I was just reading Joe Yang's blogpost on people who prefer traditional tango to those who rebel against it. He is a tango instructor in the Madison, Wisconsin area and an excellent DJ. For some strange reason his post reminded me that I am anti-social.
A lot of tango dancers are introverts. This may seem odd but it is true. The reason it is odd is because dancing tango seems like such an extroverted activity.
The definition of an introvert is a shy, reticent, and typically self-centered person. I had to look up the definition of reticent which means not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily.
This is me. I don't come to tango to socialize in the traditional manner. I find socializing difficult. I can do it but I find myself regretting things that I've said. That's because I am a writer. It takes me hours, sometimes days, to say what I mean.
This is not to say that I'm not good at socializing in the traditional manner. I am. That's because I'm half Irish and half Italian. I'm a gifted storyteller and I can talk with my hands. I can be interesting if the situation requires it.
Dancing tango is my kind of socializing. I like the size of the audience within the tango embrace: one.
To me, my partner is everything. Tango is a conversation. With me, it is an intense conversation and not the kind of discourse I'd like to conduct with a group.
I train to converse in whatever form my partner finds pleasing, be it authentic tango or nuevo. My preparation is a continuing process.
When I go to a milonga I am looking to have one good conversation. There are things that I need another person to hear: I love women; work is hard; I am a passionate man.
Tango is not a one way street. I love that it goes both ways and I am prepared to listen but I want to hear something real. Are you scared? Can you overcome your anxiety and move to the music?
Say whatever you want but please, say it to the beat.
For more of the Kayak Hombre, read my book Fear of Intimacy and the Tango Cure or River Tango. Available on Amazon.com in paperback or Kindle.
A lot of tango dancers are introverts. This may seem odd but it is true. The reason it is odd is because dancing tango seems like such an extroverted activity.
The definition of an introvert is a shy, reticent, and typically self-centered person. I had to look up the definition of reticent which means not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily.
This is me. I don't come to tango to socialize in the traditional manner. I find socializing difficult. I can do it but I find myself regretting things that I've said. That's because I am a writer. It takes me hours, sometimes days, to say what I mean.
This is not to say that I'm not good at socializing in the traditional manner. I am. That's because I'm half Irish and half Italian. I'm a gifted storyteller and I can talk with my hands. I can be interesting if the situation requires it.
Dancing tango is my kind of socializing. I like the size of the audience within the tango embrace: one.
To me, my partner is everything. Tango is a conversation. With me, it is an intense conversation and not the kind of discourse I'd like to conduct with a group.
I train to converse in whatever form my partner finds pleasing, be it authentic tango or nuevo. My preparation is a continuing process.
When I go to a milonga I am looking to have one good conversation. There are things that I need another person to hear: I love women; work is hard; I am a passionate man.
Tango is not a one way street. I love that it goes both ways and I am prepared to listen but I want to hear something real. Are you scared? Can you overcome your anxiety and move to the music?
Say whatever you want but please, say it to the beat.
For more of the Kayak Hombre, read my book Fear of Intimacy and the Tango Cure or River Tango. Available on Amazon.com in paperback or Kindle.
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