Frequently Asked Questions

Why does it say “Modern Tango”?

Modern tango means the tango revolutionised by people like Gustavo Naveira, Fabian Salas, Pablo Veron... It is also known as “Tango Nuevo” (but many people prefer to just call it Argentinian Tango) and it is the tango that you see danced in such films as “The Tango Lesson” from Sally Potter, “Tango” from Carlos Sauras, “Assassination Tango” from Robert Duvall. And yes, you can dance this stylish tango in freestyle (we do it every week!), but indeed, you need a certain amount of skill, knowledge and technique to do so.
There was a time when most figures were banned in Tango Salons of Buenos Aires. “Modern” is also in opposition to that!! Ganchos, sacadas, all these leg plays are fundamental distinctive elements of Tango (moreover there are even the original elements of tango from its rough origins), and we mean to use them! As Gustavo Naveira told us once: “The guy who invented the gancho was a genius!”

I have heard that Flavio is teaching show tango, is that true?

Definitively not! Flavio teaches the style described above. Show tango is different: it is tango but choreographed (the dance is carefully composed beforehand and the partners already know precisely the moves that they will do). It also often includes flashy lifts. Flavio only teaches normal tango in his classes. All the move are fully lead. Flavio teaches you the vocabulary, grammar and understanding necessary to fully express yourself with your partner in this incredible and beautiful tango language.

Are Flavio’s tango classes suitable for beginners?

Definitely! Starting with Flavio will ensure you are on the right track from the start!

Are there different types of tango music?

Broadly speaking, there are three types: tango, tango waltz and milonga. Flavio spends more time on tango but he also often teaches specifics elements of milonga and tango waltz.

I have this lovely music, can I bring it to dance to it?

You’re more than welcome to bring some CDs along if you have some nice tango you would like to hear. But only Tango please!

What are the most widespread mistakes when dancing tango?

• Too small steps! Look at all the best dancers (Gustavo, Pablo…), they all do huge steps, it is much nicer and it allows to do many figures and variations which makes the tango so fascinating.
• Mini forward ochos If the follower does too small ochos, the leader is stuck and cannot lead any interesting figures. Furthermore the ochos, like all steps, are fully led. Followers should never do some automatic ochos nor anticipate any steps!
• Messy giros Giros needs to be properly done: forward, pivot, side, pivot, side and forward again. See our technique section for more details.

Can anybody become a good Tango dancer?

Yes! The only requirement is to want to become a good dancer. Come as much as possible to Flavio’s classes, pay attention, practise some basic tango technique on your own several times a week, try to remember, understand, lead or follow the tango figures and soon you will really be enjoying yourself! There is no question indeed that Tango is more difficult to do properly than other social dances, but with willingness, commitment and a good teacher such as Flavio, you will soon start to enjoy it like nothing else!

I can’t practise at home, I don’t have a partner!

You do not need anybody to practise the basic tango technique. It is fairly important to practise the technique a few times a week (every day being ideal..) at home. This way, all the technique becomes natural when you dance.

Is Flavio available for private lessons?

Yes. And it is by far the quickest and best way to dramatically improve your dancing! Flavio will see straight away what needs to be corrected and you will learn in details leading or following. During a private lesson, you will realise what an incredible tango teacher he really is. You do not have to have a partner, and in actual fact, one to one classes, either as a follower or as a leader is the most efficient way to improve your tango skills. Please contact him for further details.

Can I be in the show?

Seriously, everybody wants to be in the show!! It is simply not possible (outside of the obvious considerations of tango level, height to be matched with a partner, looking... all of these being seriously underestimated...) Please do not ask Flavio to be in the show. If he really wants you to be in the show, he will come and ask you. Moreover, there is now a stable group of people doing the show, the needs are extremely low. And of course, the show is also a showcase of his teaching so only Flavios' students can be in the show... 

In UK, the average level of dancing seems much lower in tango than in other dances, like salsa for example, why?

I think it is a bit of chicken and egg situation. The level of teaching is often very low in tango. As a result a lot of potential good dancers are not interested by what they perceive as a low end social dance. Therefore many people after a while think that they can teach tango! And it is even more annoying since tango is in fact much more demanding than other dances! Also, the great masters of this dance are fantastic but they do little to make the tango more popular in my opinion. They seem mainly interested by the wealthy part of the population and are requesting huge amount of money to visit and give workshops. The skill distribution in Tango is feudal: a tiny elite with a sublime level, and a huge mass of limping poor!! We are dreaming of a huge happy middle class! Flavio has achieved a lot in our area, times of poverty are just a bad memory for a number of us! Many have even not known poverty at all here, and it is only when they travel around that they realise how lucky they are!