I have recovered from my broken toe and arch injury, so I am back at my non-tango methods of staying in shape. Each one gives me diverse ways to see how we learn about our bodies, stay mindful in our tango, and let ourselves loose to play in our dance.
Tennis
For those of you who know me well, you know that I have almost no distance judgment. My eye doctor told me that, if a fighter pilot is a 10/10, I am a 1.5/10 in terms of ability to distinguish depth. You can imagine how this affects any sport where you need to hit a ball with a moving object. I must memorize: “OK, if it looks like the ball is THERE, then it’s really in THIS spot.” If you ever feel frustrated by tango, you will feel better if you watch me try to hit a ball.
However, we all have ways to get around our body limitations. For me, I can rely on my body awareness to learn how to do something I cannot see. I can feel when the move I am making feels right. I can practice over and over, focusing on my weak spot and trying to convince that motor pathway to “stick” to the correct movement. I am working on my backhand, with information from my sports-crazed chiropractor; my patient tennis-playing husband; and my own studies in fascia. “Fascia!” I chant to myself as I remember to use the spring of my wrist as part of my motion. When I have hit two or three good backhand shots, I start to remember how to set up for the stroke better and begin to have more luck.
Back to tango
For those of you who tell me, “Oh, I have one leg longer than the other,” or “I just can’t be creative to music,” I challenge you: what else do you know? What other skills can you use here to get past your handicap? The advantage to being an adult learner is our ability to learn in context. What is your superpower that you forget when you dance? Apply it here!
Running
I am a slow runner. My son says that it is not fair to call this running. In grade school, I was the one with my ankles taped from strains and sprains, always last in the race. I did not like running, but trained for field hockey in high school, ran in college and Peace Corps and graduate school because there was always someone to drag me out to run with them. I learned to enjoy running in my thirties, running with the Hash House Harriers.
Because of my injuries, I have not been able to run for over a year. It feels great to be able to start again, even if the first mile still feels awful. After that, I get in a rhythm and give myself small goals. “After that street sign, I can walk if I want.” “If I can run to the top of that hill, I get to walk for a block.” “Look, it’s only four blocks back to the house!” I have found that singing the Hallelujah Chorus to myself will keep me in cadence when I lose enthusiasm. I give myself pep talks: Look how much lower my blood pressure will be if I keep this up!
Back to tango
Give yourself small goals. Allow yourself to fail. Practice for three minutes. Remind yourself that the balance and coordination you are learning will hold you in good stead as you age, reducing falls and keeping you more mobile than the other people your age. Remember that if I can run, you can dance. If you enjoy tango and it helps you stay sane/healthy/fit, then do it!
Barre 3
After a five-year break after COVID, I am back doing Barre 3. I am amazed that I am stronger and more flexible than before. I already know the moves, so I do not have to learn new patterns, but i can perfect the movements I already know, like going to tango beginner class.
I have been teaching yoga, lifting weights and only lacked the aerobic fitness I had before. After the first day, when I thought I might pass out, I quickly found the classes easy, even jogging home afterwards. I feel proud that I can keep up with the twenty-somethings in the class. The advantage of the class is that, as a competitive person, I will NOT let myself slack off if everyone else is doing something. I would never do this many burpees alone!
Back to tango
Tango class can feel frustrating. Why am I trying to do this move with someone else who has no idea what we are doing either? However, group class is for putting in practice time with guidance. It’s for trying your moves on more than your partner or your teacher. It allows you to ask your teacher, “OK, why is this not working?” It allows you to be competitive (“I WILL get this move!”) instead of just giving up. And it gives you a community to celebrate when you can do something, commiserate when it doesn’t work, and to prod you to higher goals (“Come to the milonga on Friday with me!”).
Find yourself a tango posse. Try things that are hard. Find ways around your shortcomings. Pace yourself. Allow yourself to be just OK at something for a while. Look for ways to integrate tango into your life, and your life into your tango! Give your motor pathways time to learn new moves, polish them, and adjust until they work well, and then GO PLAY!