The 'Practica' was an entirely male environment, though. A beginner would dance as follower, with more experienced leaders, for anything up to a year before being considered ready to try leading, and then would lead for anything up to another couple of years before anyone thought them ready to go to the Milonga and dance with a woman.
Of course, there were no teachers of tango, but perhaps that was just as well, given the laughable versions of the dance trotted out by most dance schools.
Anyway, must go, off to take a tango class - really.