September 3, 2011

Tango at last!

Three months after moving to Buenos Aires, I have finally started taking tango lessons in the tango capital of the world. It seems a terrible waste of time to my dedicated dancer friends that fly 30 odd hours from Taipei every few years just to soak up the tango scene for 2 weeks, or a month if they're lucky, dancing every night till the sun comes out.

I blame my procrastination on decision fatigue. I was overwhelmed with choices of tango salons, schools, and milongas, not to mention a multitude of tango teachers. When I asked my dancer friends for recommendations, I was only left more puzzled by their vague assurances that there are too many good teachers to name. (I later learned that for a beginner like me, I don't need a high-flying pair of tango teachers.)

Turns out I just needed a pair of sexy tango shoes to spur myself into action. Though it's a wonder why I didn't have decision fatigue shopping for tango shoes at the annual Tango Festival and World Championship

Tango shoes aside, I also have my friend Hong I to thank for knocking some sense into me when I was obsessively analyzing the local listings of tango classes based on location, reputation, teacher bios, class times, etc. "Stop thinking!", shaking me lest I miss the point that tango is for experiencing, not overthinking.

My first tango class with Damián y Nancy (far right) at Club Villa Malcolm

5 comments:

  1. Nice!
    Glad you started it.

    I was also overthinking before started taking yoga practice. As soon as I started it, I realized how much time I had wasted!

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  2. That's a good rule for a lot of things in life, isn't it? Where are you going for yoga? I don't know why, but I can totally see you as a yoga instructor!

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  3. Hi Katy, really great pictures. so glad to see you are trying tango. it will be fun. i took 2 beginner classes a few months ago. it was so challenging. way harder than it looks, but way cool- it's all about surrendering to feeling rather than thinking. needless to say, i struggled big time. have fun and baila!!
    Christine

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  4. I like the way you put it, Christine, surrendering to feeling. When it comes to tango, my cuerpo is smarter than my ojos!

    I have a friend that's taking tango classes in LA for $15 a class with dancing afterwards - let me know if you want to pick it up again and I can put you in touch!

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  5. that's cool! definitely it's all from feeling it from the cuerpo! I was really stiff and 'made my own dance' way too much. see, i couldn't just let go and follow... i may try it again but it'll probably be on hiatus for a while : ) it's also quite challenging without a partner. (BF won't do this type of stuff) in the meantime, have fun, baila baila!! and really enjoy it!

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