Salem Tangos, vicariously

Wow! Last night sleepy Salem became, briefly, a Tango town. Unfortunately, it was only within the walls of the Elsinore Theatre, where a touring troupe, "Forever Tango," performed.

Laurel and I took quite a few Argentine Tango lessons in 2006. We've forgotten much of what we learned. And watching the amazing dancers from our mezzanine seats made us realize that whatever we know about Tango is a tiny spark compared to the sensual firestorm they threw out.

A review said:

If you feel that tango is just another dance, then this show may not be for you. But if it stirs your heart and makes the little hairs on the back of your neck stand up, then I think you'll find the performance a treat that passes in the blink of an eye or in the brush of a hand against your hair.

I found both the music and the dancing incredibly moving. Argentine Tango is like no other dance. Other styles strike me as part of life. Tango, performed as I saw it, is life.

Meaning, it's sad. And happy. It's dying. And living. It's raw sex. And refined romance. It's macho. And feminist. It's complex. And simple. It's frantic motion. And stark stillness.

My sister and brother-in-law recently got back from a trip to South America. In Argentina they saw a lot of Tango, not surprisingly.

Here's a photo of some young dancers in a mall.

And another photo of some older dancers. It's all Tango, no matter how you look on the outside. Like life itself, it's the feeling on the inside that counts the most.

Before the show I talked with a couple sitting behind us. They've got fifteen years of Tango experience and dance in Portland frequently. The man asked me where we dance in Salem.

"Nowhere," I told him. "Salem has a virtually nonexistent Tango scene."

But that could change. I've tried, in some small ways, to up-Tango Salem (see "Salem Tango stimulated by a San Diegan").

And back in January I wrote about plans by Lora of the RJ Dance Studio, where we take lessons, to host an Argentine Tango workshop. Those plans are coming to fruition, probably in late May.

If you're a Salem-area resident interested in being introduced to Argentine Tango, let Lora know: gottadance@rjdance.com She can tell you more about the workshop.

Here's a striking You Tube video of some Forever Tango dancers. Pretty amazing. And hot. (Keep in mind: this is show Tango, not "real" Argentine Tango.)

The video below is considerably more realistic, yet almost equally sensuous.