Tango is A Walk with Love in your Heart
By Elena Pankey

All who love Tango have their own Tango stories. I came into this world because of Tango. My mother met her only love (a Greek man) on the dance floor of a small town on the Black Sea, south of Russia. My parents liked to dance Tango. Tango gave them passion and love, and it gave the life to me.

Argentine Tango music deeply talks from heart to heart about different sides of life and love. It is constantly changing; and like in real life, it has difficulties. My parents did not stay together long, and my mother did not live a long life. Tango later came to me in several different periods of my life. Only now, looking back, I can connect all these small separate pieces and make the whole picture, and see why and how I came to Tango or why Tango chose me.

First, we had a bandoneon at home. My grandfather brought this strange (accordion like) musical instrument from Germany after World War II, even tried to teach me to play it. Then when I was 10 years old, I attended a Young Pioneers summer camp. In the evenings on the dance floor people gathered for dance and talk, and on some days children were allowed to come. Tango was very fashionable at that time. One night the crowd was especially tight and noisy, reacting very strongly to what was happening on the dance floor. I tried to come closer, but saw crazy and strange leg movements, which were doing different tricks under the exciting and passionate music. (To read the complete article, please see the August/September 2008 issue of Dance San Diego.)

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