American Tango Institute

Bluetopia was my first dance outing, and only marginally embarrassing; it’s very novice friendly and receptive. And I of course was nervous about the male/​female dynamic, but the very «dance lovers only» vibe was nice; absolutely no creepers in sight. $ 13 for a night of BYOB live music dancing with water and snacks available was well worth it.
You don’t have to be a dance enthusiast to appreciate this place.

I attended the Saturday night Tango dance lesson that is only $ 15 per person. What a deal! The instructor was fabulous and encouraged us «beginners» even when we were messing up! I would give it 5 stars if the «light buffet» offered a few more options, it consisted of fruit/​chips and dip/​crackers/​soda etc. but a great night out! I will go back soon. :-)

I can’t comment on the tango lessons (yet) but I can comment on the venue. Every month the blues dance, Bluetopia, happens here and it’s one of my favorite things about the city. The community is crazy talented and extremely friendly, the music is usually awesome (and danceable of course, especially when it’s DJed). Sometime they’ll have a live band but depending on who it is the music can be hard to move to. Like others have said, I’m not a fan of the location. Especially being a poor college student with no car means I have to take public transit to get there and frankly it’s scary. That aside, it’s a great space and even though it’s always crowded and gets hard to move around at times, I love it and I look forward to going as often as I can.

In the past I took few private lessons with visiting Argentine Tango teachers but today’s lesson with Luciano Brigante and Alejandra Orozco topped them all off!
Both are very eloquent and precise in their teaching and work together well using figurative imagery and re-​play of correct and incorrect versions. As any good teacher, they like to emphasize on the basics and they will take turn to lead you quickly into a much refined dancer than the time you stepped into the studio. They have good command of the English language and teach all levels with a personalized attention and a touch of humor. You can sense they love what they do and you will love it too.
ATI is hosting workshops with these 2 young and experienced Argentine Tango stars for the next 2 months. They have good packages for series of group lessons for all levels and privates too if you wish. i am going to take advantage of their visit and will encourage all to do same. This couple will steal your heart.

«I want your love/​Love love love/​I want your love/​You know that I want you/​And you know that I need you.. . I want it bad.…A bad romance»
Everyone knows I can’t dance. Inspite of this horrid flaw, with the hard sell by friends I tried something new– not knowing what to expect.
AND I think I’m in love after my first dance outing in my life ever at Bluetopia!
The class was very beginner friendly. The patrons were ubernice. I was impressed many are committed, very, VERY talented dancers. I could not help noting how attractive everyone was. A photographer making convo outside after taking a pic of me and my cuteee guy bud said blues dancers have the best asses of most dancers he photographed/​met.. . best hips to waist ratios. Well, I did observe everyone brought the sexy and I immediately noted a Craig from Degrassi lookalike and a smokin hot Aleksander Skarsgard twin (who I danced with/​made out with most of the night).
The live blues band was hot as hell. They killed it with blues standards and jazzy tunes. Everyone on the floor was nice as heck. Strangers asked me to dance all night long and were patient with me even though I am a very novice follow. I tried my best to learn the steps and loved the dips, spins, and flourishes. HOT! They scorched the floorboards and I loved it all night long!
The venue was contradictorally roomy yet intimate. The lesson from the astute and sweet instructors was from 8 – 9 and everyone danced past 2 am. For a first time, I’d call it a fun success and can’t wait to return. It converted a sucky non-​rhymatic dweeb into a tiny dancer.
A bad romance has started for this free bitch, baby! Just dance!

The American Tango Institute (ATI) is a lovely dance venue. It’s not easy to get to – no convenient public transport, in a sketchy neighborhood, and at the top of several flights of stairs — but once you finally walk into the studio, you find yourself in a spacious loft with a beautiful floor and great ambiance.
ATI offers a variety of Argentine tango classes and dances and hosts workshops from visiting instructors.
I haven’t taken any tango classes here, but I can definitely recommend checking out Bluetopia, the monthly blues dance that’s hosted at ATI. There’s a free lesson before the main dance, rotating DJs, and occasionally live bands. There’s a mix of levels of experience, especially towards the beginning of the evening, and a generally relaxed and welcoming atmosphere with tables and chairs surrounding the dance floor. Cover is under $ 10, unless there’s a band.
More info at:
Note: There’s plenty of street parking, but you really don’t want to be walking around here late at night!