Tango... it is not about the steps... Remember that! Tango comes from within... from within you... your brain controls your steps, but your heart tells you where to step and HOW to step... relax... and let the music move you... Slow down... Do not rush... take that note and milk it for all it got... In Tango there is no such thing as "too slow"...

Tango is not about how many fancy steps you can make during the dance... it is about how you are going to interpret the dance... it is about how you will do the most simple of the steps... Remember... the whole Tango can be danced with the just "basic step" - if that basic step come from the heart...

TANGO IS A CONVERSATION... It is a conversation with our bodies... conversation with our feet... conversation with our hearts and souls... without uttering a single sound... but often saying much more than we would ever say with a million words...

One partner leads... the other follows... There is as much beauty in the leading as it is in following... much of it is mutual trust...

I said "partner" because there are many forms of Tango... Historically, in Buenos Aires, to become better dancers and to impress the ladies men danced with men... there was nothing sexual about that... the thing is that since the men lead and have to come up with steps it was a way of practicing and perfect their understanding of the steps... Plus, by being the followers, the men better understood what the ladies are supposed to do when they are being lead. Very important aspect! Thus, the tango is danced between the men and a woman, between the woman and the woman, and the man and the man (the dance embrace is actually different for that one). You will not see much of the last category out here in the milongas (clubs) - close to none, as a matter of fact, however virtually every tango show ever produced always has the number performed only by men. Since tango is very interpretative the dance between the man and the man usually signifies a "fight", or "anger", or "jealousy" (oh, you stole my woman... ok, lets step outside... I wipe the floor with your 'beep'-'beep'-'beep') and carries no sexual connotation... The dance between the man and the woman... it symbolizes love, passion, jealousy, desire... and everything that stems out of that...

When you dance, you have to be very much aware of your partner - that is very true for both, men and women. We can not just rush and do "our thing". We are responsible FOR MAKING EACH OTHER LOOK GOOD! Be considerate of your partner... and trust me that makes the dance so much more beautiful and special... We have to respect our parner first of all...

The interpretation of Tango may depend very much on numerous factors! Who you are dancing with... how you might feel at that particular moment and... what orchestra you are dancing to. There are many different so called "Orchestras Tipicas". Each orchestra interpreted the same song differently, often extremely differently and that what gives tango so much of it's uniqueness. Among the most well knows Tango orchestra leaders are Osvaldo Pugliese, Francisco Canaro, Carlos DiSarli and many others...

The most well known Tango singer of all time is Carlos Gardel. He is often called "La Voz Del Tango" - the "Voice of Tango" - he is very much a national symbol for all Argentines!

There are various different music styles in tango as well:

"classic tango" - what we are most accostomed to...

"tango nuevo" - the more modern interpretation of tango... it differs in pace, choice of instruments played, has a different feel to it, but yet is - Tango. Probably the most representative person of this style is composer Astor Piazzolla...

"vals" - the Tango performed in the waltz interpretation...

and the "milonga" - a 'polka-like' style of tango, danced in shorter, quicker steps...

There is another important thing that everyone has to keep in mind... It may be very frustrating, and it may sometimes feel that the step that you are doing is not coming out right... and how annoying it may become doing a step over and over again until you feel like you got it... but eventually you do get it... and trust me it is all worth the outcome...

Everyone has started somewhere at some point... nobody just steped on the dance floor and started dancing... even the best dancers in the world went through their share of tumbling, falling, stepping on somebody's toes... And IT IS OK!!! Do not worry about making a "mistake"... there are no mistakes in tango... there are only NEW STEPS!

Tango is an improvisation! Each and every one of us will develop our own unique style as we progress with our studies. We will all add something of ourselves to each step, to each movement, and to each Tango that we dance!

Most importantly, belive in yourself! And no matter how hard it may seem to get that one step in the beginning... do not give up... slow down, think it over... and try again... And trust me, you will discover a completely new world for yourself, within youself and those around you... a world like no other...

Hey... Tango - it is just like life...