The Tao of Tango by Johanna Siegmann Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Tao of Tango
Book Review: Amazing insight
Summary: 5 Stars
This little book is not just about Tango , but about the delicate balance we all strive for in our every day relationships.
It gives us permission to be who we are to express all of ourselves.
And to re-joyce in being male and female.
Excellent
Book Review: Clever & Well-Written
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is wonderful! Very well and cleverly written, with thoughtful insights, that they can certainly be used as everyday guides in strained and normal relationships just the same."
Uri Muller, Mexico City
Book Review: Dance Tango, Be Whole
Summary: 5 Stars
The Tao of Tango by Johanna Siegmann is a delightful chronicle of her discovery of the inner world of Argentine Tango - plus an insightful look at the application of Taoist philosophy to both Life and Tango.
On the surface, Tango is rooted in the sensuality and seduction that goes on between a man and a woman. But deeper things are going on. As Ms. Seigmann discovered, it is a conversation "in some language of the soul that resided in some part of me I never knew existed."
Drawing on key principles of Taoism, Ms. Siegmann shows how all people, whether men or women, are mixtures of characteristics that are either yang (masculine) or yin (feminine), and in order to be successful, in either Life or in Tango, each person must have these energies in balance within themselves. Yet in our post-Feminism world, this is rarely the case, for either gender. Johanna Siegmann discovered, as have many others, that learning to tango is much more than learning a new dance.
In order to dance tango properly, whether we are a man or a woman, we must be in touch with both our halves, both the confident masculine part, and the sensitive feminine part. Per Ms. Siegmann, "True happiness lies in the mutual embrace of both our [masculine and feminine] energies." Only when we can draw on both these qualities will our tango have the deep character for which it is so justly revered. In a real sense, it is a journey of self-discovery and healing. We find that, whether interacting on the dancefloor or in a Life relationship, having our energies in balance promises nothing less than a resolution of the age-old "battle of the sexes."
Book Review: Dances of the Heart
Summary: 5 Stars
Johanna Siegmann contrasts the exotic and flowing nature of the tango with the everyday dance in relationships that we all do in life. It's a self-help approach that appeals to the romantic in all of us. Once we realize that we're all in the dance together, Johanna pinpoints just what happens when the tango begins and how to truly enjoy your life. A great read!Book Review: Disappointed Me
Summary: 3 Stars
I've studied Taoism with some depth, and have practiced Tai Chi Chuan for 10 years. More recently I've sought to learn dancing the Argentine Tango. In all of this, I've noticed quite clearly the intersection between the principles of Taoism, Tai Chi Chuan and Tango. I'm certain that a great book could be written on the subject of that intersection. Unfortunately, this is not such a book. This book is actually a journal entry style account of the author's personal journey and self-discovery while learning to dance Tango, and thinking about the Tao. While her words sometimes impart a nice observation, the material didn't qualify for me as particularly profound or extraordinarily insightful. Maybe this would be good material to consider for someone new to Tango, or who has never thought about it deeply. I think that the title set me up to expect something else, and my hope for that something else led me to be disappointed with what the content of this book actually is. Aside from that, I thought the writing style could have been better; a lot of the emphasized text in the book distracted me from better appreciating what the author wanted to say.
In summation, the biggest obstacle that confronted me in trying to read and appreciate this book is that I was expecting, and was wanting, it to be something other than what it is. I wanted it to focus more directly on, and go more deeply into, Taoism and its relationship with Tango, which is what the title suggested to me. I could only get through two thirds of the book before giving up. Perhaps other people may find it helpful or enjoyable, but I didn't.