Well Heeled Blog > Argentine tango for the soul

You Know You Are Addicted To Argentine Tango When…

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1. You see a dress you like in the window display, and wonder, ”can I dance in this?”

2. Fresh & Easy frozen foods aisle becomes not just a place to buy a bag of stir-fry for $3.99, but also an area to practice the tango walk.

3. You cannot suppress the big grin on your face that grows wider and wider with every turn in a practica.

4. The shoes you dream about have switched from Louboutins (shoes almost every women want) to Comme il Fauts (shoes tango-addicted women want). At least Comme il Fauts are much cheaper…

5. Tango lessons has replaced nice dining experiences as your motivational currency.

6. You harass try to persuade all your friends to go to tango classes with you.

7. It’s worth it to drive 45 minutes in gridlock traffic to get to your favorite instructor.

8. You look at your apartment’s hardwood floors and think (even for a moment)… can I rearrange the furniture so I have room to practice?

9. You are secretly glad that you can’t find classes you like on Wednesday nights because that has become the only night you can hang out with friends. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday are all taken by tango classes.

10. You dance for 3 hours straight… and still want more. Much more.

My New Motivational Currency

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One of my good friends asked me if I was interested in a dinner special at a very nice restaurant. The total would probably come out to around ~$60 with tax and tip included.

Normally, I am a big proponent of spending money for delicious food and good dining experiences, but my mind immediately calculated… $60. That’s a lot of money. In fact, that’s 4 to 5 tango classes! So I demurred to my friend. It’s not that $60 is unaffordable, per se, but that I think overall I get more joy from 5 nights of tango than I do from one (admittedly, very nice) night of dining.

Yes, it is true. My motivational currency has now switched from dining out to tango lessons.

Who AM I?

P.S. Guess what I’m doing tonight? icon wink My New Motivational Currency

Tango a Go Go – It’s Exercise, It Must Be Worth It

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I danced for almost 3 hours straight on Friday night – it was so fun. I was also exhausted. Who knew that a dance can be such a full body workout?

Because of exercise benefits, I’ve decided that I can devote more monetary resources to this addiction endeavor. So I’ve decided to buy 15 classes for $185. Individual classes would cost $15 each, or $225 total for 15 classes. In truth, then, I am saving $40 by buying in bulk, right?  That’s not including the cost of practicas (practice sessions ~$5 to $10) or milongas (dance parties ~$10 to $15) that I might go to. But I’ll try to only select one or two occasions a month, to keep down the costs.

The 15 classes should last me a month and provide around 6 hours of dancing a week. I find running a little boring (although I really do want to complete a 5K – baby steps), I don’t play any sports, and I don’t belong to a gym. So those 6 hours of tango will be the only exercise I get for the week, at least for the near future.

Therefore, I’m going to consider the money an investment in my health (and happiness). Isn’t it amazing how much easier it is to spend money when you’ve decided it’s something that’s “good for you”? icon wink Tango a Go Go Its Exercise, It Must Be Worth It

Why Argentine Tango

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When people ask me why I like Argentine tango, usually I just say, “it’s fun”. But that one adjective doesn’t do the dance justice – in fact, I don’t think any one word can.

—–

The Saturday I went to dance the Argentine tango at Central Park, I wasn’t feeling so great. Some things have been running in my head, and try as I might, I couldn’t let them go.

I circled Central Park for 20 minutes before I finally found the Shakespeare Statue. As I sat down on a bench, I felt a little out of place – I could tell most of the people already there were regulars. But then the music started, I put on my strappy heels, and gentlemen came up to me to invite me onto the pavement.

And I danced.

Even though I stumbled over steps and missed certain leads, for a few moments here and there I felt as if I was walking on air, my feet crossing and gilding so swiftly and smoothly that I can scarcely believe that I’m the one dancing. It felt like second nature, as if I was meant to execute those very steps at that very moment.

As the time went on, my arms and legs ached (dancing is a full-body workout!). Still, tiredness didn’t diminish the wonder of the tango, in a beautiful Fall evening, in Central Park. For that hour I completely forgot about my worries, and all I concentrated on was the dance.

The event was free (donations are encouraged), the experience was priceless.

I loved so many things about my time in New York City – the wonderful restaurants, seeing my friends, the visit to Columbia, meetings about new and exciting projects, the convenience of the subway system. But that hour, beneath a lush green canopy, under the Bard’s silent gaze, dancing to the strains of old-time Buenos Aires… that hour was for just me.

That’s why, Argentine tango.

Shall We Dance?

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Saturday at dusk. Under the Shakespeare statue. I did this for more than an hour straight.

Tango in Central Park was truly an amazing experience.

The Price of Addiction To Argentine Tango

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It’s happened. I fell for the sultry dance, hard. (I even made its own category!)

I leave class with a big smile on my face. I read Argentine tango forums and blogs. I fall asleep thinking of boleos and molinetes. I’m not sure how my wallet feels about the possible financial impact, though.

At $12 to $15 a class, the costs quickly add up. Eventually I’ll need to get proper tango shoes which can exceed $200. My eyes are on Comme il Faut – leave it to me to pick a hobby where even the shoes are gorgeous! Then if I want to practice dancing in a social setting, I should attend practicas (after-class practices) and milongas (dance parties), which can range $10 to $15 in cover charge.

Some hard-core tango students get private lessons (~$80+ per hour) and attend festivals and special workshops all across the country, paying $40-$100 per session with traveling instructors (in addition to the price of airfare, lodging, etc.) If I get really crazy, I can actually travel to Buenos Aires, take classes with maestros and attend milongas.

In an episode of House Hunters International, a Californian couple bought a $200,000 pied-a-terre in Buenos Aires just so they can focus on tango! The lady insisted on an apartment with enough open space that she can turn into a salon for her tango parties. Now that’s dedication.

If I’m not careful, I can easily see myself spending thousands a year on this addiction hobby (4 classes / practicas a week x $15 per class = $60 per week x 40 weeks per year = $2,400 per year) just on classes alone.

But oh, the embrace, the music, the gilding steps. Though I am very budget-conscious (especially right now), there’s something about Argentine tango that makes me want to throw my budget to the wind and just dance to my heart’s content.