Five reasons why dancing the Tango is easy!

I’ve always wondered why it’s often considered ‘hard’ to dance the Tango.  I think it’s the easiest of the Standard Ballroom dances and here’s why I think dancing THE TANGO is easy!

1. Of all the Standard Ballroom and Latin American dances, Tango is danced most similarly to the way we naturally walk.  In Rumba you need to slide your toes along the floor, take toe steps first and land on a straight knee.  That takes practice!  In Waltz you continually flex and straighten your knees, and rise up and down onto your toes. Tricky!   In Tango, you simply take a step forward with your heel first, just like walking! Easy!
2. In all of the other Standard Ballroom dances you need to rise up onto your toes on one leg and balance there for a time.  In Tango,  you constantly have your knees slightly flexed and you never go onto your toes.  This means your centre of gravity is lower, and your balance is significantly improved!  No wobbling!
3. In all the other Standard Ballroom dances the lady’s left hand is perched on her partners’ bicep, with light and pretty fingers.  I remember when I was first learning I dearly wanted to grip my partner’s arm to help me with my balance.  Well, in the Tango you can!  In Tango hold,  the lady wraps her whole left arm around her partners elbow, like a present, clasps her fingers together and hooks her hand behind his arm.  She’s not going anywhere!
4. Unlike softer, slower dance music such as the Rumba and Modern Waltz, which can leave you bewildered searching for the rhythm, Tango music has a strong relentless beat that is difficult to miss.   It’s easy to stay in time in Tango.
5. Tango is great therapy.  Had a bad day?  Want to hit someone?  Just dance the Tango!  You can stomp out each step releasing your anger, flick your head around like you are throwing a tantrum, snap your feet closed and purse your lips in anger.  And you’d be a brilliant Tango dancer!   If you don’t feel like smiling one day, THIS is the dance for you!

Monica Fincham is a former Professional Ballroom dancer and owner of Dancesport Kingdom in Lilydale.   “Tango remains one of our student’s most asked for our dances to learn.  Our teachers de-mystify this passionate, sultry dance and it’s the dance most focused on in Term 3 at the studio”.

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