Care to…tango?

My comical and saucy adventures in the land of latin dance…starting with Tango. Which I have to tell you, I have retaken more than once since I wrote this. It is such a mysterious and challenging style of dance!

Enjoy!

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First tango class tonight. I have no idea what to expect. I could hardly put together an outfit ultimately deciding I have no clue what you are supposed to wear. I decided on a leotard, black tights, a loose shirt over my leotard & my hair in a bun. I’ve been on the fence all month about this class because it was unexpectedly out of my budget. However, every corner I turned today I heard latin music including at the coffee shop where a guy was playing seductive latin music on an acoustic guitar. I just took it as a sign & decided I must go.

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I will say, taking ballet was helpful with Tango class. My teacher corrected me a lot during class & after, said I did well. I tried closing my eyes to feel the rhythm of my partner move and ended up backing into the mirror. We spent most class going over rhythm, working on arm tension and walking. We also changed partners every two songs, which made the entire dance feel completely different. There was the calm first partner who danced politely and in sync with me, the second Frenchman who reeked of wine & he kept singing along with the music and saying “ah yes, now I see.” I just had to laugh as his boozy-eyed girlfriend lion stared at him in the background. There was the third stiff as a board older man, who kept stopping to relax his shoulders. I wondered if it was me that needed to or him, so I just did it with him. My palms were noticeably sweaty by the end, however, I loved it so much I stayed to watch the second class. The studio dog decided to join me and crawled up next to me on the couch as I ate cashews and took notes.

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Tango class is getting steamy.

I desperately needed to relax, even if it is for only an hour, once a week. I practically ran to the studio tonight.

My teacher took me away from my partner to show me proper technique for “following the leader.”

“You’re not pushing me back,” he said and dropped his arms, like I was disappointing him.

He then put my hands on his chest as he charged forward like a bull.

“Push me back,” he stated firmly as my partner grinned in the corner, I remained completely straight faced, even though I was dying on the inside.

“Harder,” he shouted, finally I shoved.

“There” he said. “Give me back 100% of what I give you,” and spun me back into my partner’s arms.

We then worked on embrace. The “tango” embrace. My next partner was the drunk Frenchman from last week…this time he was startling sober.

My teachers take the center of the room and demonstrate.

“You request her hand, she accepts. Place your hand right into hers no space. Next, find her ribcage. Softly embrace it. (Oh my gosh, just don’t blush Jodie…don’t blush) then the follow (Ladies) takes his shoulder, feel down his arm where you find a groove for your hand. Place it there. Keep contact firm. Okay now grab your partners.”

(Is it just me or is the class starting to feel like I’m IN Dirty Dancing?)

I waited for the Frenchman who politely embraced me. We marched a few steps to tempo. I was so nervous, however he was my height so it felt better than my former partner, I suppose. His palms were sweaty or mine were.

Both our palms were sweaty.

We did two songs with the “embrace,” then talked about passion, emotion and the heartbeat of dance.

I tried to remember all these things, but it’s a lot to remember to such emotional music. Alas, was a beautiful class.

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Tango class summed up in one sentence:

I have major control & trust issues.

You must trust your dance partner and follow them with the feeling, the connection. Don’t try to guess the next steps. Don’t hurry through the steps.

“Your hearts must always face each other.” said my teacher. My arms & shoulders were so stiff my teacher made me (once again) follow him. “Breathe, you’re not breathing…at all.” I laughed. I was so concentrated on trying to remember the steps.

“Relax, trust me.” he says. I think I blushed. “No, stop. Trusttttt me. I will lead you.”

“Okay.” I thought. My entire body relaxed.

“See?” he said with a smile.

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Last night in tango class, I was continually corrected by my teachers. I don’t know if it was the week long holiday break, but they were relentless and I was overwhelmed. My number one correction “too tense shoulders.” Why! Why? Not again? Noooooo. I’ve been working so hard on this. Gahhhh!

My last tango class, we learned a rather complicated step.

“Hey it’s me again.” my teacher said as he cut in front of my partner to show me the new step.

He tricked me that he was starting on the beat. “tsk tsk tsk, no no, wait for me.”

I was too focused on trying to remember the step I forgot the basic walk.

“Oh no. You’ve forgotten. Push me!”

I push back.

“You’re letting me push you around.” he says too matter-of-factly. This triggers something within me that resembles being pissed off and embarrassed.

“Let it ride baby! PUSH ME.”

I shoved into him and felt our arms change, as my weight fell more forward. We were in equal space now and I could feel him.

“There, finally!” Now remember the steps”.

Which I did somehow in all the excitement.

“Open your shoulders more when you take the swivel step and keep your feet together.” So I did. “Beautiful” he said.

I danced the entire class with my eyes closed. I truly felt…like I was feeling.

We ended the class with a sweetheart dance. (Ah sixth grade nerves all over again). The shy quiet guy in my class asked me to dance. We tried the new step over and over and then the previous ones from the beginning of class.

I left class all emotional in every good way possible.

Now…onto intermediate?

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