We teach Argentine tango as a social dance. Initially you will learn to dance in a close embrace, like they do in the central part of Buenos Aires. Each week you will learn a simple figure of 2-4 steps. More importantly, you will learn the techniques that make that figure comfortable to lead, and easy to follow. For followers the focus is on learning specific following skills so that you don't have to memorize figures.

We start a new session every 2 months throughout the year, with a brief break in the summer. Each session offers courses at four different skill levels. Each course consists of five Sunday classes.

There is an 8-participant minimum for most classes. No partners are required for the 100 and 200 level courses. You will switch partners several times each class.

Click here for more details about what you will learn in the classes.

Wilkins School Community Center (WSCC) in Regent Square
7604 Charleston Ave, 15218.
From Parkway East 376, exit Edgewood/Swissvale,
then travel north two blocks on Braddock Ave.
Turn left on Sanders, left on Milton, and left on Charleston.
(Click here for a map.)

A session consists of five classes. The cost per session is:

• $70/person by cash or check at the first class (check preferred). OR
• $60/person if you prepay at least one week in advance. OR
• $40/student with valid student ID.

To get the prepay price send checks -- payable to Pittsburgh Tangueros -- to:

Pittsburgh Tangueros
c/o Sarah Cornelius
5 Roxbury Road
Pittsburgh, PA. 15221

Please include the following information with your registration:

• name(s)
• phone
• email
• course #

• Wear comfortable shoes with leather or suede soles.
• Avoid shoes with a tread, waffle, or rubber soles.
• For women, 1- to 2-inch high heels are optional.
• Wear comfortable, casual clothing that allows freedom of movement.

For further information send email to info@pittsburghtangueros.org,
or call 412-661-2480

Overview

Our curriculum is divided into 3 levels. There are multiple courses at each level. Click the blue tabs above for details about each level.

• 100 level courses are the easiest, and cover fundamentals of close embrace tango. No partner is required to register.
• 200 level courses are more advanced and assume greater skill and experience in Argentine tango. They assume that you have already mastered the skills in the 100 level courses. The typical student has 6-12 months of regular tango experience. No partner is needed to register.
• 300 level courses are our most advanced courses. Students should have at least one year of tango study combined with participation at the milongas. The typical student has two-three years of regular tango experience. Each 300 level course is paired with a corresponding 200 level course. You do not need to complete the entire 200 level curriculum before you start taking 300 level courses. However, you should have completed the the corresponding 200 level course. For example, you should complete the 204 milonga course before you register for the 304 milonga course. You do need a partner to register for the 300 level courses.

Over the years, the Pittsburgh Tangueros have developed a rich depth of instructional experience, honed in the classroom and informed by participation in tango workshops in the U.S., Canada, and Argentina. The club has several tango faculty, all of whom can address basic and advanced aspects of the leader and follower roles:

Pittsburgh Tangueros' classes are supported by skilled assistants, both men and women, who provide gender balance as well as the opportunity to practice with knowledgeable partners.

Instructor   A lifelong dance lover, Sarah studied ballet, jazz, tap, modern, and ballroom. Newly arrived in Pittsburgh in 1999, she checked out a tango class because she could find the address ... and a great love was born. Sarah believes the joy of tango comes through its discipline: she finds clarity in stillness, listening, and responding. In so doing, one experiences a more profound connection with others, shared in the breath, the music, and the movement. Sarah enjoys "deepening" her dance with all levels of partners in milongas, workshops, and lessons at home, across the States, and in Buenos Aires. In March 2009, she completed six months' intensive study with Jake Spatz in Washington DC.

Instructor   Jerry found tango by accident, or more accurately, it found him -- and the subtle, non-verbal communication intrigued him. Jerry's varied career experience lends much insight to teaching tango: analyzing the details of the dance (computer programming); grasping the structure of the dance (software architecture); expressing the music (choral conductor and singer). And, his work as a Scout leader and as a university professor helps him communicate his love of tango to learners with different learning styles. In addition to local classes and lessons, Jerry has taken tango workshops and private lessons with several internationally known instructors from Argentina, Europe, and the US.

Assistant Instructor   Dina assists with the 200 level courses. Though challenging at first, she found that tango gave her respite from the pragmatism of life and filled her mind, body and spirit completely with music and emotions and inspired movement. She continued to take classes with local and out-of-town instructors, attending the workshops, and dancing at the Milongas. It was not long before she discovered that tango also brought her closer to other people: learning to listen carefully to a partner's emotions, to tune one's mind to his, to feel what he feels. Developing trust in her partners and in herself was difficult , but she considers the moments of harmony well worth the work and time. Dina greatly enjoys being a part of Pittsburgh Tangeros and sharing her love and appreciation for Tango with others.

Assistant Instructor   Meghan assists with the 102-103 courses. She fell in love with tango from her first lesson. She was immediately taken with the beauty of the dance and the music. She finds tango to be very meditative, and a beautiful way to to express oneself and connect with others. Meghan loves the endless challenges that tango presents and enjoys being part of Pittsburgh's tango community, which she finds to be extremely friendly and open.

Assistant Instructor   I assist with the 101 course. I write this statement in first person, because tango for me is personal. I love the tango culture. I am porteña, that means I was born and grew up in Buenos Aires, so tango is in my blood and my senses. Probably my mother sang Magaldi’s tangos to put me to sleep, and I remember playing on my father’s lap while Angel Vargas was singing tango in the background. For me tango is life itself.

I want to teach tango. I feel the need to spread my culture and its beautiful music. It makes me feel less homesick, less immigrant. I have three loves in my life, two of them I can share, science, and tango. Science satisfies my intellect, tango indulges my soul. Through tango dancing you are one with the music and transmit your emotions to your partner. Everything happens inside the embrace, in that connection that should not be broken. Nothing else counts during the three magic minutes that a tango lasts. I would like you to feel the same way that I do about tango.

In Pittsburgh I have enjoyed dancing tango intensively for the past two years, regularly attending group and private classes and numerous workshops offered by locals and Argentinian maestros. Now the time has come for me to convey this passion to you.