Assassination tango

By Tom Quiner

God has given me some distinctive gifts.

Dancing isn’t one of them.

I love music. I write music constantly, including 8 musicals, hundreds of songs, three Mass settings, and even a symphony in three movements.

Put me on a dance, and well, just don’t look! My arms flail while my hips seem immobile. My fingers snap while my feet plod.

I should take dance lessons, but I’m one of those guys that would need foot outlines on the floor to show me EXACTLY where to step. My lovely wife is advised to wear Army boots when she’s on the dance floor with me to protect her toes.

For some reason when I attempt to dance, my hips don’t move.

I just don’t have any ‘dance intelligence.’

I think that’s why I am so fascinated with the tango. It is utterly distinctive, so Argentine! I marvel at the artistry of the dance and greatly admire those who do it well. Even more, I love the music with its distinctive rhythms, instrumentation, and chromatic melodies.

I’ve been on a kick writing tango music this year. I’m on my fifth piece. I hope someday to see someone dance to my tangoes. In the meantime, I’ve posted a delightful video above of actor Robert Duvall dancing with his real-life wife, Luciana Pedraza, in the 2002 film, Assassination Tango.

I loved the film, and I loved this dance sequence. I think you will, too.