Tango

United again in a tango embrace; his right arm around my back; his left hand is clasping my right one. He leads, I follow. Pablo’s words echoing from the corner of the room:

‘The heart of tango is the partner connection. Remember: Push-Push, Pull-Pull.’

‘He pushes, you push back.’

‘‘He pulls; you pull the other way, until there is an effortless balance.’

‘‘Feel each other’s energy & match it.’

It sounds somewhat strange in words but it feels just right in action. Pablo makes me think while I am following my partner: ‘Isn’t it often the opposite what happens in relationships? One pushing away while the other one pulling in, a vicious circle drawing people apart mentally and physically makes them stumble and fall? Could this main tango principle make communication as easy and graceful as it gets?

‘Send her clear messages with your body, posture and grasp, she will understand.’

‘Create space for her to do her steps.’
‘Keep her close when necessary, too much freedom and you will lose the contact.’

Every suggestion of Pablo sounds like the perfect metaphor for any two people aiming for a relationship in harmony; lovers, brothers, friends, perfect strangers.
Silence and Melody, both present and interlocked together. Unavoidably Murakami’s beautiful words come to mind from 1Q84: ‘If you cannot understand it without an explanation, you cannot understand it with an explanation.’ Words are redundant when the listening is profound.

‘Wait until he clearly leads the way, do not assume’
‘Be patient to follow, do not haste’
‘Do not put extra weight on him; stay firm around your own axis.’

Tango is a healthy dialogue between two bodies, two minds; there is no need for choreography, no need for ‘a clear plan.’ It just happens and it is beautiful.

‘‘Remember, practice more, you feel more.’
‘Forget yourself, forget about making mistakes.’
‘Tango masters pick up signals easily, adapt to different dance partners’ energies, enjoy the fluid movement, they are aware, they are in the moment.’ Pablo offers us his wisdom and experience. We let go.

Don’t we all crave for smooth ‘steps’ in whatever we do?
Don’t we all have more than one tango partner after all?
Don’t we all want passion in every commitment we make?

Here is ‘Otra Luna’ telling us about Santiago’s dream.