Tango Tangk Weekenders (now retired)

Share in our passion for this beautiful dance. Come and join us for one of our Tango Tangks in 2023.

See a roll of honour of the international teachers we have featured at Bramshaw.
 

  • Why is it called a Tango Tangk?

    It was going to be called a Tango Tank - an event to immerse yourself in all things Argentine tango. Then we got 'arty' and played with using the Tang from Tango and replaced the O with a K to make Tangk.

    On a technical note, back in 2004 when this all started "Tango Tangk" was a unique name that we knew would help us get found on Google searches.

    Tangks take place at our venue in the New Forest. We have the use of two halls, one we have a lease on, the other we hire for events. Both have excellent floors. 

    If you are thinking of joining us and will be travelling a distance, here is a link to local B&Bs so you can plan staying over.

  • What makes a Tangk so special?

    (1) With over 80 of these events under our belts, and a process of continually making refinements and improvements based on feedback from maestros and students we think the event now represents the vision we had of it back in 2004.

    (2) Visiting maestros from around the world say it is unique event. They love working with the same small group over a weekend. It allows them to deliver dance content that is not possible with 90 minute sessions or larger groups.

  • Show me a sample timetable

    Sample only - the detail/timings may change slightly on the day:


    Saturday

    10:15 • Doors open

    10:30 - 12:00 • Workshop 1

    12:00 - 12:15 • Coffee

    12:15 - 13:15 • Practica and private lessons

    13:15 - 14:15 • Lunch (Please BYO)

    14:15 - 15:45 • Workshop 2

    15:45 - 16:00 • Tea break

    16:00 - 17:00 • Practica and private lessons


    Time to chill and get ready for the evening milonga. Staying over? Here is a list of B&Bs


    20:00 - midnight • Milonga with demo


    Sunday

    10:15 • Doors open

    10:30 - 12:00 • Workshop 3

    12:00 - 12:15 • Coffee

    12:15 - 13:15 • Practica and private lessons

    13:15 - 14:15 • Lunch (Please BYO)

    14:15 - 15:45 • Workshop 4

    15:45 - 16:00 • Tea break and farewells



  • How are dancers' levels managed?

    Tango Tangks attract accomplished dancers as we have a reputation for providing a high level of technique. If we don't know dancers when they book, we find out what they feel they have achieved to make sure they can get the most out of a Tangk.

    In the workshops, all dancers work with the partner they booked with. Maestros may suggest a few, short, changes of partner. These are optional.

    The calibre of the teaching couples we bring to Bramshaw plus the small size of group means that maestros can spend 1:1 time all participants and provide individual tips and refinements regardless of level. 

    Dancers are free to change partners and share ideas and experience in the four sessions set aside for deliberate, focussed practice during the weekend.

  • How many dancers are in a class?

    The Tango Tangk limits bookings to 18 couples.

    We have found over the years that this faciliates the best learning environment in our 150 square metre venue. 

    With this relatively small group, maestros can get to spend individual time with each couple during each of the four 90 minute sessions.

    When Debbie and I were attending regular workshops in the early 2000s we were often disappointed by the lack of management of students levels and by classes spoilt by registering too many students. From the start we wanted Tango Tangks to offer dance level consideration and effective class sizes.

  • Booking and payment

    Booking is made online via PayPal using your credit card. We have used this method for 14 years and found it to be reliable. If you don't want to pay online, please email us or call or text us for an alternative method. 

    Tango Tangks cost £125pp. We reserve your places with a booking deposit of £25pp (£50). We engage maestros with associated travel and visa costs on the basis of these reservations so if you cancel we can only refund your deposit if a replacement can be found. The balance of £100pp (£200) is requested by email 30 days before the event date.

Tango Tangk places are limited and workshops normally sell out in advance.

We only take reservations for couples as it takes two to tango. 

Reserve a place for you and your partner with a £50 (£25pp) deposit via PayPal. We will request the balance of £200 by email 30 days before the event. Total price £125 per person.

All our visiting maestros are (in our estimation) world class dancers and teachers. They are also chosen for their sense of community and generosity of spirit in the way they share the space and their time on and off the dance floor.

All of the 2023 maestros are making return visits to Bramshaw due to popular requests. They are all well known and much loved by our dance community. If you want to know more about their particular teaching style please contact us so we can answer your questions.

Don't wait too long to book. Tango Tangks normally sell out within weeks of booking opening.  T&Cs

Refine your dance musicality

You will be learning with a tango teacher who is also life-long musician. For the last twenty years, Argentine tango music has been been his passion and focus. For Steve, this dance is all about the music and as a dancer and as a teacher his ethos is 'the music is the only leader in the room'. 

If you want to refresh your dance, and discover ways of finding a deeper, more meaningful connection with the music and with your partner, you will love Steve's musicality workshops.

The workshop in the main hall at  Bramshaw provides four hours of teaching, 2 x two hour sessions, one either side of lunch - please bring your own packed lunch. The day costs £40pp. Doors open at 10.30am for coffee and warm up. Complimentary hot and cold drinks are available all day.

If you are a newcomer to Tango UK read more about our teaching style. 

Pictured:
Steve playing bandoneon during a Musicality week at La Rogaia, Umbria, Italy where he was teaching with Debbie Morrall.

Steve playing for dancers in Pully, Switzerland, where he was teaching with Murat Erdemsel and Sigrid van Tilbeurgh

 In 2020 we celebrated 20 years of tango at Tango UK.

Tango Musicality one day workshops 

  • How is musicality taught at Tango UK?

    Steve is a visual artist and performer who engages students with a rich mix of visuals, games, exercises and live music examples.

    He assumes no previous knowledge of music of any kind. Ideas are presented in plain english with no reference to musical theory. He delivers classes with a simple educational goal: "To dance with a musical connection we need to explore ways of moving our bodies as though we were silently playing them like a musical instrument". 

    He will help you replace functional, mechanical steps with gestured and expressionate dance movement that is inspired by music. 

    More information

  • What is the format of a musicality day?

    There are two workshop sessions of two hours each, one either side of lunch. We have a short break for refreshment etc half way through each session.

    The days starts at 11am and finishes at 4pm.

  • Do I need to have any musical training?

    No, the workshop assumes absolutely NO previous musical training. Steve believes that everyone is by nature musical. All we need is the vision and encouragement to set it free.

  • Why is musicality so important?

    The dance is the music. It informs and inspires our movement. It provides a conduit for both dancers to creatively share improvised dance movement.

    But Argentine tango is not the music of our lifetime. Musicality will improve your understanding of this genre from Argentina. 

    If you are able to hear that every tango, every orchestra is unique in it's style and sound, you will be able to make every dance unique in it's style and movement.


  • But I don't really like the old tango music...

    You will be working with a lifelong musician who can reveal the beauty of this music. Most dancers struggle with getting to know the music. Steve will fast-track this process so you can engage with this music with passion and understanding. 

  • Booking and payment details

    Booking is made online via PayPal using your credit card. We have used this method for 14 years and found it to be reliable. 

    If you don't want to pay online, please email us or call or text us for an alternative method. 

    The days costs £40 for 4 hours of group tuition plus a break for lunch (BYO). 

Check out our video resources

Combining three life-long loves

In his life before tango, Steve trained and worked as a graphic designer for more than two decades. In this video he combines the three creative loves of his life - music, art and dance to demystify the rhythm of Argentine milonga music. The video was inspired by a workshop he led at Taboe Tango Camp in the Netherlands where the brightly coloured chairs in the classroom were used to illustrate the pattern of milonga rhythm.