Anne Beth Jordan: 'I danced the Argentine Tango and rediscovered my love for my business'
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Posted: Wed 11th Jun 2025
Have you watched the Tango on Strictly Come Dancing and fallen in love with the dance?
I fell in love with the Argentine Tango about 13 years ago. At a time when my own business was feeling like a cross too heavy to bear, I needed a new inspiration and way forward to "kick start" my business. My life had been so tied to running the business that it felt claustrophobic.
One Sunday after church, I passed a café and heard the strains of Tango music, Oblivion by Astor Piazzolla. This piece of music became my love affair with the Tango, and all these years later, my soul cries with joy when I dance to it.
The Embrace - El Abrazo
I was determined to find out more and learn to dance this unique dance, which has The Embrace - El Abrazo – as an important part of connecting with one’s partner. The embrace is the cornerstone of the Tango dance. Tango is a universal language with structure and ethics, which keeps us dancers united and safe.
The more I learnt about the core principle of this dance, its techniques, the leading and following, rules, ethics, courtesy, floor craft, strategy and relationships formed within the dance, the more I saw similarities within my own business.
I was astounded and began to pay close attention to the parallels playing out between Argentine Tango, the dance, and running my business. I found myself reassessing my behaviour towards my business.
So let me invite you onto the dance floor, take you by the hand in an embrace, to dance the Argentine Tango to the strains of Oblivion and discover a connection that will reveal new insights on how the quality of the Tango mirrors our business partnerships. Both the Tango and business have a universal language that creates a foundation to help us navigate the multifaceted requirements for us to grow, develop and succeed.
Seven insights became apparent while dancing the Tango that helped me in my business; areas I had previously struggled with, but now I was able to understand and help myself.
Seven insights from dancing the Tango
Starting and running a business is a little like stepping onto a Tango dance floor. At first, the moves feel uncertain and the rhythm can be unpredictable, but once you find your footing, it becomes a dynamic interplay of trust, adaptability and strategic movement.
Tango dancers rely on the embrace to create fluidity and connection; business relationships thrive when built on trust and flexibility. There are moves in Tango that require explicit trust between the partners, as they can be acrobatic to say the least. Its counterpart in business is through forging partnerships, negotiating deals, or leading a team. Understanding the art of movement and mutual collaboration can help your start-up or SME pivot gracefully, navigate change and move with intention toward success.
So, let us look at the first insight:
1. The embrace: The foundation of strong business relationships
In the Argentine Tango, the embrace is everything. It is not just a physical connection; it is a silent agreement, a shared trust that allows both leader and follower to move in unison. An uncomfortable embrace, too tight, so one cannot move or breathe, too loose and immediately the connection is lost.
Business relationships work the same way. That first handshake – too strong, too weak, can indicate to us that first connection. Will we be well suited? What impressions are being made? Trust without trust and alignment, partnerships fall apart, negotiations stall and leadership weakens.
Trust and connection: The invisible thread
In the Tango, partners do not just follow steps; they sense each other’s movements, adjusting without words (the silent connection). During the dance, each partner will often be dancing a different step, but they dance as one, embodying grace, trust, intuition, cohesion and synchronicity.
So, whether it is a founder, an investor, a team leader and their employees, or a business and its customers, trust ensures fluid collaboration.
2. Give and take: The art of reciprocity
Tango is not about one person leading and the other blindly following; it is a constant exchange of movement. But a good leader will know when to allow their partner (the follower) to flourish and show their talent. I danced better when I had a strong and focused leader.
Creating strong relationships
Business relationships also thrive on give and take, whether in networking, negotiation, or customer service. Start-ups that listen to their customers rather than pushing their agenda build lasting loyalty. Similarly, leaders who adjust their approach based on their team’s feedback create stronger workplace dynamics.
3. Adaptability: Moving with change
I have never danced the same Tango dance with any partner. The variations are innumerable; the skill of my leader influences this. The rhythm, the pace, the interaction, everything depends on the moment. Intuition, knowledge, technique and understanding of each other’s needs are an essential part of the Argentine Tango.
Understanding change
Have you noticed how you interact with every business relationship as it evolves? Start-ups pivot, SMEs adjust strategies, and market trends shift unexpectedly. Think about an embrace in a business meeting where you fluidly adapt, rather than rigid control, especially in uncertain environments.
4. Leadership as a dance: Balancing direction and freedom
I have had conversations with Tango leaders and the challenges they face in being a good leader. They guide, but they do not dictate. They provide structure while allowing space for the follower to interpret and contribute. The best business leaders do the same – setting vision and direction while empowering their teams to move freely within that framework. A Tango leader listens as much as they lead. They sense their partner’s momentum, adjusting in real time.
Business of leadership
Leadership is not about giving orders; it is about being attuned to your colleagues, recognising strengths, responding to their needs and fostering an environment where collaboration flourishes. Successful business leaders guide, adapt and allow movement to happen naturally, rather than controlling every step. It is a constant Tango.
5. Connection without control
Through the years, when dancing with inexperienced dancers, I have had difficulties when I felt out of balance. Too rigid, and the dance felt mechanical – the heart and soul were missing. Too loose, and the structure fell apart. The lack of clarity made the dance impossible. The sweet spot is having a firm but adaptable leader – clear enough to create direction, flexible enough to create space. He knew through his steps, the ‘salida’ for example, when to lead me out at a sticky moment without causing a ripple in our togetherness.
Clear leadership in business
Strong leaders provide boundaries and expectations without micromanaging. They trust their team to move within those boundaries while offering course corrections when needed.
6. Negotiation and strategy: The silent dance of business success
The most powerful movements in Tango are not the bold steps but the smallest shifts – change in weight, a breath, a pause. A Tango teacher introduced me to the importance of waiting with my partner before we begin the dance, breathing together and then moving forward. That breath connection made all the difference to our dance. Tango dancers do not rely on words, we read body language, rhythm and presence.
I learnt how business negotiations and strategic decisions function in the same way. The strongest deals often come not from aggressive tactics, but from subtle adjustments, awareness and knowing when to step forward or hold back.
Reading the room: Negotiating skills
Skilled negotiators do not just listen to what is said, they sense hesitation, energy shifts and deeper motivations. Understanding non-verbal cues in negotiations – tone changes, pauses, or a shift in attention – can make or break a deal.
7. The dance of possibilities: Improvisation in business
Tango is not choreographed; it unfolds in real time, responding to the moment. Business relationships work the same way – strategy is not a rigid blueprint but a living, breathing movement.
The right mix
Start-ups that cling too tightly to fixed plans risk missing unexpected opportunities. The most successful entrepreneurs pivot gracefully, making strategic moves based on market shifts, customer feedback and emerging trends.
Final thoughts: Embracing the movement of business success
The Argentine Tango is not just a dance – it is a philosophy. It taught me that business relationships, leadership and strategy are all about connection, adaptability and trust.
Three key takeaways:
Are you guiding your business like a tango leader — offering direction while allowing movement?
Are you negotiating with fluidity — reading signals and responding strategically?
Are you embracing change — allowing agility to shape your business growth?
