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11/12/2002 Archived Entry: "Tango Lesson"

Last night I had my first tango class at the Century Ballroom, part of an introduction to different social dances aimed at "advanced" dancers. Great fun, and a mindtwister to really be at beginner status again. That's good for keeping me sympathetic to beginner dancers in lindy hop, reminding me of the challenges in moving in new ways. I have a great preference for lead and follow in dancing (rather than choreography) so tango could be really good for that.

I don't know if I'll pursue it farther just now -- the social rituals connected with Argentine Tango might take some getting used to (lots of etiquette involved). I know I'm not interested in the ballroom version. Here's a take on tango history. I know the part about waltz is off by about forty years, since the waltz hit England before 1820, but presumably the sections about tango are more accurate. Tango beginnings are very mysterious.

The concerns detailed in this Tango Tragedy page are intriguing!

"European musicians invent European or International Tango because they must be hard of hearing and rhythmically challenged so couldn't replicate what fellow Europeans loved about Argentine Tango (1912 -present). Enter Ballroom Tango and surely some stiff necks/sore backs. Good for sales of mirrors and dance teachers with questionable depth of sensual feelings/searching intelligence/conviction and communication skills with people outside their native culture."