Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Tango, stress and the older woman

              Young women in their 20s often complain the older men won't dance with them. Being in the latter group I know this to be true. Often times I see a young tanguera displaying all the signs of a woman looking to be asked to dance: sitting on the edge of her chair, looking around wide-eyed, not engaging in conversation; and I am not inclined to invite her onto the dance floor.
            I have often asked myself why this is and I think I can offer a reasonable explanation. Let's see if you agree.
            Young women lack a certain type of emotional 'energy' that is found in abundance in a more mature woman. This 'energy' is like a battery; a nuclear generator might be a better analogy. It is also like a drop of water waiting to drip off a leaf; sometimes it is like a teardrop ready to slide down a cheek.
            I believe this 'energy' has something to do with stress. It is created by the amount of responsibilities a person must bear, something a younger person usually lacks. 
            It is this 'energy' that makes tango so addictive. The essence of tango is in the connection between the two dancers. When we make that connection our stress, or this 'energy', or whatever you want to call it, is shared by our partner. When that happens I can feel it flowing into me, not in a rush but slow, undulating during the lapse of a tanda. Sharing in our partner's emotional burden of responsibilities is what keeps us coming back to tango. It's kind of like therapy.
            I'd appreciate any thoughts you might have on this subject as I am sure it is a phenomenon encountered by many tangueros and not something tangueras are aware exist.



Hey, check out this book about witches and zombies that dance tango:


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