Ask a surfer, and he or she will tell you about the first time that they "stood up," that is, the first time that they successfully rode a surf board in an upright position.
Don't be surprised if your surfer friend beams with excitement as they recount that special moment. This experience is so meaningful to surfers that they often remember not only the location but also the date when it occurred.
Argentine tango dancers have a similar moment but, lucky for us, it doesn't happen just once.
When we dance with a new person in a social setting, it's typically an enjoyable but marginally awkward experience. Our style, embrace, and way of moving will be unfamiliar to a person with whom we have never danced, so a bit of awkwardness is expected.
As I've stated before, Argentine tango isn't about perfection. It's about exploration and discovery and connection. If you're looking for perfection, study ballet.
Wow!
But occasionally, that first dance with a stranger is not awkward at all. From the moment that the person enters our embrace, we feel a non-verbal connection and a sense of confidence. We move together as though we have been partners for years, effortlessly, fluidly, joyfully. We feel as though anything is possible when this person is with us.
It's interesting to note that this moment is not dependent on the partner's level of experience. Not at all! It's not as though you happened to dance with the most experienced or accomplished person in the room and that's why everything went so smoothly. The moment is magical, not predictable.
You have discovered a natural partner, someone who moves the way that you do, who interprets music the way that you do, whose step size and pace and embrace are similar to your own. Treat that person well, because you're going to want to dance with them again. And again. And hopefully, they'll feel the same way about dancing with you.
If This Has Not Yet Happened To You
If you are new to the Argentine tango, you might not have had the experience yet. My guess is that it will happen somewhere between six and twenty-four months into your tango experience. Don't worry about when The Magical Tanda will happen - it will! - Just have fun and expect a brief visit from destiny one day.
My hope is that everyone who is new to tango will keep dancing long enough to let this magical experience occur. We can take classes and workshops and go to milongas for years, but until this moment happens, we don't truly understand what the tango is. This moment is literally what the dance is all about.
That's a bold statement, but believe me, when the Magical Tanda happens, you'll know immediately why I urged you to continue.
Please keep dancing. Go to practicas and milongas when you can. Take classes if you can manage it. If you need to take a break, please do what you have to do and then return to tango when you get the chance. Your breakthrough partner is waiting for you. Don't disappoint them, and they won't disappoint you!
If you have not yet tried this wonderful, mysterious, amazing dance, please consider it if you are physically able to do so. When you get past the first awkward months and the dance starts to become more fluid, it can be a life changing experience.
Just ask a surfer. :-)
Don't be surprised if your surfer friend beams with excitement as they recount that special moment. This experience is so meaningful to surfers that they often remember not only the location but also the date when it occurred.
Argentine tango dancers have a similar moment but, lucky for us, it doesn't happen just once.
When we dance with a new person in a social setting, it's typically an enjoyable but marginally awkward experience. Our style, embrace, and way of moving will be unfamiliar to a person with whom we have never danced, so a bit of awkwardness is expected.
As I've stated before, Argentine tango isn't about perfection. It's about exploration and discovery and connection. If you're looking for perfection, study ballet.
Wow!
But occasionally, that first dance with a stranger is not awkward at all. From the moment that the person enters our embrace, we feel a non-verbal connection and a sense of confidence. We move together as though we have been partners for years, effortlessly, fluidly, joyfully. We feel as though anything is possible when this person is with us.
It's interesting to note that this moment is not dependent on the partner's level of experience. Not at all! It's not as though you happened to dance with the most experienced or accomplished person in the room and that's why everything went so smoothly. The moment is magical, not predictable.
You have discovered a natural partner, someone who moves the way that you do, who interprets music the way that you do, whose step size and pace and embrace are similar to your own. Treat that person well, because you're going to want to dance with them again. And again. And hopefully, they'll feel the same way about dancing with you.
If This Has Not Yet Happened To You
If you are new to the Argentine tango, you might not have had the experience yet. My guess is that it will happen somewhere between six and twenty-four months into your tango experience. Don't worry about when The Magical Tanda will happen - it will! - Just have fun and expect a brief visit from destiny one day.
My hope is that everyone who is new to tango will keep dancing long enough to let this magical experience occur. We can take classes and workshops and go to milongas for years, but until this moment happens, we don't truly understand what the tango is. This moment is literally what the dance is all about.
That's a bold statement, but believe me, when the Magical Tanda happens, you'll know immediately why I urged you to continue.
Please keep dancing. Go to practicas and milongas when you can. Take classes if you can manage it. If you need to take a break, please do what you have to do and then return to tango when you get the chance. Your breakthrough partner is waiting for you. Don't disappoint them, and they won't disappoint you!
If you have not yet tried this wonderful, mysterious, amazing dance, please consider it if you are physically able to do so. When you get past the first awkward months and the dance starts to become more fluid, it can be a life changing experience.
Just ask a surfer. :-)
Tango Terminology
* A milonga is an Argentine tango social dance. The milonga might feature dinner or a performance, but these are optional. Improvised (not choreographed) tango dancing by the attendees is the primary focus of the evening.
* A practica is a place where tango dancers can practice new ideas and new techniques. A practica is less formal than a milonga. At a practica, you can discuss techniques with a partner and try things again and again as you learn to do them. This type of discussion and experimentation is unacceptable in the more formal milonga setting.
* A practica is a place where tango dancers can practice new ideas and new techniques. A practica is less formal than a milonga. At a practica, you can discuss techniques with a partner and try things again and again as you learn to do them. This type of discussion and experimentation is unacceptable in the more formal milonga setting.
* A tanda is a series of songs or pieces of music (typically three or four) played consecutively at a milonga or a practica. These pieces will share a similar musical or instrumental style and may even have all been recorded by the same orchestra. A leader and a follower will dance the entire tanda together unless one person is called away (i.e. to meet an old friend who just entered the milonga) or unless the partnership is not working comfortably for both partners.
¡Buena suerte amigos, y muchas gracias!
Daniel
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