Hi everybody, Fran here with your Tango Tip of the Week. Are you serious about learning Tango? If so, you’ve probably been asking yourself: “What is the best way for me to learn this complex dance?” Over the past several weeks, we’ve been attempting to answer that question. So far, we’ve looked at such possibilities as going to practicas and milongas, as well as attending group classes. We’ve even talked about how Argentine men and women learned to dance Tango during times past. Today, we’re going to focus on the private lesson.

As we discussed two weeks ago, the way most of us in this country go about the process of learning Tango is by attending group classes for beginners. In theory, this makes a lot of sense — if you’re a beginner, the place to start your studies is in a beginner class. The problem with this way of learning is that — in my opinion, at least — it really just doesn’t work.

I don’t mean to say that I think group classes have no value. In fact, I believe that classes at an intermediate and advanced level can be very useful for people who have a well-established foundation in Tango, and are ready to learn more. However, the bedrock skill set for social dance is a solid familiarity with the lead/follow mechanism — and in my experience this highly complex matrix of skills just cannot be learned with any degree of effectiveness, when students who have no skills are paired with other such students.

This presents beginners with a very difficult dilemma. How can they possibly prepare themselves so that group classes will ultimately be of use? In my opinion, the answer is by engaging in a limited series of private lessons.

Last week, when we talked about the traditional way young men used to learn in the social clubs of Argentina, we were actually describing private lessons in perhaps their most effective form. (Please reread last week’s Tango Tip for more detail.) The closest approximation we have to this means of learning within contemporary society is the individual private lesson.

In the private lesson, students interact directly with teachers in one-to-one relationships right from the beginning. By this means — in a relatively short time (we sincerely hope!) — the majority of beginners will find that they have gained a strong basis for starting to interact with other students — who have been following the same method of learning. As this foundational development occurs, private lessons — which by their nature are quite expensive — can be suspended, or at least reduced to a minimum.

If you are a beginning Tango student who has been struggling with the learning process in classes, I strongly suggest that you take a private lesson with the teacher of your choice. Yes, I know it’s costly, but I have every confidence that you’ll experience an almost instant increase in your ability to understand this unique dance form, and to finally open the door to being able to lead/follow other dancers, who are involved in the same process. (Of course, it must be said here that no amount of lessons or training can possibly prepare you or anybody else to interact appropriately with people who have no skills, and have little interest in learning them.)

Next week, we’ll continue to address the Tango learning process, and offer other possibilities for increasing your knowledge and expertise.

If you like the idea of keeping American social dance alive -- not competitive or performance dancing, but real social dance the way it was traditionally done -- we invite you to join us this us every Monday evening at 8:30 p.m. for a fun-filled social dance fix.

Class One

Concentrating on authentic American Foxtrot, Triple Swing and Salsa

Mondays, 8:30 p.m.

Studios 353

New York City

The longest-running and friendliest practica in NYC! Come join our happy group of social tango dancers, whose sole purpose is to enjoy dancing and to practice what they’re learning. Everyone dances! Essential Tango Therapy! Pat and I will be on hand to answer any questions you may have, and help you with material you’re working on. Plus you get a new “must-have” move each week! No partner required, all levels. Dardo Galletto Studios, 151 West 46^th Street, 11^th floor, (bet. 6^th & 7^th Aves) www.franchesleigh.com

If you’d like a private lesson, you can visit our website at www.franchesleigh.com, call Fran directly at 212-662-7692, or email him at franchesleigh@mac.com Join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/franchesleighllc

The following folks helped set up, break down and clean up before and after the milonga. Without them, there would be no Firehou se Tango.

• The Knights Hall's wonderful neighbor, Angelito, will now be doing most of  the heavy lifting (liiterally and figuratively) both before and after our milonga.  Three cheers for Angelito!