Tango y Madness

At the begining of 2002, I walked into Sidewalk Tango's studio to have my first ever tango lesson. At around the same time, I had a mental breakdown and started on a course of anti depressants and psychiatry. Thus began a strange and difficult year. I remember catching up with my dear friend, Andy Doherty on the phone mid that year and when I had brought him up to speed, I finished by saying that "so far my life was only tango and madness."

Sometimes I think the 2 go hand in hand. My life now-nearly four years on- is so consumed by tango. I no longer take medication and ditched Dr Brendan long ago when I bored of talking about my mother. I now consume forward and backward ochos, voleos,ganchos and occassionally, volcados. A 3 minute spin in close embrace with a stranger is bliss (unless he has bad breath and/or BO- see blog 'If you're going to tango'). I've turned my obsession to shoes and the words 'Comme Il Fait' make me drool and hyperventilate... I look forward to March where a few of us are going to Buenos Aires, which is Mecca for tango obsessives. I dream of dancing every day, cafe con leches at Cafe Tortoni, buying a suitcase full of shoes and piropas in the street from los chicos as I walk by.

Sanity is a matter of opinion. I express my thoughts and I am deemed 'crazy'- George W Bush and Co invade countries and commit mass murder and this is deemed 'necessary'. I have decided to embrace myself and dance for the rest of my life. This is what I have control of.