My Husband and I Signed Up for Tango Lessons in Barcelona. It Was the Highlight of Our Trip.

10.12.2024 - 21:45 / matadornetwork.com / Can I (I)

On a recent trip to Barcelona, my husband, two friends, and I raced around trying to see all the famous sights, from the Sagrada Familia to Park Güell and the Picasso Museum. At night, we indulged in tapas and delicious local wine. It was our friend’s first time in Europe, and while there, the four of us wanted to experience something more authentic to get a real taste of local life. Having heard about Airbnb Experiences through work, I found a Tango experience in Barcelona that seemed to fit the bill. After getting the thumbs up from my friends, I booked the experience for all of us with my own funds (this was not a sponsored event).

We hope you love these tango lessons in Barcelona! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to take to the (rooftop) dance floor.

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Photo: Airbnb

In the Gothic quarter, we arrived at the apartment building with a manual door elevator that took us to the rooftop. The apartment was easier to find than we expected, as the hosts provided us with pictures of the entrance, door, and walkway beforehand. They welcomed us, and offered us a choice of white wine sangria or beer before leading us onto the patio to listen to a brief history of Tango. Ana Paula, one of our co-hosts, explained to the group of 14—a mix of local Barcelonians and travelers—that tango originated with Spanish and European settlers who made their way to Argentina, describing the dance as “’sad walking.” Tango, she said, is a way to express loneliness, but together. “No hip movements. It is a feeling of an embrace.”

Our other co-host, Jorge, took charge of our dance instructions and set the rules: “No phones, no cameras, no videos, no questions.” He wanted us to be fully present in the moment. We then gathered in his living room–a rectangular space with minimal furniture, a computer for music, and wooden floors– as an energetic Jorge walked us through the steps slowly, apologizing to his neighbors through the floors for the sound of 14 of us clomping above. Jorge would give a set of instructions, and then use a participant for demonstration. He only used the men as helpers. He would hold out a hand, say a woman’s name, and ask, “Can I borrow your partner for a moment?” He would show the steps to the men, then take the female dance partner role to practice with them, using a falsetto voice and batting his eyes, earning all of our delight.

Sometimes only the men would practice their steps while the women, drinks in hand, watched and giggled as their partners learned the new sequence. And vice versa, as the women practiced with each other before partnering up to try it out on the “dance” floor. As we practiced and danced, Jorge clucked his tongue if a