Oxygen Tango General Rules
No exceptions, please.
The Basics
Shoes and Attire
Classes and Partners
Staying In Touch
Bundles, Payments, Refunds
- Come to Tango only when you are healthy, wearing clean clothes and smelling fresh.
- Be on time. The beginning of class is an important time for transitioning, reviewing, connecting, and goal-setting. If you are late you will still need a credit from your bundle to take the class.
- Keep the focus on face-to-face connection. We do not consult our smartphones during classes.
- For your first few classes: Men, wear loafers or dress shoes. Avoid anything that is really wide or has a sticky rubber sole. Ladies, wear closed-toed, low-heeled, leather-soled shoes ideally with a strap. Dance sneakers are fine. If you don’t have these kinds of shoes, you can get away with Converse, Pumas, or Toms Shoes.
- Once you have decided to learn Tango: Buy dance shoes. Guys, check out Turquoise Shoes on Melrose or Worldtone for good practice shoes. Women, we suggest you hold off on the stillettos, as beautiful as they are, until several months in. Check out closed-toed, low-heeled (2 inches or lower) partner dance shoes at Worldtone or online at Discount Dance Supply. Leather vs suede -- doesn’t matter much. Dance sneakers are great to get for when your feet need a break.
- Tango is about being yourself. Dress in a way that feels YOU, makes you feel beautiful and confident, and gives your legs plenty of freedom to move.
- In some of our advanced, role-specific classes, we recommend that men wear jackets and women wear dresses/skirts and high heels, because of the effect these choices can have on our posture and attention to detail.
- If it is your first time at Oxygen, please come 15 minutes early so we can welcome you and get you acclimated.
- Anyone can take any 100-level class, Technique class, Bootcamp, or Pre-Milonga class. There are no pre-requisites.
- In our classes you will very likely be asked to change roles. We acknowledge this takes some people out of their comfort zone. If you’ve tried it for 10 classes or more and still don’t like it, then our school probably isn’t for you. We have found that switching roles from the get-go is the key to becoming great dancers and creating a great school culture.
- In our classes you will also very likely be asked to work occasionally with a same-gender partner. Same-gender learning and sharing is a tradition that comes directly from the Golden Age of Tango in Buenos Aires, and, as with switching roles, we have found it is key to becoming great dancers and creating a great school culture.
- In order to progress to 200-level at our school, you need to know fundamentals in BOTH roles. No exceptions.
- If you came to class with a partner and want to stay with them during the class, that is OK. You must tell our Tango Guide who will let the teacher know.
- Subject-oriented classes (e.g., Parallel System, Sociable Boléos) are structured as progressive 4-week courses. You will get the most out of them if you take all of them in order, but it’s not required, we know sometimes you may have travel or conflicts.
- There are some O2 Extension Group Classes that require a partner, such as (for instance) Tuesday night 8:45pm and 10pm classes and cost a little bit more.
- There are some classes for which students in Intensives have first priority, such as (for instance) Wednesday night 10pm for the Women’s Intensive. We apologize if you aren’t able to attend a class you want to attend.
- Our maximum class size is 35 dancers. If you want to be sure to get a spot in a class, you can set up an Oxygen Online account and reserve a space online. We cannot reserve a space for you or your group over the phone or email; each person needs to set up their own account.
- You can videotape material at the end of class. This is for your own exclusive private use. You’re not allowed to share it or post it online.
- We send an email newsletter out once a week to currently active students. In addition, we send an email once a month to ALL members of the Oxygen community. We may also email you with special announcements related to your level or courses you are signed up for. Our emails are substantive, educational, and valuable, and keep you informed. If you don’t want to get emails, please let us know by emailing connect@oxygentango.com.
- You can reach us in-person on the phone Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 3-7pm.
All Bundles and Passes
- You need to pay for your instruction, class or Práctica, before it happens. Otherwise it’s too hard for us to keep track of who’s paid and who hasn’t. Please pay in advance online, or bring cash, check, or credit card.
- Payments can be made in cash, by check, or with MasterCard or VISA. However, we greatly prefer cash and check payments whenever possible.
- Passes and bundles are for your use only. You can’t transfer unused portions to someone else.
- ALL SALES ARE FINAL. There are no Cash, Check, or Credit Card refunds.
- When we host O2 Guest Artists for in-house classes, these cost more for bundle and pass holders, explained above.
- About 6- or 10-Class Bundles. They are are valid for 60 days from the day you bought them. You can extend your bundle for a $10 carryover fee per 30 days, and if you still need more time you can extend it once again or until you are ready to use your credits.
- About Unlimited Weeknights Pass. They are valid for 30 days from the date you purchase them. They include all events that happen at Oxygen from Monday through Thursday. You can only take classes at your level. If you are not sure what your level is, please speak with a Tango Guide or schedule an Assessment session with a teacher. Please do not assume you can take 200-level classes based on your background. Our 200-level is much more advanced than many other “intermediate” classes. If you want to take an O2 Extension Group Class there is a small additional fee. If you need to “freeze” your pass for up to 14 days, we can arrange this one time for a carryover fee of $10, and this can be done repeatedly until you’re able to dance again. If there is an Intercession Week with a different schedule than usual, like Thanksgiving week, that week automatically is NOT counted in your Unlimited Pass; your pass gets frozen during that week and restarts the following week, unless you tell the Tango Guide that you want it to stay active. During Intercession Week, Unlimited Pass Holders can take any class at a $15 Intercession Week rate.
- About 3-Month Intensives. Each 3-month intensive is unique. Some give you access to many or all the classes at the school, some are more limited. You will be asked to sign an agreement upon enrolling to make sure you understand the requirements of the program. Once the course has begun, there are absolutely no refunds and your tuition is not transferable to any other program, service, or event at Oxygen. We invest heavily in these programs and greatly appreciate your respect of these policies. Some 3-Month Intensives may strongly recommend that you make additional expenditures totalling between $20 and $50 to buy specific books, music, or attend local Tango events. Amounts vary from program to program so you should ask us what will be needed before you sign up.
- About Private Lessons. Private lessons expire one year after the purchase date. You forfeit however many lessons you haven’t used after a year. Two people (one leader and one follower) can take a private lesson together. Private lessons are one hour long. You are guaranteed a private instructor, but not a private room. No refunds and no exchanges on private lessons at all. Once you schedule the lesson with the instructor, you need to give 24 hours notice to reschedule the lesson, otherwise you lost it ! Cash or check payments are greatly appreciated in private lesson bundles.