Tango Academy Of Pasadena

GYPSY (Cant believe he is still in business). As a goof, and after many years of real Tango instruction, I checked to see if Jorge was still in business, or had he moved on. He is still in business!!! In 2005, my wife and I had no Tango experience, and decided to sign up with the «Tango» Academy of Pasadena. Yes, he asks for a huge amount of money, up front, and begins lessons. These lessons were a joke, and the technique taught, is nonsensical, out of logical order, and of the poorest form. It took me years to undo horrible method, which still pops up from time to time at Milongas.
What is the most incredible travesty this man perpetrates, and I see it clearly in hindsight, is his pushing of his Journey with the power to transform you.
Let me break down the trip, how much it costs, what you get, and how you get jacked.
The trip, back then, was almost 2800 per person for 10 days in BA. Back then the exchange rate was 4 pesos to the dollar, today it is 8… that is a huge difference.
Air fare is airfare… standard ticket, if booked in advance is around 800‑1000 dollars, he probably gets a discount and a free ticket. The hotel (Regente Palace. which Jorge keeps from you until the last minute so you cant look it up yourself) is a 4 star hotel, which is FAR from the truth. It is THE DIRTIEST, MOST DEPRESSING, SMALLEST ROOM I have ever stayed in. The rack rate for the room was about 30 dollars per night after exchange. Again, Jorge probably gets a kickback, and free room. The hotel staff is either angry or uninterested, and the area is dangerous. We took the bus, cabs, or walked to our daily lessons, and milongas. Cabs are dirt cheap, and milongas are even cheaper. We got a few meals paid for, again, food is inexpensive in BA. My point is, not worth it!
My wife and I overpaid by a few thousand, and I know this as we have gone back to ba on our own, stayed in Recoleta, and La Faena, for practically less, and we found a few tango instructors and milongas that are marvelous. Let me know if you need any of the info, I will gladly share my hotel, milonga, and instructor experiences.
Take a train to the racetrack, book your own Estancia BBQ, and explore the city on your own.
Bottom Line: Overpriced lessons (good group lessons cost $ 15 max per person… shop around), overbearing teacher (karma has a way of paying people like him back), Gypsy technique (no one dances like him in bA) and take your own trip to Buenos Aires

5 stars too few to describe this academy
first of all i want to reply to those who say that Jorge (the owner and teacher) is rude and yells at people. in almost 3 years i have never witnessed such behavior with my eyes. he is outspoken and straightforward which can be mistaken by some people with aggressiveness, but outspokenness is a quality you really want in a teacher. a good teacher must tell you what he really thinks, not something to please or to cheer you up or whatever.
when i first started i asked the usual question: can I try only one class? Jorge said no and explained that 5 classes are not a big commitment and the minimum to understand if I wanted to continue the journey. now i am happy he did not allow me to attend only one class because i would have probably dropped.
what i saw was far from my expectations: i went there to learn elegant steps and beautiful moves and he just kept talking about love and relationships. the only thing we did during that class was walking on the beat of the music. however after 5 classes i knew there was something more to tango i wanted to pursue…
this said the academy has something true and deep that i cannot find anywhere else in LA. if you are european, or latin american, or simply unsatisfied with the world around you come here and you will find something alive and beautiful.
the more i learn about tango the more i love this place.
the drawback? it seems snobbish but it ‘s true: you’ll grow spoiled and so picky that you won’t like any other tango place in town

I have been back with the Academy for almost a year. I am grateful that I started and continued my Tango journey here (BUT NOT ANYWHERE ELSE). With the help from the maestro and the friends I met along my Tango journey, I have been progressing a lot. I think being persistent, receptive and patient are the keys to succeed in the Tango journey. This place teaches you Tango, not dance.

Reply to Jorge:
I was quite surprised to receive an email tonight that said someone replied to a review I left on Unilocal.Curious, I clicked on the link.
I’m impressed — what a memory you must have to remember the brief conversation we had almost *five years* ago. Re-​reading my review, I was reminded of the experience. I’m sure I made the right choice.
I’ve since had wonderful tango training in a very small class setting taught by a widely respected, sophisticated and thoughtful tanguera. Someone who, by the way, wouldn’t have the hubris to call herself a «tango maestro,» but whose students greatly respect and appreciate her as a teacher, dancer, and human being. Yes, I’m so glad I kept looking for the right teacher.
So…did you just discover Unilocal on Christmas day in 2011? Welcome!

I took 2 courses so far (20 hours) and I’m a fan! Instead of following a sort of fix program, teaching steps; he works with people, and he guides us from where we are as tango dancers to the next step! And he is really able to transform a person who first had no sense for musicality or rythm (but took allready tangoclasses for a year, just doing the steps) to some one who can actually dance and enjoy it! I explored 6 schools in the LA area and I knew right away Jorge would be the best teacher for my partner and I. He stays true to the real Argentina Tango, the social dance from the milonga’s, where the music comes first. I love this place and its community!

I agree with Andre, you should not fork over $ 350 without knowing what someone’s teaching style is and how good they are. No other tango teacher i know of in LA doesn’t allow you to take a single class to try it out first. Go to milongas and ask really good dancers who they recommend as teachers, or go to the tango afficionado website and investigate. Why is there nothing on his website about who is teaching the class? and no youtube video of Jorge Luis demonstrating his tango skill or lack of?

The Tango Academy of Pasadena is the only place in Los Angeles to learn to immerse yourself in the art form of Argentinean tango. Instruction is individualized, intense, and personal, no matter the class size or distribution of men and women. This is no ordinary dance class, it is a personal and cultural journey. If you are unsure if tango is for you, it would be helpful to attend a practica (the schedule is on the website) — listen carefully to the presentation and watch the people there. If you find tango is indeed in you, this is the place for you. No question.