858  dancing to impress or express?

Date: Wed, 13 Nov 2002 23:10:25 -0300
From: Janis Kenyon <jantango@FEEDBACK.NET.AR>
Subject: dancing to impress or express?

Astrid astrid@RUBY.PLALA.OR.JP wrote:

"My teacher explained recently, that Argentine men will show off a woman to
the people sitting, moving in a diagonal walk in front of them, so people
can see her better. The purpose is to impress the other women sufficiently
with his leading skills, so they will accept him at the next tanda. I do not
mind being shown off."

I believe your teacher is 100% wrong about this. I have to guess that your
teacher is neither Argentine nor has he/she been to Buenos Aires to the
dance salons.

An Argentine dances for himself and his partner. The floor of a dance salon
is for social dancing. The floor of the stage is for show dancing.

An Argentine dances for his own pleasure and that of his partner. He is not
dancing to impress her nor anyone who may be watching them.

An Argentine doesn't dance to impress. Rather he dances what he feels from
the music. He's not on the floor to impress other women. It's not a
contest to see who gets to dance with more women. Tango isn't an exercise
of legs. It's a joining of hearts and souls.

If you ever dance with the man your teacher described, I'm afraid you would
feel cheated rather than shown off.

Pichi de Buenos Aires