Sohum Sutras

Last night was a party organized by Netherlands Embassy. The dress code was orange and everyone had worn orange. There was a live Spanish band playing along which we did Tango. It was so much fun. It was a very different party and the crowd was awesome. There were free flowing vines, champagnes, sangrias, cocktails, live counters of exotic food. Everyone danced. And there were so many people who showed interest in learning tango. Live band. Playing wonderful Spanish music.

My nail art. Also notice my new lamp. Love it.

I really needed a break from my hectic schedule. And this was an awesome weekend spent with friends. We did club hopping and dancing. It is awesome to be with like minded, chilled out people. All of them also do Tango. Now I have clearly demarcated friends- Tango dancers and non Tango dancers. People who are equally passionate about Tango and people who are still unaffected by the magic. What I am wearing is a jumpsuit that I recently bought in US. (I guess this is the only jumpsuit I have in my wardrobe or probably will ever have). Do you notice my new hairdo. Much shorter than what I had before. And my new coach limited edition bag- bought in US. This is at 3 AM and we could barely walk straight. :)

This is how I looked like more than a decade ago. These episodes are being telecast again these days. 

As a dancer myself, I have s a deep appreciation for tango music which is a crucial part of the overall milonga experience for each dancer. As a DJ, I strive to create a musical atmosphere that inspires dancers and connects with them on the emotional level. While DJ-ing, I always connect to the dancers-either by observing the energy and the interactions of dancefloor, or dancing in the middle of it. I follow and I lead (like in picture below). In addition to selecting good tango songs, I pay detailed attention to the structure of the playlist. I compile tandas in a way, so as to establish harmonious energy, and to develop emotional-energetic contrasts with a tasteful climax and rise that resonate within each dancer. More information can be seen here.

Tango stretch is a class that I have introduced. I am experienced and qualified fitness and Tango expert. This class is designed for deep muscle flexibility, agility. Everyone can do it- whether you are a weightlifter, dancer, fitness enthusiast. This class incorporates flowing exercises that have smooth transitions and focus on core balancing and training, core conditioning, neuro muscular facilitation. This class uses unique relaxing and rejuvenating Tango music, specially compiled, to help you achieve deeper stretches. It combines elements from yoga, pilates and tai chi. This class aims to make you lean, healthy, fit and agile.

You can fake an orgasm but you cannot fake Tango. Tango is transparent. More transparent than anything I have ever known. You cannot fake it. It's tells all. Whether you are a seasoned dancer or a beginner, whether you are tensed, your mind is preoccupied or are you in the moment. Whether you are enjoying it or doing it superficially. Whether your adornos are fake or are coming naturally. Whether you have learnt it from videos or invested hard core training in it. Whether the two of you have a connection or are just waiting for the tanda to get over. It's all there and anyone and everyone can notice. Something as simple as walk can differentiate a beginner from an advance. Strange but true. Everything else in this world has an imitation, a fake but Tango has actually superseded everything else. Which is also one reason, we barely ever see Argentine Tango in reality shows where dancers train and demonstrate a dance form in a week. It is not possible to do authentic Tango in th...

Now you can buy a session of Argentine Tango here . And come and enjoy the class with NDTS- New Delhi tango school.

Doing Tango means constant practice. You need to attend classes, take privates, attend practicas and milongas. If you do not, you become rusted very soon. And what is worse, your partner can tell and feel the difference. Generally people ask, "How long have you been dancing for?" Referring to- how many years.  According to me, the apt question should be, how many hours of practice have you put in your dance. There are people, who claim to be dancing for 15 years and can barely walk well. Whereas, there are others, who have put in 5 years and have exceeded them. The difference is the numbers of hours each day the later has put in their practice, the number of lessons taken from the maestros, the number of festivals attended, the amount you have invested in your dance. From the moment of my first embrace, I can clearly differentiate between a good leader and an average one. Before he takes his first step, I can tell whether he is a beginner or advanced. Then I know whethe...

An international Tango newspaper linked my article in the headline section www.milonga.me Check. Mine is right at the top. More articles written by me can be seen in the same paper here . check- All my blogposts are linked here

Most of the inputs below are of my Tango teacher Daniel Trenner. I do not take credit for them. I am expressing his words. The phrase ,"it takes 2 to Tango" is outdated and rejected. Renowned teachers all over the world will tell you that the reality is different. The leader and the follower do not have to do 50- 50% to complete 100%. Each one has to do 100%. Only good dancers and teachers understand this. The weak ones believe that it takes 2 to Tango. Those people are parasites and creepers who cannot stand on their own and need the other person to complete them. That is why their dance is pathetic all their life. They never improve. Everything about their dance is wrong- their posture, their embrace, their walk, their gait- everything. A strong follower on the other hand knows how to dance independently and rather even make her man look good. She does not wait for the lead because she knows that "the leader is an idiot. One look at him is enough to tell her that h...

This post is strictly for the Tango dancers (who understand the nuances and terms like cabaceo, tanda, cortina, etc.). Non Tango dancers, do not waste your time on this post. Below are the rules meant for people who are in a relationship/are a couple, attend Tango festivals together. So how to deal with the situation if you are in a relationship and are attending a milonga together with your partner. Few set of rules. 1. Have an understanding with your partner whether you want to stick to each other for the rest of evening or maybe dance just the first and/or last tanda with each other. 2. If you are wanting to enjoy the regular milonga and dance with others, give each other space. Do not sit with each other. So that a follower is asked for a dance by others. 3. Do not have indulge in any PDA's (public display of affection). That gives signals to the whole community that you are a couple and do not want to dance with anyone else. 4. Do not look at each other in between dan...

A shocking rape case of a 5 year old girl in Delhi as reported by The Hindu here. A five-year-old girl, who was raped allegedly by a neighbour after holding her captive for four days, is battling for life due to infection contracted from foreign objects found inside her body, doctors said on Friday. The incident reported on Thursday from Gandhi Nagar triggered protests outside Swami Dayanand Hospital. Dr R K Bansal of the hospital said the next 24 to 48 hours will be critical for the girl and that there were injuries and bruises on her private parts, chest, lips and cheeks. She had some bruises on her neck which indicated that the accused might have tried to strangle her. “She was scared and not fully conscious. Initially she did not allow us to proceed with the examination as she was in tremendous pain. She had fever also and after giving medicines, it became normal. However, the fever recurred and we found she had some infection. “After giving anaesthesia, more tests were ...

New Delhi Tango festival being hosted in 2015. Check the link here. http://www.delhimilonga.com/delhi-tango-festival

NDTS- New Delhi Tango School billboard as you enter Greater Kailash-II, New Delhi.

A reader asked me to blog and compile all the things that I do professionally and am qualified to do. So here is the list 1. I am a qualified personal fitness trainer, qualified to teach aerobics, step aerobics, Yoga, Pilates, aqua aerobics, boot camp, kickboxing, tai chi, weight training, sculpting and conditioning, dancercise, bhangra aerobics, tabata, ramping up, TRX, Bosu, stretching. I also deal with rehabilitation and sports injuries. I am also qualified for Shiatsu. I do diet counseling, lifestyle management and am a makeover expert. 2. In makeover, besides fitness, I do styling, grooming and public speaking. I have a team of experts which caters to cosmetic surgery, make up, dermatology and dentistry. Check my fitness and makeover website here 3. I export hand woven sarees. I also export tango dresses and tango shoes. 4. I teach Argentine Tango and I DJ professionally for the milongas. Check my Tango website here. My other interests include blogging, traveling, p...

There is a codigo de Tango and there is a code to lead your life. They move parallel. In Tango, the Tanguero gives a cabaceo to Tanguera and she has the power to accept the invitation or decline it. There is a nod of head, wink of an eye, raised eyebrow or else she looks away. Similarly life gives you cabaceo on everyday basis and it is up to you to take that opportunity that has come knocking on your door or decline it. Life says, "salimos a bailar" (shall we dance) and either you get up and have a beautiful tanda on the floor or you keep sitting waiting for the next one. When you get up, you say yes to Tango and to life. Probably you say yes to Tango life. There have been many events that changed my life drastically and dramatically. They took me over and engulfed me. When my children were born, my life revolved around them. I could not think beyond them. They still are and will always be a very important part of me and my life. I came across "Art of Living" a...

Have you heard that before- Be silent when in Anger? Do you agree to it? I do not. First and foremost, like I have been saying, live in present to be happy. Anger is a feeling associated with past. It is never associated with the present. Having said that, if you are angry/hurt, it means something/somebody provoked you to be angry. Then why should you be silent? Simply because, you should not utter something out of anger that you may regret later. So that you should not hurt anyone else. Cmmon! why should you live in hurt and anger? I say, if you are angry, speak up. Let it be out of your system. Do not let the other party get away by hurting you, making you sad or angry. Do not be silent. One of my friend says, "tension lene ka nahin. Tension dene ka." It means do not take tension (stress). Give it. In other words, like I say, "Love yourself the most." Do not be timid, frightened, angry, hurt, disturbed, stressed, depressed, sobbing, sulking, etc. Burst out, if...

After a long time, I was free today. And I have a free weekend (partially) that I am looking forward to. So I went to my favorite restaurant, The Indian Accent, in the manor.  The chef served me my special navratra food. I wore my Burberry maxi that I have worn earlier here.  I really enjoyed the food and the company. Awesome food. This is not mine. This aaloo chat is mine. This is served in the end- called school time memories. It has chikki, ram laddo, aam papad and fatafat. Only Indians would know this. 

We Indians are taught a lot about- Respect your elders. I do not know how this applies to other cultures and nations. So my this post is very specific to Indians and to people who are above 20 years. Not to small children. I might sound too defiant. But truth be told. I do not propagate, "respect your elders" blindly. In the following situations when elders are wrong, DO NOT respect them. Stand up and speak against them. You will not be wrong. You will rather be right. Do not show elders any undue respect if they 1. Abuse you- in any which way- verbally, physically, mentally, emotionally. 2. Nag you unnecessarily 3. Taunt you. 4. Have unrealistic expectations from you 5. When they just simply "want to be respected" for no rhyme and reason. Or just because they were born few years ahead of you. In these situations, stand up for yourself, speak up, answer back (harshly if needed. Respect be damned). First and foremost respect yourself, your integrity, you...

If you wanna wear branded stuff, better learn how to pronounce them right! I really cannot stand people who cannot pronounce brands properly and they still dare to show off that they have a “LO-WE” or a “HER-MIS” bag… gosh! http://www.stylecritics.com/celebrities/2007/01/11/dont-be-an-amateur-say-it-right/ If you can’t get the spelling below, have a listen -> http://fashion.about.com/cs/designers/l/blpronounce.htm A Alessandro Dell’Acqua Del-LAK-wa Anna Sui SWEE Anne Demeulemeester Ahn Deh-MUH-le-mees-ter Anteprima On-tay-pre-ma Agnes B. Ahn-NYAS Buh Atelier ah-tell-ee-ay Azzedine Alaia Aza-deen A-LYE-a B Balenciaga Bah-LEN-see-aga Bally BAH-li Balmain Bahl-MAH Baume & Mercier Bom ee Mer-SEE-yay Behnaz Sarafpour Beh-naz Sa-RAH-furr Braun Buffel Brohn Byu-furl Bruno Magli BROO-no MAL-yi Bottega Veneta BO-te-ga Ve-NE-tah Boucheron Boo-ke-ron Burberry BURR-behr-ri Bvlgari Bull-gah-ree Byblos BEEB-los C Chacharel KA-sha-rel ...