Recipe to be a 5-star tango couple

This recipe for two people

No more couples therapy. Let’s dance more tango!

To make a recipe come out delicious and delightful, you need the best ingredients. You need to give your best so that the dance is as rich as a 5 Michelin-started restaurant—full of life, flavor, and much, much love. Reaching exquisiteness requires working on the basics, activating all your five senses. Tango is the perfect rhythm that gives you a sensation of delicacy, elegance, and glamor, but above all, connection because, of course, you can’t dance it without a partner. The idea is to get to that point where you both feel what each other wants to communicate. If you desire to go from dancing an ordinary tango to an extraordinary tango and stand out with your partner, pay attention to this recipe. This authentic recipe does not need expert dancers but human beings with a desire to live, to be happy, and to learn.

INGREDIENTS

• 100 gr of Guts
• 50 ml of Humility
• 80 gr of commitment
• 100 gr of Balance
• 120 ml of Confidence
• 35 gr of Security
• 200 gr of Technique
• 100 ml Memory

PREPARATION

1. Have a glass of wine and go for a walk through your memory, with 100 ml is more than enough:

Who has not heard the famous phrase that says that someone who does not know their story is condemned to repeat it? We are a continuous construction of our past and our experiences; we are constantly learning from our past, making us ourselves. We are filled with aspirations, dreams, and disappointments; all these things give us memory. So it depends on us if we improve and progress.

Tango was brought by the immigrants from Argentina in the 1800s, from the popular neighborhoods and less privileged social classes of Buenos Aires, with multicultural origins: African, indigenous, Caribbean, and European. Now thanks to the popularity that it gained, today it is considered as World Intangible Heritage by UNESCO. At first, it was a dance of prostitutes with sexual nature. Still, over time it took the elegance and glamor of high society. Its lyrics are heartfelt and nostalgic; they narrate immigrants’ stories: those of frustrated loves, doom, and destinies culminating in pain.

2. Sprinkle 200 grams of technique on every part of your body, don’t forget even what you think is significant:

Once the base is ready, you must learn to be receptive, listening, and observing to convey each part of your body the steps and movements. Don’t just look at the legs and arms; there are more factors involved: the hips, the back, the neck, the eyes, the hands, the waist, in short: EVERYTHING! Because when you dance, all your muscles move, no matter how insignificant and imperceptible it may seem: perfection is in the details.

If you want to learn the basic technique to become the best Tango partner: the embrace, the axis, eights, volleys, twists, among others, check out this first class of the StepFlix tango series

3. Mix the 100 gr of guts with the 200 gr of technique:

Steps are not just steps. By taking a partner, you are not only giving your motor skills, but you also express your personality throughout your moves. For example, if you are anxious, insecure, or shy, your partner will feel it. In tango, it is helpful that you move well, and with rhythm, it is a dance based on the other.

4. Add 50 ml of humility, and the mixture will begin to take shape:

As I told you, we are people in construction, constantly developing ourselves; tango needs you to be humble to accept and realize your limitations and mistakes. By doing that, you will be able to work on them and improve with practice. Don’t blame your partner if the dance does not go well; first, look at what you are doing and correct it if it is necessary. Then, automatically, your partner will start to do the same. Teach from your actions, not from your frustrations.

5. Sprinkle 80 gr of commitment over the entire surface. That way, you will be able to evolve:

In tango, there are two roles: the marker and the follower. Just as in life, a couple is about responsibilities. These roles can be dynamic; men are generally acting as moderators. But, depending on what is needed, this role can vary. No one will notice that the parts changed because it is communication just between you two. Doing these changes will also allow you to see what your partner needs. By executing your function, you will understand more, learning to give space without turning it into a power struggle. Tango is not just a dance; it’s a connection and a lifestyle, follow this recipe in your relationship, and you will be happier and more successful in love, but also you will be the best Tango partner.

6. In a container, place 100 gr of balance:

Tango is a dance of couples, and each one must be aware of her axis and take care of the other’s axis. When dancing, you must be in harmony with yourself and in full awareness of your connection, without thinking about the movement that has already passed nor about those to come. It would help if you did not overload on the other or depend on what they do. Only to that extent will you learn from mistakes and act accordingly. That’s how you will be grateful for what your partner is giving you. Together, you both will contribute what is necessary for each step.

7. Mix 120 ml of confidence with the balance:

Both the marker and the follower must trust each other’s abilities. The follower must trust the indications, movements, and directions of the lead. The idea is to become a “Dream Team”; you must trust and respond with appreciation to the trust that the other gives you. He is putting his being in your hands, both his body and his soul, and so you must take care of him, like a treasure that should not be lost. Don’t lose trust; otherwise, your connection will start fading, making you become a dysfunctional couple.

8. Mix both preparations, add the 35 grams of security, and put in the oven:

The idea is to be aware of your partner’s intentions, to be convinced of their commitment and fidelity. The balance between these is the secret for such an exquisite and perfect preparation. If you follow this recipe step by step, you’ll see magical things happening.

Become the best Tango partner, also reading: 3 elements to dance Tango like a pro