The foundation of the Argentine tango lies in the creation of a fluid two-way communication between leader and follower and of defined, but complementary, roles. The best leaders understand the role of the follower, send clear signals, and set their followers up for mutual success. Strong followers read – rather than anticipate – the intention of the leader, and add their own interpretations. The resulting art form depends on a mutual understanding and vision of success.
The old masters of Argentine tango took these principles to heart. They knew that learning to lead meant never forgetting the role of the follower, who is anything but a passive participant. Aspiring dancers spent many months studying and mastering the underlying techniques and movement systems. Eventually, they learn to improvise and build on a strong foundation. Yet the psychological roots of the tango remain an ongoing focus of study.
People have different predispositions toward leading and following roles. Some feel comfortable in one or the other from the beginning, while others take more time. Some are overconfident, while others are overcautious. Partners negotiate a balance between each others’ strengths and areas that can improve. Leading and following skills extend beyond the dance floor, applying team dynamics in the workplace as well as to daily life and relationships.
Who will benefit from this workshop?
Tango for Leaders offers an innovative, experiential learning journey for businesses and other organizations that want to help leaders and their teams build:
- Leadership skills and strategies
- Team dynamics
- Self-confidence
- Communication
- Negotiation
- Adaptability
The dynamic, dance-inspired workshop creates visceral experiences of leadership skill-building that the traditional classroom cannot match. This workshop consists of:
- A simple warm-up and trust-building exercise
- Leading and following modules based on Argentine tango as well as other body-awareness and somatic techniques in which participants switch roles for a better understanding of leading and following.
- Each module sheds light on particular team dynamics and leadership skills
- Discussions among participants sharing what they have learned.