Welcome!

Welcome to the Premier Issue of Tango From The Heart! You are going to love this publication. Why?

Because, it’s all about love, intimacy, passion and tango. And that is why most of us got into tango in the first place. We wanted more out of life, than just material success.

But not just “more”. I should say, we wanted something different, something that would rock our world. We wanted something that would add zest, energy, romance and passion to our lives. Tango has given us all of that…and much more. It has transformed and reshaped our lives in ways we had never dreamed!

Tango From The Heart is an exploration of everything exciting, passionate and transformative about tango. Here are just some of the fascinating articles you can look forward to reading in future issues:

Connection Is King--One Heart and Four Legs. Why maintaining physical, emotional and spiritual connection is absolutely necessary for the physical act of dancing tango. Why connection takes precedence over steps.

    Couple Tango--Using tango to spice up your relationship.

    Tango Contrast--Give your tango depth and meaning with contrast.

    Tango Exercises--Five simple things you can do daily to build your tango muscles.

    Dancing Tango To Please The Woman-- Why you don’t want to impress her with your ability, you just want to make her feel loved!

    The Importance of Focus and Intent in Tango--A camera out of focus gives you a blurry picture.

Woman Power--The art of being expressive without disrupting the flow of the dance.

Dancing Slowly, Even When Moving Fast--How to find your “Tango Zen”

Are You on a Tango Plateau?-- Feel stuck? Don’t worry, it is part of the natural cycle and it will change.

Tango Men and The World Of The Feminine

Believing in Yourself--Why in tango, what you believe is what you dance.

The Body Language of Tango-- The way you stand, the way you move, the expression on your face, and your physical gestures tell much more about you than you realize.

The ever-new joy of going DEEP in tango. Tango is an inner journey. How to go deep within, banishing boredom and experiencing the joy that is deep inside.

The Bohemian Roots of Tango

    Expressing Your Uniqueness in Tango

    How To Get In The Tango Groove--Achieving a trancelike state of ecstasy while dancing.

    Words of Wisdom--Advice and inspiration from the Milongueros of Buenos Aires

    Becoming Your Sensuous Self With Another--How to tune into your partner immediately on an intimate level.

     Tango Music: The Origin of La Zumba--The Rhythmic Roots of Tango

    Tango Shoes--What works and what doesn’t work. A guide to where to buy real tango shoes.

    How To Play The “Milonga Game”--Do’s and don’ts at milongas. How to be a successful milonguero or milonguera…and it starts long before you hit the dance floor!

    Male and Female Roles in Tango--The ideal tango man and the ideal tango woman.

    How to “Up the Energy”--You realize that you and the woman you are dancing with have mastered the basics. The stage is set. Now it is time to accessorize each step and build the intensity of the experience with that person.

I remember one night dancing tango in Miami. After hours of dancing we met some friends at Gaucho's Café for a late night snack. It was a Saturday night and this place was hopping! A three-piece tango band was playing their hearts out to a very appreciative audience, obviously fully engrossed in and under the spell of the tango. The crowd of people crammed elbow-to-elbow in this small room sang and swayed and danced with the music.

The gray-haired Bandoneon player channeled the burning passion of a youth through his instrument that touched the hearts and souls of the listeners. They cheered with wild abandon after every piece. No laid-back, half-asleep audience here! They were WIRED! Caressed and cajoled to the heights of feeling like no other music but tango can do.

We danced closely together on the tiny little dance floor that was so small that four couples were a crowd. But with the passionate music, the warm ambiance and wonderful camaraderie, we merged into a sublime reverie that is tango!

     That's what I am talking about…tango from the heart and soul! Tango so deep it pulls on your heartstrings and makes you cry! That’s the tango we’ll bring you every month in Tango From The Heart!

    Tango From The Heart will come to you monthly, full of exciting things we want to share about tango, love and passion. We’ll also bring you the insights and thoughtful words of guest writers from the international tango community. We’ll share poetic words, interesting insights and information about tango.

    But we promise you we’ll keep it short. No more than a few succinct pages.

Wishing you many heartfelt tangos,

Teo and Marsha

Tango: When Two Become One

Tango Unity

By Marsha Bartek
U.S.A. 3:30am

I opened my eyes to see who I was dancing with. He was an older man, totally in tune with me, but also with something else, something bigger. Where had I been and for how long? God bless the Deejay for his wonderful tango music pouring through the room, one mesmerizing song after another. Before I closed my eyes again I saw that all the casual dancers had left.

The room was crowded, but no one was bumping, pushing or feeling frustrated. No , that was all before. Now there was an inexplicable feeling of serenity amidst intense dancing. There was a unity of every dancer, and it seemed that there was only one person dancing. Who or what was responsible for this alchemy? I said a prayer to "Nataraj" and then gave myself over to the dance.

                                                                                                                                                               Buenos Aires, 1st Trip
                                                                                                                       12:30am

     The bright lights in the room of this neighborhood milonga did not appeal to me. We had just arrived hours before, found our hotel, showered and changed; and here we were. Moreover, everyone seemed to know instinctively that we were Americans! Not that they weren't friendly. They were. But what about that tango teacher across the room? He recognized us. That I knew. But he did not want anyone to know. And we had just taken a private with him in New York one week before he left for Buenos Aires.

So we sat, ordered a bottle of wine, and watched the dancing. Rather strange things were happening on the dance floor. The dancing we liked, as it was our favorite, all close-embrace, no showing off or bumping into each other, everyone in synchrony. But why would they wait for so long to start dancing with each new song? And who was the leader they were waiting for? What was the signal?

After about a half hour of observation, we decided to dance. Upon entering the floor, I felt that everyone was holding their breath. What exactly were their issues? Then we waited for the unknown cue before we began dancing. I closed my eyes. And there I was in the quietness of my own soul, a stillness interrupted only by my heartbeat.

I opened my eyes and saw that I was not alone, that everyone was attuned to it. The room seemed utterly quiet, even though the music was loudly playing. After the first dance, I sensed a unified sign of relief from everyone. And then I knew what it was all about.

     When the set was over, we sat down. People began to come over to us, complimenting our dancing, inviting us to other affairs. Finally, even that famous tango teacher came over, welcomed us to "his" country, and said he was happy to see us again...
                                                                                                                                      Buenos Aires, 2nd Trip
                                                                                                    1:00am

What had happened to this room? We came again to the same place as our first night here; but it wasn't the same. There was agitated energy, mostly foreigners, alienation, too much smoke, very very crowded, and all kinds of different tango styles...

Wow! There was one of my favorite young tango couples sitting at that table with friends. At least I can enjoy watching them dance. But no, they are never dancing, just sitting. Then comes an intermission, an announcement, a band setting up, and then the young couple do a few performances. The band leaves, the couple and their friends leave.

The CD's begin again, and OH! There is a nice man asking me to dance. Perhaps I can establish unity with him, at least. I silently offer him a connection to my heart; but no, he has something else in mind. Perhaps he has someone on the sidelines to impress? Perhaps he wants to practice his steps? Or could it be that he is trying to impress me?

And then I get it, and begin to laugh inwardly! I am being told that Tango is a microcosm of life itself. And I must take it moment by moment, as it is served to me. I ask for a feeling of unity nonetheless, not wanting to wait a moment longer. And then the feeling of alienation in the room disappears, and I am once again at "home", even while practicing steps...

Tango

By Christina Johnson

"Loving to ride horses and loving the tango
are the same," she said her
raven hair riding her long neck,
like a dark swan
"because you long for two
to become One."

I wait, watching, watching the dancers,
my moves, my turns
my surrender, and poise
tied to my waiting
like silk ribbons
in bondage.

The couples are gliding in tango
stars in combustible silence,
orbiting scarlet lace,
ranging softly through Italian silk,
each pair a galaxy with the
possibilities of heaven made
sweet and fierce
by movement indirect and final.

Rounded beaded hip
brushing the curve of his thigh
making the figure ocho
within the circle of his arms.
A swallow brushing wings
against the flesh beneath the flesh.
The subtlety of movement is painful
in what it promises
through lowered lashes
but refuses to bring
through stark
and direct gaze.

He slices like a knife
through the shadow of her ankle
catching her foot between his own, holding the heat of
unspoken poems,
a thief clutching his prize,
and as quickly as her pulse
rises trembling to her mouth,
he turns to me.

His gaze is raw.
His scent is animal.
Every womanly part of me is pulled to
his outstretched hand.
Desire is too direct.
Passion purposefully understated.
My comments are unspoken,
eloquent undergarments:
"Tanguero, feel the undercurrents of my feminine
sweep and pull at your groin.
Let your hips be the pendulum that
hint my motion forward
that stalk me backwards.
Hunt me. Be hungry for my blood.
Let nothing come between
to spoil our private feasting.
I'll answer to you
keeping your yearning a secret,
being the mystery, the wave
that welcomes your raw wanting.

From Love Language by Christina Johnson. Reprinted with
permission of the author. You may order copies of the book,
Love Language, for $14.95. Email Christina Johnson at: kikibri@earthlink.net.

What Women Want and
What Men Want in Tango
Part I

By Teo and Marsha Bartek

“I think that at the core of it all, a woman really wants a man’s attention on her. Men sometimes do anything to avoid putting their attention on the woman they are dancing with. That’s why some men would rather do steps, complex patterns, and athletic moves or spend time improvising steps during a tango with a woman. All this avoids the woman, avoids the heart connection with her, and avoids the intimacy that is inherent in tango.

There is nothing more sensual than the woman or man having their full attention on each other. As women, we don’t get this kind of attention from anyone during our hectic day-today life. Tango is the one place where this sensual interpersonal attunement can take place.

But many of us, both men and women, cannot get out of the objective world of "doing" and get into the subjective world of being and feeling. That is why my husband and I teach Tango From The Heart. I think tango is an expression of something very deep in out hearts. When we express it we are not losing anything or giving anything away. What we have in our hearts was never ours anyway. It came from the Divine and it is meant to be shared.”

—Marsha Bartek

If you believe that Argentine tango is a male-female interaction as we do, then reading this article is a must! It will tell you how to perfect your male or female role in tango.

What Women Want in Tango: The Ideal Tango Male is:

Self-confident: He is certain of where he stands and where he is going. His has a confidence that includes the woman. He is not all “puffed up”, detached or aloof in any way. He is confident in a way that inspires the woman’s confidence and trust in him.

Reliable: He is attentive to his responsibilities and can be counted on to direct the interaction with the woman. He leads strongly and clearly so that the woman can enjoy dancing without the stress of guessing what he wants her to do.

Sensitive and Caring: He takes care of the woman and takes responsibility for her enjoyment, her safety and her well-being. Her protects her on the dance floor. He considers her needs and desires in a way that pleases her. He is sensitive to how she responds to different steps. He is sensitive to how she moves and what she enjoys. He is aware. Does she like smooth and slow figures? Does she like an intense and passionate expression of tango? Different women enjoy different things. The tango male attunes himself to what pleases his partner. He should match the woman’s emotion. She gives up control of the dance to him. He makes the decisions with her happiness foremost in his mind.

Marsha remembers a special dance she had with an Argentine man at Torquato Tasso in Buenos Aires. The man felt a tenderness and sweetness about Marsha and created a dance all around this sweetness. At one point he put her on each knee like she was a cherished loved one in his life. This was truly a three-minute romance. Marsha loved it, and he could feel that she was enjoying it, so he was happy giving her this experience. He was so touched by the dance that he later invited Marsha and I to a private tango party at his friend’s home in Buenos Aires.

Another night, Teo danced with three young women sitting at the same table. Two were Argentine and one was French. The first Argentine woman loved close embrace and was very affectionate and passionate. The French woman loved to have fun and enjoyed intense dramatic moves. She loved to tease and flirt and be playful.

Teo thought the third woman was going to be the same, but she was very different. She felt the music deeply and had a tender feeling about her. She enjoyed romance and wanted a smooth, lyrical dance with no drama or abruptness to jar her out of her reverie. Teo danced the way the ladies most enjoyed dancing, and they loved dancing with him.

Focused on the Woman: He always has his attention on the woman. He doesn’t let his mind wander, look around the room, look at other women or look at himself in the mirror. He pays attention to where her weight is. He is careful to give her a comfortable handhold. He makes sure he doesn’t put a cold or sweaty hand on her back. He doesn’t pull her clothing when doing turning steps.

Well Groomed: He smells good, using high quality cologne or aftershave, which is not too blatant. His breath smells good. He showers and uses a good underarm deodorant. He eliminates any irritating facial, ear, or nose hair. He dresses smartly. He wears clean smelling, freshly laundered shirts for tango. If he has a tendency to sweat, he brings a change of shirts so that women don’t have to get his sweat all over their hair and clothes.

Composed: He isn’t eager to impress the women or other dancers with his steps. He doesn’t show off. He doesn’t loose his self-control. He never complains about anything; and he doesn’t let minor irritations bother him, which can be a real turn-off to women.

Builds Trust: He is confident in his approach. He is confident in his embrace of the woman. He is confident throughout the dance. He always makes the woman feel good about herself. He builds her confidence and trust in him by starting off with easy steps so she can be a success from the start. He gradually initiates what he feels she can easily do. With each small success she becomes more and more confident in her ability to be successful with him.

He never attempts to do steps that are too difficult for his partner, and is aware of her level of expertise. He also knows that if she can’t follow him, it might be the way he is leading the step, and doesn’t mentally blame her. He never tries to show-off or impress anybody on the dance floor.

Generous and Kind: He dances with women who don’t get asked to dance, just to make them feel better about themselves. When he first embraces a woman, he has complimentary thoughts about her in his arms. He finds something to like about her. She will feel that he is someone she can trust, who won’t make her feel bad. She is putting herself under his control, and doesn’t want him to use that control to hurt her.

Women are sometimes nervous about dancing with someone they don’t know. If a man finds something to appreciate about her, she will feel more secure. After a few dances he can compliment her on something that is appealing to him.

Above all, he is grateful that he is dancing with her, grateful that he has this unique, beautiful human being in his arms. He always finds something to be grateful about.

Talks a Little Before Embracing: He takes a half a minute to feel the music, then he embraces the woman. He lingers in the embrace a while, savoring the newness of this closeness, and the intimacy he has achieved with this unique woman.

Silent During the Dance: He is silent while dancing, focusing on the non-verbal sensations and subtle communication between them. He knows the dance is much more intimate, alluring and satisfying in silence.

Never Criticizes: He never puts down or criticizes a woman if she can’t follow his lead. He adjusts his lead to the physical and mental abilities of the woman. If she can’t follow a step, he lets her try it a few times so that she can be successful doing it. But he never pushes it on her, or tries to instruct her on the dance floor. If she wants to work on the step with him, he takes her off the dance floor, and discusses the step in a location where it will not disturb the other dancers.

Realizes that Tango is a Three Minute Romance and Doesn’t Expect More: He realizes that tango is a role-play where women open their hearts and dance with passion and intimacy. He doesn’t let this go to his head. He knows that the woman he dances with may already be married or in a relationship with someone else, and that the feeling and intimacy they express is part of the tango dance. He doesn’t misconstrue this to be more that what it is. He knows that her tango expressiveness doesn’t necessarily mean that she wants anything more than a dance.

Playful Attitude: He is playful and light-hearted. He jokes with her in between dances, is humorous and teases her. He dances like he is having fun. He is not overly serious and grim. That is a real turn-off for women.

(To be continued in the June issue of Tango From The Heart Online Ezine.)

Announcements:

Contributors: I you have an article you would like to submit for publication in Tango From The Heart please let us know. We welcome your submissions. If your article fits with the theme of Tango From The Heart we will consider it for publication in a future issue. You may email your articles to teo77@hotmail.com.

Spread the Word: Please send the link to this Online Ezine to your friends who might be interested. All they have to do is send us an email with the words, "subscribe". We will add them to our email list. The email address to subscribe to Tango From The Heart is teo77@hotmail.com.

Link To Us: If you have a website related to tango we would like to exchange links with you. The more we all work together and link together the easier it will be for people interested in tango to find us on the web. For information on exchanging links please click here.

Tango From The Heart Close-Embrace Lead-Follow Intensive in May:

Teo and Marsha teach close-embrace “Break Through To A New Level of Tango” weekend in Gainesville, FL. every month. The following is a link to the information about our upcoming tango intensive in May. The intensive includes two full days of dancing and practicing close embrace tango and raising your skill level. Classes are given in a beautiful. relaxed setting with nothing to distract you from perfecting your tango abilities. Classes are strictly limited to only twelve students. There is lots of one-on-one instruction. It is the next best thing to private lessons.

Tango From The Heart Close-Embrace Lead Follow Workshops in Gainesville, FL on May 21-22nd, 2005

Make Your Relationship Romantic Relationship-Building Workshop in May:

Our new relationship-building classes are called Make Your Relationship Romantic. These weekend workshops focus on the tango as a tool to bring more fulfillment to a relationship. They are designed to make it possible for you to:

Feel the passion in your relationship
Experience a deep and satisfying relationship with your partner
Expand your emotional capacity for intimacy, which transforms all of your human relationships-with family, friends, and co-workers

Make Your Relationship Romantic Relationship-Building Workshop in Gainesville, FL on May 27-29, 2005

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