La recherche de l'abandon...

Often, it is not very clear to see what is the most fascinating in tango and why we are all so willing to sacrifices when it comes to this dance. Sometimes, when you've been dancing all night, inviting someone new to share a few steps seems meaningless. Sometimes, after too many tango with the same person, you wonder what you haven't covered and what keeps you together for the nth tango.

What does get us together in the first place ? The thrill ? The moment shared ? The friendship ? The technique ? The expression of the music ?

A combination of all these point is necessary to reach the ultimate goal. But I think, all these are only a part of what drives us together. There is something more at stake. It is not just about ourselves anymore but about us and the person we are sharing the abrazo with. It is about letting go of our character into the trust we place in the other. It is about the abandonment of one's soul to each other.

This abandonment is the most beautiful thing on earth because it is the ultimate sacrifice one can make. Giving your soul is something rare; it is a gift people make only to the very few ones that we deeply and truly love. This abandonment is what make the tango so special; it is what makes it so hard to dance; why so few dances are extra-ordinary. Some gives the key to their soul more easily; Some are impenetrable and do not share; Some only accept to take; some only accept to give. But sometimes, both are ready to take and give; they decide to share and the magic begins. The air becomes denser; the music sounds sharper; our skins becomes sensitive to the slightest vibration of the other's heart. The abandonment begins like a promise; like a mighty gift; like an achievement after the greatest sacrifice.

This abandonment, I believe, we are all looking for it in the diversity of its masks, in the diversity of its voices, in the diversity of its touches. This is the state we all dream of, but still the one we are scared to reach. Because reaching it is scary. Reaching it and the good old question comes back: "what if ?" But shall note necessarily happen: by sharing more and more, one finally manages to see that abandonment is not such an uncommon thing. It is the most familiar thing of all. We abandon our soul to our family, to our best friends, to those we love, whenever we need to feel safe and home, whenever we need to get our hearts warmed up against the cold of life.

Those you can believe into the dance, those you allow yourself to share your soul with and that respect it: those people, are part of our hearts. They become our imperial guard... They are those who will fight for us. They are those worth fighting for...

Den haag, le 3 septembre 2008,

Maël Gormand

PS. To illustrate what I mean, I recommend watching "Un Homme Et Une Femme" of "Claude Lelouch", a brilliante film where this text originates from...