El Olivo Tango Club

SR SR

2025-08-02

Google

UPDATE
I sent a private email in response to their reply below - thanking them for their apology, but also raising important concerns in their note:

-> shifting the blame onto me.
-> calling exclusion a “misunderstanding,”
-> avoiding any responsibility for what happened,
-> showing no intent to follow up or change anything.

I respectfully said I'd have to see these issues addressed before I'd be comfortable taking them up on their offer to meet for coffee.

They never replied.
That silence was disappointing: especially after inviting me to reach out.
I’m open to dialogue, but inclusion isn’t just about warm words: it’s about the willingness to listen, take responsibility, and make meaningful change.

One more thing: I intentionally chose not to name the teacher in my original review, in order to keep the focus on the broader structural issues. I was surprised that the school chose to name them publicly. It felt unnecessary and uncalled for.

I'd kindly ask the school to please not share my full name in any further response - to honor my privacy.

ORIGINAL REVIEW BELOW
A beautiful venue: and a deeply alienating experience from which I left feeling sidelined, unwelcome, and invisible.

**
I’m a tango dancer with over many years of experience, and I’ve trained in multiple cities and schools, under many teachers.

I recently dropped into an advanced class at this school. I expected a challenging class, and I’m generally able to catch up quickly even when joining an ongoing series.

That has never been a problem - until this class.

Unfortunately, the environment was not welcoming. After a few minutes of dancing - where I was still adjusting to the material -my partner(who I'd only connected with at the venue a few mins prior) walked away to dance with a friend.

While that’s entirely their choice, what followed was troubling: there were no partner rotations, no effort by the teacher to include everyone, and no acknowledgment that someone in the room had been left without a partner for the rest of the class.

In every tango school I’ve trained at, teachers pay attention to group dynamics. They rotate partners. They notice when someone is not dancing. They check in - especially if someone is clearly not comfortable.

None of that happened here during the extended time period when I was sidelined. And it most certainly wasn't that I was a complete newbie.

If joining mid-series or coming without a partner is discouraged, that should be clearly stated on their social media or announced in the class. It wasn’t.

What made this experience more painful was the lingering feeling that I wasn’t just excluded - I was overlooked. Dismissed.

And I can’t ignore the fact that my ethnicity may have played a role in how little effort was made to reinclude me. I’ve encountered subtle forms of exclusion before, and this felt all too familiar(if you are an ethnic minority, you know exactly what I'm talking about).

Whether it was conscious or not, the impact was the same: I was made to feel like I didn’t belong.

And that’s such a shame - because this was a missed opportunity. The venue is beautiful. I’ve attended other classes in this same space that were far more inclusive and welcoming, which makes this experience all the more surprising and disappointing.

Tango should be about connection, generosity, and shared learning. This experience was the opposite of that.

gizem uygun

2025-06-17

Google

Lovely teachers and great group to learn with

AleZent

2025-06-10

Google

Tuve una experiencia increíble con el tango en Barcelona, en este sitio.

Desde el primer momento me sentí completamente bienvenido, en un ambiente donde la inclusión no es un discurso, sino una práctica real y sentida.

El espacio irradia calidez, con una energía íntima pero viva, ideal tanto para quienes están dando sus primeros pasos como para quienes ya tienen al tango como compañero de vida. No hubo prejuicios, solo miradas cómplices, sonrisas y abrazos sinceros que invitan a bailar sin miedo y a compartir sin máscaras.

Pude bailar, reír, escuchar buena música y, sobre todo, conectar con personas que, como yo, buscaban algo más que una milonga: buscaban un momento genuino. Me parece top top top.

Sergio Montesinos

2024-12-04

Google

Un espacio muy lindo para aprender a bailar

Xinyan Yang

2024-11-11

Google

Excellent place to learn Argentina Tango in Barcelona, great teachers ,showroom for tango equipment, well-decorated and modern facilities, and most importantly——milongas!
I think they have some classes about tango and some classes that can assist your tango, like yoga.

AC F

2024-11-06

Google

Amazing place to take tango and yoga classes, to dance-practice-make new friends.

The parquet on the floor (real one!) and many big mirrors allow a much better experience during classes and practice.
The organisers are very kind and welcoming, they think about every detail to make people enjoy multiple activities and social Argentine tango events.
100% recommended - and special kudos to Radi!!!

Katrin Vaga

2024-10-30

Google

Super cool tango venue!

Franco Placenti

2024-10-29

Google

Excelente milonga y escuela en Barcelona. Cómodo y elegante ambiente para aprender y bailar. Mención especial a Radi y Oldriska, dos grandes personas y profesores. Muy recomendable para los amantes del tango