Notes from my Tango lessons I

Move with 丹田

Funny how Argentine Tango teacher use chinese concept of 丹田 to explain to us how to walk in Tango. Using 丹田 will help the follower to know exactly what your intention is. I think it makes a lot of sense. It's not about using hands or using chest because your body moves with your 丹田 (or you can explain the other way your 丹田 moves then your body moves). If you just move your chest (which I used to do a lot) the follower will get too much information and she will get confused and not sure which way to go.

Walk with the whole foot

I have learn so many different style from so many different teachers when it comes to walking in Tango. Use the toe? Use the hill? Marcelo believes you need to use the whole foot to walk in order to be stable. That's how we walk normally, no? I think it makes a lot of sense. I feel grounded when I walk with my whole foot. I am confident because I know I own the floor and I am not going to fall. And the follower will feel your confidence too.

Feel the follower/leader

Easy to say but very hard to actually do this well. Marcelo asked us to feel each other. Feel how the other person move. This is probably one of the most valuable thing I learn from him. As a leader, we are not actually leading. We are learning how our follower moves with the music. Learn how she wants to move. Learn how she wants to interpret the music. Our job, as a leader, is to lead her to do the things she wants to do. In another word, Make Her Dance. Not leading her to do the leader's dance but to lead her to dance Her dance.

Such a life-changing thought! The two years I have been dancing I was told I got great musicality but I never tought it should not be about my musicality. It should be ours. When I was moving according to my own interpretation I forgot to 'listen'. I forgot to 'feel' what she wants. It changes from 'look how good a leader I am' to 'look how good a follower you are!'.

Of course, this requires the participation from both sides. Leader is not just leading. His job is to listen and dance the dance she likes. The follower job is to dance not just follow. Don't be afraid to dance, to interpret the music. It doesn't mean not following. It is about participation.

I think these are nothing new. But Marelco did a good job in bringing it out. Have us feel. Some we got and some we didn't. The important thing is we now know what the possibilities are.

Marcelo Gutierrez

Before I went to BsAs I had a long list of good Tango teachers that friends recommended. There are many so called masters on the list. I have seen these maters either on video or have heard of them. However, during my second trip, I pretty much stayed with only one teacher - Marcelo Gutierrez.

He might not be as well known as the other big names but I think he is someone special. In fact, I already met him in my first trip to BsAs. I didn't remember much about him, not even his name, but when Sarita pointed him out on the dance floor, my memory came back, I remember he is the guy whom the girls referred to as 'the leader who knows how to make the follower feel good'.

For me that's the highest compliment a leader can get, so I decided to take a private with him. I want to learn his secret. What does he do differently from the other leaders to make the followers feel so good :p

And one private lesson turn into many follow-up lessons. I think we took almost 10 private with him during our 3 weeks trip. It's hard to articulate what we have learn from him, but one thing for sure, we feel differently on the dance floor. I feel differently as a leader. I start to pay attention to my follower even more than ever.

Of course, Marcelo is no magic bullet. 3-week of private classes will not automatically change me into a different dancer. But I think he gave me enough ideas so I know what my options are. Master or not, he has done a great job for me. I would recommend him to any leader who is going to BsAs.

It takes more than two to tango

Not long after I got into the Tango world I realized there are lots of ego and strong opinions in this community. People have strong believes when it comes to Tango - the music, the dance style, the culture, the teachers, the floor craft, and sometimes even the shoes is the topic for debate. I found this in New York, in Taipei and in BsAs.

Just like all other art forms. Tango is very subjective. People have different experience and background. There are not that many black-and-white or right-and-wrong answers to Tango questions.

After all, Tango is about how you feel, your connection with your partner, your connection to the music, and your relationship to the other people on the dance floor. It is very personal. Personal enough that one might get offended when you critize his or her dancing style or music or believes.

I guess that's part of the Tango experience. Learn to be part of the community but not losing oneself. Be different but be respectful. It takes two to tango but it takes more to build up a nice Tango community.