Tango lesson 4

I love learning new things. Tango is teaching me new things. Ergo, I'm loving tango. Here's why:

• I always assumed that to learn to dance, you had to worry primarily about the footwork. If you had the footwork down pat, you could refine the rest. Whoo-hoo, was I wrong! In tango, not only do you have to learn how to push your body forward in one fluid movement, but you also have to be completely aware of what your partner's body is saying. Footwork is just a small part of it. You have to be completely versed in your body's energy, your partner's energy, and how the two interact.

• I love the push and pull. That is, I love feeling my body's weight against my partner's. I love feeling his weight against mine. And I especially love how the resistance created by those two weights can transform us into beautiful, sensual creatures in motion.

• As Mtnhighmama pointed out, the inconsistencies. Tango is as unpredictable as love, sometimes fluid and romantic, sometimes difficult and requiring special attention and care. In moments, the only way to be successful at tango is to not overthink it. In others, to be successful, you have to be totally focussed on your movements. It changes every moment and you have to be open enough to welcome every change - rather than gnash your teeth and stop. The yogi in me can appreciate this.

And we're not even very good yet! How is it going to feel when we're not stumbling through the rough bits?