My Tango Diaries

From:  http://www.morguefile.com The slight, shy leader in front of me had started tango lessons a few months before, dabbled in it a bit, and with many other dances, but within the last month decided to get serious about tango. That night he was attending his first milonga. I was happy to see him return to tango. When I met him in a class a couple of months prior to that, I was struck by his warmth and gentleness. So when he asked me to dance, I accepted, and told him how happy I was that he was coming out to the milongas. He smiled warmly and embraced me with such tenderness that I was momentarily too surprised to move. Had I mistaken him for someone else? Had we danced socially before and I just didn't remember? Nope - this was the same leader I remembered from the class. We changed weight for a moment and I decided to risk startling him (which happens sometimes with new leaders), and hold him like we'd been dancing for ages. He embraced me back with th

Going through emails and messages over one of the links I posted on Facebook, to Irene and Man Yung's Tango Blog about "Mean Girls" about the hows and whys of rejection. These are quotes from two of the comments and they both reflect what I hear a lot from leaders: D: " What I was objecting to was the followers who insist on only dancing with expert leaders despite having relatively low skills themselves." D: "When you [comment addressed to me] talk about not betraying the dance, you are talking about people's skill level, their artistic ability, not about the danger of injury, and not about manners. And this is a topic that comes up a lot, and it's usually quite explicitly about skill level. " All I can say is - no, I'm not actually talking about skill level, and I really don't know how I can make that more clear. *exasperated sigh*   Please highlight this as possibly the most important thing I may ever write a

Dancing in Austin, Denis and Deena's Milonga // --Mari The Guest House This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes As an unexpected visitor. Welcome and entertain them all! Even if they're a crowd of sorrows, who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture, still treat each guest honorably. He may be clearing you out for some new delight. The dark thought, the shame, the malice, meet them at the door laughing, and invite them in. Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond. From Essential Rumi by Coleman Barks

San Telmo Plaza Dorrego - Wikipedia Images "There is always an elderly, overweight, Argentine guy in a suit who slowly dances around the edge of the dance floor, and all he does is walking and maybe an ocho once in a while. And he has usually an amazingly beautiful girl who dances incredibly well plastered all over him. Be that guy. "There is also always a someone on the dance floor who wrestles his partner through all kinds of maneuvers, interrupted only by short pauses where he repeats a move 5 time till it "works", or where he explains just exactly how the follower has to move to make the 40 step sequence he wants to do work. Note that he dances mostly with beginners. Note the frozen smile on his partners face. Don' be that guy ." Still one of my favorite quotes about tango, originally from Dance-forums.com - http://www.dance-forums.com/showthread.php?p=514203

(Picture courtesy of http://www.morguefile.com ) Fragments of a Conversation Body at War I can't remember a time when my body was not on guard. Ready to decide - stay and fight or run away. My secret daily routines as a child included having a bag packed at all times. Scanning every building for places to hide. At a very young age, I knew if I were running from someone, don't go up, don't go into rooms with no exit or window, don't get trapped. This isn't the sort of information a child should have to know, is it? I don't even remember where or how I learned it. I just knew I always had to have a plan. If I couldn't make myself safe, I could make myself ready . I lived in Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, Arizona, Massachusetts, and finally landed in Texas. Every place I lived, until I moved in with my husband, I had a bag packed. Every time we moved, I made plans for where I would need to go.  Even now, when I walk into a room, I note th

"So, what is this that you do ? You don't want to teach. You don't want to perform. You don't want to compete. Yet you're going to South America for it! What are you ever going to do with tango?" I can't explain and that makes my heart ache. "I'm just going to dance, grandma - until I can't anymore."

Hopefully issues with the ability to comment are resolved. If not, please email me at infinitetango (at) gmail.com directly and I'll put in another ticket with Blogger.

(Picture courtesy of www.morguefile.com ) Me entrego a tus brazos Con miedo y con calma Y un ruego en la boca Y un ruego en el alma -- Con Toda Palabra by Lhasa de Sela Tonight there is a heaviness in his heart. I can feel a melancholy weight between my hand on his back,  . . .  and my own heart beating. He is sad about something. . . Or someone. Tonight, he smiles, but the smile doesn't reach his lowered eyes. He embraces me the way he always does, then pauses . . . very still, not even a breath, his arm holds me a little closer. I hold him a little tighter in return and he relaxes slightly. We take a deep breath together. The second phrase starts and we glide into the stream of dancers. He is here, but also somewhere else . . . . . . . . reliving something that the music has brought to mind. Translation (courtesy of Lyricstranslate.com ) "I surrender to your arms with fear and with calm and a prayer on my lips and a prayer in my heart