Enquiries: 0403-397474

Private Lessons

Classes FAQ

Dance Styles FAQ

Do I need to bring a partner?
Not at all. In our classes you'll be asked to rotate partners frequently. If you do bring a partner to classes you'll have someone to practise with outside of lesson times.

What should I bring/wear?

• Wear comfortable clothing.
• Wear deodorant.
• Bring a small towel if you tend to get sweaty.
• Leather or suede soled dancing shoes are ideal footwear, but as a beginner you're not going to have these. See below for more specific info on shoes.

Recommended footwear is as follows:
Women: If possible, wear leather soled shoes with a heel and a strap around the ankle to keep them on. Shoes without textured markings on the bottom are best as they have less grip. Rubber or soft plastic soled shoes are alright for the first few  lessons but after that can make it difficult to turn as they grip to the floor and as a result are not good for your knees. Closed toe shoes are better than sandals as they provide some protection for unwary toes! Thongs or other flip-flop style shoes are not appropriate as you need to be able to turn and walk backwards without them falling off.
Men: If possible, wear leather soled shoes. As a man, you can make do with rubber soled shoes for a lot longer than women can. If you're comfortable dancing in them and you don't feel like you're sticking to the floor then they're probably OK.

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Am I too old?
No, you're not. We teach people from all ages and backgrounds. As long as you can have a conversation whilst walking you'll be OK in the classes. We don't teach lifts or any kind of acrobatics in our courses. You don't need more than a "normal" level of flexibility or fitness to participate. In fact, you'll find your fitness level increases with attendance!
We provide a comfortable environment to learn and dance in and you need not worry that the classes will be full of 20-somethings in sequins - they won't!

What if I have 2 left feet?
Let us know which one you'd prefer to be "right" and we'll take it from there. Most people who have trouble dancing feel worse through fear of "getting it wrong". Taking dance lessons will help you feel comfortable dancing and work through that awkward stage where you worry that you won't be able to do it. We're used to teaching people who can't dance - after all, that's why people come to lessons. Not everyone learns at the same rate and some people really do find it harder to learn than others. If you are finding the course a bit difficult and would like to catch-up or are simply too shy to come to classes until you feel like you have some idea about what you're doing then perhaps private lessons might appeal to you.

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Can I try the first lesson and then decide about the rest of the course?
Yes. Our lessons are pay as you come so there's no harm in coming along to see how you like it. Currently our "course" start dates reflect the a new uptake of beginner students rather than a formal 8-week course. This allows you to miss weeks if necessary, although missing 2 weeks in a row is undesirable.

The course has already started, do I have to wait until the next one starts?
Not necessarily. If a course is in its first couple of weeks we will teach you separately from the rest of the class so you can catch up to the main group. This might not be necessary depending on your dance background. Please talk to us about what is best for you.

I've never danced before, are these classes suitable for beginners?
Tango: The Beginners Tango Course is suitable for raw beginners. We teach from the basics assuming no prior dance experience.
Salsa: The Beginners level casual classes are suitable for raw beginners. Students remain in this class until they are comfortable with some of the fundamentals of salsa and progress to the Level I class. The basic steps plus a turn is taught each class, allowing new students to join this class at any point whilst developing the skills of existing beginner students.

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How long do I stay in the beginners class before progressing to Level I?
This will vary depending on each individual's background and ability. In tango, completion of our 6-week Beginners Course or 3-hour Intensive Beginners Course is normally enough to progress to our Level I classes. In salsa it's normally around 5 or 6 weeks in the Beginners classes before moving into our Level I class.

I'm experienced in another dance style, what level should I start at?
Experience in another style will normally mean you'll feel more comfortable with a new style in a shorter amount of time than students with no prior dance experience. You will still need to cover all of the basic material in your new style. If you're interested in progressing more quickly then you should discuss this with us and consider private lessons as an alternative to public beginners classes.

How do I get to the studio?
The studio is located at 695A Princes Highway, Tempe. This is a commercial address on the west side of the Princes Highway. Tempe is close to Marrickville, if you're travelling through Newtown away from the City, King Street becomes the Princes Highway and Tempe is about 2.5km from the end of Newtown.
Driving directions.
Public Transport directions
Train Timetable (see the "blue" Eastern Suburbs and Illawarra line).
422 bus timetable and route map/route map from Circular Quay down King Street.
425 bus timetable and route map/route map from Sydenham Station or from Rockdale.
Please check www.131500.com.au for train and bus timetable details or www.whereis.com.au for driving directions.

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What are private lessons?
A private lesson is a "closed" class. You get to choose exactly who the students are.
Usually people take private lessons either by themself or with a partner, but we also offer private lessons for groups of friends.
You choose the class time (subject to availability) and lessons are taught at exactly the right pace for you!
For more reasons why people choose to take private lessons and our pricing structure see our page on Private Lessons.

What forms of payment do you accept?
We accept cash, cheque and direct deposit for courses payments.

Cheques
Please make out to "EL BAILONGO" and send to PO Box 6448, UNSW, Sydney 1466.
Please include a note containing the following information:

• Name
• Course Name (eg. Tango Beginners)
• Day & Time (eg. Tuesday 6:30pm)
• Phone number (preferably mobile)
• Email address if you have one  

What is Bolero?
Coming soon.
 

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