A beautiful gem of North Park, Decir Tango has a spacious floor and has an amazing teacher. I love the way Patricia Becker is wonderful at engaging the class with her teaching style. It helps elevate everyone to have a good time while navigating the challenging pastime of learning to Tango. It's important for me that Tango is learned in a safe and nurturing place and that is exactly what I've found with Decir Tango. Good Class, Good People, Good Tango! read more

I hate to differ but I did not have a pleasant experience at Decir tango. As someone who tries to dance with as many women as possible, I was confronted by Paricia publicly to cabaceo properly and not push the women to dance with me. But let's face it, women go the Practica to dance and not sit and get bored. She could have done that in private and it would have been much better received. I guess she prefers to have the women sit and wait rather than dance and enjoy. This is particularly true for beginners as she watches over them carefully and discourages anybody from dancing with them. I never force a woman to dance with me and if she says no, I accept it and move on. There are many women that are not familiar with cabaceo or cannot see potential partners when they signal them to dance and they are quite surprised when I mention mirada and cabaceo. Also, in a small and friendly Practica setting with 6-7 women, I find it unnecessary to cabaceo and insist on the full 9 yards. I also see people hogging a partner and not changing partners at the cortina and Patricia is OK with that, so I don't know what gives. She certainly seems to have one set of rules for her regulars and another one for any new dancers. Anyway, I was reluctant but ready to accept her criticism and move on, but then I found a dollar bill on my seat. I am not sure why that happened. It took me some time to understand why would anyone do such a thing. I guess she thought she can irritate me even more and get rid of me quickly. Well, she succeeded. I will never go back to her Practica again but I feel sorry for the many women that will sit there and wait for a dance while some dance only with their regulars. They just have to talk to Patricia and try to change her attitude. From experience, I think changing her attitude is very difficult but nothing is impossible. It is malicious acts like this that make some people quit tango altogether. I could have accepted it quietly and move on but I think such malicious acts should be reported to avoid future unpleasant experiences. read more

Let's be honest. Tango is one of the hardest dances to learn. You shouldn't expect to pick it up casually and get good at it after a couple of months. It takes strong self-motivated interest, patient instructors who can provide individualized attention even in group classes, and consistent practice in social settings. Patricia is a fantastic instructor. She is as passionate about the education aspect as the dance itself, and it's just a bonus that she is also a very beautiful and graceful dancer. I especially love that she tells it like it is and is very clear in her explanation of sometimes abstract concepts. She also has a bit of a dark humor that makes her classes fun. Tango is perhaps the most misunderstood dance - social tango is nothing like the dramatic, ballroom-style, gymnastics-heavy, marching-esque performances we have all seen on TV. It is more about having an intimate conversation through highly spontaneous and non-choreographed movements with another person. If this is a journey you want to embark on, you can't go wrong with Patricia and whoever she engages as her partner instructor. You don't need a partner to sign up or practice. San Diego has a large and very active tango community so you are covered as far as having plenty of opportunities to practice outside of classes. if you are unsure whether tango is for you, visit a Milonga or Practica - these are social tango dances and practice sessions where "real" people with various degrees of experience (not performers or professionals) come together to dance. There is a large number of recurring social dances throughout San Diego area on pretty much every day of the week. Events and reminders are announced on the "San Diego Tango" Facebook group. read more

Learning to dance the Argentine Tango is challenging, even for experienced dancers. A good teacher can give you the proper guidance to make your practice time on the dance floor more productive and joyous. Patricia Becker of Decir Tango in San Diego helps her students to discover the essence of Tango dancing within themselves using a wealth of classical and modern techniques. She works with patience, grace and humor in both group classes and private lessons to advance the dance skills and understanding of each student. I have studied ballroom and Tango dancing with a dozen well regarded teachers since 2015, and Patricia is among the best of them all. S. Joyce, 2019 read more

Patricia is a wonderful teacher! She is patient and kind but also tells it like it is. She won't beat around the bush because she wants to see you succeed and grow as a dancer! The classes focus on exercise drills, solo work and partner work and you never need to bring a partner to attend, as they rotate partners! Patricia can dance as a leader or follower, so she is a great teacher for both roles. The practices on Thursday are fun, informal and a great place to practice within the safe confines of friends who are also learning. I've taken privates as well, which are a great way to work on technique and body awareness specific to you! What I love most about the North Park Argentine Tango School is that they teach true Argentine Tango for social dancing! None of that "Dancing with the Stars" stuff that is an awful representation of tango social dancing. Tango is a great way to build and tone core muscles, receive stress, express artistic creativity and make friends! You should definitely check it out here! read more

Patricia is nice. Her male partner ... Pretty egocentric, assumes you'll get the steps on your own then become surprised no one got it ... I rather go to a place that actually tries to teach, rather than tries to impress you read more

I have been dancing with Patricia for over a year now. I love her teaching style.... she covers it all, attention to fundamentals, having fun-while-learning and giving you enough but not too much challenge... She is a true friend and fine person. I highly recommended joining our fun group of dancers with Patricia! read more

Excellent classes and teacher. Patricia is from Argentina and knows her tango in and out, teaching both leading and following. She is enthusiastic, breaks down difficult concepts into manageable chunks, demonstrates clearly, encourages and challenges you. She is not only a natural-born dancer but also a very talented teacher. Look forward to taking more classes with her. read more

Whether you are a beginner or an advanced tango dancer, Patricia and Marc are outstanding instructors. That is, if you REALLY want to learn to dance and are willing to work on it. Tango is the art of making contact with one another on the dance floor, listening and responding attentively and skillfully to each other in order to together express the music. If that is what you want to learn, these are the teachers for you. read more

I first got introduced to tango around 2 years ago. But I will say I first really started getting tango only 6 months ago when I got to learn from Patricia and Mike. It was very exhiliarating to realize how the dance is all about connection and that just a simple walk done comfortably can be so much more rewarding. Patricia has a knack for incrementally pulling out one new aspect of any movement after another and it is a complete joyride to internalize these and then look back and see how you easily put together so much detail to glide through the dance. Patricia keeps the atmosphere jovial and friendly and it is hard not to get inspired by her passion for the dance and music, no exaggeration. If you have free Tuesdays or Thursdays and you are in San Diego, there is no better place than be at the North Park practica! Not a bad idea to bring your partners and friends along. read more

I've been doing private and group tango lessons with Patricia since April 2013. Currently, I take 5 private and 3 group lessons a week. I could not ask for a more gifted and encouraging teacher than Patricia. Her teaching dedication to the dance form is extraordinary. Her goal -- and mine as well -- is for me to become a tango dancer who can lead my partner properly as we relish the musicality of the song and our embrace. Patricia continues to remind me that tango is not just about learning steps. Tango is knowing where my partner is at all times so together we dance as one. I have learned, when this occurs, magic does happen! read more

Patricia and Marc are great tango teachers. Their contribution to the tango community in San Diego is invaluable. Besides being excellent dancers, they are both beautiful human beings willing to go out of their way for their students. Patricia is a role model for women. Her understanding of integration of the body in motion and making contact is profound. Marc's skills and knowledge ensure his students to take their dance to it's highest level. His expectations speak of his excellent preparation and confidence. Patricia and Marc's students' progress is noticeable and highly appreciated on the dance-floor! read more

Patricia is a fantastic teacher. She emphasizes natural grounded movement and comfort for both leader and follower over fancy footwork (although she knows this too). If you want to really deepen the fundamentals and sophistication of your dance so you can get to the fancy footwork while lulling your follower into a smile, she is the teacher for you. read more

There is no better tango teacher in San Diego. As one who has studied movement and dance for most of my life, I deeply appreciate her body wisdom and awareness and use of natural principles of movement. Patricia is a fun, impassioned, and inspiring teacher. We are lucky to have her here. read more

Patricia is an amazing (life-long) dancer, and an amazing teacher. Everything she teaches is fundamental for both tango novices and advanced dancers, and her classes are always a lot of fun. Very importantly, Patricia is absolutely great in pointing out not only what doesn't work, but how to *make it work* (something which many teachers cannot do). She has many super useful and fun exercises up her sleeve, which can be done not only during class, but anywhere (and these are really important for making progress). I myself have been taking regular lessons with Patricia for almost a year now, and my dancing has ostensibly improved. It is absolute treat to have her in San Diego, it is a unique opportunity. read more