#Ballroom tango

[it-happened-one-fic]

Dancing With Visions - A Careful Partner - Ballroom Tango - Diluc

Author Notes: Guess which 5-star I picked for myself? In all honesty though, I was so amused when I rolled this dance for Diluc. This fic was written to “Feel So Close” by David Guetta, and the dance wasinspired by the tango by Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Meryl Davis to the same song on Week 6 of Season 18 of Dancing with the Stars. Just like the rest of this series, Reader is female. I hope you enjoy!

If you would like to read more of this series, the fics can be found here: Dancing with Visions Masterlist.

Type: Female reader/ dance/ fluff/platonic or romantic /sfw

Word Count: 1473

It was always amusing. How, despite Diluc’s maturity, the smallest thing could turn into a competition between him and Kaeya. A suitable show of their sibling relationship that, despite how they may behave at times, had never truly waned in the slightest.

That was what had happened with the dance lessons. Kaeya and his partner had learned the rumba to such an impressive degree that Diluc couldn’t be left behind, which had led to me and him practicing the tango relentlessly in our youth, despite how perfectly embarrassing it had been for both of us.

I’d always suspected that the tango had not been near what Diluc had expected when he’d first chosen it as the dance we’d learn, and the same could be said for the rumba when Kaeya had picked it. Though, to be fair, both men had been young when all of  that had occurred.

 Either way, it had led to me and Diluc being able to tango at what at least one person had referred to as an unholy speed. Though, even to this day, Diluc was usually at least a little stiff and embarrassed while dancing with me. But that was just a part of Diluc.

I glanced over at the man next to me, standing off to the side of the stage where we’d both agreed to perform for a Knights of Favonius dance competition that was raising money for in-need children despite Diluc’s eternal beef with the group.

Kaeya had already turned this competition into a more personal one with his performance, though. Especially since he’d grinned over at Diluc as soon as the applause had erupted when he’d finished dancing with his partner.

I eyed the redhead closely before looking back out onto the stage where Jean was currently dancing a lovely waltz with Swan.

 I reached out towards Diluc as I watched the other young couple, carefully linking my pinkie finger with his, and soon feeling his curl around mine in return as he silently stood by my side.

 I smiled slightly as I continued to watch the Acting Grandmaster, finding that I had nothing but confidence in the two of us. If this was going to be yet another competition between Diluc and his brother, then I would do as I always did in such things. I would support him wholeheartedly.

My hand slipped away from his as we both stepped out onto the brightly lit stage at the same time, looking towards each other simultaneously. Almost like we’d practiced it.

There was the slightest of smiles on his face as I looked at him, feeling a relaxed smile of my own spread across my face even though we were standing in front of a crowd that looked like it held the majority of Mondstadt.

 It was only natural that people had shown up to watch considering how adored the young master of the Dawn winery was. Especially since Diluc’s participation in something held by the Knights of Favonius wasn’t something to be missed.

Our hands moved in sync, wrapping around each other and locking together before we started forward. Looking towards the crowd as we walked together, side by side, as if there were nothing in the world out of the ordinary. Totally unconcerned by the competition.

He raised my hand high before releasing it to slip backwards and grasp my waist as I slid quickly to the side. A sudden opening to our performance as I spun before halting. One hand pressed to his chest as I let him slowly, and with careful control, lean me backwards into a dip as I stretched out one leg.

And then it began. Our typical speed.

The two of us spun to the side as we held onto each other in a sort of embrace as we whirled into the next pose, where I was arched backwards with one leg extending so that the toe of my shoe barely touched the ground before he pulled me back upright. A fraction of space between us as our motions briefly slowed. Building tension alongside the music until the beat finally hit.

In an instant I was spinning out to the side, one leg kicking out to help me maintain balance before he began marching me along the stage as people began to cheer. 

Our feet hit the ground to match the pounding beat as we rotated along. Trading off on who was pushing the other backwards until we both paused to face the same direction.

I smiled slightly as we held that perfectly angled, almost stiff pose for the briefest of seconds before we took off, marching together now and no longer battling for dominance.

This was where our teacher had always said we were at our best. Our innate ability to match each other and have total trust in the other to be exactly where we expected them.

The beat of the music slowed, and so did our motions. The marching speed dwindling so we could spin together, and I found myself smiling out at the crowd as we struck a careful pose where Diluc had stopped us at the very edge of the stage. Like he knew exactly how far he could push us.

But then he probably did know exactly where the edge of the stage was. He was nothing if not a careful partner. It was one of the reasons I’d always trusted him so implicitly.

Even when we’d both still been young and learning the dance, barely able to make it even a few minutes without growing too embarrassed to continue, Diluc had always been far more preoccupied with my comfort than his own.

I could see Kaeya already chuckling to himself as Amber clapped alongside him. Her eyes alight with excitement as she watched me and Diluc.

But she had never seen us dance. In fact, few had. Me and Diluc seldom danced at all, much less when anyone was around. He was far too busy, and even during my visits our time was typically spent chatting and resting in one another’s presence. 

Plus, there was the fact that Diluc still managed to get embarrassed while dancing with me even after all these years. I could only assume that he was making it through this competition without flushing solely on his willpower alone.

We trotted backwards, our motions oddly delicate as I twisted my head so that me and Diluc were once more, looking in different directions. 

He stopped us with perfect timing yet again and pulled me into a rapid rotation before our motions slowed once more and he had me gliding backwards.

Last second, he turned so that my back was to the crowd as I leaned forward, resting my head against his shoulder before he guided me into leaning even further back than I had been originally. It wasn’t a full dip, but it was far enough back that it added more interest to the motion when I leaned back forwards, to face across the stage.

And as the beat hit, we pivoted. Twisting and immediately making eye contact for the briefest of seconds before we marched, with light kicking motions, across the stage. 

As soon as we reached the edge, he spun us, pushing me backwards with the stalking steps the ballroom tango was so well known for, as I smiled to myself. Pondering what we looked like to those watching.

Diluc’s gaze flashed my way, and he smiled almost imperceptibly before hurriedly looking away as he inhaled and started us into our rotation. Our bodies pressed so close together that we were almost like two halves of the same coin. 

The faces of the crowd and people manning the stage around us were blurring so much that the only truly clear thing was Diluc himself, his bright red eyes as warm as any hearth as I smiled back at him, and a pinkish hue started to creep across the edges of his ears.

I could hear the crowd though as they cheered around us. Bennett, Adelinde, and Kaeya’s voices were notable among them, and they almost made me grin even more, if such a thing were possible.

With zero hesitation, Diluc let go of my one hand and spun me out before letting go of my other hand so that I could make a full rotation. But, just as ever, his hand was there and waiting for me as I stopped. Standing right next to him as I looked up to meet his gaze once more. 

Our hands carefully finding one another before we started walking forward with the same slow, controlled pace we started our dance with.

And that was how we exited the stage, walking hand-in-hand back into the curtained section at the back of the stage as applause echoed from behind us.

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[ratajota]

i made this painting on the cusp of my transition six years ago- as a teenager, i took up tango as a hobby and became good at it, i did shows around my town, i was quite promising and i enjoyed it. the problem is, i knew i was transgender the whole time.

while i showed up in my oversized rock shirts and jeans to the classes (the little bits of autonomy i could wrestle for me from the world), there was no place for what i really was. i could not learn the role for men. i had to put on dresses and heels and endure. until i couldn't do it anymore

i had such mixed feelings in me. this painting was a way to say goodbye to it all

[dreveel]

Dark Ballroom; {Credit}

[dozydawn]

“I like the blur of motion with the focus clarifying on the woman's left hand position- a characteristic of the tango. At the Manhattan Dance-a-Rama, June 2007.”

[barbielore]

I've been really getting into dance lately. I've taken up East Coast Swing, although I am not very good at this stage. You're not going to see me performing in a Jack N Jill any time soon.

This was a really awful segue into talking about a cool line of Barbies that have nothing to do with East Coast Swing.

The Tango Barbie giftset was an FAO Schwarz exclusive Barbie and Ken set, featuring Ken with a small amount of facial hair and Barbie with a rose in her teeth. This was released in 2002, and followed in 2003 by another giftset depicting partnered dancing.

In The Waltz, Ken has a Clark Gable moustache, and Barbie's gown is flowing everywhere you can imagine.

Neither of these were the first or only Barbies to be depicted around partnered or ballroom dancing. The Ballroom Beauties collection comes to mind, although I find quite perplexing. You see, Ken is on the box, but Barbie is actually alone.

Moonlight Waltz Barbie is absolutely beautiful, don't get me wrong. But why is Ken on the box art if he's not actually there? Did Mattel just not want to make a bunch of different Kens in similar suits? Because they could have been more creative with their menswear.

And later, we had tie-in Barbies for Dancing with the Stars - for example, Waltz again depicted above. This is a really interesting costume, actually, and I Love it.

But none of these reach the levels of Bob Mackie's Tango Barbie from the Celebration of Dance porcelain series.

Look at her. She's incredible.

[moraent-keys]

There are just.. so so many songs I need to see on more Radioapple playlists

[tony-dreams]

I started this vampire tango drawing about six month ago for @lines-on-ice Dancing with the Stars AU. Then it disappeared in the abandoned WIP abyss, but I thought Halloween was a good reason to finally finish it!

[deviousdiesel]

Knowing that Duck's theme is a waltz while Diesel's is influenced by tango reflects how "similar but different" they technically are but it's also very interesting because both dances require a partner but neither of them are able to work together, thus implying they would not be a suitable pair.

[theartofmany]

""Por una cabeza", is one of the most famous and popular tango songs by Carlos Gardel (composer) and Alfredo Le Pera (lyricist), written in 1935" From Youtube channel 0000MATINA: Por una Cabeza - Carlos Gardel Definitely one of the best tangos ever Enjoy...

[her-penetrating-soul]

"Take my hand, take my whole life too. For I can’t help falling in love with you"

~Elvis Presley

[thehellishtrinity]

Imagine the Viremy dance scene. But to this soundtrack. Ok that's all ty.

[it-happened-one-fic]

Ballroom Tango - A Unique Intensity - Strictly NRC Dancing

Author Notes: Wow, three posts in one day. I'm on a roll. I'm being kind of mean here, I know. But I thought it would be fun to have who the dancing partner is be a surprise. At least until you click keep reading or read the tags. This dance was inspired by Jay McGuiness and Aliona Vilani’s Tango to “When the Doves Cry” on Strictly Come Dancing: 2015. Keeping with the rest of the AU, reader is female. I hope you all enjoy this more than I enjoyed researching the dances.

If you would like to read more of this AU the fics can be found here: Strictly NRC Dancing AU Masterlist.

Type: Kinda romantic if you squint/probably can be taken as platonic though/female reader

Word count: 1240

I inhaled deeply as I once again questioned why on earth the teachers decided that having the ballroom tango as the subject for the first dance class held would be a good idea. Or maybe it was Crowley’s idea; he seemed to be in rare form as of late.

Either way, I’d learned astonishingly quickly from Crewel’s strict teaching that the various views I’d long held about the tango were largely wrong. Apparently there were many, many different types of tangos, and all of them, thankfully, did not necessarily include being constantly plastered to your partner. 

Take the ballroom form of the tango that I was going to be performing today, for instance. It maintained a certain distance between the partners and was, in many ways, less intimate. That said, it made up for the distance by including sharp motions, angled bodies, and stalking yet stealthy steps, as well as an undoubtedly passionate nature.

Crewel and Sam had both spoken up for me, citing my inexperience as a reason for why I should only have to perform twice for this class. Once for my own grading and once for the lucky winner of the game of straws. Which was a blessing. 

But standing there, staring Leona down from across the ballroom floor as we waited for the music to start, I couldn’t deny that I was nervous. At odds with this, Leona was completely relaxed. In fact, he looked almost bored. 

I couldn’t say I was surprised, though. During our choreography practice, Leona had revealed in a rather smug manner that he already knew how to tango. He technically wasn’t cheating, though.

Apparently, Leona had already learned the Argentine tango quite some time ago for unknown reasons. He’d chosen this class because, since he already knew how to tango, it would be easy for him. In fact, he’d described the ballroom version as a stuffier version of the dance he already knew.

All too soon the music began, immediately laying out what would soon become a rather heavy beat that had the two of us walking towards each other. I rolled my shoulders as I met the beastman in the center of the room and the lights dimmed. 

It had already been decided that we were going to be dancing a more aggressive tango, but it wasn’t until we had entered hold for the first time during choreography practice that I realized exactly how aggressive it was going to be.

Even now it was sort of alarming as he marched me backwards. Our feet hitting the floor in perfect timing to the relentless beat of the song. 

If nothing else, Leona was a perfect match for the stalking aspect of the dance. I didn’t typically think of him as predatory, but… Well, I could say that he certainly lived up to being a lion-beastman.

I was considerably thankful that I didn’t have to hold eye contact with him for the entire dance. In the brief flashes where we would meet each other's gaze in a rather defiant fashion, there was a unique intensity to those too-bright green eyes.

I was almost impressed with my ability to meet his stare without quailing, but there was something challenging and snarky about the look he gave me. Almost like he was taunting me. 

 It was probably that sense of amused challenge stemming from the usually nonchalant 3rd year that made me refuse to back down even though this was my first performance and our little tango had already swelled far beyond what I’d been prepared for.

And a tiny part of me felt like he’d planned that. Especially since there was something incredibly smug about his expression as the song fell into another lull, not ending but lessening in fervor while maintaining that same pounding beat. 

It was like he was pushing me, just like he had when I’d been staying in Savannaclaw for that short three-day period. Like he wanted to see just how far he could push and how well I could meet him on the playing field.

I leaned towards him, wholly relying on him to support me as he took a one long step backwards. My hand cupped his cheek, and I held his gaze even as our noses practically brushed one another.

Impulsively, I pushed away. All but glaring at him as I forcefully slipped us back into a more distant hold. After all, if I were to entirely slip away from him, he’d lose points for having broken the constant closed hold found within the ballroom tango.

It was a challenge to remember that this was a performance. We were putting on a show for our viewers. An aggressive one.

 I heard him chuckle lowly as I flung my head to the side, staunchly looking away from him as we began to whirl across the floor once more. I was already determined that there was no way I was going to lose out and mess up this dance just because I had a distracting partner. 

Even if a small part of me was irritated by how easy teasing was for him. But then it couldn’t be helped when he knew exactly how attractive he was.

The ending of the dance came far sooner than I expected as he yanked me to the side into a partial dip, all but forcing me to look up at him for a brief, but incredibly intense moment. The hold didn’t last long though before I was back on my feet once more. I held his gaze for the briefest of seconds before he rapidly twirled me and stepped to the side. Following alongside my whirling form as if he were pursuing me as I spun quickly across the stage. 

Just as my speedy twirling came to an abrupt stop, he lowered his forearm, and I flung myself backwards. Bracing myself to fall even as I reached up to catch hold of his shoulder. 

But I didn’t fall. Instead, I felt his arm wrap around my back and his hand securely grasp the shoulder furthest away from him. 

In that perilous leaned-backward position, I rested against his arm. Wholly relying on him to support me yet again as I looked up at him.

I stared up at him, breathing heavily as applause filled the room, briefly deafening me but at last signaling the end of the performance. Not my first dance by a narrow margin, but definitely the most dramatic one.

Leona exhaled slightly before leaning down and wrapping his other arm around me to pull me back up as I gripped his shoulders tightly. I found my footing quickly and was relieved to discover that my legs were not, in fact, wobbly, even though I felt adrenaline leaving my system at alarming speeds as I stepped backwards.

I briefly met Leona’s gaze, quietly thanking him for helping me back to a standing position before we turned to face the judge panel. Crewel, Trein, and Sam all looked politely impressed while Vargas and Crowley had a hold of each other and were already rapidly speaking about our performance.

I could only catch snatches of their frantic whispers, “Did you see when he-?”

“OH! But when she-?”

I snuck another glance at my partner, meeting his eyes and confirming my thoughts immediately as I registered the smug smirk on his face. He'd already realized the exact same thing that I had. He’d passed.

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[genevieveskingdom]

After 6 years I bought a new dancing shoes 🙈 The old ones were literally falling into pieces and I felt like Barbie in 12 Dancing Princesses 🩷🩰 where the girls' shoes were in desolate condition every morning after they spent all night in an enchanted world dancing and dancing and dancing ✨

Old ones vs. new ones 🖤 I hate to let them go, because they experienced so many dancing adventures with me; they were here when I first entered the ballroom; when I learned the first basic steps of all 10 ballroom dances; when I had my first performance... 🪩 They will always remain in my heart and stored in a box so that everytime I look at them, the beautiful memories will come back to me 🫶

[ebbpettier]

i would bet money that agatha wellbelove stands in turnout all the time without realizing it

[dozydawn]

[almaadst]

Finished commission for @shslflamingarrow (´∀｀)♡ Remember this stargazing trio? I had the opportunity to draw them again! And I'm really proud of this one! (*￣∀￣) Drawing more than two characters interacting is challenging but also so fun! ♥  Other: Commission info Trio escaping Ukitake, Kyoraku and Rebecca PLEASE DO NOT REPOST WITHOUT MY or OWNER PERMISSION