27 January, 2013

Joie de vivre

The Spanish verbs that the Argentines frequently use for "lead and follow" -marcar and responder - translate more precisely as "show the way" and "respond." The Argentines also refer to it as offer and receive, "intention'. Daniel Trenner, has new terms replacing lead and follow. He says, it should be "letting and flowing".
Tango is generally synonymous with passion. Having passionate, non verbal communication between two people. It is sensual and not sexual. When I say, "passionate", it refers to intensity, emotional experience shared by two people who exult at a higher level of consciousness simultaneously and transcend into what I term as,"bliss/ trance/zen". In that context, it is similar to Yoga, Tai chi, meditation, etc.
"The Tango connection", as we refer to, between two individuals, who are dancing, is the camaraderie, playfulness, joy, that they create and experience together. They create a unique quality of movement. They remain present "in the moment", synchronized with musicality, space and time. 
In physics, we hear about the centrifugal force which separates and draws the rotating body away in circular motion caused by inertia. In Tango, what keeps them together, is the "desire", to be together. This creates the mechanics of Tango, which transcends beyond sexual attraction and goes into realm of sensual, flirtatious, emotional and creative pursuit. Tango makes us more emotional, creative, sensitive and definitely changes our whole persona. It does not leave our lives untouched. It does not remain limited to classroom and milongas. I have seen true tangueras, how they start changing their dressing style, their home decor, their whole lives revolve around Tango.Their body language, gestures, expressions, change. They become more elegant, more intuitive, more expressive, a whole new world opens for them and engulfs them.
  Tango simply exhilarates and uplifts them. It is natural for a Tango dancer to appreciate the beauty around them. On  milonga floor, they experience the soft flowing music, beautiful dance floor, lovely lights, couples swirling on the floor- all of them, looking contended and peaceful, gorgeous women dressed so elegantly, ethereal shoes. Who can then escape being lured into the tango world?
Tango dancers engage in non verbal communication. They are more intuitive and expressive. They are better at striking a non verbal communication with complete strangers, wherever they go- be it at a gas station, parking lot, shopping mall, etc. They can express better humor, compassion, friendship, joy, sadness,, simply because they are used to expressing these and multitude of others feelings in Tango.

If you are interested to learn Tango in New Delhi, check my event page here
Please like the Delhi Tango page here.