This February marks my twelfth anniversary in the tango community. One-hundred forty-four months have passed since I signed up for my very first Argentine Tango class and struggled through the basic steps.
I have decided to commemorate the occasion by launching my very own tango blog! Thank you for being my welcome guest!
Is this blog only for tango dancers?
This blog is for anyone and everyone, from fresh beginners to advanced students, from seasoned milongueros to people who have never danced the tango before. I hope to post topics that will be of interest to anyone for whom the Argentine Tango has become a passion.
For students I can offer insights and encouragement from the perspective of someone who has struggled with many of the same challenges. For the non-dancer I'll offer an intimate and hopefully entertaining look into the mysterious inner workings of the Tango Community.
By 'Tango Community', do you mean Buenos Aires?
Actually, I am referring to the Global Tango Community that spreads far beyond the dance's native Argentina. Clusters of tango aficionados have sprung up in cities and towns all around the globe. But I'll also spend time discussing a more intimate side of tango, that part of ourselves that changes and blossoms as we undertake the journey toward becoming more and more proficient at the dance.
What do you mean by "that part of ourselves that changes"?
The Argentine Tango is much more than a dance. It's a community. It's a folkloric tradition with diverse influences. It's a rich catalog of virtuosic music. It's an internationally acclaimed art form. For many people, tango is a way of life.
Learning the Argentine Tango is like moving to a new country. Not only do we need to find our way around (steps and sequences), but we need to learn new ways of communicating (embrace) within the syntax of an unfamiliar language (lead and follow). We need to gain familiarity with established traditions (music, styles) and an appreciation for time-honored customs (milonga etiquette). We'll adjust to a different pace of life (rhythm, syncopation). We'll learn how to deal with a new currency (connection) as well as how to trade it for our ultimate objectives (artistic expression, meaningful tandas, partnerships).
We'll even learn some new traffic rules along with strategies for dealing with those who occasionally neglect to follow them. ;-)
When you spend a significant amount of time immersed in a new culture, the experience changes you forever. You forge new friendships. You're exposed to new perspectives and new ways of thinking. You explore new sights and tastes and adventures. The Argentine Tango has a similar effect on us as we immerse ourselves in its practice, its traditions, and its culture.
Why is the blog called Exploring Tango?
Because that's what we do every time we dance. We explore. We explore our partners. We explore the spirit and complexities of fine music. We explore steps and embraces and techniques. As we navigate a small dance floor, we are simultaneously exploring the larger tango experience, an expansive frontier of emotion and nuance and possibility. The further we endeavor, the more we learn not only about this new dance but also about ourselves.
Are you some kind of authority on tango?
No more than anyone else. ;-) I've been doing this for a while and I've studied with some remarkable teachers, but I would prefer to believe that we ALL have valuable perspectives to offer. We all have insights to share. As we chronicle our tango experiences, we contribute to the collective knowledge of the community, which benefits everyone.
Okay, but don't a lot of people blog about Argentine Tango already?
Sure! But a lot of people DANCE the tango already, too. Just because someone else is already doing something doesn't mean that we shouldn't do it as well. We all have something to offer, some unique set of qualities that makes dancing with us unlike dancing with anyone else. One of the most beautiful aspects of Argentine Tango is the way that it helps us to get to know each other. Blogging is an extension of that process, a verbal counterpart to the physical communication that we share on the dance floor.
In Exploring Tango I'll share insights and information along with experiences good and bad, humorous and regrettable. I'll discuss openly all of the facets of the dance that I understand, and I'll muse about the aspects that I have yet to fully comprehend. I hope that each reader might find something here that strikes a chord with their own tango experiences, something that helps them make the best of their own personal tango journey. That would mean a great deal to me.
¡Buena suerte amigos, y muchas gracias!
Daniel
Tango Terminology
* tanguero/tanguera - a male/female dancer of Argentine Tango.
* milonguero - an expert tanguero who has spent years dancing in milongas.
* milonga - an event held specifically for the dancing of Argentine Tango by its participants. Milongas are social dances and differ from tango shows where only the performers dance. Milongas are usually held in the evening and into the early morning hours.
* tanda - a series of songs or pieces of music of a similar style that are played consecutively at a milonga. A couple will dance the full tanda (typically three or four songs) before moving on to dance with other partners.
All Rights Reserved
I look forward to reading more! I grew up with Tango singers and a bandoneon under my roof, so its wonderful to have your perspective and experience on the dance. I already learn so much from you on the dance floor...
ReplyDeleteWell, I've been POSTING more, so I hope that you've been READING more. ;-)
Delete