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There will be a big change coming soon in brigitte and Francis’ lives. Here’s a message from Francis about their decision and the future of Siempre Tango.

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brigitte and I are moving to Montreal in December 2019 to open the Montreal School of the Alexander Technique. The upcoming Fall Session will be our last at Siempre Tango.

The Ottawa School of the Alexander Technique has been operating at full capacity since its opening in 2014. Over the last two years, we’ve received more and more requests from prospective students in Montreal, Toronto, and other bigger cities. Unfortunately, not many of these prospects are willing to relocate to Ottawa for the 3-year training program.

brigitte and I both love Ottawa, but because our main interest is now the training program, we made the difficult decision to move the Ottawa School to Montreal. brigitte will continue as the director and head teacher of the Montreal School of the Alexander Technique, and I will become an assistant teacher and administrator.

Regarding our tango journey, Siempre Tango is celebrating its 21st anniversary this year. I couldn’t have reached this milestone alone.

It’s been a great pleasure having my wife brigitte at my side for all these years, building and growing the Ottawa tango community in all its diversity.

We are deeply grateful to Mary Ellen for being our rock since Siempre’s beginnings and to Marcel who established the tango community in Ottawa and who later joined forces with us. We thank those who have helped us along the way either by teaching with us – especially Michael Delman, Robert Gatien and Daniel Marcoux – or by setting up and taking down the many rooms in which we have celebrated our community.

I’d like to bring special attention to all the work that’s been done by Jewel since she joined us. She’s an effective teacher and a talented dancer, and she’s outstanding when it comes to reaching out to people about tango.

We thank the Ottawa tango community for all the adventures and emotions that have bound us, and allowed us all to grow together as we shared our vision of this special dance.The individual way every milonguero / milonguera dances, the music that inspires us to move, and the personal connections that we establish – these have always been what we value most. These values are why brigitte and I never imposed a certain style on our students. We’ve always preferred that people become the dancers they are.

It was never my intention to teach tango forever, but for Siempre Tango to continue, I wanted to choose people who share our idea that tango is ultimately a reflection of who we are. I’m happy to say that Siempre will continue to grow in the capable hands of Jewel, Marcel, Robert, and Isabelle – an excellent team who will carry on the good work after our departure. We look forward to seeing Siempre Tango evolve in the years to come!

brigitte and I will be coming back to Ottawa often because she and I, as her assistant, will be teaching Alexander Technique classes at the University of Ottawa’s new Musicians’ Wellness Centre. So we are really saying “See you later” and not “Goodbye.”

If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me. I look forward to seeing each of you this fall. 

Most of this information pertains to women’s shoes, but all of these vendors sell shoes for men as well. Edited September 19, 2022.

When you first start taking tango classes, you’ll find that sneakers or flat shoes or even socks are fine for classes. It’s better to get a sense of the kind of movements tango demands before you invest in shoes.

Even as you take more classes, sneakers and flat dance shoes can still work. But as you start to explore tango and attend tango socials, you may feel the need to fit in (totally legit). Or you may find that your shoes hold you back. Both of which mean it’s time to invest in a pair of Argentine tango shoes. In this post, we’ll give you some tips for choosing your first pair and some links to local(ish) retailers.

For all of our students:

To protect the floor at each of our venues, we require our students to wear “indoor shoes,” meaning that they aren’t ever used for outdoor wear.

For women:

When you first start tango, we simply advise you to wear shoes that strap securely to your feet, have non-marking soles, and are easy to pivot in.

Wear the heel height that is comfortable for you. You don’t have to wear 9 cm heels to be a “real” tango dancer. I personally wear shoes that are 7 to 8 cm. This is the right height for me because I don’t slide into the front of the shoe. In higher heels I also tower over many of the leaders I like to dance with. As you progress in your dance, you can wear higher heels.

(Or not! At Siempre Tango Ottawa, we don’t have a problem with women wearing flats for classes, prácticas, and the milonga. Your priority should be taking care of your feet for a long dancing life.)

The soles of tango shoes are usually made of leather. This is the most versatile surface, and you can pivot on just about anything that’s not rubberized. Some tango shoes have suede soles, which are also good for pivots but require maintenance.

If you find a pair of ballroom or salsa shoes that works for you, no problem! However, women’s shoes made specifically for tango are different:

• The metal shank in between the insole and the outsole is shorter than that for ballroom shoes.
• The padding of the insole tends to be thicker.
• Stabilility in tango shoes comes from attaching the insole, outsole, and heel with both glue and nails throughout.
• Tango shoes are built to be balanced, meaning that if you stand them up alone on a surface, they shouldn’t tip over or lean to one side.
• Women’s ballroom shoes have a certain “look” or profile that is different from a women’s tango shoe.

Investing in quality tango shoes means that they are more stable and less likely to pinch you. They should fit you well right out of the box. (However, I’ve found that “sparkly” material and patent leather break in more slowly. The upside is that these materials keep their shape for longer.)

For men:

When you first start learning tango, you won’t need to pivot so much, so shoe choice is less of an issue. However, as you continue your tango journey, you will actually need to pivot to lead turns and to do more interesting moves. And if you learn to follow from the beginning, you’ll need to be able pivot right away.

If you ever need to force a pivot, save your knees and invest in dance shoes!

Lots of men I know in tango use ballroom shoes, particularly if they have wide feet. Other men I know are very happy with their purpose-made tango shoes. The idea is that the shoe is meant to look like a formal shoe but be flexible and lighter.

The giveaway that you are not wearing dance shoes is if the outsole (the bottom part) sticks out beyond the toe – for practical reasons, you shouldn’t wear these because you are more likely to accidentally make contact with the follower’s toes.

Where to buy shoes:

Practice flats and men’s shoes

I like to support local businesses, so you can find jazz shoes, ballet flats, dance sneakers, and men’s dance shoes at Brio or Malabar.

(Got another dance shoe store in Ottawa that you like? Let us know.)

High heels and custom shoes for men and women

There is no dedicated tango shoe seller in Ottawa for now. For the most part, we turn to our friends in Montreal to buy new shoes. The vendors that we mention below sell men’s and women’s shoes.

• Line Desrosiers is a tango shoe seller in Montreal. Her shop is called Tango Sublime. She sells Italian brands like Tangolera (known for the extra padding in the sole), Madame Pivot, and Regina. She is also on Facebook. (Note: My preferred brand is Tangolera because they can take a beating and they fit me very well out of the box.)
• Our friends at Stella Mary Creations sell D’Raso shoes. Stella sets up shop at Studio Tango in Montreal. You can make a custom order also and contact her on Facebook to make a request. (Note: I have not personally tried these shoes, but I know many people who like them.)
• Our friends at Montango have a small boutique which is open during their events or by appointment.

(While it is possible to order shoes from most brands online, such as Strictly for Dancers or Axis Tango, we strongly suggest that you try shoes on in person from an in-person vendor first to know your sizes in each brand. Each brand has its quirks, e.g. “This model is not good for wide feet, but this one is – in fact, you should order a different size.” So our best advice would actually be to make a trip to Montreal and see Line or Stella. Your feet will thank you!)

We hope you find this information useful!

Bate Hall will be used for a filming project this summer, so we have found an alternative venues for some upcoming prácticas.

Come experience one of our favourite floors in the city at the Ottawa Dance Directive’s Studio B (2 Daly Avenue). The práctica is at its usual time, from 7:00 – 9:30 PM.

(This venue change also applies to the Tango 3 class that precedes the práctica at 6:00 PM.)

• July 21 – Guided práctica
• July 28 – Goodbye practilonga for Melina Mistral
  
• August 4 – Guided práctica
• August 11 – Guided práctica
• August 18 – Guided práctica
• August 25 – Guided práctica

Directions to the room

To reach Studio B, enter Arts Court from the main Daly Ave. entrance and turn left after the reception desk. Pass through the double doors.

• You can take Elevator A to the 2nd floor. Look for signs for ODD (Ottawa Dance Directive). Turn left getting off the elevator.
• You can walk through the door labeled “EXIT” and enter the stairwell through the door marked D. Go all the way up to “2nd Floor A” and you will see the ODD to your right.
• Don’t worry: we will have signs everywhere directing you!

Parking suggestions

You can use paid parking at Rideau Centre or the Novotel, but it’s we suggest taking advantage of free weekend street parking east of Arts Court and around Byward Market. Try Nicholas, Daly, Cumberland, Wilbrod, Dalhousie, Besserer, and Stewart. (Use Parkopedia and enter the date and time window to find options.)

Also, free parking at City Hall is a 10-minute walk away.

We look forward to seeing you at the Práctica!