Modern Tango World N° 6 (Montreal, Quebec) | Page 15

First, the extensive experience of some of its dancers, and second the presence of well-established
tango schools. Very few cities in North America
have tango schools like Montreal has. That has a
very distinct impact on the dancing and the teaching. I think that some of the local teachers have
been teaching regularly for more than ten years.

I was able to then study a lot about learning technologies, strategies, and approaches outside of tango.
Teaching abroad has allowed me to use a less traditional methodology, grow my own voice in tango, and
use what I know about the art and science of learning
without hesitation.This would have been harder to do
in Buenos Aires.

MTW: It is true that in many other places, the
teaching structures are quite small. Some of our
schools offer ten or more regular classes a week!
You mentioned how experienced are some of the
teachers. Would you say that Montreal students are
particularly lucky in terms of their teachers’ knowledge and for benefitting from resident and visiting
Argentinian teachers ? 

MTW: Can you tell us more about your Tango Learning project in its many layered aspects and how it differs from t he ways we usually think about learning or
teaching tango?

Tomas Howlin: Yes, that is true. Not many communities in the world have tango schools like Montreal. I would say that this city is lucky to have so
many options for learning tango available. The quality of the teaching in many cases is very good, but
that is not a standard. Like everywhere else, there
are also mediocre teachers in Montreal. Students
should use their discernment before choosing a
teacher, research for teachers’ experience and credentials, and always consult and scout for options.
The same applies to visiting instructors.

Tomas Howlin: Tango Learning is my latest project,
but it is already three years old. It is an intensive study
program that combines body work with academic
material and work style within the context of Argentine Tango. This makes it unique. Tango Learning is
designed to offer multidisciplinary resources to train
experienced tango dancers on how to better learn
and maximize every learning experience. During the
training, there are preparation assignments, tango
homework, study materials, and team work. Each of
these elements is unprecedented in tango.

MTW: Would you say that the city and its cultural
environment have influenced your teaching or your
tango projects? In other words, did Montreal bring
you something?
Tomas Howlin: Growing up and living in Buenos
Aires gave me so much tango, but I also received
a lot from my students and the experiences I have
gathered over time. In the last thirteen years, I’ve
taught mostly in the United States, some in Europe
and Montreal. The landscape of my tango road is
mixed with many tango communities, not just Montreal. Living in Montreal has given me a lot personally that has allowed me to keep pursuing tango as
a career. Working in North America and Europe
on a whole has given me access to information and
training that is very hard to get in Argentina.
The challenge is trying to figure out how to keep
growing my tango while living so far away from Buenos Aires. I live isolated from my tango colleagues
and those valuable exchanges. The positive side is
that having access to different information about
movement and teaching,

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