Tango is about honesty and the trust in motion: Kruti Gandhi Sarda

Time of India

5 days ago

It started with a melody that 'stuck with her'. 'Something about Tango kept pulling me back,' she says. Now, that fascination helped her bag the third place in the social competition category at the Indonesia Tango Championship Preliminaries 2025.
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'WHEN I STARTED, TANGO WAS THE NICHE OF NICHES'
Back then, no one knew tango. 'It wasn't even a niche,' Kruti says. 'It was the niche of niches. Maybe ten people in Mumbai danced occasionally. There were no local teachers, no thriving community, and no structured training. But something about the dance kept pulling me back,' she adds. Kruti, who was already a salsa dancer, says, 'Tango was different, unlike Salsa or Bachata, with their predictable beats and choreographed sequences.
There is no set beat. You can pause, wait, breathe, and improvise. Every time you dance the same song, even with the same person, it's a new experience.'
'TANGO IS NOT JUST A DANCE FORM'
Tango, she says, is like meditation for two. 'That emotional depth is why it's used in therapy, including for people with Parkinson's. It gives them stillness, presence and emotional stability. That's the power of Tango.' She then shares that Tango isn't gender-specific.
'It's role-centric,' Kruti says, adding, 'Anyone can lead and follow.'
'AS A DANCER, YOU NEED TO BE OPEN TO FEEDBACK'
This year, Kruti went with five dancers to the Indonesian Tango Dance Championship, and four of them were her students. 'We were a close-knit group. That matters.' She says every competition pushes her further. 'You work harder. You show up better. You grow. But unlike social dancing, in competition, the rapport with your partner matters deeply.
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You have to be comfortable, but also open to feedback. You need a strong foundation of friendship, trust, and drive,' she says.
'YOU NEED PATIENCE TO MASTER TANGO'
Building a Tango community in Bengaluru has been a labour of love. 'It's not a form built for instant gratification. In two months, you can feel confident dancing Bachata. But Tango, every layer you peel reveals more beneath it,' she says, comparing it to classical Indian dance, like Bharatanatyam.
'It demands time, discipline, and patience,' she adds.
'PEOPLE WERE SURPRISED INDIANS KNEW OF TANGO'
When she first began travelling abroad to learn Tango, Kruti didn't see herself as doing something extraordinary. She says, 'I realised people were surprised that I am a Tango Dancer and that it is a form of art that's well known in India. Now I tell them, 'Come visit. See for yourself '.'