First East Anglian Tao Tango Weekend (19-21 October)

I am already looking forward to the Second such weekend! Paul and Paras are wonderful inventive teachers (www.tangoatelier.com). The weekend was organised by Jenny and Madeline and took place in Whitwell Hall Country Centre. This is set in the middle of an old wood (which featured in some of the workshops). It was a camp, so bunk beds, all food included, and a very friendly, supportive atmosphere due to the excellent organisation and the approach that Paul and Paras take to their tango teaching.
This is not a weekend to learn new steps although there was plenty of opportunities to dance all the steps you know in some lovely milongas and workshops. It is about taking tango to another mental level. We spent time walking around the wood, trying to examine it as if we had never seen it before, and translating this into a new attitude to tango. We had workshops where we were restricted in the steps we could use, so that we thought in terms of interpretation. We stood in a circle and conducted some music. Nobody was content to just beat time, we all brought in different instruments and responded to the dynamics of the music, so we should do this when we dance.
So if your tango thinking is just what steps to do next or what decoration to apply, then this weekend is for you, so that you can take your tango to another level.
I had to persuade Begonia to come to this weekend but I knew she would appreciate Paul and Paras' philosophy. She did, and expressed to them and to me, how much she enjoyed the weekend.
It was good to meet up with Sharon and Jim, which involved red wine, crisps, nibbles and lots of laughs!