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• Tango instructor Ron Weigel to host “Tango Newcomer Party”

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Phillips Recreation Center »
Address: 505 W. Stoughton St. Urbana, IL 61801
Phone: (217) 367-1544
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buzz chatted with tango instructor Ron Weigel and asked him about the basics of tango. Throughout the fall, Ron Weigel and his wife

Susana Vazquez Weigel will be teaching tango at the Phillips Recreation Center in Urbana. On Aug. 27 at 8 p.m., they will host a “Tango Newcomer Party” which will include a lesson, demos and practice. The cost is $10 and $15 for couples. For more information, visit http://www.centraltango.com.

buzz: It seems like there are many different types of tango. Which kind do you teach and is this accessible to new tango dancers?

Ron Weigel: We teach Argentine tango — very different from ballroom tango. We teach tango the way that people in Argentina actually do it. We go to Argentina once a year and we mingle with the people and we take classes from the instructors there. It’s different from performance tango where people are whipping their legs in the air. We do a social tango, which is much more partner-oriented. It is not that difficult to learn the basics; there aren’t a lot of complicated moves. It’s a dance that involves a lot of improvisation. You can play with the music. There’s a lot of room for growth.

buzz: Your “Tango Newcomer Party” details some of the culture and history behind tango. Why is it important to know these things?

RW: Tango is a very different kind of dance. Most of the dances people learn in the U.S. are learning sequences of steps and the music is not that variable. Tango music has a lot of variance. You need to know the culture. The dancing has three main components: connection with your partner, connection with the music and sharing floor with everyone.

buzz: How can a participant become more in sync with their tango partner?

RW: A lot of it is about body-awareness and relaxation. You want to become aware of your body and balance as well of that of your partner so that when you move through space you coordinate your movement with your partner and the music. You need that because tango is not choreographed.

buzz: How should one dress for a tango lesson? For a night out of tango dancing?

RW: Tango is a bit more formal than nightclub dancing. Men will wear a button-down and the women mostly wear skirts and dresses. There’s no dress code for class, but people wear nice shoes — leather-soled shoes are almost a requirement for a class. Sneakers don’t’ allow for people to pivot enough.

buzz: What is the most important piece of advice you would give someone new to tango?

RW: Be open to the possibilities to not think in a structured way because the dance is very free flowing. In the beginning you can’t make a mistake in tango, because there are no formal steps. If you do something that wasn’t taught, it’s not necessarily wrong and that gives a lot of freedom.