Our tango philosophy: reflections
We have now been teaching tango in the beautiful city of Canterbury since 2004 - almost two decades. We are privileged to have taught hundreds of people to dance, and to have welcomed students from all over the world.
Our aim is to enable all our students to dance fully improvised, beautiful tango. We emphasise elegance, style and technical precision, helping you to develop confidence in your dance. We also work with you to develop conceptual awareness, so that you can build a strong basis for your own innovation.
Tango is a dance for two. We focus on developing your awareness of your own and your partner’s body, and caring for the dance you can create together. We teach leaders and followers to work together as equal partners.
We assume that you expect teaching that is clear, precise, coherent, reflective and sympathetic to the dance and the dancer. You should feel able to ask questions, express doubts, and think things through for yourself.
Today’s tango is open-minded and ever-developing, embracing techniques and movements from milonguero style, through salon, to the newest tango nuevo. Never clichéd, never tired, never formulaic. Ours is a tango that feels personal to us and yet is shared worldwide. It is the tango of Naveira et al., the first generation of nuevo dancers and thinkers, who continue to innovate and inspire whilst remaining true to the essence of Argentine tango, its history, unique forms and music.
We look forward to many years more tango in Canterbury, and we hope to welcome many newcomers to this wonderful dance. If you're thinking of joining us, don't hesitate: get in touch!
Our aim is to enable all our students to dance fully improvised, beautiful tango. We emphasise elegance, style and technical precision, helping you to develop confidence in your dance. We also work with you to develop conceptual awareness, so that you can build a strong basis for your own innovation.
Tango is a dance for two. We focus on developing your awareness of your own and your partner’s body, and caring for the dance you can create together. We teach leaders and followers to work together as equal partners.
We assume that you expect teaching that is clear, precise, coherent, reflective and sympathetic to the dance and the dancer. You should feel able to ask questions, express doubts, and think things through for yourself.
Today’s tango is open-minded and ever-developing, embracing techniques and movements from milonguero style, through salon, to the newest tango nuevo. Never clichéd, never tired, never formulaic. Ours is a tango that feels personal to us and yet is shared worldwide. It is the tango of Naveira et al., the first generation of nuevo dancers and thinkers, who continue to innovate and inspire whilst remaining true to the essence of Argentine tango, its history, unique forms and music.
We look forward to many years more tango in Canterbury, and we hope to welcome many newcomers to this wonderful dance. If you're thinking of joining us, don't hesitate: get in touch!
Jon and Sarah
Canterbury, November 2019
Canterbury, November 2019
Reflections on ten years of tango teaching, November 2014
In 2014 we celebrated ATSE’s first ten-year anniversary. It was an
opportune moment to reflect upon what is distinctive about the tango we dance
and teach, and what dancing and teaching tango means to us.
Ours is a tango that feels personal to us and yet is shared worldwide. It is the tango of Naveira et al., the first generation of nuevo dancers and thinkers, who continue to innovate and inspire whilst remaining true to the essence of Argentine tango, its history, unique forms and music.
Ours is a tango that feels personal to us and yet is shared worldwide. It is the tango of Naveira et al., the first generation of nuevo dancers and thinkers, who continue to innovate and inspire whilst remaining true to the essence of Argentine tango, its history, unique forms and music.
This is the tango we study, dance and teach.
Authentic, improvised tango for all
Our tango is real: fully improvised, led and followed, not choreographed. Thus, if we dance it, we can (and will) teach it, and then you can dance it, too.
Contemporary and fresh
Today’s tango is innovative and open-minded towards ongoing development, embracing techniques and movements from milonguero style, through salon, to the newest tango nuevo. Never clichéd, never tired, never formulaic.
Up-to-date and international
The tango we share with you is that which is being taught and danced today by professional tangueros throughout Europe and worldwide. We study with those tangueros, and always look beyond the UK for training and inspiration.
Conceptually coherent and technically sound
Tango is a uniquely conceptual ‘social dance’, engaging both brain and body; this enables it to be fundamentally improvisational and endlessly captivating.
Tango both deep and wide
In our own study and dancing, as well as our teaching, our aim is to pursue fully a flexible breadth of styles, since we believe that the best dancers respond by adapting their style and sensibility to the hugely varied music of Argentine tango. We love dancing milonguero style as well as contemporary salon/nuevo style, and would hate to narrow our focus unnecessarily. And as teachers, it is crucial we offer a real range of all authentic styles to our students, so that you can find what suits you best.
Our tango is real: fully improvised, led and followed, not choreographed. Thus, if we dance it, we can (and will) teach it, and then you can dance it, too.
Contemporary and fresh
Today’s tango is innovative and open-minded towards ongoing development, embracing techniques and movements from milonguero style, through salon, to the newest tango nuevo. Never clichéd, never tired, never formulaic.
Up-to-date and international
The tango we share with you is that which is being taught and danced today by professional tangueros throughout Europe and worldwide. We study with those tangueros, and always look beyond the UK for training and inspiration.
Conceptually coherent and technically sound
Tango is a uniquely conceptual ‘social dance’, engaging both brain and body; this enables it to be fundamentally improvisational and endlessly captivating.
Tango both deep and wide
In our own study and dancing, as well as our teaching, our aim is to pursue fully a flexible breadth of styles, since we believe that the best dancers respond by adapting their style and sensibility to the hugely varied music of Argentine tango. We love dancing milonguero style as well as contemporary salon/nuevo style, and would hate to narrow our focus unnecessarily. And as teachers, it is crucial we offer a real range of all authentic styles to our students, so that you can find what suits you best.
It’s your tango...
Our aim is to enable you to dance improvised, beautiful tango together. For this to happen, you need to gain conceptual confidence; technical, musical and improvisational competence; and body awareness.
The material we devise for each class encapsulates a key concept or technical element. Progressive classes develop specific themes across terms and levels, to help you build your own ‘mental landscape of tango’, seeing how each bit fits together with the next to create the whole dance.
Tango is owned and cared for by those who dance it creatively and reflect upon it critically. That includes us, and you. We are thankful to our current students for continuing to share the tango with us – and we look forward to welcoming many more in the future.
Our aim is to enable you to dance improvised, beautiful tango together. For this to happen, you need to gain conceptual confidence; technical, musical and improvisational competence; and body awareness.
The material we devise for each class encapsulates a key concept or technical element. Progressive classes develop specific themes across terms and levels, to help you build your own ‘mental landscape of tango’, seeing how each bit fits together with the next to create the whole dance.
Tango is owned and cared for by those who dance it creatively and reflect upon it critically. That includes us, and you. We are thankful to our current students for continuing to share the tango with us – and we look forward to welcoming many more in the future.
Jon and Sarah
Canterbury, November 2014
Canterbury, November 2014