Tango Level guidelines

These are guidelines, not rules. We know that everyone learns at a different pace. Some people will become a proficient, confident dancer in less that a year while others will take longer. We hope the following will help you judge, especially if you are taking workshops at festivals or taking masterclasses aimed at a particular level. In weekly classes, the teachers will give you advice and there'll likely be a greater variation in standard.

Beginners/Improvers
Still working on:
Understanding and following changes of weight 
Being able to lead follow walking and with changes of direction (back/forward/side)
Walking in cross and parallel systems and changing systems
Gaining comfort and confidence in the embrace
Pivots
Developing tango structural elements such as the cross. ochos, echo cortado, Parada & sandwich, simple barridas & simple turns (giros)

Intermediate
You will likely have been taking regular classes and dancing socially for 2+ years 
You have good balance and control of axis in movements such as pivots 
You can confidently lead/follower giros, sacadas and simple out of axis steps
You use dissociation in movement
You dance comfortably in close embrace and can fluidlychange embrace during the dance
​Use changes of musicality - rhythmic play, melodic variation

Advanced
​All of the above +
Be able to improvise freely using all the structural elements of the dance
Be able to understand your partners axis 
Be able to pivot fully and freely without support (360 degrees)
Be proficient in using all aspects of musicality 
​Technically precise in movement