I’ve taken up Argentinean Tango here in Brighton.
So far I’m loving it, especially the sense of connection you get while dancing tango. There’s a lot of crossover with aikido and also some differences with tango – your weight is forward over your toes which felt out of balance to me at first, and you lead and connect with your chest – making it very heart orientated. After a few hours practice I felt quite emotional in fact!
I can see how tango is a perfect exercise in building relationship and trust, as you lean into each other, relying on one another for support. Sensitivity while following and clear leadership seem crucial. The connections with Zen meditation also seem obvious with being in the present moment and aware of ones surroundings key. The tango group I go to in Brighton even do a workshop on the crossover.
Partnering with different people in tango has been interesting as each has a different feel, their personalities coming through strongly. Confidence, trust, listening, attraction…in fact anything you could want to know about a person is obvious. Sometimes this bodily information is so loud to me, having been used to discerning such feelings either from a distance and across the armour around martial artists, that I can’t hear the music for its “volume”.
The night I go to is billed as “gay tango” in the village here in Brighton (this was the only night I was free). I thought I might be uncomfortable dancing with men and taking both roles though it’s proven easy. I enjoy the following more than the leading in a way as you can just let go and relax – like taking the falls in aikido. My first experience of dancing at a non-gay event this weekend was very enjoyable too -Tango is very sexy in a elegant understated way which I really like. It’s is more about intimacy and connection than “sex” in the crude sense. “Tender”might even be a better description.
What with Tango and Contact Improvisation I can see me moving away from martial arts towards dance. I’m getting sick of fighting and the brutality in the martial arts world. The really interesting stuff is all in dance and it’s more pleasant and accessible as far as I’m concerned. It also amuses me that martial artists talk disparagingly about dance and bad aikido being “dancing”, as many kinds of dance seem to take more skill and physical ability than (wussy) fighting.
Here’s nice Youtube video of some Tango. And here’s scary Al Pacino showing his softer Tango (I think) side.
Now I wonder if there’s a dance called Sprite?…