You meet someone for the first time. Music is playing. He asks you to dance and you accept. You step out onto the dance floor and together you start to dance.
Telepathy?
Somehow you understand everything he is asking you to do as if you are telepathic. You move together in a complex series of movements, twisting and turning, losing yourselves in the music. You are swept off your feet – literally and metaphorically! A casual bystander assumes that you have rehearsed every step meticulously, but you know you’re complete strangers.
Does this sound like something that could only happen in a scene from an old MGM movie? I grew up on these movies and I used to dream of dancing like that! Then I discovered tango. And it became real!
Not surprising then that so many people (like me) fall completely and utterly under tango’s spell.
Even watching from the sidelines two people improvising together in this way is so exciting. I can spend hours gazing at the dance floor watching the couples dance by. “Every day people” – not professionals.
But most of all I love to see a professional couple give an improvised performance and watch their story unfold.
October
This is what happened in October when David performed with Alejandra Mantiñan at Negracha Tango Club. The very first time that Alejandra and David had danced together was the day before the performance. For just half an hour.
It was exhilarating to see what can come out when two dancers who barely know each other improvise together. It was amazing to watch the creative process unfold live in front of hundreds of people.
Every Improvisation is Unique
What I love about improvisation is each time it is unique.
Each individual coming to the dance partnership is unique. The chemistry between each of those individuals is unique and what happens when they come together in that one moment of time will never again be replicated.
This is what tango is all about! Pure improvisation.
Our Winter Ball
We are so excited that Alejandra and David will be performing again at our Winter Ball on Saturday 21 January. We can’t wait to see what they will create for us this time!
Alejandra Mantinan is a world-famous tango dancer of over 30 years experience. She is known for her creativity, in particular her ability to adapt to many different styles of dance and to add expressive and inventive decorations to her dance.
