On Friday night (4/24) at the Mercury Cafe in Denver, CO, I experienced a surreal, confounding and emotionally charged evening at the strangest milonga I have yet witnessed.  On this night, Extasis, our local talented Tango band chose to have their CD release party.  That should have been the first clue that things would be different – parties at the Merc take on a life of their own.

The Mercury Cafe has become similar to the land of Oz – a magical, fanciful atmosphere that imbibes all who enter with a sense that they are not in Kansas anymore.  Consider the tiger jumping through a neon fire ring on the wall, various x-mas lights hanging as loops, the puppets in the rafter upstairs (don’t know if they are still there), assorted glass balls hanging, art that – is – well – art, and so many other artifacts picked out of time and space, not belonging to this time.  I LOVE this cafe!

We certainly have a cast of characters, such as the munchins (servers), which frequently disappear, not to be seen for up to 10 minutes.  In fact I usually do not know who my personal munchin is for at least 3-5 minutes.  Perhaps they get lost in the poppy fields.

OZ- Marylin, the mysterious owner that oversees all.  She has supported Tango in Colorado since its beginning, and has the loyalty of many teachers.  And she is quite the character – endearing to many.

The Wicked Witch – she exists, but I prefer not to name her perchance she casts a spell upon me.  She isn’t very nice.

Dorothy – oh, a few tangueras come to mind, but none like Elena.  So fair, kind, light and bright.  She is a delight to dance with.

The Good Witch would be JOY – she always has this presence that brings up the fleeting fact that everything is OK.  Her optimism is good-witch-worthy and I think she knows a few good spells to help out.  I am a better person around her.

Straw Man (with his brain) – I think Nick Jones for the fact that he can move in ways that are, well, straw like – flexible, amazing and fast.

Tin Man – no comment.

Toto – Roberta’s dog that makes an occasional appearance at local Tango events.

Before the surreal events unfolded, I had already experienced angst and part of my transitional crisis in my dancing.  My night had already posed the question, “Why am I here, why am I dancing, will my dancing improve significantly, when will I move to a different base?”  I had this nagging feeling to not go down to the Merc that night, but I went anyway out of my desire to connect and get floor time in as I have enjoyed working on some musicality playfulness.

Then it happened.  The monkeys descended from the sky as Marilyn announced we would have 4 Tango competitions.  Whoever participated would be judged on best fashion, best tango, best vals, best milonga.  Ouch – I got into Tango knowing competition was not part of the dance.  This was all done in good fun, but some of us were not having fun.  Speaking for myself, I felt the lingering moments of not being good enough come up when I was a very uncoordinated child in elementary school gym class events.  I was usually the last to be chosen.

And then I fast forwarded to how competitive I have been at events where I crushed my opponents – thereby feeling horrible about myself, and ruining connection with others.  Competition with others does not foster connection with myself or anyone else.

I love my own personal internal drive and desire to better myself.  I do not think Tango is a place for competition- and certainly not at a milonga.  With over an hour and 20 minutes of competition, performances, prizes, and talking – I thought, where is the dancing?  I want my $12 back.

Then after a tanda played so the judges could confer, I discovered to my dismay-  first, second and third prizes would be awarded.  The only reason I didn’t leave was to watch a promised performance with Nick and Amy.  They rocked- Nick led Amy to do things only an experienced Ballerina could do – in a Tango way.  Fun, interesting, different.  Yeah to our local talent.

Oh, Exstatis, the band, announced another competition to one of their harder to dance to songs.  I left the floor waiting for the performance and left after the performance.

But wait, there’s more, not only do you get prizes, performances, but FIRE oh my!  I will NEVER forget this image – as I sat in the upper row of seats:  all of a sudden of my right field of vision I am drawn to a large flame on top of Donna’s head as she is leading Marilyn who is balancing a large curved sword on her head.  SURREAL.  I may never see such a sight again.  And of course with Donna’s voluminous hair, it caught fire and Mark quickly rushed to blow it out.

OH MY – Oz has gotten stranger.