Artistic Sublimation and Vulgarism in Tango

Humans possess a unique ability: identifying the common nature or essence of things and setting aside individual and non-essential properties to form transcendental concepts. For example, the word "woman" in human thought does not refer to any specific individual female but to an abstract idea. As Carlos Gavito once said, "She's a dream of something I want in real life, but that ideal does not have a face." Abstract thinking—though it can give rise to generalized biases like racism—is a hallmark of human cognition and the foundation of art itself. Beauty, after all, is an abstract concept. By synthesizing the shared attributes of all women, we create the image of a goddess with perfect face, figure, curves, hips, legs, softness, flexibility, sexuality, fertility, character, temperament, and intelligence—an ideal lover, companion, partner, friend, wife, and mother of human offspring (see The Conceptual Beauty of Tango).

In the process of abstraction, desirable traits are often emphasized. Artistic representations, such as portraits and statues, typically exaggerate features like fuller breasts, narrower waists, wider hips, and longer legs. This tradition spans across artistic expressions. Even the Bible captures such abstraction in verses like: "Your breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle" (Song of Songs 7:3) and "How beautiful you are and how pleasing, O love, with your delights! Your stature is like that of a palm, and your breasts like clusters of fruit" (Song of Songs 7:6–7). The woman herself echoes this imagery: "I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers. Thus I have become in his eyes like one bringing contentment" (Song of Songs 8:10).

Tango, as an art form, aligns with these exalted expressions. It elevates our shared humanity rather than diminishing it. A culture that distinguishes between decenct physical contact and vulgarity is, in my view, more civilized than one that conflates the two and condemns both. Innocent intimacy between the sexes is human, moral, and beautiful. This sentiment resonates worldwide, as seen in tango’s enduring popularity. Humanity has matured to a point where we can distinguish between healthy intimacy and obscenity. Tango women should understand that embracing their femininity to attract, please, and bring contentment to their partners is an essential part of their role in tango (see Close Embrace and Open Embrace (I)).

The same principle applies to men. As Perri Lezzoni notes in A Little Machismo Goes a Long Way: "One of the most difficult things leaders have to learn is how to put some machismo into the tango connection. The tiniest amount will do, but exuding it without offense is not easy. It is the most important spice in the stew; without it there are no women, and without women there is no tango... Machismo is the expression of a person’s inner warrior, and it is not solely manufactured by men. It is the fighter inside of us that the follower finds so alluring."

Men must recognize that what makes them attractive to women lies in the essence of their manhood, masculinity, and machismo—not in political correctness. Women naturally want to rely on our broad shoulders, melt into our strong arms, feel the strength of our muscles, admire our vitality, and enjoy our protection. It is in their nature to seduce us, capture our attention, awaken our desire, and ultimately surrender and follow. Harnessing our masculinity to support, protect, lead, comfort, and bring contentment to women is fundamental to the male role in tango (see Gender Expression in Tango).

The innocent intimacy and playful connection of tango celebrate our shared humanity. They fulfill the deep human yearning for closeness, quench our thirst for affection, and strengthen the bond between the sexes. While some critics claim that tango promotes gender inequality or sexual harassment, arguing for a "sanitized version" of tango favoring open embraces and gender neutrality, such accusations misrepresent reality. Tango dancers around the world can attest: although deeply intimate, tango is not sexual. Like ballet, figure skating, and other performing arts, tango represents an artistic sublimation. Practitioners of all art forms must distinguish between artistic sublimity and obscenity and embrace the former. For beginners, this is the first hurdle they must overcome (see Tango and Gender Equality).