Am I open or am I close?

It is one of the most discussed topic in Argentine Tango world because it touches dancer's personal style and personal feeling. Often time 'the embrace' is used to define one dancer's identity among the dancers.

Oh, look! he is an 'open embrace' dancer so he must be a nuevo dancer, or, he studied argentine tango in BA so he dances milonguero style and he must be a 'close embrace' guy.

I was once identified as the little milonguero when I danced in New York. But I also heard people refer me as the 'nuevo guy' who likes to dance to weird alternative tango music after I came back to Taiwan.

So what am I? I wonder myself.... I think I like dancing close because for me that's what Tango is all about. But I also like to open up when the music calls for it or when I know my follower is not comfortable with close embrace... and unfortunately, lots of followers in the Taipei Tango community don't really dance close embrace Tango.

Perhaps I have Tango identify crisis...

Vibe in the milonga

Dancing in a Milonga, there are often many things happening at the same time. There are people moving around you. Noises from people's talking and laughing on the side. Not to mention those flying high heels and annoying leaders giving 'lessons' in the middle of the dance floor.

But when you listen carefully. There is only the music and your partner. The music is flowing and your partner is breathing (hopefully). Good DJ makes the night memorable. Bad DJ makes you walk out the milonga with empty feeling.

When I DJ I always want to create that 'vibe' on the dance floor. It is hard to put it in words what that is. It happens when you can feel that everyone on the dance floor is listening to the same tune and moving together. You can feel they are happy. Their facial expression is also different. The music is connecting all of us. You can feel 'it' in the air.

Of course, I also experienced the DJ nightmare. When the music comes out, the expression on people's face is 'what is that?' then you know it probably is not going to work.

I still haven't figured out the secret to make everyone happy night in and night out, but I do know I have to 'feel' the music myself first before I can touch anybody else. If I can't event make myself want to dance, how can I make others?