Outside the Kalispell South Campus building on a chilly January night, the large windows frame a portrait of a brightly lit room of dancing couples in the close embrace of the Argentine tango.

Inside, music plays while dancers shift from one foot to the other in a mix between slow and quick steps and turns, trying to mirror the tempo with a flourish. Dancing partners gaze intently, smile and laugh while practicing footwork learned during a lesson for beginners taught by Tom Reynolds of Kalispell Tango.

Kalispell Tango is a community of dance enthusiasts offering weekly lessons, monthly practicas (practices) and milongas (social dances).

Once, the 6:30 p.m. beginning class is over, many participants stay to attend the intermediate class at 8 p.m. The group includes a mix of beginners to longtime dancers from around the valley. 

The tango continues with couples embellishing the dance with circular sweeps of the foot, the flick of a leg, toe taps and leg wraps. 

Although there is plenty of space to move around, the smaller movements make it easier to dance the tango in the confines of a crowded dance floor to a backyard patio. 

Often it’s the case that when people think of tango, they think of the strong and sweeping choreographed movements of ballroom or American tango popularized in movies, TV shows and competitions. 

Argentine tango is different from ballroom or American tango in that it is more relaxed and improvisational. It is about the connection between partners and communicating the music, said participant Tony Popp, who also teaches tango lessons. 

“What we do in a social setting is not choreographed. The lead is asking the follow to do whatever the step is but then the follow dictates how fast or how much we’re going to do it. 

“The main thing is in the social tango it’s a communication. It’s heart-to-heart, chest-to-chest,” he said, describing the close embrace of Argentine tango.

Partners may also choose to dance with an open embrace where there is space between each person, depending on comfort level.

“It has such beautiful passion. It has such beautiful artistry,” said participant Candace Zumalt of Columbia Falls. “Instantly you feel each song and you add that different flair and that different style to it.”

Zumalt who has been learning different dancing styles since she was a child, wanted to learn tango ever since taking a lesson years ago while she was home on leave from the Marine Corps. People don’t need to have prior dance experience to learn, she said.

“This is such a compassionate, amazing group of people supportive to people who’ve never danced before in their life,” Zumalt said. “We actually have a gentleman who came in tonight. He has no dance experience and he just jumped right in.”

While tango operates on a parallel and cross system with fundamental movements, or figures, the goal is to get beginners comfortable with improvising to a wide variety of music. During the classes, Reynolds plays a range of traditional and contemporary music like “Put Your Records On,” by Corinne Bailey Rae.

“You can either dance to the rhythmic bass, or you can listen to the melody and dance to it,” he said, demonstrating one of the fundamental moves with Hanna Head, founder of the North End Swing. 

He points out that while there is a leader and a follower in tango, it’s important to give space for the follow to “decorate the dance” with embellishments.

“It’s a lead-follow but it’s more of a companion-type dance. I might suggest something to her but I give her the opportunity to do what she wants,” he said.

And if a beginner doesn’t pick tango up quickly, Popp encourages people not to get discouraged.

“Give it a few weeks. I quit twice,” he said, but it was Reynolds and other members of the Kalispell Tango community who brought him back. 

What he learned — “It’s not about perfection. It’s progress.”

“There’s no right or wrong. You just have to enjoy it,” Popp said.

Reynolds added, “It’s an easy dance to pick up in the very beginning but it’s a lifelong pursuit.”

In no time at all, the clock shows it’s nearly 9 p.m. and Reynolds announces that it’s the last dance of the evening.

With a final flourish, Zumalt ends the dance by wrapping one leg around her dancing partner.

Lessons are typically held for six weeks at a time on Tuesdays. Beginner classes start at 6:30 p.m. with intermediate classes beginning around 7:45 p.m. No prior experience is necessary and people do not have to bring a partner as partners will rotate throughout the lesson.

Milongas are held the fourth Saturday of the month starting around 8 p.m. and going through until 10:30 p.m. or, “Until people tire out,” Reynolds said.

For more information visit www.kalispelltango.com or email kalispelltango@gmail.com.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.

    Candace Zumalt and Tony Popp dance the Argentine tango at a Kalipsell Tango class at the Kalispell Senior Center on Tuesday, Jan. 16. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Kim Davie dances the Argentine tango in her teal-accented tango shoes at a Kalipsell Tango class at the Kalispell Senior Center on Tuesday, Jan. 16. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Instructor Tom Reynolds dances the Argentine tango with Hana Head at a Kalipsell Tango class at the Kalispell Senior Center on Tuesday, Jan. 16. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider 

    Dwight Bergeron and Robin Werre share a laugh while dancing the Argentine tango at a Kalipsell Tango class at the Kalispell Senior Center on Tuesday, Jan. 16. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Dan Harp watches his footing as he practices the Argentine tango with Lee Anne Byrne at a Kalipsell Tango class at the Kalispell Senior Center on Tuesday, Jan. 16. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Lee Anne Byrne and Mike Scott practice the Argentine tango at a Kalipsell Tango class at the Kalispell Senior Center on Tuesday, Jan. 16. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Dwight Bergeron and Robin Werre share a laugh while dancing the Argentine tango at a Kalipsell Tango class at the Kalispell Senior Center on Tuesday, Jan. 16. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider