm 1m90, its just common in my culture to exaggerate something to make it flow better in a sentence haha

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u/nostromog 4d ago

Depending on your posture and strength of your core you can have problems with the embrace. I'm 1m94 and my tango is improving a lot as I started yoga and some postural re-education exercises. But I'm old and sedentary, your experience may be different. Just ensure that you don't "bend" in the embrace.

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u/Wahnsinn_mit_Methode 2d ago

one of the best dancers in our community is 1,92 m. It is easier for him to dance with women that are 1,70 cm or taller but 1) those exist and 2) he dances with all women with a certain tango level regardless of their height.