[Tango-L] Tango is not a pose, is it?

[David Koucky]

{11} The Nature of Usefulness ...
Thirty spokes will converge
In the hub of a wheel;
But the use of the cart
Will depend on the part
Of the hub that is void. 
With a wall all around
A clay bowl is molded;
But the use of the bowl
Will depend on the part
Of the bowl that is void. 

Cut out windows and doors
In the house as you build;
But the use of the house
Will depend on the space
In the walls that is void. 

So advantage is had
>From whatever is there;
But usefulness rises
>From whatever is not. 

The Tao Te Ching is a rather old instruction on the way of things.  It does remind us of the manner in which we observe our universe.  

While visiting Bariloche a few years ago I met a fine dancer from Rosario. He advised me that one should search for the calm in the Tango.  I had to confess that my looking had not caught up with my finding.  Tango will often fill me with the music. I will literally percolate with the power of the music.  The circular movements that Trini and Sean have been kind enough to mention begin.  I soon feel as if we are tornados wrapping around and around.  Her tornado (ventarron) spins around mine. But it is the calm that counts.  One day I may find it.  

Tomas Howlin once told me about the ronda.  He was explaining that the old clubs could have a sense of everyone dancing with everyone else. The codigos are a way of reaching an agreement with all the dancers in the room.  It may not work as well as we like, but the codigos can help everyone to dance together at the same time. Thank you to our Buenos Aires correspondents who are trying to tell us something important.

Over the past few years I have put a lot of effort into learning to dance with my partner.  I need to understand her and dance her kind of dance if this is going to work.  Right now I am only dancing with myself.  There seems to be a lot of this going around.  If I am going to elevate to dancing with my partner and then to dancing with a floor full of others, I had better be ready to entertain a few opinions other than my own.  Heaven knows there are plenty of opinions to go around.   Most of the dancers have brilliant opinions and I can see why they are so hesitant to abandon them.  

Well with all this in mind I have to admit that I have never been able to convince the parties in front of me to advance more rapidly.  The couple behind me has little patience with my artistic needs, or my brilliant insights into the 4 of 5 figures I have learned to imitate. I have yet to get the floor at a weekend milonga to do as I tell them.  In fact they seem ever ready to offer me the famous Tango-L Courtesy.

I wish you well. Dance as you please, when you please.  Call it what ever you want. In the end, you  get back a reflection of what you put in. Enjoy it.