Skip to main content

Do you dream in tango?

Aside from the usual "oh my God, I'm back in school and it's too late to drop all these classes I'm failing - and I didn't bring my No. 2 pencil dreams" (conveniently illustrated here), I dream about tango a lot these days. Sometimes just pieces of music in the background, sometimes watching other people dance - less frequently the treasured dreams of myself dancing.

Last night, or rather this morning, I dreamt of tango class. First I danced with teacher 'C' who has a habit of telling the leaders to attempt to "trick" their followers by constantly doing the unexpected. The idea is that this will encourage a genuine, authentic follow - not rote repetition of steps. I think I must have been very cranky in my dream. When I danced with C. he went through his usual maneuvers and I tripped up, thinking I knew what he was doing when I didn't. Of course that was the point. But as I said, I was cranky in my dream and this time I spoke up. I told him that I would feel better about offering a genuine, authentic, complete follow if I felt safe doing so - not like this was an exercise meant for me to prove myself.

I wish I could think of this stuff when it actually happens.
sigh... C'est la vie

Next in my dream, I danced with my teacher D. and relaxed completely, effortless. I felt so light, almost ethereal. I told him, between tandas, that he was like the philosopher's stone, turning my feelings of leaden heaviness into light strands of gold.

I never think of things like that when I'm awake...

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Tim Ferriss and the Myth of Tango Mastery

Dear tanguero, I feel I should explain my reaction to your comments about Tim Ferriss. It touched a nerve and I didn't really explain my apparent hostility. It was certainly not meant for you. Several people have brought Tim Ferriss to my attention over this past year. I can usually make it a month before his name pops up again. For readers who are unfamiliar with him, he's the author of "The 4 Hour Work Week". He set a Guinness record for the most consecutive tango turns and has competed with his partner, Alicia Monti, at the Tango World Championship . As a social dancer the idea of a tango competition seems absurd. I don't think I will ever understand how something like tango could be judged - or why anyone would want it to be. But I digress. I think the most crucial detail of Ferriss's history, as I relate it to tango, is his winning Wired magazine's "Greatest Self-Promoter of All Time" . If there is any concept more out of synch with social ...

"Proper" Tango Shoes

Periodically someone, usually a man, will be bring up the topic of "proper tango shoes." If he's referring to the problem (and dangers) of trying to dance in flip-flops, or mules, or platform shoes etc., those are definitely valid, and very helpful points to be made. The likelihood of damaging your feet is very high without the proper support of high quality shoes. My problem comes with the idea that the *only* proper tango shoes have 4" stiletto heels on them and fetish-worthy embellishments. (Okay, I'm pretty keen on the embellishments myself.) "goofy ballroomy shoes are a turnoff... get rid of them..." - Alex Tango Fuego (granted this is from 2007), http://alextangofuego.blogspot.com/2007/10/to-dance-or-not-to-dancebrutally.html And, in the comments on a blog post, Anonymous said... " This is a controversial one. If a follower isn't wearing tango shoes then it's usually a good sign she's not particularly good." From Ms. Hedgeh...

Expressing music or dancing for tables?

Too much of a good thing? As sort of a follow-up to my thoughts on technique, I've run into a little snag I'd like some feedback. When I get compliments about my embrace, I'm absolutely elated. When someone compliments the way my walk feels, I feel accomplished. Compliments about my musicality - ditto. When I start getting lots of compliments about my foot work, however - I get worried. I shouldn't right? A compliment is a compliment, and should be taken graciously. It's certainly meant as a positive thing. It's a good thing if a dancer's feet are pretty - why else would everyone wear those silly, yet gorgeous, shoes? But like Richard Dreyfuss staring down his plate of mash potatoes in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, I can't help thinking it means something. Something not good. I don't mean like a backhanded compliment - but more like a fear that my priorities have unintentionally shifted. Maybe it's a community thing. Online I very often r...