{"id":6680,"date":"2024-11-14T10:58:00","date_gmt":"2024-11-14T15:58:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/?p=6680"},"modified":"2025-01-14T11:06:28","modified_gmt":"2025-01-14T16:06:28","slug":"idiomart-rediscovering-romance-one-tango-step-at-a-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/index.php\/2024\/11\/14\/idiomart-rediscovering-romance-one-tango-step-at-a-time\/","title":{"rendered":"IdiomART &#8211; Rediscovering Romance One Tango Step at a Time"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"6680\" class=\"elementor elementor-6680\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6e21fb0 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"6e21fb0\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;content_width&quot;:&quot;boxed&quot;}\" data-core-v316-plus=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a8e5b9c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a8e5b9c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.19.0 - 29-01-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Photos courtesy of IdiomArt<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-90d6d52 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"90d6d52\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;content_width&quot;:&quot;boxed&quot;}\" data-core-v316-plus=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0915315 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"0915315\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;content_width&quot;:&quot;full&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0f78bf3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0f78bf3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;I still can&#8217;t believe you agreed to tango lessons,&#8221; I called out to my husband from the bathroom, barely able to contain my excitement as I got ready for our first date in what felt like forever.<\/p><p>I\u2019m sure I couldn\u2019t have concealed my nerves either, since I\u2019ve always viewed myself as a spectacularly inept dancer. &#8220;Well, we needed to do something, according to Dr. Daniel,&#8221; Michael said as we checked comms with our son on our way out the door.\u00a0 Nico was just happy to have an evening to play video games and eat delivery pizza without us.<\/p><p>Our son\u2019s doctor recently emphasized the importance of doing more activities together\u2026 without him. He just turned 13 and needs to develop more autonomy.\u00a0 He\u2019s our only child so letting go has been hard for me, which is why I needed a professional to point it out.<\/p><p>Michael spends most of his free time on his bike trainer and I\u2019m a social butterfly so often I just go out without him.\u00a0 We joke that he\u2019s my \u201cSnuffleupagus\u201d (the creature in Sesame Street that only Big Bird could see so no one believed he really existed).\u00a0 We struggle to find time to do things together and I sometimes feel like I have limited access to him &#8211; that he\u2019s always so busy. When the newsletter came from IdiomArt announcing tango lessons, I didn\u2019t think he&#8217;d be game for it.\u00a0 I was wrong.\u00a0<\/p><p>On our way to the first lesson, the late afternoon sun in Cuenca cast a golden glow over the town. Amid the bustle of post-almuerzo activity and the picturesque cobblestones and buildings of El Centro, walking a mile to class was dreamy.\u00a0<\/p><p>When we reached idiomART, the studio was alive with music and laughter.\u00a0 We were greeted by the effervescent Sarah HB, idiomART Director. Luis and Greisi, our elegant Venezuelan tango instructors, welcomed us warmly. The room was filled with couples which was reassuring because I promised Michael he wouldn\u2019t have to dance with anyone else.\u00a0 All the men looked so nervous. I guess I wasn\u2019t the only one who lacked dancing confidence.\u00a0 There were a few single women as well and everyone was chatting animatedly. \u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d365954 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"d365954\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;content_width&quot;:&quot;full&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4b25234 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"4b25234\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.19.0 - 29-01-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_3269-768x1024.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-6683\" alt=\"Rediscovering Romance One Tango Step at a Time\" srcset=\"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_3269-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_3269-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_3269-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_3269-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_3269-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a788170 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a788170\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;Bienvenidos a todos!&#8221; Luis called out. &#8220;Esta noche comenzamos con los pasos b\u00e1sicos. \u00a1Encuentran a sus parejas!&#8221;<\/p><p>Michael gave me a confident smile as I tried to suppress the nagging thought that I would trip over my own feet.\u00a0 I always get turned around in step exercise classes.\u00a0 Michael\u2019s mom teaches Zumba and we join her when we visit.\u00a0 Not because I want to demonstrate my glaring inability to follow her moves, but because I like my mother-in-law and it makes her happy. But it\u2019s also how I\u2019m reminded annually that I suck at it.<\/p><p>Starting with simple steps, to my surprise Michael was not half bad. We took dance classes 20+ years ago before our wedding so we wouldn\u2019t embarrass ourselves in front of friends and family.\u00a0\u00a0 I couldn\u2019t manage the salsa but we did a passable waltz and were spared shame on our big day. People even said we were pretty good when we busted out with our favorite move, \u201cthe triple twinkle\u201d.<\/p><p>As the lesson progressed, Luis and Greisi borrowed Michael to demonstrate leading for the single women &#8211; something I told him he wouldn\u2019t have to do.\u00a0 Oops.\u00a0 However, I watched with pride and amusement as my usually introverted husband tangoed with ease, earning praise and applause from the other students.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3516d8f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3516d8f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f7c22ed e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"f7c22ed\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;content_width&quot;:&quot;boxed&quot;}\" data-core-v316-plus=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-eceb335 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"eceb335\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_3220-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-6684\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_3220-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_3220-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_3220-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_3220-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_3220-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cf57aca e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"cf57aca\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;content_width&quot;:&quot;boxed&quot;}\" data-core-v316-plus=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7c94805 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"7c94805\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;content_width&quot;:&quot;full&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8aaf840 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8aaf840\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<blockquote><p>&#8220;Look at him,&#8221; one of the women said, winking at me. &#8220;He&#8217;s really good!&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fb83bb0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"fb83bb0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>I, on the other hand, felt like my brain was working overtime to make my feet do the right steps. But as I danced with Michael, something unexpected happened. He was a better leader than I had anticipated, guiding me with confidence and patience. I relaxed and actually started to enjoy dancing. I wasn&#8217;t as hopeless as I thought.<\/p><p>We were both smiling as we walked home through the now dark streets of Cuenca.<\/p><blockquote><p>&#8220;I can&#8217;t believe how much I enjoyed that,&#8221; Michael said as we strolled hand in hand.<\/p><\/blockquote><p>Tango became the thing that we looked forward to every week. We laughed at our mistakes, celebrated our victories, and enjoyed the community of fellow tangueros.<\/p><p>Our teachers, Luis and Greisi, deserve all the credit though.\u00a0 Despite their limited English in a class of mostly gringos, they demonstrated the moves multiple times and were very patient with us, making every lesson a pleasure.\u00a0 We even practiced at home, much to Nico&#8217;s horror.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-61b0373 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"61b0373\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;content_width&quot;:&quot;full&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c80b23e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c80b23e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: left;\">&#8220;Come on, buddy, join us!&#8221; I joked, resulting in the kind of dramatic eye rolls only a teenager can muster.<\/p><p>One night on our walk home Michael said, &#8220;You know, I think Dr. Daniel was onto something. This is really fun.&#8221;I agreed and took his hand.<\/p><p>The power of tango, or any social dance, lies in its ability to create an intimate and wordless connection between two people, weaving their movements into a harmonious flow that transcends verbal communication.\u00a0<\/p><p>And the power of community, something that idiomART has created and maintained with each new event, class, workshop, is not to be underestimated.\u00a0<\/p><blockquote><p style=\"text-align: left;\">I love watching Michael interact with others in a social setting, something I don\u2019t see him do at home.\u00a0 It reminds me why I married him.\u00a0 He can be quite charming when he tries.<\/p><\/blockquote><p>We don\u2019t aim to be great dancers, only to enjoy each other and the moments we share, which, as busy parents, seems to be harder to find these days. In that music and laughter-filled studio and on our peaceful walks through this magical little city, we found a new shared interest and a little extra joy.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Photos courtesy of IdiomArt &#8220;I still can&#8217;t believe you agreed to tango lessons,&#8221; I called out to my husband from the bathroom, barely able to contain my excitement as I got ready for our first date in what felt like forever. I\u2019m sure I couldn\u2019t have concealed my nerves either, since I\u2019ve always viewed myself [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":6681,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,54,57],"tags":[97,531,533,532],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6680"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6680"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6680\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6698,"href":"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6680\/revisions\/6698"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6681"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6680"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6680"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6680"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}