Dear Maleva,
I am approaching my golden years, but still love dancing. My partner and I enjoy simple ballroom dancing and weddings, but need something new to spice up our dancing lives, and to possibly impress our friends. Tango looks more challenging than the waltz or foxtrot. As elder beginners, would we look silly?
Thanks,
Have to Dance

Dear Have to Dance,

There is a nice quote about dancing in general that goes: "People don't stop dancing because they get old, they get old because they stop dancing." If you can walk, you can dance! And this is especially true for the Argentine tango.

Other dances may be more about acrobatics and feats of physical competence. Tango is different and wonderful because it is about feeling something on the inside, not showing it on the outside, and about sharing a moment with another person. They say that people dance tango the way they are and as a person with a lot of life experiences you will have a lot to express. Famed Argentine teacher and one of my biggest influences, Susana Miller (who is herself in her late 50s) said once in a workshop that in her studio she sometimes dances with her sister and with her sister's daughter. Although both of these 2 women are great dancers and dance the same style, Susana said her niece feels very different from her sister and that the older woman has many things to say through her dance that come from nostalgia, experience and wisdom in life.

There are many many people in the tango communities all over the world, especially Buenos Aires, who are in their 50s and 60s - perhaps they are even in the majority. I have danced with men who are even in their 80s, and a lot of times they are better than the younger guys!

So go out and learn to tango -- and you should never worry about looking silly when you dance, no matter how old you are!