Dancer taking steps to success
Bob Waugh to tango at Seniors' Jubilee
After 20 years teaching Scottish country dancing, local resident Bob Waugh thought he had found his path in life. 
One fantastic and fateful evening changed those plans forever - and for the better.
Waugh had been teaching Scottish country dance in Toronto virtually since he came to Canada from his native Scotland in 1963, both preserving and sharing his own national heritage with his new countryfolk.
"It was my culture, and it was an excellent way to socialize and meet people," Waugh said. "Dance has always been that way - bringing people together."
One night, however, he was at the O'Keefe Centre when he saw a performance that completely altered his life.
"There was a tango show that came from Buenos Aires to New York and then to Toronto, and when I saw it, my partner and I were just amazed at the music," he said. "We literally dropped 20 years of Scottish country dance right there. As we were leaving, I said in the lobby, 'Does anyone know how to teach this?'"
Waugh soaked up as much as he could and once he had become proficient in the art of Argentine tango, he began teaching that. He was drawn to the dance style largely due to the uniqueness and passion of the music.
"The dance itself is more elegance than fancy footwork," he said. "But tango music is so different. There's nothing like it and the dancing is very demanding in terms of the musicality."
There are two styles of Argentine tango - salon tango and the more challenging tango fantasia. The music for both is often narrative, telling a tale of a jilted lover, and the key is to transfer the emotion found in the music into the dance.
Waugh also enjoys the challenge of synching the dance steps to the music itself. Unlike conventional ballroom dancing, in which both dancers more or less mirror one another's moves, Argentine tango is more spontaneous and requires far more commitment on the part of the dancers.
"In Argentine tango, the woman often has no idea what she's about to do next," he said. "The man leads everything and you have to have a connection with the music."
For that reason, he said finding the proper partner is key. Dancers must feed off of one another rather than simply following a cookie-cutter pattern of intricate steps.
"You really need somebody (who) bubbles, who has that energy and is willing and able to play along and keep up," he said.
The Davisville Village area resident will appear in the upcoming Chartwell's Seniors' Jubilee at Roy Thomson Hall with dance partner Juliet Wong.
"She's only been dancing (the tango) for about seven months but she has what we like to call chutzpah," he said.
Waugh has performed throughout North America and Europe as well as on the streets of Buenos Aires. This year marks his fifth appearance at the annual Seniors' Jubilee, which highlights the talents of performers 50 years of age and older.
"There's a lot of talent around this city and just because someone's a little older doesn't mean they can't put on a fantastic show," he said.
The Seniors' Jubilee will take place from Tuesday, Aug. 12 through Friday, Aug. 15, with entertainment in the lobby at 11 a.m. and shows on the main stage at 1 p.m. each day. Tickets range from $19.50 to $44.50 and are available online at www.roythomson.com or by calling 416-872-4255.
