They are... ...if you don't ask the right questions. Yes, no teacher can help you learn if you're not curious and unable to ask what really matters. Pablo Picasso once said, "Computers are useless, they can only give you answers." That holds true for tango teachers as well. However, that doesn't mean that a tango student has no use for a teacher. It simply means that teachers can't help you learn if you're not asking meaningful questions. A teacher can only show you the door; it's up to you to open it and make your own journey. You are your own best teacher! While I was thinking about the best example to illustrate my point, many of my most curious students (who made me feel … [Read more...] about Teachers are useless…
Killing the Angel
When your desire to show off and grab attention overtakes the need to connect with your partner, your dancing loses something. The tango experience is a delicate structure, and even the smallest change can alter everything. I've been contemplating writing about the concept of the dying angel for quite some time, but it has always eluded me. I struggled to find the right words to describe it... Perhaps I needed time to bring it closer and gain clarity in my mind. Dance like no one's watching! "When you perform, your tango angel dies" is a saying that was uttered by some of the old milongueros. I can't recall where exactly I first encountered it, but I do remember it remained a puzzle … [Read more...] about Killing the Angel
Dancing with a Robot
A question for you: if there were a dancing robot, would you dance with it? If you haven't asked yourself this question yet, it might be time to think a bit, because it will eventually come our way. This article deals with questions like, will the artificial intelligence revolution and robotics influence the world of tango? Will we see a day when we will dance with machines? Will we start to replace our teachers with robots? As the fields of AI and robotics development are advancing rapidly, these questions are being asked by some dancers... well, at least I ask them myself, and I know a few dancers who do as well. In this little article, I will try to share with you a few answers … [Read more...] about Dancing with a Robot
Most important questions to ask when learning new steps
Dancing well starts in your head, well before you even step on the dance floor. It even begins before you attend a workshop. In fact, it begins when you make your decision on how you want to dance and what you need to learn to achieve that. In my decade-long experience as a dancer and a teacher, I have met many dedicated and talented dancers who did everything right except for one thing: they chose the wrong direction. They invested a lot of time, energy, and money in classes and workshops, countless hours of practice – and the result was not even close to what it could have been if they were a little wiser. To be honest, I feel disappointed when I see such a waste of talent and … [Read more...] about Most important questions to ask when learning new steps
Tango bloggers you should follow (but you probably don’t)
People like to share how they feel about tango and many are doing it publicly on their social media or blogs. Some are good at this, others not so much, but what one considers a good content can vary drastically. On the other hand, there are some things that go beyond personal taste: being knowledgeable, having deep experiences and knowing how to translate them into words is a talent that not many people have. And, of course, internet is saturated with “junk” content and therefore being selective is very important. This is why I decided to put this little list of tango bloggers I follow – and I recommend you to put them on your own watch-list. I’m really excited when I find tango … [Read more...] about Tango bloggers you should follow (but you probably don’t)
Open letter to tango dancers
Dear tango dancer, I write to you as a person to a person. I don’t care if one of us is a teacher, DJ, organizer or a famous tango star. We are both part of something that goes beyond me and you, and, in the same time, something deeply personal. If you read this, it means tango is meaningful part of your life. It’s been a year since the coronavirus pandemic hit the world and our precious dance is on the edge between life and death. Social distancing measure is really the opposite of what our dance is all about. There are not many people in the world that danced a lot this past year and, as things are standing, many will not dance in the following year as well (some, unfortunately never … [Read more...] about Open letter to tango dancers
