...because tango asks a lot of us. because not only do we have to master an extraordinarily complex and subtle mode of stylised movement but we have to learn how to do it WITH ANOTHER PERSON. "it takes two to tango."  because having the other person there makes things exponentially more complicated. because, not only do you have to handle the dynamics of lead and follow...you also have a certain responsibility for your partners' feelings. there's no getting around it. when we Tango, we put ourselves out on the line and make ourselves vulnerable. it's easy to be careless with the feelings that are entrusted to us in Tango, given the reality of the scene: the politics, the social agendas, etc. these realities will always be there; they are a part of human nature. ultimately they are meaningless. what really matters is the type of Community we are cultivating through our choices and interactions, and the soul of the partnerships in which we are participating.

...and so my wish for us is this:
May our world of Tango be a place of unparalleled graciousness, courtesy, and authenticity; may hypocrisy and smallness-of-heart have no place here. In this spirit I offer the following code of  TANGO MANNERS for your consideration.

~ this section dedicated to Sabina Wolfson, Etiquette Maven & NYC Dancer Extraordinaire ~