SOLA - Are We Ever Dancing Alone?

This past Tuesday evening most all the members of "Argentine Tango Dancers Jacksonville" sent notes to say they would not be dancing.  There are a few dancers who drop in and out, a couple that dances when able, and a few professional people who often work late, so I never know if they're coming out to dance or not. 

Our practica is listed on MeetUp and I am always as ready to be surprised by visiting dancers as I am to enjoy an hours practice on an open floor should no one come to join me. 

(I do find it incredible that in this very large town that I am often the only dancer willing to come out for  practica. I hear rumors of Argentine Tango dancers existing out there.........)

When I made the decision to hold an open floor every week for Argentine Tango in Jacksonville, Florida,  I knew that it was quite likely that there would be more than one evening where I would be the only dancer. 

It seemed last Tuesday evening would be one of those times - then the best of all possible things happened... Facebook dance friends I had not yet met wrote to say that they would be passing through town and asked if they might drop in for a practica or a lesson or a milonga!  

I have had most fortunate dances just like this! Someone passing through town, an experienced dancer from Miami stops in to check out the scene, or a sailor stationed for just a week or so finds us Facebook or MeetUp and walks on in ready to dance! 

I have shared some marvelous Tandas with these wandering dancers. They keep my hope alive! What hope? That there will be an Argentine Tango dance family here! That this city will host a monthly milonga! I need to believe that. 

Tuesday was a lovely night to walk down to the dance studio. Cool for Florida, just after a rain, magical and melancholy all at once. It was perfect for Tango and a fine night for meeting new friends. 

I miscalculated the time it took to walk down to the Studio and arrived just a bit early. Ever hopeful I waited to meet Ace & Paprika. 

I was setting up music when a lovely couple walked in ready to Tango. 

They were willing to take a lesson, and once I discovered that I might have a few more years floor time in Argentine Tango I was willing to share what I have been fortunate to learn. 

Muscle memory is critical in this dance for warm ups, for balance, for posture and collection and I was glad to have all mine on hand. 

So - what did we do? We do what all good dancers do, we warmed up. We workshopped. We shared how we danced and what we knew. 

I have no ballroom training, which is a fine advantage for Argentine Tango - an improvisational dance that is driven by the music, the emotions, and the energetic connection between dancers. 

All of us worked to establish connection, to perfect that energetic union by dancing without the embrace. I could go on to give a moment by moment account of the evening, but all the details would diminish what for me is the best part of becoming a Tanguera.

What is that? It is meeting and dancing and connecting with people who love the dance as much as I. Those who have practiced, who are familiar with steps and ready to share and move and explore all the explosions and pauses and embellishments that are Tango. 

Those of us who love this dance Must Dance this dance. It becomes as vital to well being as a good nights rest. Myself, I don’t like to go a day without practice, a week without a class an a month without a Milonga.

I send best wishes to the traveling members of my dance family everywhere!  

Abrazos, 

La bailarina de Tango solitaria esta noche

That Ocho Cortado Class! Lessons Learned While Leading

In this very, very large small city/town where I live, there is, to my knowledge, only one drop in Tango floor in town. We are that floor! We are not a ballroom, there are no packages to buy. We dancers with a floor inviting all to come Tango with us.

It is lovely as we learn, practice and grow together. We workshop Argentine Tango. As I have had countless Argentine Tango beginners classes, love the dance, practice at home and come from a dance background - by default - I lead the workshops.

However I learn so much every class and every dance I remain a perpetual student. As such, I had the best experience/lesson in the art of “showing up” to dance last week I want to share it. 

In the Argentine Tango, the embrace is the foundation of communication. There are no other cues or clues. This is one reason this Tango is so exciting. Both dancers must be present, out of themselves, not thinking, not analyzing, not worrying about how they look or if they are “doing it right.”  Being present is the only way to accomplish all of the aforementioned concerns.

If both dancers are present and have learned the fundamental principles of movement, dancing happens. Argentine Tango happened because each person hears the music, feels the music, and either leads or follows to the music of Argentine Tango.

(Yes, you can dance to non traditional Tango music, and sometimes I like this very much! In fact I may share a video of that embodies one of the best follower walks I have seen and a seemingly effortless lead at blogs end.) 

Back to the story! We were workshopping the ocho cortado and realized that a new dancer had never seen the “Basic” or the “Basic Eight” pattern before. Many teachers do not want to teach the pattern, and some find it a very useful tool to help new students become familiar with the movements necessary to dance Argentine Tango. 

After a review of the Basic, the ocho cortado was next. I danced lead and a dancer (she is well trained as a dancer in other styles - a dancer to the bone kind of dancer) stepped into my embrace. 

I had opened my right arm to allow her to enter my space and presented my left hand as a support. Then the magic of connection happened. She placed her had in my hand with presence. I knew she was there, and ready to dance. 

How did I know I that? How did that connection happen?

There was just enough attention/tension and pressure as she placed her hand in mine that I was able to place my hand with hers with tension/pressure and the connection was made. I knew where she was. Further, as I gently wrapped my arm around her space - rather as a vase creates space for a flower - I let my right forearm and hand rest very, very gently on her upper back, just around the shoulder blade.

She could feel me, and as her posture was excellent, and she could feel my arm as a presence. That was all the embrace needed for her to hear me and for me to know where she was in the dance. Of course the dance was beginning. We had not yet taken a step!

It was from this connected embrace - salon style or open embrace  - that I learned to lead and she to follow the ocho cortado.  We choose to do the step with the leader offering a parada. It looks good, and as a beginning leader dancing with beginning dancers, we need a bit of flare when we can get it. 

The Ocho Cortado is a step that requires listening, leading, following, timing and for the follower the ability to “cross”  ( I may add two videos to this blog - one of my favorite ocho cortado video and the other of a fine dance.)  

Did I mention that I learned that I sometimes was dancing with “noodle arms?”. I did learn that. I could not have really internalized the lesson without having a fine embrace with a present follower. I had hear the critique in classes as a follower - but did not know quite how to fix it. I didn’t realize that noodle arms are a symptom of not willing to be in connection, or not knowing how. Perhaps not feeling invited in? 

For everyone reading, please know that in this dance there are leaders and followers. Men may dance with men, women with women, men with women…… it really doesn’t matter. What matters is Tango Argentina. So please feel welcome, should you be in Jacksonville Florida in a Tuesday night to look us up!! 

We have a  Facebook Page with far more members than dancers - so don’t worry! There is room for you. 

Abrazos, 

“Miss Ann”

The “Romance” in ArgentineTango.

I had three wonderful short dances a few nights ago before the screening of a new Argentine Tango film. 
The venue was very small, just room enough for two dancers on the floor at a time. Rather like dancing in a very long bathtub!

Everyone was elegantly dressed and happy! Those who arrived early were chatting by the door.

(Most at the door were the more experienced dancers from the host city.)  Late comers and out of town guests moved toward the back of the hall. 

The best part of that Milonga for me was talking with old dance friends, being surprised by who was there, meeting new friends and practicing my Spanish. 

All seemed Art Deco and perfect. Friends, new and old and I watched as different couples had a dance. As the Milonga was only to last an an hour and a half, and everyone wanted a least one dance, we were dancing one dance a couple. Of course i was wondering if I might have a turn on the floor.

I had my first dance with the host who waved and pointed at me across the crowded room. I pointed and myself - got the nod - and we had a lovely little Tango. 

(For those new to Argentine Tango - a Tango song is about 3 minutes long. In general, when asked to dance, you dance three dances with each partner, but there are always exceptions! ) 

My leader was very experienced and charming and he tried to dance with most all the women at the gathering. I was glad to be asked. However, it was nice to see my friends dancing as well. A new dancer came with me, and she really enjoyed watching how we dance, the steps and pivots, as well as the turns.

I was very happy that I had two more single song dances that night. For the first I struck up a conversation with a leader I had met at a class in St. A. He is new to the dance. I felt new my first year, and remembered my own feelings of being an outsider. Noticing he had been sitting alone for awhile, I asked him “Aren’t you dancing tonight?”.

I don’t recall his exact words, but I remember he minimized his skills, and informed me he was a beginner. I am always happy to dance, beginner or not. 

Sometimes I offer my truth which of late has been:  “I have been dancing with the wall a good deal.” before heading onto the floor. I am not making excuses for my ability - just giving fair warning. 

I have no idea if we were brilliant or bumbling - although I am sure we danced somewhere in between. My pleasure was the connection of Tango  - of knowing where to go, how fast, how far…. and feeling very lead by my partner. 

In fact, if a know the very experienced leaders from other Milongas, and they are welcoming and friendly, I will accept an invitation to dance. I too offer the “new dancer” disclaimer!  

A gracious leader doesn’t care how long you have been dancing - they want to share the song, the feeling of the dance, help you improve your Tango while sharing that special energetic connection of making art to music.

It was easy to relate to his comment/disclaimer, so I shared that I was open to a nice walk if he would like to dance. When I dance lead - my truth at present is that I can offer a nice walk - perhaps a few rock steps, maybe an ocho here and there, but I am a beginning lead and also feel as if I don’t have much to offer - except the joy of sharing the music.

So, we accepted each others invitations to Tango, and I am so glad we did. His posture was perfect, and his embrace provided that “connection” that makes all the steps unimportant. 

The embrace can be such a special communication. Without that, all the fancy steps I can do feel hollow to me. I would rather a connected walk around the floor than a Tango filled with planeos, and barridas. At songs end we each returned to our barstools to watch other Tangos. 

I was very happy to see another Tango friend, from Argentina! She arrived late for the dancing but in good time  for the film. She is such a bright personality, so encouraging of my Spanish - and willing to help me have conversations with others that I almost forgot about dancing.

She had found a new pair of shoes, and showed them to me. I thought they were indeed a good find, perhaps a subtle cue that she was prepared to dance? We talked a while, I was reintroduced to a dancer I met on Facebook. She also spoke Spanish and the three of us had a fine time. 



As the house lights flickered for the first time - I asked my Argentine friend if she would care to have a bit of a dance. It was a favor to me to practice leading - and as people were going for their seats, we had some room, not much of an audience, and therefore a dance. 

I think I was in stilettos and she in wedges, but the connection was immediate. She was a brilliant follower, loved the song as I did, and even thought we may have only had a few minutes of dancing, she was very happy.

I was very happy because we were able to share so much in those moments. The connection of Tango! I think she may have been surprised to find that she was a very good follower (or that I was such an awkward leader) but we had fun.

Tomorrow I will be hostess to an open floor for Argentine Tango. I will offer an Argentine Tango basics class to new dancers. (I am sure I have attended at least 30 of beginners classes with some very fine teachers, some World Class teachers  and know I am able to share what I have learned.) 

I will warm up, perhaps find a new balance exercise and hope to offer everyone the best time possible. We are to practice a new step - the ocho cortado. (Wish me luck!! ) 

Abrazos!!