Objective:
The goal of this program is to give you, the student, the opportunity to take a brief tango lesson from a variety of great instructors from all over the world without ever having to leave your home.
Procedure:
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Videotape yourself dancing tango and upload to YouTube. (Don’t worry, you can make your video private and not accessible to the general public if you want.)
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Select instructor from the list below, make payment and supply the name of your video.
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Instructor will view your video and return a written critical review with suggestions for improvement plus, if you choose, annotation remarks on the video itself.
Guidelines for Making Your Video:
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Have a friend operate your camera (smart phone or whatever) to be sure screen is filled (top to bottom) with your image so that instructor can see details. Hint: since YouTube has a very wide aspect ratio, its easiest and nothing is lost if you shoot in landscape mode. -
Video should be between 1 and 3 minutes in length.
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Dance with or without a partner. (In the process of submitting your video, you will be asked if only one or both of you are to be evaluated.)
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Dance with or without music. If you use music, be sure its loud enough to be picked up by your camera.
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If desired, you can just repeat a specific pattern over and over that you want evaluated.
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If desired, begin or end video with a few verbal comments to the instructor of what you want evaluated or specific things you would like the instructor to look for and discuss.
Uploading Your Video to YouTube:
You have three options–each with increasing privacy. Option 1. Most Public (YouTube account known to anyone who reads this web page):Upload directly from your smart phone or through your computer to the YouTube account given below:
Directly from your smart phone:
- Add a new contact to your phone list by the name of VirtualTanguero with an email address of: cz95jobccsxm@m.youtube.com.
- Select the video you want to be evaluated and email it to this new contact. (The subject of your email will be the title of your video–so remember what it is!)
- Yes, it really is that simple, however, there may be limitations on the length of the video you can upload in this manner.
Through your computer:
- Go to YouTube and sign on with Username: VirtualTanguero and Password:crusada123
- Connect your phone or camera to your computer and in the YouTube account click on “Upload” link (upper right), then click on the yellow “Upload video” button, find your camera or phone as one of the devices listed (usually under “My Computer”) and select the video you want to upload. (If you have trouble here, try googling “uploading videos to youtube” for help.)
- After uploading, you’ll have the following information and privacy options to fill out– (1) Title: please rename with something appropriate and remember what it is as you will be asked for this information later; (2) Description: enter any additional comments you may want the evaluating instructor to have; (3) Tags: just leave blank; (4) Category: select “Education”; (5), Privacy: “Public”, “Unlisted” or “Private” It makes no differnece–whatever you’re comfortable with is OK.
Option 2. Semi Private (YouTube account known only to virtual tango participants):Upload directly from your smart phone or through your computer using the techniques inoption 1 to a special hidden YouTube account which you will receive only after paying for an evaluation. Option 3. Most Private (YouTube account know only to you): Create your own YouTube account and upload using the techniques in option 1. For written evaluations, you will only need to share the URL to your video. However, if you also want annotations on your video, then you will need to share your account name and password with the instructor.
Choosing Your Instructor(s) [more to come]:
- Select one or more of the instructors below to critique your dancing and whether you want just a written review or both a written review along with annotations on the video itself
- Add your selection(s) to your cart.
- After you finish paying, you’ll be taken to your order summary page. Select the blue link, “Return to Clay’s Dance Studio” which will take you to a form asking for a few details like: your name, who should be evaluated and the name of your video.
- To see the form instructors will use for the evaluation, click here: Virtual Tango Evaluation Form.
Note! Tango is more about the way it feels than about the way it looks and thus instruction via this video method should only be taken as a supplement to the learning process. All instructors on this site highly recommend that you also consider private lessons with a professional tango dancer/teacher in your area. (If you are a tango teacher and would like to be added as one of the evaluating instructors, click here for program development details.)
Alex Krebs (Portland, USA) [video] is fanatic about the Argentine tango, and shares his passion with his students. He teaches Argentine tango for the social dance floor, emphasizing the improvisation side of the dance through a strong communication between the lead and follow and on musicality. Alex tries to give his students the vocabulary necessary so that each person can find their own unique way of dancing the tango of their own body.
Alex charges $35 for a
written evaluation and $50
for both a written and video annotation evaluation.
Brian & Yuliana (Los Angeles) [video] Brian and Yuliana travel to Argentina several times a year to continue their tango education with the maestros. They've taught and performed in several festivals and milongas such as El Congreso in Toronto, Valentango in Portland, and La Nacional and Nocturne Milonga in NYC. They are the 2011 U.S. Tango Champions in Tango Salon, and the Finalists in Tango Mundial 2010, the annual world tango competition held in Buenos Aires.
Brian & Yuliana charge $65 for a written evaluation and $85 for both a written and video annotation evaluation.
Christy Cote (San Francisco, USA)[video1, video 2] Known for her clear explanations and complete understanding of the structure of the dance from both the leader's and follower's perspective, Christy's teaching method has been published in Dance Vision's Argentine Tango Manual, complimented by a series of 20 instructional DVDs with partner George Garcia. Christy is also a founding member of the all female tango company, Tango Con*Fusión
Christy charges $35 for a written evaluation and $50
for both a written and video annotation evaluation.
Clay Nelson. (Ashland, OR USA) Most notable for organizing over 40 tango festivals in the last 15 years including the Portland Tangofest, Portland ValenTango, Seattle Tango Magic Ashland TurkeyTango and Mexican TodosTango. Clay has traveled numerous times to Buenos Aires and has taught in Portland, Seattle, Bend, Memphis, Penn State, Mt Shasta, Ashland, and Todos Santos (Mexico).
Clay charges $35 for a
written evaluation and $50
for both a written and video annotation evaluation.
George Garcia (Honolulu, HI, USA) [video] Known as the “tango whisperer”, George's guidance is intuitive and concise, conveying the knowledge that helps the dancer find a deeper enjoyment of their tango. George founded the tango community in Hawaii, hosts the Paradise Tango Festival and tangos all over the U.S., Japan and Buenos Aires. His instructional videos are popular worldwide
George charges $35 for a
written evaluation and $50
for both a written and video annotation evaluation.
Gustavo Benzecry Sabá & María Olivera (Buenos Aires)[video] are a young couple of dancers representing the most authentic way of experiencing an artistic expression known around the world for its elegance, sensuality and expressiveness. Dancers of the so-called “Tango Salón”, they show this dance the way it is danced in its original ambience: the “milongas” of Buenos Aires, the Capital city of Argentina. They teach regular classes at one of the most prestigious dance halls of that city, the “Salón Canning” located in the Palermo quarter
Gustavo & Maria charge $35 for a written evaluation and $50 for both a written and video annotation evaluation.
Tomas Howlin (Buenos Aires/Montreal) [video] With nearly 20 years of experience, Tomas' career began in the well-known tango clubs of Buenos Aires and branched out internationally as he performed and choreographed for theater, film, and taught at several tango festivals throughout Argentina, the United States, and Europe. A patient and dedicated teacher, Tomas has developed a unique method and approach grounded in his Argentine cultural roots. Tomas’ students have described him as an inspiring teacher who makes tango accessible and dancing it a constantly renewed experience. He continues to be a regular and sought after teacher for festivals throughout North America and Europe.
Tomas Howlin charges $40 for a written evaluation and $60 for both a written and video annotation evaluation.