Anybody want to tango with me?
Since I decided to learn to dance in the beginning of 1999, I've been watching and asking questions. Now, I usually can identify the tango music and when somebody is actually dancing tango. But, I think there must be a broad usage of the word TANGO!?! I've heard the words Tango, Tango milongo, Tango vals, Tango Argentino to describe what dancers are doing. So, I've read up a bit using the internet and found some answers. It seems that when some people talk about tango, they want it understood that to be dancing a REAL TANGO then you have to dance it in it's timeless fashion danced during the 1930s. Err, I don't have much respect for dead dances, but maybe I've misunderstood what they meant. It also could be that I'm on the wrong track and should come out from behind the moon. Please, can somebody help me out, here? I feel that a particular music needs to be interpreted by the ones dancing. This means that they might dance to this music always the same or that they might differently on other occassions and therefore dance to that music a little different. This could also mean that no two dances need be the same. I feel that the basic step is to be learned in order that one has the possibility to speak (in the language of dance body movements) in a form that the other dance partner understands what you are trying to express. It is also my belief that languages were invented to influence your partner in a very positive manner (it seems we often abuse the languages to gather information). Having these bases to work from, I don't expect to be able to perform at any competition, as I'm sure that would be the wrong place for me.
Can somebody make a suggestion as to where I should go (don't be rude) to find out more about tango? The ballroomdancers site seems to be aimed at strictly ballroom when it comes to tango. My wife has seen too much TV and thinks that tango has to be sad to be good and she wants to have fun when we dance.
I wanted to learn tango after the first time I saw it (my first impression: When looking from above, tango dancers looked like cockroaches running around on the floor. When the tango music starts the women rushed to the dance floor so that they can clean their shoes on their partner's trousers). It happened to be that those dancers were very good dancers and since then I've seen others dancing but they looked so sad and boringly showy. The first couple looked as if they were totally alone on the floor (they weren't...) and totally enjoying the passion of each other's company. This is something I would love to experience with my wife. Unfortunately, I saw this when my wife wasn't with me. How would you suggest I approach this dance?
Steve

Steve - You essentially described some of the "emotional expressions" that a tango dancer wants to communicate to the audience...showy, sad, passionate, etc. There are indeed different types of tango and based on what you are describing it seems to me that it is an argentine tango. American and international styles are more on the ballroom type having to go around the floor in open or closed positions, respectively, and have that "angry-like" facial expression. Argentine style on the other hand, is danced "cheek to cheek" appearing to be more passionate and does not go around the floor as much. In fact, it can be danced in very small spaces like cafes(milonga?). Argentine becomes showy when the man or woman uses fancy footworks such as adornments(caressing footworks), ganchos (leg hooks), etc. It can be danced without those fancy footwork, just cheek to cheek oblivious of the couples' surroundings. How to approach it? It depends how you want to look like and the emotion you want to experience. When I dance American style I feel like I am a performer and when I dance Argentine style I have the option to be showy or be more privately(unmindful of my surroundings)passionate to my partner. I hope that helps a bit.

Hi, Steve:

By reading your message, your love of Tango seems to be within the Argentine Tango style which the couple dancing appeared to be sad while pressing their forehead against each other with great passion and in a romatic way. Yes, and the lady seemed constantly trying to wipe her shoes on the mans trousers.( great sense of humour, Steve !! ).

To dance Argentine Tango takes totally different approach, style, steps and technique from American style Tango or International style. Music wise, some of the Argentine Tango musics can only be dance as Argentine Tango for the tempo would be quite slow. As you may already know, Argentine Tango is the mother of all tangos. From Argentine Tango came currently existing of American style Tango, International style Tango, Japanese style Tango and Taiwanese style Tango. ( with the limitation of my knowledge, I would believe there are other countries' style which dance Tango a lot differently from us Americans. But all were influenced directly by Argentine Tango.)

I know there are many Argentine Tango websites exist. I used to have some bookmarked but no longer have them. Maybe someone will kindly posted some websites for you. Or you can do some search for Argentine Tango, I am very sure you will find many great sites. Happy dancing....

Regards,

Keh Gough