I don’t want to base on our wonderful leaders, but this is a great opportunity to share some opinions.

As we progress and learn about the dance, the details of a lead become more important to communicate the leader’s intentions. If followers learn to assume with some people what is expected, we jump to the same assumption later with another leader who meant something entirely different.

One of the beauties of tango and what sets it apart from other dances is the pure communication between two people. It is, and should be, different for every two people and change every time they dance together. It might be effected by mood, emotions, the music, lighting, time of day, anything.

As with many other examples in life, if you are there for the moment to experience the dance, it cannot be forced into what a leader invisions, because it doesn’t exist yet. It is whatever happens when a lead is received and answered. Have you ever asked a question to someone who didn’t hear you correctly and they give you something entirely different than you asked, but very interesting anyway. And likely something you wouldn’t have thought to ask. It can take a conversation in a completely different direction than planned, and sometimes improve it greatly.

I’ve noticed that many leaders get frustrated when a lead move doesn’t work like they wanted. And even more so when the next follower (and the next) don’t do it right either. It may be a vague lead. It may be the followers. It doesn’t matter. Something happened. Enjoy it and go on.

Some leaders, perhaps in desperation or desire for clarity, have choosen to communicate their intentions through words, and will tell the follower what they want. “OK, now a boleo…” To steal your art metaphor, you can’t tell a piece of clay to make itself into a vase.

Neither can you maintain the physical communication with interruptions (such as instructions).

Mistakes will happen. Miscommunications will happen. It doesn’t matter and it doesn’t make it any less beautiful.