Dear Community,
The challenge before me – start writing a tango blog. I have no experience with this particular challenge. But my understanding about blogs are they’re an on-line version of a conversation. What subjects are of interest to you, my readers and fellow tango community members? We are a community of students, friends, competitors, organizers, partners, women leaders, women followers, men leaders and followers and also prospective dancers. The purpose of the blog – to start a conversation that addresses the rich topic of tango as a social dance, a performance art, a personal form of expression, an approach to relationship with community, music, dance, partners but especially, with self. A conversation I imagine might take place includes humor, warmth, kindness, honesty and so much more. Because the universe of tango has a multitude of layers touching on human vulnerability and expression, I imagine an exchange that informs, encourages, supports…that’s also very edgy (raw shared experiences?)…that reveals, provokes, inspires…that exposes opportunities, problems, concerns.
I’ve made a short list of some topics I’ve already considered. But what I really desire is The Conversation. So here’s my invitation to The Dance. Join me? Questions? Ask me anything. I can’t promise to have your answer but I can promise to listen and respond with an open heart and share what I have.
I hope the below list, as humble as it is, might inspire the beginning of this discussion.
All my gratitude for your participation – please submit any comments with the understanding that you are welcome to request anonymity.
Tango as a spiritual practice.
The masculine archetype and the feminine archetype and how they interact within the tango partnership.
Review of any given tango event – change individual names/identity but write about dance & social encounters during a practica, from a teacher pov & a social pov
Acts of Kindness – someone welcoming you at the entrance to an event, someone complimenting your dance/clothing/hair/etc., someone who greets you warmly or acknowledges you or invites you to dance or returns a lost item or walks you to your car or shares personal information, someone who says ‘let’s dance next time’ or ‘goodnight’ or ‘drive safely’ when they notice you’re exiting for the night
tango moments – striking exchanges or encounters that have high impact but happen inside a second or 2 with no time to address it until it’s long gone
what upsets me @ a tango event – rude or poor tango manners on & off the dance floor, no use of social codes like the cabaceo, unrequited tango crushes, uninspiring music, being ignored/not being greeted (at minimum, a glance & nod of acknowledgement by people who know or have met me), watching unskilled dancers instructing newcomers (unsolicited especially!)
feelings of vulnerability – not being invited to dance by someone you really want to dance with, jealousy toward another dancer who receives attention from someone you’re interested in dancing/connecting with, anger that can’t be expressed or triggered because something happened so quickly the moment is gone, loss of control over your destiny in a given evening/at a dance event, etc.
So, my lovelies, what strikes your fancy as something you’d like me to weigh in on? Please feel free to reply below with your comments!
- Deb