I am a romantic and sensitive person. I have my way of looking at the world through my heart. I learn in different and sometimes peculiar ways. Seemingly irrelevant things might often touch me or make me wonder.
Tango is like life in many ways.... Moments when I realize this, makes me grow in life or in my dancing. Here are some of those moments when I experienced Tango happen in life, or life happen within Tango...
I started learning Tango in July 2012. Its now Apr 2014, and I feel I am still no good at it. I am in that phase of learning where its in my mind but dont not in my dance. I was reading a blog where it said "If you cant see it, you cant dance it". I think at some level I am beginning to see thing when I see videos of all those beautiful dancers out there. I have been with struggling with posture for almost a year now, ever since I "saw" it. For a brief moment while taking a class with Kara Wenham I even felt it. But I lost it soon.
So I keep trying to get it back. I find that best dancers have postures which are so close to real life situations that they allow a beautiful and elegant Tango to flow. After all, what makes a beautiful relationship? That the two people are relaxed in each other's presence. They both bring something into the relationship, stay together. Although they might bend those sharp edges, but neither abandons his/her own identity. Actions of one does not in general bring in the elements of pulling some one down or leaning on the other. There is an understanding, there is compromise, there is a smooth give and take. You stand up straight with all that you have to offer, and embrace the other person with what he brings along. And whatever you can make from it is the perfect Tango you can have in that moment. If what you offer is sincere, whether it is more or less, for that situation every Tango is The Perfect Tango. So when I look to improve my Tango, I have to improve what I bring to the dance, and how gracefully I can accept what I receive.
Mar 2014 had been a year with a long and cold winter in Washington D. C. Even though with days of snow, there was a hope of a beautiful spring which was making people step out inspite of the weather. One of the evenings, on my way back home when I left the lab, I saw that the geese in NIH were also out in the fields. As I approached a crosswalk, a women stopped her bicycle in front of a couple of geese, and hesitated. I saw the slowly bird approach this women, with its neck-stretched ready to accept what she had to offer. She kept her gaze at the approaching goose while she fiddled in her bag to find her pack of grains to feed them.
Feeding these birds is not a very common sight at NIH. So it had took me moment to realize what the woman was about to do. What amazed me was the clarity with which the birds had received the intention of the woman and the trust they showed as they walked towards her, although the approach was careful and steady.
It was so evident how intention could be such a strong means of communication, that it left nothing to imagination. There was no need for an arm stretched out with grains, or a coaxing sound to call the birds. No pulling, no pushing. Just a good Intention. If it was so clear for these birds, I wonder what makes it harder for us to implement it while dancing.
Apr 2014. I knew that any progress that I could now make in Tango requires me to have a better understanding of my own body. So I joined yoga with Lisa Loring in Bethesda. The second class I took with her, Lisa concentrated on an aspect which is central to Tango. "Stand on your feet to stand up". In her words, it is important in life to stay stable and grounded to the floor while you reach for the heavens, literally and figuratively. After that I class I knew I had made the right decision.
Two classes later, Lisa was concentrating on opening your heart. Another key aspect in Tango. I am looking forward to this journey.
For the last 4 months, I started learning Tango under Barbara Durr and Eugenia Park at Tangoseekers. They are two beautiful people and also wonderful teachers. When you learn from them, the classes are to learn the essence of the dance and do not specially cater to socializing. However, I think I met some of the most wonderful people of Washington DC tango community through these classes. But alas! Like all good things, they had to close down their weekly classes. Now they will have monthly workshops which I very much look forward to.
May 2014. In the very last class, Barbara mentioned that Argentine people say that "Tango is what happens between the beats". I think this was one of the most insightful moments of my life in Tango. What she said made me realize the essence of the woman's role in bringing out the beauty and sensuality of Tango. While the technique in Tango is about going from one point and arriving at another, the Tango between the partners happens when they make the journey between the beats. That is the feeling of Tango. The techniques provide the structure of dance which is depicted at the beats. But the fun of Tango is in between the beats. The embrace provides the medium and space for expression and music. As you improve on techniques, these small domains constructed for you are your niches to express. If thought about this way, embellishments which are visible from outside are nothing really. They are, but a very small part of the dance. Or in other words, there are adornments all along the dance. They may be visible, or not.
June 2014. Its a beautiful day. Its warm and drizzling. Usually rains annoy me. A secret reason is that I dont like holding an umbrella, it hurts my arm! Today I was walking down to my lab in NIH and I could not avoid using the umbrella. But unconsciously I titled it a bit forward and relaxed my hold. And voila!! It seemed light as a feather. I think this is how leaning forward and relaxing makes you light at the connection.
I am constantly in the process of learning. unlearning and then re-learning the basics of Tango. I am maturing to a stage where I am beginning to explore what is My Tango. Moving to US has been an advantage in that sense. I still go back to what I learnt with Hubert in Bangalore because the fundamentals I learnt from him are what would define my tango to a large extent. But for my body and heart to explore how that would happen and what I bring to my tango, I need to go through this whole process. I had a chance to work with Susana Miller for 5 days this month. She concentrated on the embrace. I realized that in the process of opening up my embrace, while I opened at my heart, I was making it more stiff at my head. And she would just pat my head and say "Empty here". That with eyes straight, and shoulders relaxed and back, gave a very good connection. Lean in and its ok!
Aug 2014. First time when I was grounded from waist-below, and relaxed and "up", from waist up, spontaneously, without a thought. Lasted for one practica at the Martin Luther King library. Music that day did the trick.Those nice and bright days, when everything feels right... and you have no idea why!!
March 2015
I was looking at pictures from two years back. I had that typical beginner lean in my torso. My posture is better now, a straighter axis. Its getting better. Nadia told me a wonderful way of practicing balance. On flat foot balance on one leg for say 20 sec, practice the same on the other foot. Now practice this with closed eyes. Practice till it feels stupid. Then do this on heels. That's next on the agenda. Tango is like science. You are always working on the techniques, the better you get and the more you know, better stories you can tell. Techniques can take longer to master, the following story would be sweeter. Wait for it....work for it.
Apr 2015
With Nadia and in Barbara-Eugenia's class. Staying grounded. Its a very peaceful place to be. In Tango and in life too I would think.
Tango is like life in many ways.... Moments when I realize this, makes me grow in life or in my dancing. Here are some of those moments when I experienced Tango happen in life, or life happen within Tango...
I started learning Tango in July 2012. Its now Apr 2014, and I feel I am still no good at it. I am in that phase of learning where its in my mind but dont not in my dance. I was reading a blog where it said "If you cant see it, you cant dance it". I think at some level I am beginning to see thing when I see videos of all those beautiful dancers out there. I have been with struggling with posture for almost a year now, ever since I "saw" it. For a brief moment while taking a class with Kara Wenham I even felt it. But I lost it soon.
So I keep trying to get it back. I find that best dancers have postures which are so close to real life situations that they allow a beautiful and elegant Tango to flow. After all, what makes a beautiful relationship? That the two people are relaxed in each other's presence. They both bring something into the relationship, stay together. Although they might bend those sharp edges, but neither abandons his/her own identity. Actions of one does not in general bring in the elements of pulling some one down or leaning on the other. There is an understanding, there is compromise, there is a smooth give and take. You stand up straight with all that you have to offer, and embrace the other person with what he brings along. And whatever you can make from it is the perfect Tango you can have in that moment. If what you offer is sincere, whether it is more or less, for that situation every Tango is The Perfect Tango. So when I look to improve my Tango, I have to improve what I bring to the dance, and how gracefully I can accept what I receive.
Mar 2014 had been a year with a long and cold winter in Washington D. C. Even though with days of snow, there was a hope of a beautiful spring which was making people step out inspite of the weather. One of the evenings, on my way back home when I left the lab, I saw that the geese in NIH were also out in the fields. As I approached a crosswalk, a women stopped her bicycle in front of a couple of geese, and hesitated. I saw the slowly bird approach this women, with its neck-stretched ready to accept what she had to offer. She kept her gaze at the approaching goose while she fiddled in her bag to find her pack of grains to feed them.
Feeding these birds is not a very common sight at NIH. So it had took me moment to realize what the woman was about to do. What amazed me was the clarity with which the birds had received the intention of the woman and the trust they showed as they walked towards her, although the approach was careful and steady.
It was so evident how intention could be such a strong means of communication, that it left nothing to imagination. There was no need for an arm stretched out with grains, or a coaxing sound to call the birds. No pulling, no pushing. Just a good Intention. If it was so clear for these birds, I wonder what makes it harder for us to implement it while dancing.
Apr 2014. I knew that any progress that I could now make in Tango requires me to have a better understanding of my own body. So I joined yoga with Lisa Loring in Bethesda. The second class I took with her, Lisa concentrated on an aspect which is central to Tango. "Stand on your feet to stand up". In her words, it is important in life to stay stable and grounded to the floor while you reach for the heavens, literally and figuratively. After that I class I knew I had made the right decision.
Two classes later, Lisa was concentrating on opening your heart. Another key aspect in Tango. I am looking forward to this journey.
For the last 4 months, I started learning Tango under Barbara Durr and Eugenia Park at Tangoseekers. They are two beautiful people and also wonderful teachers. When you learn from them, the classes are to learn the essence of the dance and do not specially cater to socializing. However, I think I met some of the most wonderful people of Washington DC tango community through these classes. But alas! Like all good things, they had to close down their weekly classes. Now they will have monthly workshops which I very much look forward to.
May 2014. In the very last class, Barbara mentioned that Argentine people say that "Tango is what happens between the beats". I think this was one of the most insightful moments of my life in Tango. What she said made me realize the essence of the woman's role in bringing out the beauty and sensuality of Tango. While the technique in Tango is about going from one point and arriving at another, the Tango between the partners happens when they make the journey between the beats. That is the feeling of Tango. The techniques provide the structure of dance which is depicted at the beats. But the fun of Tango is in between the beats. The embrace provides the medium and space for expression and music. As you improve on techniques, these small domains constructed for you are your niches to express. If thought about this way, embellishments which are visible from outside are nothing really. They are, but a very small part of the dance. Or in other words, there are adornments all along the dance. They may be visible, or not.
June 2014. Its a beautiful day. Its warm and drizzling. Usually rains annoy me. A secret reason is that I dont like holding an umbrella, it hurts my arm! Today I was walking down to my lab in NIH and I could not avoid using the umbrella. But unconsciously I titled it a bit forward and relaxed my hold. And voila!! It seemed light as a feather. I think this is how leaning forward and relaxing makes you light at the connection.
I am constantly in the process of learning. unlearning and then re-learning the basics of Tango. I am maturing to a stage where I am beginning to explore what is My Tango. Moving to US has been an advantage in that sense. I still go back to what I learnt with Hubert in Bangalore because the fundamentals I learnt from him are what would define my tango to a large extent. But for my body and heart to explore how that would happen and what I bring to my tango, I need to go through this whole process. I had a chance to work with Susana Miller for 5 days this month. She concentrated on the embrace. I realized that in the process of opening up my embrace, while I opened at my heart, I was making it more stiff at my head. And she would just pat my head and say "Empty here". That with eyes straight, and shoulders relaxed and back, gave a very good connection. Lean in and its ok!
Aug 2014. First time when I was grounded from waist-below, and relaxed and "up", from waist up, spontaneously, without a thought. Lasted for one practica at the Martin Luther King library. Music that day did the trick.Those nice and bright days, when everything feels right... and you have no idea why!!
March 2015
I was looking at pictures from two years back. I had that typical beginner lean in my torso. My posture is better now, a straighter axis. Its getting better. Nadia told me a wonderful way of practicing balance. On flat foot balance on one leg for say 20 sec, practice the same on the other foot. Now practice this with closed eyes. Practice till it feels stupid. Then do this on heels. That's next on the agenda. Tango is like science. You are always working on the techniques, the better you get and the more you know, better stories you can tell. Techniques can take longer to master, the following story would be sweeter. Wait for it....work for it.
Apr 2015
With Nadia and in Barbara-Eugenia's class. Staying grounded. Its a very peaceful place to be. In Tango and in life too I would think.
No comments:
Post a Comment