una clase de tango / a tango class

Last week I ventured over to La Viruta in Palermo for a tango class. My friends and I went to the beginner class, learned the basic steps, danced with men ranging from eighteen to sixty-five, and occasionally when we didn't have partners danced with each other. It was super fun although I don't think I'll become a tango expert anytime soon. For those of you who want to try out a tango class, I definitely suggest it and would love to give you a few of my tango tips:

• Listen to the music
• Sounds simple but easy to forget. 
• Man leads

• I had a hard time with this one, so hard actually that a very large fifty year old man who is three times my size says to me in Spanish "you like being in charge don't you". I got a good laugh and probably continued to lead even though I was trying hard not to.
• Men are the "ojos", eyes…don't move until they do
• Going along with "man leads", females walk backwards the whole time tango dancing so don't move unless they start moving you or you will bump into others…guys are the "ojos"
• 7 steps
• The most important part of tango to learn is the basic seven step sequence. Thankfully right outside of La Viruta they had a diagram of the steps in case we had already forgotten.
• Firm but relaxed grip/stance

• The tango stance is quite important and you will be corrected by the instructors or told you are too tense or too relaxed if you are not in the proper stance.
• Don't look down - make eye contact even if its awkward
• Our instructors told us the worst thing we could do is look down while dancing and instead we should be watching our partners or at least looking up the whole time. It can get a bit awkward staring at the eyes of someone you have never met for so long but just go with it, its all in the fun (just don't break out in laughter at them)!
• When in doubt, dance with girls
• Personal favorite - it is really fun dancing with your girl friends and even better, one of you gets to lead!
• Wear gloves 
• Well not really but do beware of sweaty hands, both yours and your partners. Switching partners every few minutes leads to lots of sweaty hands

As you can see, I completely made up all of these tips but its all in the adventure of learning tango. Hope to go for another class at some point, maybe I'll eventually make it to intermediate!