tango touch

MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR
Question: Do you have to be psychic to dance tango?

Answer: No, but it helps.

Here are a few of the magical mysteries that I experience in tango. Let’s explore.

Exploring the calesita and volcada. (A tip of the hat to Vera and Daniel, Edmonton Dance instructors at Casa Tango.) Vera: “Remember guys, no violence here.” Really? No violence? How rough can things get? This is a dance class, after all. Vera’s caution is simply about the lead. Last class the boleo, this class the … Read more

“Remember, no violence here, guys.”Tuesday evening class at Casa Tango with Daniel and Vera Calcines. No violence? In a dance class? What is Vera thinking? I am just off reading a true story about a young female journalist from Calgary who had been kidnapped in Somalia and held hostage for 429 days. Now that was … Read more

The first time I was encouraged to breathe in a tango embrace and then invited to breathe in unison with my partner, my gut reaction was: Yikes! What is it about breathing in an embrace that makes one feel so vulnerable? Certainly, it intensifies the chest-to-chest connection. Depending on one’s comfort level with close embraces, … Read more

(3 minute read. This blog is part two of a post from about a decade ago. Still relevant and fascinating.) Session #2 with Jean-Sebastien, Studio Ten. Tango is communication. Learning tango is like learning a language. The only difference is that with each tango lesson, I seem to have to relearn the alphabet. Case in … Read more

ego rub #1 The sign over the garbage can at the entrance reads: “DEPOSIT EGO HERE.” Missed that. When will introductory classes stop feeling like introductory classes? How many years will I be dancing before I can walk away with the smug feeling that I have learned this already? How many miles do I have … Read more