It Takes Two...

to tango!!!
And that's exactly what Levi and I did tonight, we took our first tango class in Argentina. It was a small group lesson which is included with my Spanish classes, and it was so much fun. First we learned that the tango really happens up in the body, in the pecho, where you develop the connection with your partner, then what hapens with your feet is just the consequence of that connection. Our teacher said she could tell we had a really good connection all during our walking and leaning excersises, but once it came to the steps we sort of lost it and were concentrating too much on the steps. Well, they're not that easy! It is an 8 step pattern, with the man always walking forward, and the woman always walking backward, hoping the man won't lead her into a pole or another couple (or clothes rack, or down a flight of stairs...all only near-misses, don't worry!)

you start the dance by rocking back and forth, and when the stops on one foot, that's the signal to start stepping with the other. This is the part we have the hardest time with! Once you go, it's Woman step forward left, then to the side with the right, then back left, back right, cross left so your ankles are together, then step back right, left with the left and together for 8. The man goes back right, side left, then front with the right stepping to the outside of the but the chest staying close so that the "connection" is not lost, then forward left, forward right, forward left, left with the right and together for 8. The you do it all again.

The dance itself gets much more complicated, but to watch and now, we know, to dance, it is a very romantic, sensual dance. You really have to lean your whole weight into your partner and remain chest to chest, cheek to cheek in order to really understand where to go. The dance originated in the ports with men dancing together, then after a while s began to dance with the men, but it was considered a low-class dance throughout the 1800s and early 1900´s. Then a famous singer Carlos Gardel started singing the tangos of the local barrios and brought a new respectability to the music and thus the dance, and now it is considered a real art and people go to fancy shows and dinners entertained by amazing, y dancers. Too bad we are only starting as Levi is leaving, we could have been cutting rugs in milongas all across the city!