Those who dance Argentine Tango know that one of their hands holds a chain of broken dreams and hearts. And in the other is the key to an effervescent solace.
[1] Having devoted my life to Argentine Tango, I often ask myself if I am doing something meaningful.
Good work is “…in the service of an activity that we recognize as part of a life well lived…If we follow the traces of our own actions to their source, they intimate some understanding of the good life.” (Matthew Crawford, Shop Class as Soul Craft 2009)
I am not sure that tango is part of a “good life”. This is part of why I had to write Until Forever.
I’m not sure about ushering people toward addiction and heartbreak. I also recognize that Some parts of tango seem two rare and precious aspects of human experience, an activity which unifies body, mind, heart, and psyche and an activity in which we experience mutual concentration.
[2] Is it art?
In this second quest, I am very critical, and was unsatisfied until meeting Germain Cascales in 2015. With him I created a tango which is I feel is indeed art.
Writing and teaching are methods for me to search for, articulate, and envision the profound in tango. Especially I’m interested in understanding gender and creativity. I struggle to apply what I’ve learned about gender from tango to life, identity, and relationships.
[3] Can it say more?
Working with stuntman Daniel Adrenaline, I’m curious about the spaces around and between combat and dance. expanding the dynamic range of tango; for example I would like to learn to dance with explosivity. We are also exploring how to transition between them without melodrama, and how to tell stories that include both rage and creativity.
If you want to know about my training and partners, here’s my full tango biography.
