Tango in the rain

Tango, Tango sessions, Mumbai rains, monsoon, Juan Guida, Gladys Fernandez, Mumbai Guide

While Tango has often been associated with passion, the word originates from Tangere (Latin word for touch). The dance form is believed to have originated in Argentina and Uruguay, and is about establishing a connect with your partner through dance. Tango is practised worldwide and is also used as therapy (workshops were recently held at the National Association for the Blind). Interestingly, its dance movements do not follow any rulebook; steps and counts can be improvised.

Tango instructors Juan Guida and Gladys Fernandez

To create awareness about Argentine Tango, TangoConscious, a non-profit society, in association with the Argentine Consulate and Embassy, is hosting a two-day event titled Tango en elmonzon (Tango in the monsoon).

The event includes an immersion camp tomorrow by trainers Gladys Fernandez and Juan Guida along with national experts followed by an open-air dance or Milonga set to live music. The instructors are originally from Buenos Aires (Argentina) and are based out of Tokyo (Japan) and Brussels (Belgium), respectively. They have been touring Asia for over a decade to promote the vigorous Tango.

Instructor Juan Guida leads us into the dance form, "I was intrigued by Tango and its profound body of work that transforms lives, including mine. I realised that Tango is a unique means to achieve a degree of physical fitness that goes beyond the student's first goal of enjoying the dance. To wake up your mind and body in a completely different way, in terms of communication, senses, sensations and feelings, I invite you to discover Tango."

On August 10, head to the NCPA to attend a talk on Tango featuring different Tango communities. The Consulate General of the Argentine Republic in Mumbai will be present.