Hi everyone, Fran here with your Tango Tip of the Week. Here’s a question you might not expect to hear in the context of a Tango Tip: Do you really want to learn how to dance Tango? Seems like a silly question, right? Let’s say that you’re currently involved in some kind of Tango activity — a basic class, an occasional private lesson, a workshop or two, a little collection of YouTube links; maybe you come regularly to our Firehouse pre-party class — we should be able to assume that you have at least a passing interest in learning Tango.

Does that sound about right?

If you’re like most people, however, you’re having a tough time getting anywhere with what now seems like a very difficult project. You might even feel that when it comes down to it, you’re actually going nowhere fast. (In fact, one of the most common questions students ask Pat and me is: “Why is Tango the hardest dance I’ve ever tried to learn?”)

I’d like to offer one of the reasons you feel this way. It’s by no means the only reason, by the way, but it’s a singular fact that you need to face right now: It may be that you really don’t want to learn how to dance Tango.

That’s right. What you really want is to know how to dance Tango.

You see people on the dance floor making these really exciting moves, and you want to be able to do those things yourself. “Show me that step,” you say. “Oh, and that one, too. I mean, they can do it; why not me?”

You go to a basic class. The teacher is talking about walking. “No, no, no,” you think. “I want steps. Let’s cut to the chase, and get to the good stuff. I can figure out the walking part later. I’ll just skip the basic, boring class and opt for the advanced moves. That’s what I want.”

Do you recognize yourself in this picture? Yes, that’s you! Do you get the idea? You want to know how to dance Tango. But you really don’t want to learn.

The problem here is that you’re trying to find a shortcut. (Oh, how we all love shortcuts.) In your very, very optimistic fantasy scenario, you have yourself comfortably convinced that you can just “pick up” the material without first dealing with the underlying skills and techniques that make it work. People say it’s not possible, but you know better. Unlike the rest of the world, you’ve got what it takes to fast-track your way past the small stuff.

Except, of course, that you don’t.

Knowing Tango — which is the goal — happens by means of learning Tango. Knowing is the end result (for most of us somewhere in the distant future). Learning is the very specific, very intense process by which we hope to eventually get there.

So … we come back to the question we asked at the beginning: Do you really want to learn how to dance Tango? The next time you blow off a chance to come into a basic class, and choose the advanced class instead, ask yourself that question. Really ask yourself: “Do I want to know, or do I want to learn?”

And while you’re at it, take a deep breath and try to remember: If you learn, you can eventually arrive at knowing. If you opt for knowing without learning, you might as well eat, drink and be merry, brothers and sisters — because there’s no Tango for you tomorrow.

Please join us for our Saturday Practica at Dardo Galletto Studios, 151 West 46^th Street (between 6^th and 7^th Avenues), 11^th floor; 2-4pm, $10 per person. (Bringing a partner isn't necessary.) Pat and I will both be on hand to answer any questions you may have about your dancing, and to help you with material you're working on. Plus you get a new “must-have” tango move each week! If you’d like a private lesson, you can visit our website at www.franchesleigh.com, call Fran directly at 212-662-7692, or email him at franchesleigh@mac.com Join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/franchesleighllc

The following folks helped set up, break down and clean up before and after the milonga. Without them, there would be no Firehouse Tango.

• Steve Turi
• Lynn Gross
• Barbara Lombardi
• Tsipoyra Sartan
• Jesse Barton
• Steve Maisch
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