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Tango: the art of connection

posted Dec 16, 2014, 5:29 PM by Sophia de Lautour   [ updated Feb 1, 2019, 7:16 PM ]
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Connection to community is an often underestimated benefit of tango. We human beings all need to belong to a tribe of some sort and for many tango dancers their tango friends form their tribe and give them a sense of belonging.

Sharing this great video by Sarah Jacob about how Argentine tango is the art of connection. Sarah gives talks and workshops on connection and how it is vital to providing meaning and happiness in our lives and work. She uses tango as a metaphor for true connection. She sees tango as the ultimate connection dance, and describes tango dancers as  'connection junkies'. That, we certainly are!


Sarah sees four connections necessary for good tango dancing. Connection to:
  1. Self
  2. Partner
  3. Community
  4. Music
The connection to self, partner and music is often commented on. I would perhaps add a 5th connection and that is 'connection to the floor' as tango is such a grounded on-the-floor dance.

Sarah describes this connection to community on her site www.tangolia.org:  

"In social tango, we dance in community, responding to the flow of other couples on the dance floor. We also learn in community, and we improve by going to "practicas" where we help each other and change partners. This cross-pollination is necessary to adapt to different styles and learn from others with more experience. Teaching others also helps us master what we know.

Feeling a sense of belonging in a community is an irreducible human need. Who is your tribe? We need to be seen, heard, and valued for who we really are. We have to show up-- and while we're here, we should dance. This takes courage, but it is the beginning of our true aliveness."

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