Dos Corazones: Where Traditional Tango Meets the Open-Role Revolution

Dos Corazones is a traditional, milonguero-style encuentro, but with double the magic of your average three-day tango event. Why? Because it is a beautifully designed, open-role event for dancers with the open hearts and dual skill sets to both lead and follow.

Because so many attendees dance both roles at Dos Corazones, the energy stays alive and everyone gets to dance.

For Men
For men who love both roles, finding opportunities to follow at regular milongas can be a challenge. Due to frequent gender imbalances, men often find themselves leading all night. Open-role events shatter that barrier, offering both men and women the freedom to explore the full spectrum of the dance.

For Women
Similarly, dual-role women face unique hurdles at traditional venues. Believe it or not, some leaders still openly state they won't dance with a woman who "dares" to dance with another woman. What absolute nonsense! Dos Corazones 4 is a refuge from these outdated norms.

For my wife and me, this December will mark our third time attending. We can’t wait to dance our primary roles, or seamlessly switch with partners who share the same dual passion. Both options promise pleasant, challenging, and exhilarating tandas—one right after the other.

Redefining "Traditional" Tango
Dos Corazones in Saarbrücken, Germany, distinguishes itself from other open-role events by remaining deeply rooted in the true values of traditional tango. It shouldn't have to be said, but "Traditional Tango" has nothing to do with the gender of your partner.

Barring people from the dance floor based on the rigid coupling norms of 1940s Argentina isn't preserving tradition; it's enforcing an outdated ideology. We simply want to dance while genuinely cherishing the art form.

What do you think? Leave a comment below on what you believe truly represents the values of traditional tango versus the restrictive norms of the last century.

Secure Your Spot for 4-6 December before it's filled!
If you are looking for an extraordinary, inclusive tango experience, I highly recommend joining us this winter—and then taking this beautiful concept back to your own local community. Dos Corazones 4 is paving the way for the future of tango, proving that the dance can evolve while retaining its classic beauty and embrace.

"But what if I only dance one role?" Don't worry! If you love traditional tango but haven't learned both roles yet, you are absolutely welcome. The event gladly embraces single-role dancers. To keep things seamless, guests use colored bracelets to easily identify their dancing preferences and skill sets. At Dos Corazones, the only thing that truly matters is how much you value tango's warm embrace.

Spaces fill up quickly for this international, multilingual, and multicultural celebration. Registration is open, and I hope to see you in Saarbrücken this December to experience the joy of tango with two hearts.  

To register for Dos Corazones, click here

or cut-and-paste this intoyour browser:
https://theflowtango.com/go/b2rl6tkd?v=form-1&s=Single&cancel=

The Irony of the Tango Therapy Conference

Below is a letter to a tango friend recounting a six-milonga weekend with CEUs (continuing education units) called, the Tango Longevity and Wellness Conference

Hi Frédérique!  Everyone knows about the healing powers of tango, but you will not believe what I learned at the conference. I learned not to go to all the modules! 

Module One:  Thursday evening. The Science of Sleep for Dancers presentation was mind-blowing with new information about what neurologists and sleep scientists are learning with MRI technologies and clinical controls to observe levels of deep sleep and Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep.  Unfortunately, the presentation went on until 2 a.m.! We danced after that. The presenters mentioned how the immune system is impaired drastically with less than four hours of sleep.  Ironic.

Module Two:  Friday morning. The title was How to Live to Be 100 by Building a Strong Immune System.  It was enlightening, but due to the talk on sleep deprivation, many slept in and missed Module Two.  Too bad. They would have learned to go to bed early enough to maintain the same sleep schedule.  There was something about the circadian "sleepy" rhythm--I think.  I am not sure. I had brain fog, and now I am fighting a cold now. Ironic.

Module Three:  Friday evening. The Science of Exercise Module had everyone go on a walk with numerous stations to stop and discuss the science of exercise, and especially walking.  Our walk seemed like a half-marathon.  We walked in tango shoes, which you know are not so good for walking.  Bless the poor woman who came in stilettos.  We danced after that anyway, albeit with sore feet and blackened toenails.  Ironic.

Module Four.  Saturday afternoon.  A talk on Optimal Nutrition. I took notes for you from the talks given by famous dietitians and nutrition scientists.  We danced long on Saturday evening.  The dietitians and nutritionists served a delightful meal at midnight at the milonga--albeit, contrary to their teaching.  I really indulged. What was I thinking?  I didn't sleep well.  I know, ironic!

Module Five:   We had a good laugh with a stand-up comedian who presented "The power of temperance in all things of pleasure."  I guess that we were all laughing because we tend to overdo our passion for tango: Not sleeping enough, eating and drinking too late, and dancing until we have damaged feet. He was so funny, and he was only a hobby comedian.  His job in real life is that he is a board-certified podiatrist.  It's strange that he was silent about the subject of our bleeding feet.  Ironic, no?

Module Six:  On the last day of the conference on Longevity and Wellness,  an inspiring speaker presented the last speech on the Power of Friendships for Longevity.  Yet with all the modules, I had little time to talk to any of my friends or new acquaintances.  I wanted to dance so much, and I always resist talking on the dancefloor.  Not much talking during the weekend.  Ironic.

What I learned:  One should apply breakthrough research about longevity via tango therapy.  I bought some books to read some books on sleep, nutrition, foot care and moderation as a philosophy.  But I will never go back.  I can overdo myself more than at any conference by just going to encuentros, festivals, and tango marathons!

-----------------------
Moral of the story:  Generally people who dance tango are very intelligent, but too often struggle in the area of being wise.  Ironic.

  Irony Alert:  I have written ironical posts in the past,   
  but no matter how obvious the irony, someone doesn't  
 get it.  So now you know. :-)                                            

Your Local Milonga: How to Survive Tango Town

The Tango Town Survival Guide (Because You're Already Living There)

If you did not read the thought experiment in my last post, "Living in Tango Town," please read it first.

Based on the comments on that post, a majority of people said they would not come to "Tango Town." They gave many reasons. This follow-up is for those who said, "Hell yes!" to this imagined social experiment.

In this scenario, a newly created local tango community would be richly rewarded, allowing participants to afford top-tier lessons and fly their family and friends out to visit. To me, the reaction to this experiment was totally unexpected: Tango Town was seen by many as a type of tango hell.

Of course, Tango Town is a fiction designed to elicit how one feels about the prospects of being "stuck" in a local tango community. However, I thought that providing the best possible conditions would overcome any concerns. Nope. But why?

To give you context, here are the eight main benefits that many readers actually rejected:

1. Unlimited Education: A stipend of 1 million euros over 5 years to study non-stop with private instruction in tango, languages, philosophy, yoga, tai chi, and human growth.

2. Global Connection: The financial means to fly family and friends from around the world to visit you.

3. World-Class Socials: Regular milongas with a high-level dance community, guest friends, and excellent international DJs.

4. Abundant Time: Plenty of time to read and pursue personal intellectual interests.

5. Elite Wellness: Access to sports and physical fitness with personal coaches.

6. Community Resources: A financially secure community with enough combined resources to host tango encuentros, marathons, and festivals without worrying about liability. Certainly, 150 wealthy tango dancers could grow their local community, right?

7. Accessible Healing: The ability to work on personal growth through therapy without the burden of high healthcare or insurance costs.

8. Future Freedom: Enough capital to donate to important causes or build a business for future financial freedom and early retirement.

Because you read the Tango Therapist Blog, below I present some ideas on how to survive the main "adversity" of constantly going to your local milonga. 😉

Sure, becoming rich has some risks, but most people do well with financial security. Sorry to say this, but you will not actually be chosen to participate in this research. The Tango Town experiment was merely a mirror to reflect how you view your current local milonga scene. Since many saw the experiment as a nightmare, it's clear that local scenes present real challenges!

These survival ideas will help you navigate them—because your local milonga is Tango Town!

The Tango Town Survival Plan

Having no plan increases the likelihood of your local milonga becoming Tango Hell. If your default strategy has been avoiding local milongas, skipping lessons, or dodging less-than-ideal DJs, you need a strategy. In the thought experiment, avoidance wasn't an option. To survive and thrive in a local scene, people must learn to get along and dance well with others. That is demanding.

1. Expand Your Tango Roles

In a small community, learn to dance both roles. In Tango Town, a gender-balanced community of 150 people means you have 75 potential partners. If you learn both roles, that number instantly doubles to 149. Because most real-world communities aren't perfectly gender-balanced, dual-role dancing becomes vital. It’s a massive challenge for some, but what a great challenge to have! Tango teachers often keep this tightly held secret: learning the other role is exactly what made them better.

2. Value Your Organizers

Make friends with your local organizers and help them. Some people show their love for tango through their organizational labor. Value this. If you want to influence them to host earlier milongas or cultivate an environment of ethical dance through the traditional etiquette (los Códigos de Tango), build a relationship with them. And if necessary, step up and organize a milonga or práctica yourself.

3. No Shunning

Greet everyone; shun no one. There is no justification for shunning people just because you don't want to dance with them. Greet people warmly, but be clear that you choose your dance partners via mirada and cabeceo. Ignoring someone out of fear that they might ask you to dance represents a lack of courage to set adult boundaries. A simple, "Hey, I'm glad to see you here," goes a long way. If necessary, you can establish boundaries later: "We may never dance, but I see you as a person and I'm glad you're part of this community."

4. Avoid Making Cliques

Dance across generations. If you only look for partners based on age, dating potential, or sexual attraction, it will lead to poor outcomes for both you and the community. I regularly dance with a woman who is blind and nearly 90 years old; she is an absolute joy in my life and those dances are incredibly memorable. When I danced in Latin America, everyone danced with everyone, regardless of age.

5. Dance with the Person, Not Their Beliefs

Dance with fans of Putin, Trump, Netanyahu, or with whomever you disagree politically and philosophically. I call it "dancing with the enemy" to make them human. If dance cannot bridge the gap between people who disagree, what will? Arguing?

6. SupportLocal DJs (And Get Over Yourself)

DJs vary in quality. Even playing the same music, some lack a sense of timing. My wife and I are currently working on what it takes to become good DJs ourselves—if you don't like a local DJ, become a better one. I know supporting local talent can be hard. Sometimes, my fellow tango connoisseurs, music is like wine: the wine might be mediocre, but the company is excellent. If you only look for "fine wine" at a milonga, you miss what makes the evening great: friends. This is your local milonga; get over yourself. (I might be talking to myself here. 😊)

7. Commit to Local Lessons

People who rejected Tango Town often said they wanted to travel to better themselves. But look at Buenos Aires: local barrios became the breeding grounds for excellent dancing. Running away from your own neighborhood isn't always the most efficient way to grow. If you are willing to drive three hours to another city to dance on a Saturday, try investing that same time and gas money into working with a local teacher or practice partner.

To grow, you do need to dance with different people. For me, dancing well with beginners—as both a leader and a follower—is an incredible way to sharpen my own skills while helping the community grow. Traveling to other cities is fine, but having a coach where you live changes the game. If Tiger Woods always had a coach, who are you to skip out on one? I’ve been dancing for 20 years, but two years ago, I started taking beginner lessons as a follower—first in groups, then privates. It completely transformed my leading. My wife experienced the exact same thing.

8. Grow Psychologically and Spiritually

Address the old hurts, insecurities, and social anxieties we carry from childhood and everyday life. These unresolved issues love to manifest at the milonga. Rejection, cliques, rumors, boundary violations, jealousy, and mimetic desire ("coveting others' partners") are the exact reasons people run away from local communities. They are trying to escape themselves.

In Tango Town, you couldn't run; you had five years and a stipend for a therapist to sort it out. Confronting these issues in your local scene won't be easy, but the need to grow is still there.

Postscript: Help Me Understand

I still struggle to comprehend why the idea of living in Tango Town caused such aversion. What am I missing?

I want to hear from you. Please send me your thoughts via email at mark.word1@gmail.com or leave a comment on Facebook. Those who said "Hell, no!" have explained their rationale (and told me I'm mistaken about their avoidance!). Now, I would love to hear from those who genuinely love their local milongas, or who would gladly pack their bags for Tango Town.