After years of ballroom dance lessons, by husband and I still dance whenever we have the opportunity. But besides dancing ourselves, we enjoy watching other, who are much better, dance as well.
My favorite dance is the tango. We never danced a true Argentine tango, we danced more of American ballroom tango. We did learn a few basic and important tango steps like the ochos (figure eight swivels), corte (a sort of forward lunge for the woman), and the gancho (hook a leg around your partner’s leg).
Although we never became proficient in our tango, we have enjoyed watching others dance it professionally. I loved the tango scenes in the movies Zorro and True Lies. But to be honest Antonio Bandaras dancing a tango is quite nice whether it is in Evita, Take the Lead or Zorro.
A favorite for me is the tango between Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez in Shall We Dance. MY husband and I both loved that movie. It was so fun to watch an awkward man, uncomfortable with dance, become better throughout the movie. This tango is the start of his ability to actually dance. The movie reflects my husband’s improvement. He started out not knowing anything about dance. But now he loves to dance.
Tango in Buenos Aires. You can see the band above the dancers.
We have been to Montevideo, Uruguay, and Buenos Aires, Argentina, the two cities where researchers believe tango was created in the 19th century. Of course, we had to go see a true tango, which we did while we were in Buenos Aires. It was excellent. The dance is so quick in Argentina, unlike the slow dance we do in American ballroom tango.
The group dances were invigorating, but I loved the performances best when it was just one couple on the stage dancing together. This is the moment that I thought I saw true tango. This is the tango I wish I could dance!
I also love the music in tango! At the tangos I have seen, musicians play the guitar and the bandoneon, which is a small accordion-like instrument. But I have also seen when even more instruments are played, including violins, flutes and piano in addition to the guitar and bandoneon.
The group we saw in Malaga, Spain.
Instruments also play a part in Flamenco. The guitar and a drum to sound the beat are usually played. Flamenco, which is a much older dance from at least the 18th century, is another dance we enjoy watching. No one knows exactly how it started, except that it was different groups of people who came together in Andalusia, southern Spain, and the Flamenco was born. For me in was interesting that there might even be a Sephardi Jewish influence in the dance.
The woman in the red scarf sang with such emotion.
But Flamenco, unlike tango, has other important part besides the dancing. There is the singer, who sings a story with unleashed pathos. Also, unlike Tango, one person can dance Flamenco, without a partner.
We have seen Flamenco danced in Barcelona, Spain; Malaga, Spain; and at a performance in Kansas! That surprised me as well. But the group who came to a local college was wonderful and the performance was packed.
I admit that some of the Flamenco shows I have seen were touristy. But even in these some of the performances were extraordinary. Flamenco is not a dance you can just learn for social dancing. This takes intense emotion, training and experience. However, you can still watch and appreciate the performance.
I will admit that to me the Flamenco reminds me of a belly dance or Arabic dance performance. This is something I do know, as in my younger days I took years of Arabic dance lessons. Like Flamenco, the older Arabic dance is a form of folk dancing, this one originating in Egypt. I see in this dance and the Flamenco the movements of the torso and the hips and the intense emotion of the dancing and the artist. It is also another dance, unlike ballroom dancing, where one person dances alone intent in his or her own emotions.
As I was doing research for my blog, I saw that there is a theory that this type of Arabic dance is one of the elements that combined together to create the Flamenco.
I love dancing. But just like when I go to a ballet, and realize I cannot do what the wonderful dancers can do. I realize I can enjoy the performance, which is exactly what I do when I see tango, Flamenco and Arabic dance programs.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentine_tango
https://www.tejastango.com/terminology.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b24a_2NPleg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flamenco
https://www.britannica.com/art/flamenco
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibaPTk0D5Xg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belly_dance
zicharonot 
I have two left feet and although I like to dance, I’ve no idea what I am doing, but I do enjoy watching others
My husband over cane this!