Insights After One Year Of Tango

By Maksim Butsenko

I started taking tango lessons about a year ago, almost by accident. I happened to have more free time than usual and decided to try something new, not expecting tango to become such a significant part of my life. My current goal in tango is to find a balance between enjoying the dance and my desire for perfection in movement and interpretation—something that often hinders my enjoyment.

I strive to learn new things and find immense joy in the progress I make as a tango dancer. I love the challenge that tango presents and see it as a way to express myself while continuously pushing my limits. This dance demands so much—commitment, focus, body awareness, connection with a partner, musicality, technical skill, improvisation, courage, sensitivity, confidence, tenderness—that it becomes a true expression of self. I feel that by growing in tango, I also grow as a person. This is an extremely gratifying feeling that keeps me motivated to dedicate more time to improving my tango. The more I put in, the more I get in return.

Tango is complex and complicated in the beginning, especially for leaders. During my year in tango, I practiced about 4–6 hours a week in general. Some ideas that helped me make the learning process more efficient:

• Be 111% present during the lessons. You cannot learn tango through a book or video, so paying attention is paramount.

• Consume tango. Watch videos to develop a taste for good biomechanics of movement, and listen to music for musicality.

• Find a partner to practice with and go to practicas. Lessons introduce the idea of movement, but practicas are for practicing and perfecting it.

• To get the most out of practicas, agree with your partner on what to work on (e.g., focus on boleos only). Stop and discuss how it felt, what’s working, and what’s not.

• Record yourselves. It will be painful to watch at first, but it provides useful feedback.

• Be part of the community. As a new tango dancer, everything will feel intimidating, so it's good to have familiar faces.

One way to challenge oneself and have a purpose in practicing is signing up for a competition. My first tango competition was the Euphoria Tango Cup in 2024. I made the decision to compete after a month of going to tango lessons and seeing good initial progress. I was lucky to find a partner who had time to practice and patience with a beginner leader. We had a great time preparing for the competition and had a blast during it. Our main goal was to enjoy our dance. While in the first couple of dances we were slightly nervous, once we got into the flow, we loved it. It was a great experience, and I would definitely recommend beginners not take it too seriously—just commit and enjoy themselves.

In the end, what gets one really hooked on tango is that captivating feeling created by two people connecting on a dance floor for a brief moment. This feeling of creating something magical yet ephemeral because there will never be exactly the same dance. It is impossible to describe, so better go and try for yourself.

In the picture,

Maksim Butsenko dancing with Helena Toompalu, participants in the 2nd Edition of the Euphoria Tango Cup, Category Milonguero.