Alana Kirk + Sasha Cagen on day one of the Tango Adventure in Buenos Aires

I’ve been in a deep memoir-writing space for the last few weeks when I’m not working with clients–learn about the strange psychological trip of writing a memoir here in this New York magazine essay. I’m living that!

This week marks a shift into more social territory. I’m about to begin a private Tango Adventure with the Irish writer Alana Kirk, who also is a memoirist! Alana wrote Daughter, Mother, Me: How to survive when the people in your life need you most, all about surviving the sandwich generation years. Alana found herself both grieving for and caring for her beloved mother, supporting her dad, and raising three young daughters, while trying to get her career back on track.

Now Alana’s at work on a new book about how to make the most of life at mid-life. She’s actively disrupting the idea that life is all downhill after 40 while also being honest about the realities of ambition, health, sex, dating/relationships, and everything else. Check out her blog: Grin + Tonic: Redefining the Happy Hour of Life! Alana also writes a column about dating at mid-life for the Daily Mail. Here she investigates, who is having better sex, a 72-year-old mom or her middle-aged daughter?

The Tango Adventure is one of the things Alana’s doing as research for her new book. I’ll be sharing with her everything I know about how you can rediscover your sensuality through tango, and how we can use our age and experience to our advantage forty-plus to be “older, wiser, and hotter.” You’ll be hearing more about “older, wiser, and hotter” from me soon.

I have to tell you about how Alana got to me and the Tango Adventure because it says so much about how things happen in life. Alana got divorced two years ago, and after the divorce, she tried online dating for about a week and thought she might slit her wrists. (Cue stories of 70-year-old-men contacting a fortysomething woman!)

She gave up on online dating and instead signed up with an intro agency, figuring that she would at least get some age-appropriate introductions and a decent conversation with an interesting person.

One of those blind dates was with a man who had been recently widowed. The date did not result in a love connection; however. during dinner, the guy told Alana, “I follow this woman Sasha Cagen and quirkyalone. You should check it out.” She checked out quirkyalone, and that led her to the Tango Adventure, and now she is here in Buenos Aires embarking on a week of sensual discovery through tango with me.

Here are some photos from Alana’s first day!

Getting artisanal tango shoes from Katrin, a Swedish dancer who makes super comfortable and beautiful shoes, at Katrin’s secret showroom. 

my philosophy is: jump right in! Alana in her first class at our welcome dinner

So hey, guy who went out on the blind date with Alana  in Ireland–you must be receiving my newsletter. Thanks for connecting us!

Moral of the story: if you go on a date with an open mind you never know where it will lead you. A relationship is not the only measure of success. You could meet a new friend, or wind up on a new continent a year later. Who knows? Simply meeting new people opens up new worlds. We do learn through other people.

I had a similar experience this week. Two years ago I went a few dates with a guy in Buenos Aires who disappeared on me. I was pissed but then I forgot about it. This week I got a Whatsapp text from him, saying, “Hey Sasha, I hope you’re doing well. I met a woman from Israel who wants to do tango therapy in Buenos Aires. Can I send her your contact info?”

You just never know. . .

IN OTHER NEWS

Tonight the last episode of Girls is airing. That’s cool, but I want to use this as an opportunity to plug another show about the real-life travails of a young single woman. You know there are certain shows that get lots of buzz, like Sex and the City, the Sopranos, Mad Men, and Girls. I recently discovered Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (it’s on the CW but also on Netflix) and I have to say this show is brilliant on a level that I have not seen in any other show in a long time. About the experience of being single–or human.

I won’t reveal much about the show except to say,Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is critically acclaimed (the co-creator Rachel Bloom won a Golden Globe for best actress in a musical or comedy in 2016) but it gets very low ratings. It goes into dark complicated territory most TV does not touch with a ten-foot pole while also being very funny. It gets a big fat Sasha Cagen stamp of approval. Go check it out on Netflix and let me know what you think. May we support smart TV to continue seeing representations of ourselves. . .I’ve always thought that’s important and healing.

Finally we have one more group Tango Adventure coming up May 20-26 so if you are a last-minute planner with a hankering for a spontaneous international adventure, then get in touch with us here.