Help yourself first before you help others. An advice which we learn already in the safety instruction in an airplane. This makes sense. Why? Because you only can give proper assistance to others, if you are in a good condition. Same applies in Tango. With self-awareness you get to know how to help yourself first.
Do you remember the times when you were a beginner, dancing in a Milonga and your partner wanted to help you? It turned out to be something frantic.
In the end nothing worked really, and you finished the dance thinking you are the worst dancer of the night.
Self-awareness for flaws and physical weakness.
You wonder why dancing with your teacher felt so incredible good, but with others in the Milonga not?
Simply, because a teacher is able to assist and to comfort you because of his/her experience and training. A teacher knows how to comfort a student’s movements.
To be able to dust out all your short comings, first step is to know and accept all those flaws. It is not helpful at all, if we deny mistakes. With self-awareness we learn to know and to accept. The base to create a body language to overcome those flaws.
Self-inventory of your attributes
Check on yourself :
- How is my posture? My head, my embrace?
- Do I have physical weakness in my spine? Stiffness in dissociation.
- How is my connection with a partner, where and when do I feel miserable? Sometimes a bad connection has its reason in our very own physical
inflexibility or mental fear of closeness. - How are my shoulders? Can I easily rotate my shoulders, my arms ? Stiffness in the shoulder will force us to use our arms to much. It creates a harsh embrace.
- how is my foot position?
- Am I able to control my own axis?
- Is my intention always clear and confident?
With self-awareness you will know what to change about your body language, ask your teacher for help, because all these matters a lot for your partner.
Acceptance and Resposibility
Now, after knowing your strength and weaknesses there are two options.
- to keep everything like it is.
- to polish strength and improve on weakness.
In any case you will have to take responsibility for your choice.
You keep everything like it is
Maybe you have no time to work on your problems or you simply don’t care to become a better dancer. In this case ask your teacher how to improve with some little tricks. Furthermore ask for some advise, which movements are manageable and which movements better to avoid.
The idea is to improve connection and balance without bothering yourself or your partner.
You polish your strength and improve on weakness.
Ask your teacher for special exercises and corrections.
There might be some physical barriers that seem to be impossible to overcome. Exercises for flexibility will help for sure, if you just want it.
Take Pilates or Yoga classes on regular schedule, helpful not only for Tango but also for your overall health and wellbeing.
😊Now, you probably understand why it is so important to work with an experienced teacher. To develop a smooth and confident body language start with the first step, self -awareness.
Now you have identified and eventually improved. How ever your choice is, you have accepted and taken a responsible decision for the good of your and your partner’s sensation. The new YOU will create respect. Respect for yourself and respect from your partner.
With this new feeling of confidence, you will be the best assistance for your partner, even without correcting or suggesting to her/him .
Related article :
Awareness for the partner – Tango Meditation Seminar 2
Awareness for the Music – Tango Meditation Seminar 3
