Tango lesson Buenos Aires, near your hotel.

This tango lesson in Buenos Aires is a private hour, 60 minutes long, with a professional tango dancer as your teacher, and nobody else in the room but your own party. The operator chooses a studio as near as it can to where you are staying, so the lesson comes to your neighbourhood rather than the other way round. It suits a first try as much as a polish for dancers who already know the basics.

Every level is welcome: complete beginners, couples, families who bring their children, and experienced dancers who want a local eye on their technique. The teacher speaks Spanish and English, so instructions never get lost in translation. Because the hour is private, it moves at your speed: a nervous beginner can spend the whole time on the walk, while a confident pair can push on to turns.

The from-price is $39, and the record calls the booking a private group without saying how the total changes with more dancers, so check the amount for your party at checkout. Lessons run every day, and the time is set to suit your plans. Think of it as the most direct route from watching tango to feeling it in your own feet.

Any week of the year works for a lesson, but August is special. In August the whole city dances: its festival brings free shows, free classes and free milongas, plus a world contest in stage and salon tango. Its most recent programme spread over more than 50 stages across 34 barrios and drew nearly 800 couples from more than 45 nations into competition.

Early in the month comes the milonga week, with 59 participating dance halls laying on open classes at several levels, orchestras and exhibitions. Entry is free with a booking, and places at each venue are limited. A private lesson before that week gives you the confidence to walk onto those floors instead of only watching from the bar.

Winter in August is gentle by European or North American standards, with mean highs of 18.1°C and lows of 9°C at the Observatorio weather station. Spring and autumn are comfortable for walking between classes, and summer nights are warm, with January highs near 29.6°C. Lessons take place in an indoor studio, so rain is no reason to cancel.

Wear clothes you can walk and stretch in, with trousers or a skirt that let your legs move freely. Tango is danced in a close embrace, so a fresh shirt and a light touch with perfume are good manners rather than vanity. Leave big rings and watches in the hotel; they catch on a partner's back.

Shoes matter more than anything else. Choose a pair with a smooth sole that can turn on the floor, such as leather-soled shoes or worn trainers. Rubber grips that stick to the floor make pivots hard and tire your knees. Heels are optional for beginners; many learners start in flat shoes and buy proper tango shoes only if they keep going.

Heading on to a milonga later? Pack one smarter outfit. The city tourism board notes that the most formal milongas encourage smart dress and their traditional codes. Guided milonga nights warn that short pants are not allowed on the floor. A pair of long trousers or a skirt keeps every door open.