In May 2005, Tango Singapore ( www.tangosingapore.com ), then the only argentine tango association in Singapore organized their one and only 'Singapore Tango Festival'.
I've always love body arts, having done chinese martial arts, gymnastics, jazz and ballet. Then, fresh from a new breakup with my ex-girlfriend, and wanting to learn a partner dance; My goodfriend Xiao Feng told me about this new dance called 'Argentine Tango' and the festival, she asked me to come along as her dance partner.
"So do I need a rose?" thinking back, I realised its the one of the lamest Argentine Tango joke, now that I hear so many people ask. "Well no, its not ballroom tango!" Xiao Feng explained.
So with Xiao Feng, I got my first taste of tango. It was at Bobby Rubinos, a cosy restaurant pub at Chijmes, Singapore. They were having a special milonga that night as part of the Singapore Tango Festival. I was quite impressed by the dance, the flashy kicks and twists. But the image that struck me the most was a the lady and gentleman, locked in an embrace and moving to the music; the face of the lady was a picture of perfect serenity.
Over the next few days I would attend the intensive lessons given by the teachers of the festival. The teachers invited for that festival were Esteban and Evelyn ( www.eyetango.net ). At my first lesson, I was laughing in my mind, "Thats just walking, nothing compared to all the technically demanding jazz or ballet figures."
But I was so wrong. Just walking to the beat is easy enough. But trying to walk when there is someone in front of you and leading her to walk without stepping on her is so difficult. At the end of the class, I was so frustrated I took off my shoes so Xiao Feng's feet would not be destroyed by my constant stepping.
There was one moment in the class, I was so frustrated with the inability to walk properly with Xiao Feng I asked the teacher what can I do. Evelyn told me, "Just walk into her with all your heart." 
As a person who likes a challenge, I decided to conquer this deceptively simple dance. The free form, non-choreographed dance was also very interesting to me because I had been dancing hip hop, jazz and ballet choreographies for so long.
But due to my work commitments in the Singapore Army I did not get serious with tango till I started with Royce and Jean Michel in August 05. At that time, Singapore had three main group of teachers, Royce and Jean Michel were one of them ( www.loksze.com ). I had taken some classes from the other two groups and I figured I was pretty good already with Argentine Tango.
Once again, I would be proven wrong when I begun Royce and Jean Michel's classes. For the first time, the concept of 'marking', the lead of tango was explained to me. I had to re-learn how to walk, how to lead the lady to walk, how to lead the lady to pivot.
The turning point of my tango career would come in November 05. Having just completing the special operation forces(SOF) selection, I had achieved the dream which I wanted since I joined the army in 1999. I was very tired and decided to take a one month break from army to travel. I also had tango in mind and at that time I wanted to check out if the region had any good tango teachers. There was this german guy in Thailand, and then there were Daniel and Stacey from Taiwan, etc. So I thought I would travel to one of these places and take intensive private lessons.
Then a strange thought entered my mind; I remember talking to Royce one day after a practica. And she talked animatedly about the experience she had, dancing and learning with Carlos Gavito
( www.carlosgavito.tangoafficionado.com ). Royce said Gavito had such a gentlemanly and magnetic charisma around him, that one look from him would melt any woman's heart. And it was not just Gavito, they have taken from many maestros from Buenos Aires as well; I realised Royce and Jean Michel had so much knowledge of tango between them. Why should I go to an unknown place and take lessons from an unknown teacher just because he has a caucasian or latin sounding name?
So I stayed in Singapore and from early December 05 onwards till late March 06 I took tango private lessons from the couple. Two hours per session, two to three times per week. At the beginning of the first lesson, Royce and Jean Michel asked me what are my aims for tango. I replied, "To be able to dance a good high level social tango in any milongas around the world; including Buenos Aires."
At that time I got to know Bel, she helped me a lot with my tango journey. A typical week would consist of 2 nights of private lessons, 1 night of practica ( www.ixidanza.com ), 1 night of milonga and 2 nights of private practise with Bel in a rented dance salon.
My tango progressed rapidly, and come April 06, Royce and Jean Michel announced that they would be leaving Singapore for Tokyo because Jean Michel had been posted to Tokyo by his company. At that time I went through a mini crisis with my job. After getting the SOF posting I've always wanted, I had to wait for a few months doing regular army work in Officer Cadet School (OCS) as a trainer, before I join the best of the best for SOF training. It was then I had an insight that I cannot continue to be in the army doing the same things, climbing the same mountains and walking through the same jungles year after year, till I am fourty five years old. I want to see the world and continue my intellectual discoveries; right now, when I am still relatively young.
The exit of the best tango teachers in Singapore, my career turnaround, my thirst for seeing the world and my love for tango. These various factors would result in me handing in my resignation letter to the army in late April 06, giving up a career with SOF, concluding in a completely different direction of my life; To head to Buenos Aires to learn tango from the best of the best and continue my university studies in spanish.
For years the asian culture has taught us to choose a career, stick to it and then become the best one can be in that area, even though one might not like what he is doing after awhile. I had much difficulty with this, firstly, being very fickle minded and secondly feeling that I can become very good at anything I put my heart to do, so why must it just be only one? And as I made this decision I remember what the wise Jean Michel said, "Follow your heart and passion you will achieve your best in whichever you desire so much. But whoever said one must only do one single thing for the rest of his life? When the passion is gone, its time to move on."
