Tango is like making love. The first time you do it, you don't know exactly what to do or how to move. Usually you try to trust your partner, but then little by little you learn how to enjoy it and it becomes an addiction. You cannot stop, you must continue.
If dance is an art, which it is, then tango is on the Bohemian fringe of that art form. It is a way of life for those who accept it as more than just a social dance, or a few moves to be learned in a basic dance class. It is an attitude that comes from the heart. It is passion, where two people write a story in three minutes with only the music and the movements of their bodies.
Tango is a way of life. It is not merely a dance to be picked up by those who need to add another dance to their resume. While the steps can be learned, the attitude and technique are not so easily assimilated. On the other side, the range of tango movements allow tango dancers to learn other dances rather quickly, as they are less complex in comparison.
Tango is like acting. You not only have to dance, but to convey emotion and dialogue, to your partner, yourself and to those who may be watching. It is said that the earliest use of tango was to allow a man to take out "his woman" and show her off as the most beautiful woman in the city. The earliest attitude of tango is said to have been been born of that purpose. To be able to make such a boast, one had to have the most dramatic and impressive moves of anyone on the dance floor.
One of a series of nodes written mostly by Mrs. DeadGuy.