From Snowstorms to Milongas: Finding Home Through Tango

The Shy Girl with Big Doe Eyes

My first encounter with Anna was a long time ago, when she showed up at one of Maldito's Tuesday practicas. I don't remember exactly when it was, but I remember her.

We would see each other from across the room, but didn't talk much. To me, she was the girl sitting on the stairs whenever she wasn't dancing, watching the dance floor with hunger and enthusiasm in her eyes. One finger often twirling a strand of her soft hair. Big, curious doe eyes. A shy smile.

I don't remember exactly how we became friends. And I certainly don't remember how we ended up deciding to try those pre-practica workshops, something that would eventually become such a beloved part of Maldito's practica.

Anna was the tango teacher who dared to take a chance on us. She trusted the idea, stepped into the unknown with us, and helped turn it into something that has become an important part of what Maldito is today.

She and FLOW have a very special and well-deserved place in Maldito's heart.

So, here is Anna's tango story, told in her own words.
Love and kisses
/Mimi

From Snowstorms to Milongas: Finding Home Through Tango

I still remember my first night going out dancing tango in Gothenburg. There was a snowstorm outside, the kind of weather that makes you question every decision that brought you out of the house. And yet, somehow, I made it to the practica.

At the time, I was very much still at the beginning of my journey. No way I could imagine how this attempt to surround myself with something other than my suitcases would end!

I was trying to remember the steps, understand the music, and mostly just avoid stepping on the kind stranger's feet. Tango felt like a completely new language, and I was still learning the alphabet along with Swedish and a whole new way of being!

But little by little, something changed. I started going more often. I became more comfortable dancing with different people, listening to the music, and trusting my own movement.

What began as something I was simply curious about gradually became an important part of my life. I met friends! Some of them stayed, some of them moved on...

Nine years later, I am still here. In my own classes! Still curious, still trying to figure things out, TOGETHER with other curious creatures!

Tango in Gothenburg has given me much more than dancing. It has helped me find a sense of belonging in the city, meet people I otherwise might never have met, and decipher what life can be like up North.

Discreet, shy, but wholehearted and strong!

It has also taught me a lot about patience, communication, vulnerability, and being present with another person.

I learned how to fail over and over, and that it is okay because it means I tried. I learned how to embrace...

Myself, the other, the circumstances...

In many ways, I feel that as my tango has developed, so have I.

Somewhere along the way, I went from just wondering what I was doing on the dance floor to genuinely experiencing whatever is happening there.

I'm still learning, of course, but looking back, it's quite amazing to see how far tango has taken me — from that chaotic stranger arriving through the snow to feeling at home when entering the doors of the milongas.

Don't misunderstand me! I am still chaotic. I just learned to ride the wave. I have tango to thank for that. I'm very grateful for everyone I've danced with, learned from, laughed with, and shared this journey with.

Tango has given me a community in Gothenburg and, perhaps unexpectedly, helped me discover a little more of myself along the way.

For that, I'm truly thankful, and I am looking forward to continuing to pay it forward!