"I did a quick listen to my own top ten Tango tracks. Eight (six of which are reasonably modern) are audibly in 2/4 time. I see no reason to pretend that Tango is suited to a different stress pattern."

I suppose it is possible that you are listening to very boring, mechanical tracks, but if you were to click over to the music store on this website, listen to a variety of the tangos there, and come to a similar conclusion (which I hope you would not) that there is no difference in stress between consecutive slows, what you would be telling us would be that you would have a relatively tin ear. The difference is quite obvious to the rest of us!

"To the best of my knowledge the top teaching societies are in full agreement as to the basic musical requirements of Tango"

The textbooks call the stress of the two slows equal not because it ultimately is, but because they present a very simplified model of tango construction which is not prepared to take a difference into account. As one of my teachers used to say, "basic is not phrased". You can, and of course should try to reflect the difference of stress actually found in the music in the composition of a tango made of basic figures, but if you just followed the composition rules of the book this aspect of musicality is something you would be ignoring. Apparently the book is about mechanically correct movements; artistry and phrasing are left for later. The book fails to comment on aligned phrasing in the issue in the context of foxtrot either.

Even most fairly untrained dancers realize that this is wrong - subconsciously, they understand when they are in conflict with the music, especially music as clear and compelling as tango usually is. Quite often they will refuse to execute badly-phrased combinations using book timing for the figures, instead without even knowing that they are doing it they sneak in extra holds to make the sequence fit the music!

Not biting, sorry.

The best way to learn anything, is to practice.

I would suggest that you either buy some tapes, or subscribe to Satelite radio. (Unless you are fortunate enough to have a free radio
chanel that plays Big Band Music in your area.)

Listen to the tapes in your car, and try to count with the beat. When ever you can hear the beat, count aloud along with it.

If you can, count Slow, Quick, Quick. (Insted of 1, 2, 3, 4.)

When you come to a dance, (Or anywhere that you hear music for that matter.), count with the music.

If you still can not hear it, watch the better dancers. (But be warned, many very experienced dancers do not dance to the music.)

On the occassion when you can hear the beat, find someone who is with the music, and in the future, look for that person when ever you have trouble with the beat.

When you are dancing, count. (To your self if you can.)

When the day comes that you can feel the music, I think you might find that other folks have trouble hearing it too.

One very important thing here is that you should work more on your timing, than you work on your new figures.

If you are moving with the music, you are dancing.

If you are not moving with the music, you ain't dancing. (No matter how many figures you know.)