Living Tango – Dance Instruction By Ilona Glinarsky

Some might think this review is biased because Ilona is my MOM.
I would say it’s probably the least biased review you’ll read because for the longest time I was not into tango at all. I know you’re thinking that it’s crazy that Ilona’s daughter would roll her eyes at tango, but I came out of the swing dance scene and I was convinced that such a meditative and methodical dance was not my style.
Dance was always a part of my life, but only recently I finally gave into it and decided would go to my mom’s tango class just to see what it was all about.
I have to say it was a wonderful experience. I recently went through tough times, which was the reason I finally took the class. I was hoping to feel more connected to my body and that was definitely the outcome. Usually I’m always nervous about something, but the 2 hour workshop flew by and I realized I had been in the present moment.
If you’re into dance and love to be connected to your body, this is the dance for you. From a professional perspective, I’m also a high school English teacher so I can say for certain, my mom’s a great teacher. Her approach is informative, but relaxed and she makes the content accessible to everyone. I would definitely suggest giving it a try!
This would be perfect for a wedding or special occasion, or do what I did, come spontaneously and bring a friend!

Very inspiring lessons!
I was asked to friend to attend classes just because I always wanted to do some Latin dance.
The first demonstration simply shocked me and lost any confidence in learning.
However, Ilona’s instructed from conceptual image to practical techniques.
Now I am hooked. Tango became one of the things I continue in my life.

Absolutely love Ilona. She is the perfect blend of both technique and learning moves/​patterns. We know different forms of dance and can attest as to how difficult it can be to capture the «feel» of tango. And although I knew the basics of Tango for a while, we started taking tango seriously this past year. With the help of her group lessons as well as her private lessons (her rates are the best in town by far), we were actually able to navigate and dance in Buenos Aires Milongas in August 2014. We had a wonderful time and have her to thank for a lot of it.

After years of saying that I was going to learn to tango I finally got off the fence and joined a tango class. During the last year, and having worked with many fine instructors, Ilona has been and will remain my favorite.
She has a unique and personal way of teaching that makes the lessons interesting, fun, and memorable. One of the things that I find in her weekly classes is that they are always fun and lighthearted, yet she is able to get the nights lesson across so that everyone leaves with a little more confidence in their new abilities.
She helps you understand not only the reasoning behind the dance, but also the connection that develops between you, your partner, and the music.
I look forward to continuing my tango journey in both classes and private lessons with Ilona Living Tango.

My husband and I wanted to wow our guests with a fabulous first dance at our wedding. I did lots of research and found Ilona’s 4 week tango wedding dance classes. We signed up right away. The class was absolutely fantastic. She went through everything step by step and gave us good tips along the way. We loved ever minute of it. I would recommend this to any couple who wants to wow their guests at their wedding. It definitely made us closer as a couple. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. In fact, we’re thinking of continuing the the tango classes as soon as we return from our honeymoon. Thanks so much Ilona!!!

We wanted a dance for our wedding coming up in May 2014. We contacted Ilona. Even from our first lesson, Ilona was patient and excellent with instruction. As we have progressed, we have become more confident and better at the tango. Ilona was able to adapt our song to the tango. We highly recommend her services if you want to have a fabulous dance for your wedding or for any occasion. We will continue our lessons with Ilona well after our wedding.

I have had the pleasure of working on Argentine Tango with Ilona for over 10 years! Dedicated and attentive, she helps create a fun and friendly environment for her students both in group and private lessons. She doea not only teach the dance aspect of Tango, but approaches it from a standpoint of a «relationship» between the partners. As a tango dancer myself, i would not hesitate to reccomend Ilona as your guide through the world of this fascinating dance!

Ilona is my favorite teacher in Los Angeles to personally dance with! Her musicality and connection is wonderful. Friendly and inviting, Milonga LAX, her monthly dance event on the first Sunday of every month in Marina Del Rey is the best attended and the most fun of any milonga in town. And her weekly Tango Experience on Wednesdays at Hacienda Hotel in El Segundo is a perfect place for new dancers to actually get out on the dance floor and tango.

My fiancé and I took Ilona’s 4 Week wedding prep. We had only taken lessons twice before — once in New York and the other at Dancesport in Fullerton. Our first lesson in NY was great, but condensed and the second one in Fullerton was a little uncomfortable. We weren’t sure where we would find lessons that would be affordable and that were taught by a knowledgeable and non-​creepy instructor.
We had found Ilona through an Amazon deal and were delighted to see that she also offered a wedding prep class. We signed up right away and were so glad we did. She is VERY knowledgeable and is an excellent instructor. She taught a choreographed dance and fine tuned it to each couple, adding flourishes for advanced couples and using repetition to help others. I wish the program had been longer, because once a week was not enough to feed my tango fever!
Even though the program was geared specifically for the first dance at a wedding, we felt like we learned quite a bit about tango and would definitely take more lessons (private and group) from Ilona.

There are many things that I do well, and many things that come naturally to me: Dancing does not fall into either category. But, that being said, I have enjoyed every single class I have taken from Ilona. She has a sincere passion for Tango, and is a particularly talented teacher, communicator and dancer. I have seen Ilona bring out the best in novices and experienced dancers alike, and I am placing my faith in her patience and abilities that someday I too will be a competent dancer… meanwhile I am having a lot of fun. I highly recommend Ilona and Living Tango.

I have been taking tango lessons from Ilona over the last year. Most of those have been in a classroom settings but also some private lessons. Ilona has a gift for breaking down the steps and teaching her students to listen to the music and to the partner. She is able to tailor her lessons to the level of the students and makes her classes fun for the students with her keen understanding of music, dance, and positive and fun attitude. I love taking lessons from her and taking my new found passion to the dance floor — all thanks to Ilona.

I was thrilled to be introduced to Tango by Ilona at one of her free classes at Agape some months ago. After that first night, I was hooked. As Ilona says, it is more than a dance, it is a connection, a conversation between two souls.
I’ve taken two of her class sessions; beginning and 1.5, and feel like I’ve learned a great deal, though one of the things I’ve learned is how much more there is to learn! Seriously, I see that in Tango, you can always learn something new, yet you can still dance when a beginner. I also loved her special classes; Tango and the Alexander Technique, and Musicality for Tango and I appreciate the Practicas she holds and how supportive she is for her students who want to enter the Tango community.
Ilona stresses the feeling, the connection, the expression of the dance, which is important to remember when you are too busy thinking where your feet will go next. Just relax and feel it and you will fly!

Ilona is simply the best, the best teacher, motivator and of course dancer of Argentinean Tango in Southern California. I was so impressed with my first class over a year ago that I kept coming back. Ilona, her assistants and even her former students create a fun and warm atmosphere where everyone feels excited about this amazing dance form. Ilona has a great fluid style and a wonderful teaching method. She plays interesting music too. that matters. I notice everyone leaves with a skill, no matter what your level. Plus, she really hooks you with the basics, so you have a strong foundation to grow on. Each week you learn another fun move and soon you are actually dancing.
Ilona also has occasional guest teachers from all over the Tango world. The workshops are wonderful and cover all the essentials of Argentinean Tango.
I have been so inspired by this dance, I can’t wait to be back in class next week! The goal is to get her students out on the dance floor, to a Tango club, for a Milonga… and they do!
She knows how to teach Tango to men and women… and plenty come with or without partners, so don’t be afraid to come alone. You will have a great time, plus really learn this beautiful dance, it is something you can do for the rest of your life!

My husband and I have taken Argentine Tango dance classes from various instructors in Los Angeles over the past 10 years. Each has had something of value to offer. For the past year we have been taking classes with Ilona Glinarsky and our technique and enjoyment of this classic dance has increased immensely. Ilona’s approach to instruction is very unique in that she has an amazing ability to focus on the execution of the step while never losing sight of the connection and relationship between the couple. Because of this, we are able to dance as one… a couple… rather than as individual dancers. Because of this focus, my husband’s ability to lead me through the patterns has improved greatly and my ability to just let go, trust his lead, and follow has also improved. We enjoy our dancing in a very fulfilling way. Each dance is like a date! She also teaches in a very clear manner, breaking down each step and explaining, not just how to do it, but how it all builds together into a fluid pattern. We encourage anyone who has ever considered learning this fun and captivating dance to try it with Ilona. It opens a whole new world to you.

The great thing about Ilona as a tango teacher is how much she emphasizes the feeling of the dance, not just the steps. A small story: at a point in my tango evolution where I had been busily memorizing steps for months I took a few private lessons with Ilona and she simply told me to slow down, do simple things well, and feel the music and my partner. This was just the right insight, and immediately took me to a whole new level as a dancer. I want to say, as an aside, that by having such good intuition as a teacher, and such focus on feeling in addition to technique, that Ilona is making a big contribution to the LA tango community! She is a teacher you shouldn’t miss in your tango development.