What are /r/tango's favorite Products & Services?

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The above is solid advice.

This is one of those, "let's sit down over a beer and talk" subjects. I wrote an entire book, simply so that I don't have to condense it into a few paras.

You can get the first chunk of it free on the Amazon preview.

https://www.amazon.com/Enjoy-Getting-Dances-You-Want/dp/152146104X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1521640389&sr=8-1&keywords=oliver+kent

The only thing I would add is have a treat waiting for you at home. If the night sucks, it's good to know you've got a favourite dvd or chocolate waiting for you.

I agree with your view but I wonder which view is more prevalent. The cover of the Narcotango album is sexual.

Narcotango

Patricio and Eva i think we’re the models for the album. They teach in Seattle and online.

Supposedly there are a few put out by Argentine teachers, but I haven't been able to get my hands on them just yet, and Gustavo Naveira has been threatening for years to put out a book, but hasn't gotten around to it.

I do have this one: Tango: The Structure of the Dance and I think the exercises in it are actually very useful. It's a progression of exercises that you do with a partner, and contains detailed descriptions of the mechanics and how each should feel. For me the graphics of the postures and the notation for the figures were somewhat harder to follow, and I've found YouTube videos to be more helpful for that.

Here is the groupon, active as of this posting: https://www.groupon.com/deals/forever-dancing-3

I've taken a few of their courses. I'm still very new. They're very patient, and the student community is very welcoming.

Most people don't come paired up. Right now, there's one couple who habitually does. Those who do come paired up are allowed to break social distancing with each other, but otherwise, during the pandemic, they've instituted a lot of safety measures, including staying at distance. They've also cancelled their biweekly milongas and monthly practicas for the time being. But it's better than nothing.

Here is a plan you might consider - I am repeating some of the things mentioned by others in this thread.

1. Solo practice (your plan)
2. Pilates, yoga, other exercise. Tango requires, balance, flexibility, strong core and legs etc.
3. Watch tango performances on YT. 030tango has thousands of performance.
4. Listen to tango music. This is a first step to learning musicality.
5. Read the book the mentioned by another person who proved a reply to this thread. It is an excellent overview of tango music (excluding tango Nuevo). A used copy is $7 and well worth the money.

Book

"Choreography synthesis from tango dance" using online tempo matching. Paper published in IEEE Xplore

"Choreography synthesis from tango dance" Publication

Synopsis: In this paper, the main objective is synthesising tango choreographies from tango dances. This system takes tango dance patterns performed by human dancers as input and produces choreographies that are represented in a 3 dimensional (3D) virtual environment. Dance figures obtained by a motion capture system are segmented automatically and analyzed with regard to center of mass to form the dance database. Choreographies are then created by combining compatible primitives and adapting them. The system is tested using both objective metrics such as the accuracy of the motion primitive segmentation as well as the subjective scores about the fluency and quality of the dance patterns, and is proven to be effective.

There are no generally accepted system of notation in the tango world. Many have attempted to propose or adapt their own ideas, but nothing really sticks.

• Labanotation is the classical system for notating choreography (mainly ballet).

• Los Dinzels have footstep diagrams in his books and method manuals. But almost nobody outside his school cares.

• Tango Discovery books written by Mauricio Castro has flowcharts.

• Tangonotation (Rasch) an attempt that did not catch any traction http://www.tangonote.com/raschenotation/index.htm

• Felipe Hsieh https://www.amazon.com/TANGOBOOK-Dance-Notation-Classic-Tango/dp/B08DSX3FG8

In my opinion nobody uses notation in tango because it is not necessary --- a list of figure names, plus annotation of timing and which leg is free or crossed, is often enough to document a complete choreography.

I read this book when I was starting out and really getting interested in the music. I learned a lot from it: https://www.amazon.com/Tango-Stories-Musical-Michael-Lavocah/dp/0957327641/ref=sr\_1\_11?dchild=1&keywords=tango+orchestra&qid=1633184147&s=books&sr=1-11

It took me about a year to go to my community's Milonga and another 5 years to venture on my own to Milongas in other areas.

You can't use me as an example though. I am quite incredibly shy, and ridiculously fearful of new experiences!

All this "one chance and you've blown it" stuff comes from contemporary sources ( from the 40s ) that describe Milongas in some barrios as pretty unforgiving. Once you were seen dancing badly, no one would ever ask you again.

I think this should be taken with a pinch of salt. There were hundreds of Milongas in the golden age and I think it would be very difficult to ruin your reputation at them all.

Also, there is the very palpable example of Juan carlos Copes, who apparently was dismissed as a "cart" at his first Milonga. But returned a couple of months later to get another dance with Maria Nieves

In reality, all communities these days want new dancers and there is no way they will hold it against you if you are slightly clumsy the first time you attend a Milonga.

For a slightly more up-to-date description of how Milongas work. I would recommend Kapka Kassabova's 12 minutes of love:

https://www.amazon.com/Twelve-Minutes-Love-Tango-Story/dp/1846272858

I can't quote it directly, but there is a passage in there where Kapka talks about the dangers of rejecting a beginner who could turn into an excellent dancer in the future.

Of course Copes and Nieves met at a Barrio Milonga where they played D'arienzo and the rules are always looser where they play modern music.

More information on the history of tango in this book: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QMJ5206/ref=oh_aui_d_asin_title_o01_?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'm in the middle of reading "Dancing Tango" (2015) by Kathy Davis (link), and it details some history but also talks a lot about the "Why" of dancing tango today, as well as the differences in culture (within the tango salon) between Argentina and other parts of the world. I have found it really interesting, as the author interviews dancers in Argentina and Amsterdam about various topics regarding tango.

I have also read "The Meaning of Tango" by Christine Denniston (link) and it is more about the history of the dance, but also the music and culture. I read it as a part of a tango class, and it really put everyone on the same page as far as understanding the background of the dance. I enjoyed the section about the backgrounds of the different orchestra leaders and musicians, as it incorporates Argentinean and World history as well.