ABOUT THE SYLLABUS
What is a syllabus?
A syllabus is a plan of study of the 450 Patterns and Variations showcased in 1,792 video clips of Argentine Tango, Vals Cruzado (Tango Waltz), Milonga, and Pecho Argentino (Apilado, Milonguero Style) and divided into 3 levels (Bronze, Silver and Gold).
The syllabus:
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Includes 24 hours of visual instruction.
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Is the first authentic Argentine Tango Syllabuses.
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1st Edition1965, 2nd edition1980, 3nd Edition1995, 4th Edition 2021.
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Includes Tango, Milonga, Vals Cruzado and Pecho Argentino syllabuses.
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Is written in logical order with authentic names in Spanish and Lunfardo with English translations.
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Is divided into 3 levels:
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Bronze (Associate Basic Level)
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Silver (Licentiate Intermediate Levels)
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Gold (Fellow Advanced Level)
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is the Guideline of the (Argentine Tango Master Association) ATMA .
The 3 levels (Bronze, Silver and Gold) are applicable to Tango, Milonga, Vals Cruzado (Tango Waltz) and Pecho Argentino ( Apilado, Milonguero Style.)
Syllabus Levels
BRONZE, SILVER OR GOLD?
No, we're not talking Olympics! Tango dancing classes and competitions are often broken up into bronze, silver and gold categories. Learn what they mean!
Tango dancers come in all shapes, sizes and ability levels. While some are professional, executing highly complicated and difficult choreography with grace and style, others are content to learn a few steps to get them around the dance floor at the Milonga (Tango Party). There are many levels in between each extreme, and the bronze, silver and gold designations help to put some order to it all.
Bronze, silver and gold levels of Tango Dance each have their own syllabus of steps, goal for the dancer and difficulty level. Learning what they mean help the dancer know where they belong based on their skill level. Many tango dancing group classes are grouped by these designations.
Bronze Level
Bronze level is the most basic level of Tango Dance and this is where all new students should start. The goal of this level is to teach the dancer good balance, rhythm and how to move their body. They learn how to dance with a partner and work as a team.
Tango dance as well as Milonga, Vals Cruzado, Pecho Argentino, there is very little “continuity”, which is where the dancers pass their feet and flow into the next step. Instead, they end most patterns by bringing their feet together. The key patterns and their variations in bronze level tend to be fairly simple, although they increase in complexity and difficulty as the dancer moves from beginning bronze to intermediate bronze and then to full bronze. This level develops anchors figures, a solid for future references .
Silver Level
When the dancer has mastered the basics of bronze level, they are usually ready to move on into silver. This is when the dances really gets interesting—the steps flow more gracefully from one to the next, and the dancer learns to make bigger movements with more turns . They are expected to use good technique, balance, partnering skills and do it all with flair and elegance which is the trademark of Tangos …
While the beginning silver steps are more difficult than bronze but interrelated, they are still fairly easy and most dancers can execute them with varying levels of success. For example, bronze level dancers often add silver steps to their repertoire, but they do not execute them as well as they should. As one moves up the syllabus toward full silver, the patterns become much more demanding.
Gold Level
Gold level is the highest level that the syllabus goes to. Dancers at this level have even better balance and perform even more difficult patterns than silver level dancers. At this level, it becomes very apparent if the dancer has not established a good foundation in their dancing, because they are unable to perform many of the steps at all, let alone well.
