The Práctica – its origins
Given the shortage of women in Argentina at the time, being a good dancer was a young man’s best chance of meeting women and finding a girlfriend – so motivation to become a good dancer was high!

In its original form, young men would attend all male Prácticas to perfect their technique by dancing with other men.

After many months of learning the follower’s steps they would finally be allowed start to learn how to lead. In this way they already had a good idea of what it was they were leading! By the time they attended their first Milonga they would have mastered both leader and follower roles and were well and truly ready.

Meanwhile, it was customary for girls to learn Tango from their mothers, aunts and sisters, so that by the time they were old enough to start dancing socially they too were capable dancers.

Prácticas now – these days we have to find a shorter route to help with the challenges of learning Tango. Also, as many of us are no longer teenagers when we start, it’s important to learn well and effectively.

It’s well known that our bodies only become familiar with new movements through repetition. It takes longer to get something into the muscle memory as well as our brains, but once it’s there, it tends to stick. The body learns exactly what it does repeatedly, so it’s far better to get into good habits rather than bad ones.

There is no substitute for regular practice outside of your classes. That is where practice at home and proper Prácticas are essential.

However – the term Práctica now is often used to describe an informal tango social evening – more like a Practilonga (explained below). Although it may be away from the more demanding rules and structures of Milongas, the music will be in tandas with cortinas.  This encourages people to use it just as a social event, with no serious technical work whatsoever.

This format may work for some people, but as friendly as they are, the Práctica has lost the focus on serious practice in order to improve.  Those who do want to practise just end up just getting in the way of the other dancers.

Before going to a Práctica for the first time check with the organiser what their arrangements are for practising.  They may say use the middle of the floor or a corner to stop and practise. Neither is adequate enough. It’s far better to have a small area screened off from the main floor for proper practice work. This would satisfy both the social dancer and those who want to be able to stop and start to practise.

Guided Práctica – these are rarely available, but are gradually becoming more fashionable as people realise they need to practise wisely and not imbed bad habits.  They are the only place dancers can actually work on things together, outside of classes, and with expert and supportive coaching available.

These retain a friendly, fun and relaxed space dedicated to practice. It’s by far the most effective way of ensuring you practise correctly, but it needs to be overseen by experienced facilitators and coaches who accept their role and responsibility.

Practising in a supportive environment makes a lot of sense, but it needs to be handled with care.  Skilled coachcs can identity problems which can only be corrected by finding the cause, not just trying to resolve an isolated symptom.

There’s no such thing as ‘constructive criticism’ – it’s an oxymoron – a contradiction in terms – and often gives offence.

Whether it’s a Práctica or Guided Práctica, it’s a good idea to clarify with a partner at the beginning of the dance whether you’re both working together to improve, or it’s just having a social dance.

Having agreed that you’re working under ‘Práctica rules’, any feedback should come across as a request or gentle suggestion. Where something is not working, the ‘problem’ can be something that both dancers are contributing to.  If in doubt ask for help from the Coach.

Testimonial from happy dancers:
So generous with their time and experience at the guided practicas. Peter & Jennifer have a real knack at watching your dance ability and suggesting where to focus your efforts to improve the quality of your dance. We learned loads!

More Testimonials – here

Práctilonga – some years ago we devised the Práctilonga.  Its purpose was for newcomers to bridge the gap between classes and   Prácticas to a Milonga, designed to retain the element of learning and practising, but without formal group instruction.

The atmosphere was relaxed and friendly with a DJ and music in Tandas with Cortinas to accustom people to having whole dances with one partner.

Help was available, if requested, in an area off the main dance floor. This would still enable people to practise technique or repeated movements without hindering other dancers, then join back in the main floor to continue dancing.

Nowadays however, Práctilongas now are mostly informal Milongas without any supportive coaching.

If you’re unsure, check with the organisers that there is an area off the main dance for to practise, and whether there is any coaching support available. Otherwise, you can expect a relatively informal evening of social dancing, whilst following some aspects of normal Milonga etiquette.

In summary:

… do not – at either at Práctilongas or Milongas stop and practise on the dance floor, or try to teach any new moves etc.

… no feedback – it is widely accepted that there should be no feedback at Práctilongas or Milongas, other than positive appreciation.

… under no circumstances dance during the Cortina.