Reclaiming Femininity: The Female Brain and Art of Tango
Tango is a traditional dance deeply embedded in the fabrics of our society. Originating in the 1880s, it is a partner dance that requires a leader and a follower. Traditionally, the male takes on the role of the leader. The male leads the dance, exuding masculinity while protecting his partner. The female, while being the highlight of the dance, becomes the follower. She remains agile throughout the dance, beautifying the dance routine and amping the seduction.
Tango has sparked thousands of conversations about stereotypes and gender roles in society. In today's world, where we have discussions about the roles society imposes on men and women, does this seemingly gendered dance have a place in this era? When men and women both break the barriers and surpass expectations every day, does tango work as a tool to take men and women back to old-fashioned notions of gender?
There is a lot of discourse about tango and the role it plays in gender expression. While it is typically between male and female dancers, it is, at its very core, a beautiful dance that practices the fine art of seduction regardless of gender. Its fluid movements empower both men and women in expressing their masculinity and femininity. The tango unites both the male and female in a timeless dance, telling a story of love, seduction, and art.
Femininity and Masculinity in Tango
Perhaps because of physical differences, men are assigned to the leader role. They are usually physically taller and more robust. They are the ones mostly assigned to do the lifting. While social tango does not require heavy lifting or extreme gymnastics, on top of the proper technique some strength is still needed during colgadas and volcadas.
As the one responsible for creating the main structure and flow of the dance, the leader becomes the foundation of the dance. While the woman makes the dance beautiful with her flexible and agile movements, the leader becomes the strong pillar. He navigates their way around the dance floor and guides them seamlessly among other dancers. He knows how to enchant her, read her mood, and adjust her body.
The leader's musicality is actually one of the most critical aspects of the dance. His timing dictates her timing. If they are out of sync right from the very beginning, they will not execute the dance flawlessly. He must have an excellent sense of rhythm and timing. A good leader knows how to read his partner’s vibe. He unites what he senses from her as they move as a couple on the dance floor. Once he nails down his timing with the music, he makes it easier for his partner to keep pace.
Women commonly choose a follower role in tango. While some might raise eyebrows at this, women are more naturally graceful than men. They are more willowy, flexible, and agile when it comes to executing dance forms. Most would say this is conforming to old-fashioned notions of gender. However, this can also be seen as a celebration of female beauty. Women can be leaders. At the same time, they can be followers in the dance and still be seen as figures of power and beauty.
The follower knows what their partner conveys in small yet precise movements such as the subtle shift in his torso, the way he places his foot, torsions, intensions, and other non-verbal cues. There exists almost a telepathic link between the dancers. When one shifts even the tiniest bit, the other knows how to react and adjust. With only a few movements, they can converse with each other about how to execute the dance routine.
The main misconception about tango is the role of the follower. Being a follower does not mean less. It takes creativity, ingenuity, and in-depth knowledge of the dance to intuitively follow their partner's lead. Being the follower requires focus and a deep understanding of the dance to respond to the lead and take dynamic action in alignment with the music.
The follower's greatest strength is her ability to move with the music instinctively. While the man leads her, she can adjust her steps to the beat and be more expressive. Being creative while remaining in harmony with the lead requires strength not all people realize.
Tango isn’t just a leader and follower, though. There are three participants in every tango: the leader, the follower, and the music. The music inspires the leader to create the dance while it inspires the follower to add embellishments and flavor. Together, the couple times their movements according to the rhythm and melody of the music.
Tango is a dance of giving and taking. It is not just about the leader. It is also not just about the follower. Tango encourages partnership and forging connections through dance. He brings out her femininity while she brings out his masculinity. The dance serves to express both the masculine and feminine arts found in every person.
Women's Brain vs. Men's Brain
The myth that women are from Venus while men are from Mars, although a great metaphor is unsurprisingly inaccurate. Gina Rippon, an acclaimed psychologist, looked at over 1,400 brain scans and found no brains entirely female and no brains completely male. In the end, a human brain is a human brain.
However, Mo Gawdat and Anahita Moghaddam take an honest look at the differences between a female brain and a male brain. While this does not apply to all men and all women, there are still differences in the way men and women perceive and react to their realities. Men can have more affinity with algorithmic thinking and be more linear. On the other hand, women can make more connections, see the bigger picture, regulate their attention to details, and be more intuitive.
These differences among female and male brains are not meant to be seen as one being weaker than the other. Men and women can both have similar and different strengths and weaknesses. Tango uses the strengths of both the male and the female to create something beautiful and extraordinary. It does not treat women as less or men as more. It creates a partnership between them, celebrating the differences as they complement each other.
Because society is fixated on empowering women by only taking on masculine traits, we become the mirrors of misogynists that impose what a woman (or a man) can be and should be. We end up hiding any feminine traits, viewing them as “less.”
While tango requires a traditional male and female role, it is essentially a sensual art that expresses the beauty of both masculinity and femininity. Masculinity wouldn't be prevalent without the presence of femininity. These two elements work to complement each other. For the art to be seductive, it needs masculinity to amplify femininity even more and vice versa.
Tango encourages a steady flow between the masculine and feminine arts. It encourages the dancers to connect with what’s inside and develop empathy for others.
How Tango Reclaims Femininity
Feminism is all about freedom and equality. Women should feel empowered as they embody feminine energy while receiving masculine energy in return. This shouldn't be considered any less than women wanting to be more assertive and non-conformist. Both can co-exist without harming the other. Women should be encouraged to take up space in any form or shape they choose.
Tango empowers women to embrace their femininity — not just in the form of high heels or flaring skirts. Tango celebrates female energy by providing an avenue where women can execute intricate and delicate dance moves. These dance moves enable them to practice grace and precision.
The gender play between a woman dancing with a man (or even a woman who adopts the masculine lead role) gives them the room to accept female sensuality and see it as a powerful tool to be wielded, rather than feel ashamed of. Tango glorifies what it feels like to be female and own it.
Tango trains women to stand up straight and own their space. It helps them gain a powerful physical presence that only a few dances can pull off. While tango needs a leader and a follower, it is a dance of equals. Both leader and follower give something to each other, unifying them. Without proper communication between partners, the dance would become a mere exercise.
The follower is not considered as the lesser role. Because if it weren't for followers, the dance wouldn't be as beautiful as it is. In tango, the follower isn't just a sexy rag doll being paraded around by their partner. The follower's role is a dynamic one that entails creativity and passion. The dance accentuates the divine female energy and respects it.
It Takes Two To Tango
Many would brush off tango as a sexist dance that perpetuates harmful stereotypes. It is easy to view tango as that. However, if we don't examine the dance and see it for what it is, we won't know what we are missing.
Tango honors shining as a woman in a male-led dance. The follower uses feminine body language to express elegance, sensuality, and dexterity. Think of tango as two-way communication between two equal dancers. The woman contributes half of the conversation and the man the other half.
It's not just about the man. It's not just about the woman. Tango recognizes both as equals. It is not just about who follows and who leads. The combination of each dancer's flourishes, swings, and interjections makes up the sensual beauty of tango.
Male or female - awaken your femininity today. Register for the class at Ultimate Tango and explore the wonderful world of tango.