Getting Your Tango Unstuck

Madison Tango Society | MAY 12, 2025

It's possible - after gaining all kinds of tango knowledge, sometimes we all get a little stuck. We hit that proverbial plateau. Here are some ideas on how to unstick your tango.

  1. Stop trying to impress everyone! One of the ways tango is separate from so many other dances is that it's not WHAT you do in tango, but HOW you do it. Newer dancers try to acquire a large number of flashy sequences - but this doesn't improve your tango. The approval.of other tango dancers is not your goal - only the approval of your tanda partner, as you are dancing with them and for them. Your partner is not likely to remember what steps you did, so much as how you made them feel.
  2. Dance to a different part of the music - Do you focus on a single aspect of the music for your dancing? A particular instrument or a beat? Maybe try switching up how you choose to articulate the music for a new perspective!
  3. Play - without the improvisation in your tango, your dance can become overly structured. Think about options you can execute in what you've learned. Ask yourself, "Can I do that in a mirror image? Can I do that backward? Can it be done on the opposite side of the embrace?"
  4. Watch more Find inspiration in other dancers' work. Go to milongas (tango social dances) not just to dance, but also to observe. Plus YouTube hosts so many tango videos, it's easy to find dancers who have smooth moves you'd like to emulate. Research how the great tango dancers danced!
  5. Listen - Remember, we dance to the music, not to steps. We dance with a partner. Listen deeply to the music, listen deeply to your partner.

Madison Tango Society | MAY 12, 2025

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