The Tangosynthesis Blog
with Graham and Nathalie
Back from Summer - Important Information
04 Sep 2024 - by Graham
It is the start of September and the summer season is drawing to a close, so it must be time to get back to tango! Both of our regular class venues were closed for some or all of the summer period, with Sevenoaks shutting on the 1st August and South Norwood shutting on the 28th August (that was initially planned to only be for one week, but it extended into a second week because life got complicated), but next week they both re-open. So it is time to find your dancing shoes and see what you remember. We all like the format of the classes so most things will carry on exactly as they were before, but there will be a few changes born of necessity: Five-for-Four Entry price is £12pp, but to keep the costs down we offer a "five classes for the price of four" [read more...]
Private Classes
18 May 2024 - by Graham
Group classes are an excellent way to progress your tango and learn new techniques, but when you want to focus on something specific or just need a bit more time with the teacher to understand something or iron out bad habits there is nothing better than a private one-to-one session. Until now we have only been able to offer these at a local village hall on Monday afternoons, but now with the opening of Graham's studio we are a lot more flexible. The studio is in Biggin Hill, and one-to-one sessions are available throughout the week. The cost is £35 per hour, and is the same whether you come on your own or with a partner (assuming you dance together). Bookings now available from the 28th May onwards. Please visit the Private Classes page for more information, and the Hawthorn Studios page for where to find us. [read more...]
X/Tango - Alternative and Neotango
06 May 2024 - by Graham
On the 19th April we had our first X/Tango event in four years, and it was everything we hoped it would be! A good number of people came from all over the area - South Norwood, Croydon, Sevenoaks, Borough Green, East Grinstead, Canterbury, and much more - and we had a good balance of leaders and followers. So absolutely we will be doing it again. But what is X/Tango? What is the difference between an X/Tango event and a milonga you may have attended that was run by a more 'traditional' tango school than us? From the first moment I discovered tango and began to learn this amazing and intricate dance style I knew that I did not want it to be constrained by one type of music. Tango was bigger than that, and it confused me that so many places seemed to be saying that if you [read more...]
A long time ago in a venue far far away...
05 May 2024 - by Graham
Seven years ago today I taught my first ever tango class. I was supposed to be teaching a LeRoc modern jive class in Sevenoaks, but somehow it morphed into tango and... well, the rest is history. Since then we have moved venues a few times, ran our own X/Tango neolongas, watched dancing be made illegal for a year, came back, found our style, and are still going strong. Teaching can be tough sometimes, with lesson preparation, looking for inspiration, wondering if enough people will come to the class, and still having to find something to keep people interested week on week without making things more and more difficult until everyone gets put off. But seeing people having a great time at my classes makes it all worthwhile. It is particularly rewarding when you find something you love doing, and then not only do you get to do it but [read more...]
X/Tango is Back!!!
03 Apr 2024 - by Graham
On the 19th April, X/Tango will return to the Tangosynthesis calendar for the first time in far too long! We last held one of these events in February 2020 just before the world got shut down around us, and a combination of various life events has meant that we never got them back up and running. But finally and at long last... we are BACK!!!! So what is X/Tango? Do you love tango, but just cannot get on with the "traditional" music played at so many milongas? Do you want to get on the floor and dance without all the messing around with cabeceo & mirada - and risking getting told off for daring to go up to someone and asking if they would like to dance? Do you want to expand your tango horizons and find out just how versatile this amazing dance style can be? And do [read more...]
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