Al's Bio

Al of Tango Chicago makes learning to dance fun and easy. As a student of the dance for more than 15 years, Al has been and continues to be trained by some of the most famous Argentinean masters in the world. These old world masters not only preserved the dance in its original form but also added to the seductive mystique of Tango with their own unique styles. As an instructor, Al Gates has taken their work a step further by simplifying complicated steps and putting them in a form that is fun and easily understood by new dancers and lovers of the art of dance.               Back To Top

Let Al of Tango Chicago add spice to your social life!

Al's Class Schedules                         

Mondays: Privates      

Tuesdays: TangoChicago Tuesday Nite Milonga Tango Intro class (Beginners Welcome) 7:30-9:30p.m.  Tango Dancing  from 9:30p.m.---2:00 a.m. 610 W. Roosevelt, Rd. Chicago, 60607  $25.)
every Tuesday. Requires Invitation by e-mail & membership.

Wednesdays: Privates     

Thursdays: Privates     

Fridays: TangoChicago Dance Centre, 610 W. Roosevelt,Rd. Chicago, 60607 from 7:30-9:30p.m. Open Tango practice and dancing for all levels til 2:00 a.m. Assistance or instruction Included. ( Class Fee $25).     Requires Invitation  by e-mail & Membership . Lots & Street parking.

Saturdays: Advanced Class Concepts on Demand 610 W. Roosevelt,Rd. Chicago, 60607 from, 6:00p.m.- 8:00p.m. Individual attention for our serious students .    ( Class Fee $25 & membership, display of technical proficiency is required to enter this group).

Try TangoChicago's Tuesday Nite Snob Free, Smoke Free Milonga
            With Over 10 years of Tango Bliss To Its Credit!
It's By Invitation; you may request an invite by e-mail & wait for a reply!
TangoChicago is Home to some of the most beautiful women and interesting men in the city. The ladies that have studied with us are fought over & pursued by handsome men in every milonga in Chicago because they follow well, without anticipating and they all can lead as well as most guys.

The men that we train at TangoChicago are very creative and always on & with the music. Our leaders make the dance experience of being led by a man whom you just met both exciting & great fun.

Women will also be delighted by our lady's choice dance                  
policy that allows them to ask men to dance at anytime
throughout the night for their maximum dancing pleasure.
   Our Dance Floor was hand crafted with you in mind. It is the floor used by the Joffrey Ballet and Mikhail Baryshnikov when they tour and travel. It is an elevated hardwood floor custom built with suspension, and cushioning mechanisms that reduce foot & back strain that is usually caused by impact & shock of unyielding floors. Tango Chicago's floor absorbs so much of the dancer's energy that it returns a portion of that energy to you as you dance.   

 Our Tuesday Nite Milonga is located in Downtown Chicago at The TangoChicago Dance Centre at 610 West Roosevelt Rd. Chicago Il. 60607 ; Class fee is $25.00, membership is required which includes Tango Lessons from 7:30pm-9:30pm.  Tango Dancing starts 9:30pm--2:00am.

The dress is suits or work attire for men. Women wear after-fives, cocktail dresses, formal evening gowns & even jeans. Please wear comfortable clothing which allows unrestricted movement.
 Parking is ample on the street & CTA buses Roosevelt Rd. are regular.
The Music mixed by Al is great; in fact he won't ruin the mood with Swing, Salsa, Hip-Hop, or Cha-Cha, only pure and timeless Tango Classics that will keep you jumping up to find just the right partner.
 
                                  For information about the milonga, contact Al Gates at       al@tangochicago.com                                 

John         Jan 2004 17:39:40 -0500 (EST) Subject: Comments from TangoChicago.com Date: Thu, 29 Jan 2004 17:39:42 HH to: Al Gates Hi Al! Thank you again for your warm welcome and gracious hospitality when I joined you in the Tues. night class and dancing at the Madison St. Studio the first two weeks of January.         I was visiting friends in Chicago, flew in from California the day after the big snow storm, then tried to find your Tues. class at the Fine Arts Building (saw the notice on the web site), suffered the Lake Michigan wind chill as I dashed into the building and saw a note that the class had moved to Madison St.        I braced myself against the cold once more and headed over to Madison St. where the cold was quickly forgotten as the dancing began. You have a wonderful group of dancers...thank you all for a couple of fine Tango evenings! John H.        From TangoChicago You Are Welcome     Subject: Thank You From: lorraine divita Date: Thu, 25 Sep 2003 11:18:44 -0700 (PDT) To: Al@tangochicago.com Hi Al Gates!   My name is Lorraine DiVita and we had a brief yet (pleasant) encounter on Sunday Sept. 14 at The Dance Connection Dance Studio.  While there was a Tango workshop in progress, I was taking a group Salsa class in the back room.  During our break, I decided to get some water but after taking 3 steps outside the classroom door, I was quickly commanded by a few Tango aficcionados to "Close that Door!". Although my feelings were bruised, my spirits quickly picked-up when I heard a simple "Thank You" and looked-up and saw your smiling face.   It is now my turn to say "Thank You".  You turned a sour experience into a pleasant and memorable one.  What a difference a kind gesture makes in one's day.  This experience will always serve to remind me that kind words and a simple smile can make everyone's day alot brighter!                                       Lorraine DiVita

Al of Tango Chicago Presents

Fun & Easy Social Tango
Like Slow Dancing With A Little Spice!

September 2004 Al's New Students Are From India, China, Italy & A Few Places In The World That You Have Never Even Heard Of... But Nobody Here Is Thinking Of The Political Implications Of Exchanging Pleasantries With People Of Diversely Different Views, Because They All Agree: That If Everyone In The World Would Relieve Their Stress By Enjoying Great Music, & Hugging As They Danced The Tango... There Wouldn't Be Anything To Disagree About !!

Is poor coordination or rhythm keeping you standing on the side lines?
Are you still doing that bar scene?
Well, if you want to explore your creative side
and add more romance to your life,
come and learn Tango.

Tango Gala August 2003

Al's Students Are Always Stunning On A Dance Floor !

Tango Class Benefits:

1. Learn to get all the attention you want with the glance of your eye.

2. Feel more comfortable and less awkward in social settings.

3. Learn to project self-confidence through your body language.                              

4. Improve your rhythm, balance, flirting and social skills.

5. Enjoy adventures of going out to dance with lots of new people.

6. Most dance couples meet at Tango, start and maintain long term relationships.

7. If you enjoy variety, dance a Tango & experience the famous 3 minute marriage .

Bring a friend or come alone; no partner is necessary because all students are rotated regularly during classes. Remember, if you can walk in a straight line and count to eight, you can learn the basics of Tango in 10 minutes, but you will enjoy a life time of learning how to master this dance.

For further information on group or private lessons, call Al at 312-788-3408.

January 2003 New Dancers

September 2002 New Dancers

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Private lessons are $100 per person per hour
or $200 per couple . For further questions about
group or private lessons, email al@tangochicago.com

TANGO CLASS DESCRIPTION

In this introduction to Argentinean Tango, Al Gates of Tango Chicago will teach complete beginners the basics of Tango, making the learning experience fun and easy. Whether or not students have a background in dance, they will soon be in command of Tango fundamentals which, in turn, will give them the confidence to hold their own in any social situation involving dance. The most challenging people are those who have never danced and who believe that learning to dance is as painful as having a tooth extracted without Novocain.

Problems range from those who can't hear the beat of the music to those who can hear the beat but have trouble walking without losing their balance. Still others have a social or psychological phobia of the intimacy involved in interacting with total strangers. Whatever liabilities students bring with them, Al can help even the most fearful students move forward,. beyond their limitations to become dancers in no time at all.

The lesson objectives for men entail being able to count to eight and walk smoothly in a straight line on the floor; becoming one with the music by differentiating the beat from the melodies; putting simple individual elements together that look beautiful when danced in sequence; and learning how to give strong, clear leads for their female counterparts.

The basics for women, on the other hand, involve learning to walk while caressing the floor which requires great posture, balance and timing; learning Tango technique or mechanics of a certain dance element and how those mechanics feel when being lead; hearing the music and discerning the beat that we dance to from its ancillary melodies and additionally (this is the hard part for the woman) only responding to the rhythm as led by the male leader.

Men and women alike will learn technique issues such as body language, following/leading skills, how to be present in the moment, how to do turns and pivots necessary for smooth transitioning between steps, how to claim their own space within the dance; and how to demonstrate presence or attitude.

Students will immediately respond to Al's "hands on" teaching style, the individual attention he gives each student in a group setting, his painstaking attention to detail, and, last but not least, his contagious sense of humor. Ultimately, Al trains students to hear the music on their own and to interpret how they want to dance a particular piece of music while at the same time improvising steps in the moment, with their partner. The dance thus becomes a work of art in motion.. Ten couples can be on the dance floor listening to the same orchestra but because you are allowed to interpret the music according to your personality, creativity and artistry, each couple will look totally unique. This is the beauty of Argentine Tango.

Al is also available to teach your guests Tango
at that special home or corporate party,
or provide entertainment and demonstrations
for all kinds of events.
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September 2002 New Dancers

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