Desire and its most subtle nuances are expressed through one’s hands and one’s eyes.
Why are hands “forbidden” in tango, and why are the eyes drawn to the floor, soon followed by the head and finally one’s axis? As the body cascades downward, the “partnership” between the couple loses its importance, and the steps, which should be considered “the skin of the dance”, become the protagonist.
When the hands and eyes “become silent” the couple disappears. That’s what happens during those moments when we feel that the chemistry is missing, that “nothing is happening.”
The pleasure of recognizing oneself in the other is the marvel of milonguero tango. The couple is not subservient to the steps, the steps are there to serve the couple.
The social dances evoke love and tenderness, desire that is never completely satisfied, where hands and eyes become filled like empty bowls. The steps are only the shell. We dance tirelessly as if drugged to repeat the sensation of everything and nothing at the same time.
The body and the soul are partners in the dance; they are the source of its inspiration. The eyes and hands are its doors. When the mind interferes, the soul withdraws and the doors close.
Freeing the mind fills one’s hands and eyes with intention. When these are dimmed, all that remains of the dance is an empty face, wearing a lot of makeup.
Translation by Karen R. Simon
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