This weekend I attended a Tango Workshop at Temenos, a Retreat in McGregor. It is a  meditative and spiritual dance, based on trust, movement, communication, and growth.

Six months ago I had attended a similar beginners Tango Workshop at Temenos in McGregor, led by Rachael Glaser of Libertango. She had brought along Lizelle, so that she could demonstrate dance steps. This workshop prescribed that we dance as couples, and I was grateful that I could encourage McGregor resident and friend Michael MacKenzie to join me as my dance partner. We were a mix of novice Tango dancers, all wanting to learn more about this sensuous dance. The Tango teaches one about mindfulness, verbal and non-verbal communication, and empathy. 

Tango not just a sensual dance, but has spiritual lessons too!

For me the most spiritual aspect of the Tango is Trust, in that I as a Follower could close my eyes, and be led by Michael, and trust that he would lead me without us bumping into the other dance couples, that he is in command of the moves we were taught, and that he could use his body movements to guide and invite me to do the steps I had to do in response. To practice following, even as Leaders, we did a snake-like movement on the lawn outside our dance venue, in glorious weather. We had chosen Michael as our group Leader. Michael was a most inspired choice of dance partner, having a very good musical ear (he owns the Wahnfried theatre in McGregor), and being the best dancer in the village by far, as I discovered when I spent New Year at Temenos this year. At times Rachael would teach the Leaders a new step, or reinforce more difficult ones, in that they had to stand behind her, and sometimes we did so as Followers.

We learnt to be in balance with ourselves and as a dancing couple, grounded and centered, focused on the dance and the music, and not think of other things. Rachael told us that the Tango is a walking dance done anti-clockwise. We were taught to have a ‘bluetooth connection’ with our partner.  As a person who has very much liked to be in control, and did some other ladies on the Workshop, we as Followers had to learn to not anticipate any moves by the Leader, a wonderful challenge for us control-orientated persons. It is a lovely feeling to just let go, and I did so in having total trust in Michael. 

Temenos is a spiritual retreat which was established by Billy Kennedy twenty years ago, and he created a garden of beauty, with a number of buildings in which one can sit in silence, meditate, or read in peace. It is inhabited by a vast variety of bird life, including guinea fowl and the spiritual peacock, the emblem of Temenos. When the male peacocks proudly open their tails one just cannot help but wonder how magnificent nature is in creating such a beautiful bird. Funny to me is that nature has reversed the role of men, in that it is the male peacocks which are made to look beautiful, whilst the female peacocks are grey and dowdy!

We were fortunate to have Charles and Marie-Louis Bryant of Six Dogs Gin at the Tango Workshop, and their more recently released Blue gin was a big hit, shared over two dinners. I met Charles earlier this year at a Rio Largo Open Day outside Robertson, and learnt to taste gin neat there. The bottle has the most amazing label, by Fuel Design. The Blue Gin has about ten botanicals, and an unusual blue colour, which turns pink when Tonic is added. The gin is made on the Bryant’s farm outside Worcester. Having dancing lessons after supper on the first evening helped us relax, and made us very giggly. Today we concluded the Tango Workshop with Six Dogs Karoo Gin. 

I enjoyed the Tango Workshop tremendously, and feel far more confident to dance the Tango, and was reminded that the Tango is a dance of feeling and connection. The highlight of the Tango Workshop was learning the adornment, the sensous part of leg rubbing or ‘shoe shining’, as it is called. 

The weekend was a celebration of almost a year of visiting Temenos and participating in various workshops in this tranquil environment. I am very grateful to Graham Goble for introducing me to Temenos, and for the good times I have spent here with him. The management of Temenos was extremely kind to me this weekend and I felt very much at home. ?❤️

Temenos, Voortrekker Road, McGregor. Tel (023) 625-1871 www.temenos.org.za Twitter:@TemenosR

Libertango Dance School, 24 Bay Road, Mouille Point. Cell 082 255 7829 www.libertango.co.za Facebook: Libertango

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@Ulmenstein Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein Instagram: @Chris_Ulmenstein