Southern Cross Tango Classes - Mitcham

An Australian woman enjoying the sights in Buenos Aires, the largest city in Argentina. But this is no holiday for Adrienne Jarvis. She's here from Adelaide to hone her technique in one of the most sensual of danceforms, the Tango. Her Argentinian teacher, Demian Garcia takes her through some new steps in one of the old Milongas or dancehalls to be found in the city.

And whether it's here or on the streets of Beunos Aires the influence of tango is everywhere. Back in Adelaide, and Adrienne freely admits that her passion borders on the obsessive. It was while studying fine arts at Monash University that Adrienne first became enthralled firstly with the music of Tango and then the dance and it's an obsession which has now become her livelihood.

Several nights a week she and partner Andrew Gill take over an old community centre at Mitcham.

"With all our weight on our right foot girls, bring our left leg up and down to the floor. Stepping around over the man's foot and returning to the cross and finishing. Very nice everybody"

The Tango is all about harmony of movement, two bodies moving in unison. But unlike many other dances, there is no one set piece, no choreographed set of steps cast in stone. In the Argentian Tango you can improvise, using a host of creative moves to transport each dancer to another place and another time.

"And there's an intensity about it which is great. You have all these fantastic dramatic pauses, drama and passion. Drama and passion yes, perfect couple therapy"

"Tango for some reason improves your balance considerably"

"OK, is that because of the concentration do you think?"

"I think it's concentration and the fact that you have to be balanced otherwise you'd fall over"

Some novices almost do, while others are away in a flourish of steps which date back to the turn of the century when the city of Argentina underwent enormous growth as migrants flooded into this thriving metropolis. Most were men.

At one point, men outnumbered women by four to one and in this ethnic melting pot, the poorer Argentinean developed their own fusion on music and dance.

"Originally it had a seedy side to it. It was in the brothels and because there were so many men and not enough women the men used to practice together to become very good to impress the ladies. So it was sort of generally looked down upon. It took quite a while for it to be an acceptable thing to do in Buenos Aires"

Now it's one of the more exotic dances and when done well, the combination of music and dance can be mesmerising. Southern Cross Tango conducts regular lessons at Mitcham and Prospect.

For details contact Adrienne on 0419-309-439.

For more information email info@postcards-sa.com.au