Limerick Tango

One of the nice aspects of tango and tango events is that it can be enjoyed by anyone regardless of age. I’ve been at events where I’ve danced with a legend of tango¹ and where fathers dance with their young daughters balanced on top of their feet. But that is the cauldron of tango where we are all set to rise and fall in our turn.

In contrast I was at a suburban party at the weekend that made me feel my age. An enjoyable party but with a far narrower age range, I don’t think it helped that I spotted someone plugging in a baby monitor, and shockingly suburban. Either way I felt the cold chill of the eternal footman at the door once or twice.

All this will pass but there will always be seat next to the dancefloor.

¹ Admittedly it did feel like dancing with my mother.

In response to Johanna

Beginner:doesn’t know what he’s doing

Intermediate: thinks he knows what he’s doing

Advanced: knows what he’s doing

Beyond advanced: “What is this thinking business, you over-analyze everything, feel what you are doing.”

Enrique y Marion of Caminos de Tango

“The bandoneon told me to do it, your honour.”

Added to the list of posts to read before you d.. Tango Demons by Carrie Whipple via Alex.Tango.Fuego.

In it there is one key line:

The teamwork required to dance tango well is so much more important than any one person’s individual technique.

Too much focus is placed on technique as though perfect technique is the goal of tango. Teamwork is the goal of tango. Technique is what you use to remove the physical obstacles to that teamwork.

Believe in your partner, trust in yourself.

Or is it the other way round…?

Physical contact

I have no particular care for what other people do on the dance floor, so long as it doesn’t involve bumping into me. But, of late, I have noticed that I really like watching people who smile while they dance. Now I don’t mean the forced rigor mortis grimmace of the ballroom but the genuine smile of the people who take the time to enjoy what they are dancing.