The Heart of Tango - An Independant Film by Johnny Robinson

The Dance

In the middle of the night, on the dance floor, something happens that tango dancers are always struggling to explain: utter absorption, deep connection, a cathartic loss of self, a three minute love affair. We know the experience, but it is as hard to convey to non-dancers, as parenting is to non-parents.

Argentine tango, is very misunderstood. It is not a ballroom dance. It is not the silly flamboyant strutting in tacky, glitter, that we see satirized in the movies.

Rather it is a barroom dance; the blues of Argentina. Immigrant workers desperately clutched the very sparse supply of women that were available to comfort them. Even today, when tango is a growing world wide phenomena, it is all about solace and comfort. It is a very personal experience where a man and woman, who may be total strangers, offer their sorrows to each other, alone in a crowd. When I was single, I realized how much this dance still achieves it's original function. It filled a void; making me feel like I had a woman in my life.

The Heart of Tango attempts to convey this experience. The feeling of tango is rooted in the core of it's definition. Tango fundamentals including; posture, the tango walk, lead & follow, improvisation and musicality, create this emotional state by requiring total focus on the partner and the music.

I am not argentine, so I can only honestly express this dance from my perspective as a member of this very global community. Tango has always been an evolving folk art. Its exists in many forms, traditional and modern. Although I did include a show-tango performance in the credits, it is essentially a social dance. Tango is defined by its core purpose; to enact the language of seduction and solace that exists between men and women.

Johnny Robinson

Stills from the movie

It is very easy to find tango on the web for every major city. Here are some links specifically related to The Heart Of Tango.