The Tango Banter

Whether it's losing a friend, or a lover, breakups are never easy. No matter how many times we might go through something like this, it's rarely clear what the "right" thing to do is, or how to act "appropriately." In this episode I dive into some of the subtleties and nuances of the break up process and talk about the various strategies we can try to ease the process...

For some tango is a destination. For others it is a means to an end. For Risa Benson, continuing to dance is a way of insisting on life itself. This is the quality that first drew me to Risa when I met her online through one of my workshops. In this episode I sit down with Risa to talk about the role that tango has played in her life and her experiences that served to make her who she is today. 12...

Tango festivals and marathons are a great opportunity to experience some amazing tango. You've been thinking about but you're not sure if you have what it takes. What if you are just a beginner? What skills do you need to hone before going to that next level? In this episode I share some practice advice on what skills you should get under your belt before heading to your first marathon o...

Tango marathons and festivals can be extremely demanding on the physical body. To be able to dance for 6-10 hours a day for several days in a row requires an immense amount of energy and endurance.  In this episode I share the most important things to consider if you're looking to to maximize your time on the dance floor while reducing the painful side effects of dancing so much. Essential fo...

I used to think getting good dances at a big tango event depended on my technical level and skill. But success at a tango festivals and marathons depends as much, if not more, on social strategies and interpersonal skills as on our actual dance technique. In this episode I reveal my most effective strategies for navigating these big events and getting the tango that you really want. Upcoming Onlin...

If you hang around in social tango long enough, at some point you will start hearing about marathons and festivals and how much fun they are. And if you've been in tango long enough to have participated in these events, you know that there are pros and cons to both. In this episode I share some of my thoughts about the two events, which I prefer and why.  Upcoming Online Event - Confronting f...

Having a practice partner can do wonders for your tango, but frequently instead of progress we experience frustration. And rather than enjoying ourselves, we end up feeling even worse about our dance. Most of the time it has to do with what's happening internally and how we choose to show up with our partner (just like in relationships!). In this episode I go over some of the most prominent w...

There are so many things we are supposed to practice, and there is only so much time we have on our hands. So how do we decide what kind of things to focus on to get the most out of our practice time? In this episode I dive a little deeper into my personal philosophy of how to practice in such a way that it's effective AND sustainable over a long time... even if you are super lazy like me :)...

Whether you want to practice towards a performance or improve your musicality, there are a number of considerations every dancer should take before agreeing to practice with someone. Because, let's face it, we are all a little different, with our unique preferences and learning styles. In this episode I talk about what I consider to be the most important things to consider when choosing your...

Most will agree that practicing is an important aspect of getting better at anything, whether it's playing the piano or playing tennis. But when it comes to social tango, what kind of practice is important and effective is different for different people. Let's face it, not all of us like to drill patterns and choreography. In this episode I talk about what the meaning of practice is for...

I don't like being a beginner at things. In fact, there are few things that I dislike more than that awkward and clumsy feeling you get when you start learning something new. It's been a while since I have felt this way, but recently I got an unexpected opportunity to dive back into this iconic experience. In this more vulnerable episode I share my current, unresolved struggles with bein...

We all want to be good enough so that we get to have more of what we want. And most of us dancers are willing to do the work, take the classes, sign up for workshops, do private sessions, etc. in pursuit of that goal. But frequently, no matter how much time passes or how much work we put in, we still don't feel like we measure up with the level of "good" we think we are supposed to...

Not all tango teachers are created equal. And not all tango dancers have the same ambitions. Knowing your goals and understanding how to choose the right teacher to achieve those goals is one of the best ways to guarantee your success in tango. In this episode I lay out some of my most important considerations for selecting the right teacher for you as well as some important questions for self-ref...

When I was new to tango I thought the way to getting the dances I wanted required a high level of talent and technique. So my thinking was "the better I got technically, the better dances I would get."  Unfortunately, when it comes to attracting the higher level dancers, I eventually realized that it really wasn't about my technique. There was something else at play that had nothing...

"Why is she getting the good dances and I am not?" - used to be one of the most persistent questions running through my mind at a milonga. I had done the work - group classes, privates, technique training, workshops - but still I found myself sitting tanda after tanda sulking. Tango can be pretty brutal like that.  Seemingly for no reason, it grants favor to some but not others. The &quo...

"Who are the good dancers here?" "Is he/she any good?" Those are frequently uttered questions at the milonga and it's not surprising! 12 minutes is a long time to spend in someone's embrace and we want to make sure we enjoy it.  Whether someone is good or not can be fairly subjective but there are certain things that stand out about good dancers that appeal to most of...

We all want to say no to a dance sometimes, but frequently we don’t because we feel guilty. We don’t want to hurt the other person’s feelings and maybe we are afraid that if we say no to one person, then we might have to sit out another tanda.  The struggle is real! And although it does get easier with time, the awkward, difficult feelings that come with saying no to someone never really go away....

You’ve got the moves but you’re still not getting the dances you want? Succeeding at social tango doesn’t just require technical proficiency, but each dancer also has to learn how to navigate the sometimes unpredictable social environment of the milonga. For many dancers, social discomfort is the main obstacle that prevents them from getting what they want and/or quitting tango all together. In th...

"What's your goal with tango?" I ask this question of all of my students, expecting them to share with me their ambitions to become stage performers or teach or become a DJ. Many of them shy away from answering, but those that have the courage to admit to what they really want say something along the lines of "I want to be a popular dancer that everybody wants to dance with...&...

They say the Golden Age of tango roughly covers 1935-1952 but what made it so... golden? 🤔 Was it the quality and the amount of highly innovative music? 🤔 Was it the high numbers of social dancers dancing all over the city every day and night? 🤔 Was it the high number of dance clubs that hosted milongas at all hours of the day? Well, ALL OF THE ABOVE! 🤯 Imagine yourself rushing from one milong...

Self-doubt is one of the hallmark experiences in life and in tango it can be a particularly gnarly beast. It can break your spirit, paralyze you and sabotage you getting what you actually want. So what do we do? How do we deal with the panic and anxiety that arises in response to it? What do we say to someone who experiences it? Let's bite into this one together. Questions/comments? Reach out...

The first night I went to La Viruta in Buenos Aires I was terrified. Now, years later is the fear gone? Was I successful at eliminating that feeling of awkwardness and discomfort that plagues us at the beginning of starting something new and unfamiliar?  In today's episode I reminisce about my early struggles in tango and how those initial experiences shaped my tango journey up to now. DON&ap...

Horacio Godoy is one of the most influential and renowned figures in social tango today.  He’s filled every tango role possible: from performing in multiple tango companies, to his role as an internationally sought DJ and tango music expert, to being a guest maestro, judge, and consultant at festivals and mundials in over 40 countries.  This year marks 31 years since Horacio began DJing tango and...

Tomorrow is my birthday and it's a BIG one. So I reflect on the the way my life has been going and how I got to where I am at.  Questions/comments? Reach out to me⁣⁣⁣⁣ Web: imsotango.com⁣ Email: connect@imsotango.com⁣⁣⁣⁣ Facebook⁣ @IMSO Tango⁣⁣⁣ Instagram @imso_tango

Tango DJing is a field that has been historically dominated by men. Many blame the tango organizers for not giving more women DJs opportunities to play at large scale events. But to my eyes, this issue is not that simple and points to some underlying limiting beliefs that women (myself included), struggle to overcome in both tango and in life.  Musicality Training for Dancers & Aspiring Tango...