Argentine Tango

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what I love about tango

What I love so much in Tango is the combination of stillness and intimacy alternated with fierce expression of passion. There are few dance styles that allow such a bandwidth of expression between stillness in movement, where the dancing is more internal than external, and the acceleration into strong fierce movements.

Another reason, why I love Tango so much is the connectedness with the Tango music. In dancing you become one more instrument in the Tango orchestra. Only that you are not expressing the music through sound but through your emotions and dancing.

And a third reason is the experience of a deep connection with another human being: Your dance partner. For the time of three or four songs (called a "Tanda") there is only the Tango music, you and your dance partner. The outside world disappears.

preparing your body for tango

As a Teacher of the F.M. Alexander Technique I am training people in "the good use of our body" since 1983, when I graduated as one of the first teachers of the F.M. Alexander technique in Germany. Since then, I added other movement education methods to my teaching so that today I have a wide bandwidth of physical education and body awareness training, which I offer to my students. And one of those teaching methods is "body awareness for Tango".

the secret in TANGO

The secret of having a great experience in Tango begins with getting in touch with your own body. Therefore, when I teach Tango to those who begin learning Tango, it is not a list of "step combinations" that I let them learn by heart. I support them in developing a sensitivity toward their own body which in a consequence help them to ease into the Tango movements and which also allow them to connect with your dance partner.

Here is a fun little video which is a joke but which allows you to get an idea of a Tango evening:

Click here to Meet teachers who inspire me

the basis of my teaching

The beauty of Argentine Tango is that the steps are not the important part. What matters most is the connection and the dialogue between both partners.
There are four connections to be mastered:

the connection with our own body
the connection to our partner
the connection to the floor
the connection to the music

In my teachings, this is where put the primary focus. Once we have developed a stable basis, adornments and variety of step combinations can be added. I see it like building a house: If you want to have a stable foundation you first work on the simple base of the house. Once that is established, you can add any fancy style on top of it.

From my teacher Homer Ladas I learned the three "C's" pf Tango:
Consistancy, Clarity, and Comfort. No matter which ‘Tango style’ you prefer, these three are the basics for good social dancing and for a rewarding Tango experience.

I am very much in favor of "Open Role" Tango. That means that everybody learns to dance both roles: the one of the "leader" and the one of the "follower". The easiest is to learn this is right away from the get-go. Like children growing up bilingual, it becomes natural, avoids the problem in classes that there are too many followers or too many leaders and people are sitting out. And it is so much more fun for me to switch roles with my partner allowing space for exploration and creativity.

do your first step!

Tango is an amazing adventure. Once you have tasted it, it may not let you go again. The music pulls you in with its with its stunning beauty and intensity.

Curious?
What would you attempt to do
if you knew you could not fail?

Contact me to find out how you can begin
your personal Tango adventure.