Aneya: I love dance in general, and have been dancing since I was young. I'd never done any real Latin dances, and tango has intrigued me from the very beginning. We were told that Chileans don't really dance, that's what the Argentineans do (after all, tango did originate in Buenos Aires) but I was hopeful we'd find something here in Santiago.
Lauren: We told Daniela about our interest, and she said her uncle was really into tango. She would talk to him. I'm so glad we told her because her aunt and uncle were definitely tango pros and they showed us great moves.
Aneya: I'd seen a tango show when I was in Barcelona, and I absolutely loved it. The fluidity of the movements, the fancy footwork, the sensuality of the dance. I wanted to learn! And Daniela, as always, had the hookup. Lauren and I got all dolled up (which I haven't done in some time. I love the process of getting ready for a big night out, and I missed it. I'd literally forgotten how to put makeup on, I swear to god. We both felt overdressed in the end, but we didn't care. We looked good!) and made our way to the club.
Lauren: We showed up at this tiny tango bar and the owner really didn't seem interested in letting us in. We were with Daniela's cousin (Daniela and her uncle hadn't shown up yet) and when she said she was his niece, he flung the doors open, rearranging the furniture to accommodate the large party that we would be with (we were with a large party?).
Aneya: The bar looked closed, actually. But when we mentioned Jorge's name, the man practically bowed down to us, ushering us in with glee. Jorge was the magic word, apparently. The place was empty, but it was only 9, I figured everything starts later here.
Lauren: Daniela's aunt happily taught us the eight-step basic tango move, and Tio Jorge definitely made us practice. Every song he would make one of us practice our new moves! And if we would slip or want to sit down, we could not! The music was still playing! It was amazing.
Aneya: Daniela's aunt and uncle were the coolest couple I think I've ever met. Married for 20 years and yet still dancing the night away, their spirit and exuberance seemed never ending. I was blown away, watching them dance together. They were like one being, gliding across the dance floor, with such grace and elegance. Her aunt was flipping her heel around like nobody's business, twisting and turning her body with such sensuality. They danced close, and never once looked down at their feet, the steps permanently embedded in their minds.
Lauren: We ended up doing all kinds of dance -- or trying to. Meringue, traditional Chilean cuecas, salsa, Spanish flamenco, and the hardest tango.
Aneya: Tio Jorge graciously asked all the girls to dance at one point, after Tia had shown us the moves. Let me just say: tango is so much harder than it looks. The two of them made it look easy, but it's not. It's a rigid dance, and one misstep ruins the entire thing. Tio was a tough teacher, but a good one, and by the end I think I had it! (At least those 8 basic steps) For some reason both Lauren and I kept trying to lead, which frustrated the men we were dancing with. We did it totally unconsciously, but still, it was a funny thing to see.
Lauren: It was an excellent night, and Daniela's family were really wonderful patiently teaching us our new moves. And Daniela's aunt and uncle were so sweet together. But we definitely haven't had our fill of the tango just yet.
Aneya: At one point the music changed, and they started playing more exotic, Latin flare. This time everyone got up to dance. Meringue, salsa, now these were dances I could do. Just feeling the music and letting your body take over, that's how I like to dance. You're less rigid, it's more about the twirls (which I love) and lots of hip action. I really liked both of those, although tango has a more sophisticated feel to it. The traditional Chilean cuecas dance was also really fun to watch. I involves white napkin-like things being twirled in the air, the partners circling each other like predators, their eyes only on each other.
By the end of the night, we were all exhausted, but excited too. I wanted to learn more! I wanted to prove I could tango. Well, we'll definitely be taking more classes, and by the end of this journey I'll come home, a tango dancing queen.
-- Aneya & Lauren
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