Tango instructor Sharon Westlake dances with student Jeff Brown at Chattanooga DanceSport on Sunday, Jan. 23.The tapping of tango instructor Sharon Westlake’s heels punctures the quiet slide of student Jeff Brown’s soft-soled shoes as they move together on the main floor of Chattanooga DanceSport.
The pair walk, spin, pivot and kick to the rhythm of the tango music coming from the speakers. As Brown leads Westlake across the floor, he invites her to other movements, allowing room for her to flip between his legs, or waiting while she runs the top of her ankle along his knee.
“Tango is a conversation between two people,” said Westlake, who has been dancing Argentinean tango for 12 years.
She began dancing while living in California and traveled widely to study the dance, including trips to Miami, Chicago, Paris and Buenos Aires.
Training with such a variety of dancers gave her the confidence to begin teaching.