Tentative tango

First efforts at Tango in a group are bad enough but at a public Milonga it needs a great deal more nerve. Last Friday at 11.30pm we walked over the railway bridge to a rather austere municipal building. A most unlikely venue for a "knees up" but we were told to "just follow the music". With our new shoes to hand we crossed the threshold and were shown through a door to a large, imposing room, the rear and perimeter crammed with tables and chairs. It was, like everywhere else in BA, heaving with people.
We were ushered to an inconspicuous table (much to my relief) and there we sat absorbing this totally new experience. We donned the shoes to show willing but were mentally transported to those first tentative steps all those years ago at our first dances. "We'll definitely have a go at the next one". The invitation to dance is so fine tuned as to be solely base on discreet eye contact and assent so as to not be discernible by an outsider. At a Milonga you are expected to dance to a set of four tunes then the music changes radically and the ladies are escorted back to their seats. I then "took a turn" with another resident from Caseron Porteno - a novice like us which temporarily gave me some much needed Dutch courage. Brian and I did make the effort but I could feel the notorious spectating gossips burning holes in my back! However, we have now had some private tuition, learned some essential techniques and feel ready for our next venture out, hopefully to one of the open air Milongas in a local park.
Argentinian Tango is like no other dance; the whole concept of the man leading the woman, not by strength but by gentle direction and support allowing the space for her to follow and perform the steps is quite beautiful even for a couple of novices!