Book Review 4 By SVB

In Strangers Arms, Beatriz Dujovne
If you tell someone at a cocktail party that you tango, and then you’re exasperated when they start talking about their ballroom dancing experience, or last weeks’ episode of Dancing With the Stars, or Al Pacino in Scent of a Woman…..then In Strangers’ Arms is the book for you. This is a book that is written by someone who understands the zen, connection, and code of the milonguero. It’s the best book I’ve ever read (I only read in English) about the meaning and context of dancing tango on a very personal level. The book is written by an Argentine born Psychologist who was educated in Argentina and the United States. She currently splits her time between Buenos Aires and Portland Oregon. This dual cultural citizenship provides the author exclusive insights of the Argentine tango as a dance, music, and culture, and how that anthropology might incarnate at your local dance hall.
This is not a book you read and put back on your bookshelf. It’s a book you read and keep on your night stand for easy access. It’s organized into three sections; the People, Places, and Poetry. The People is about the magic the dance holds for the dancers. The Places is an explanation of the intertwined development of tango dance and music to the city of Buenos Aires, but also has an insightful look into the world of international festivals. (Participatory festivals, not dance shows or competitions.) The Poetry section is about tango lyrics and music. History is weaved throughout the three sections, as is the authors’ perceptive and intelligent writing about tango practices, customs, and psychology. Notwithstanding all this information, the book is most of all about the heart and allure of tango.
In the interest of full disclosure, Beatriz Dujovne is the only author reviewed here that I’ve danced with. She may have impressive academic credentials and international experience, but a few seconds in her dance embrace lets you know this is someone who knows what they’re talking about. Five stars out of five.