Learning the dance of love on Whidbey Island

Published 3:19 pm Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Tango.

The word itself is evocative.

It brings to mind the image of dancers entwined — elegant, sensuous, rhythmic and full of passion — with all the history of Argentina dripping from their embrace.

On one recent evening in Langley, David Imburgia and Andrea Binder were in such an embrace, dancing through the figures of the Argentine tango in a small private dance studio. The accordion-like sound of a bandoneon brayed from the speakers as he guided her every slide and turn, keeping her close, moving his feet to move hers, imperceptibly signaling her with his body, she following like some piloted wind of fluidity in high, glittered heels.

It was a tango lesson at Imburgia’s “Tango Popolare,” which he teaches on Whidbey Island, with the help of Binder. The next session of six classes will begin March 25.

Imburgia discovered tango in 2001, when he began taking lessons with a small group.

“I made slow and steady progress,” Imburgia said.

“I discovered that tango offers closeness, with sophistication and respect, and offers also the great music of the tango.”

Imburgia kept at it. The music finally broke through to his body, and he became confident that he could actually learn to tango. When the teacher moved away, he fell in position to lead the group.

“I began taking more lessons to share with the other students,” he said, “and then suddenly realized

I was a tango instructor.”

The more he taught, the more he studied, and soon Imburgia found that his balance had improved, he had lost weight and he had more confidence.

But what was most significant was that the music continued to reach him, and his body responded.

Tango and its expressive bandoneon music came out of Argentina around the late 19th century. In Buenos Aires, the dance became an integral part of the city’s character, and couples could be seen there dancing in it’s legendary cafés, or at milongas — venues where the tango is danced — in and around the city’s neighborhoods through the mid-20th century. When Argentina’s government changed from a dictatorship to a democracy in the 1980s, its people experienced a revitalization of hope and positivity. During that time there was a resurgence of popularity in the tango in Argentina and, subsequently, around the world, including in the Puget Sound region.

Currently, milongas are held regularly in places such as Bellingham, Mount Vernon, Port Townsend and Seattle, and Imburgia has been part of a new tribe of tango dancers that attend regular social dances in the region. He said attending the milongas is a good way to familiarize oneself with the dance; to listen to the music and to practice.

Words fail to tell the story of such a dance, he said.

“Tango is something to see, rather than to describe,” Imburgia noted. “It’s like trying to describe the color red to someone.”

Imburgia teaches a series of basic tango classes that is based on balance and quality of movement. The key, he said, is patience ,and he emphasizes the connection between the man — the leader — and the woman — the follower.

Although Imburgia said he is challenged to describe the feeling one gets from dancing the tango, he stressed that it is the connection between the dancers that is vital to the dance’s execution and feel.

“We dancers in this style do not just dance to tango music, we feel tango moments. There can be, and often is, a spiritual connection in tango. Partners are not just leaders and followers, but are on a musical journey together,” Imburgia said.

“This connection is one humans long for, on one level or another. Tango is one way to accomplish sharing this sensation of connection.”

Tango Popolare’s “Basics of Tango” with Imburgia and Binder will be from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Fridays for six classes beginning March 25 at the Wellness Center at Ken’s Korner in Clinton. Advance registration is required. The session costs $80 for the six classes, and intermediate dancers can drop in for $15 per class. No partner or previous experience is required.

Call Imburgia at 360-708-8076, or e-mail him at secure@cnw.com to find out more or to register.

Imburgia will host a “Tango Experience Milonga” from 8 to 11:30 p.m. on Saturday,March 19 at the Presence Studio at 1412 Cornwall St. in Bellingham.

For all Bellingham tango events, visit www.allbellinghamtango.com, and for those in Seattle visit www.allseattletango.com.