You will hear about what I am studying for my chair yoga certification for at least six more weeks as I try to wrap up my program. I constantly find information that I know I had heard in my first yoga teacher training—but that I didn’t really “hear” until now. A lot of it can inform tango practice as well as yoga.
Celebrate what you can do
Every week, students come to me and say, “Oh, I saw x dancing, and s/he can do SO much more than I can!” I know that it is difficult to not constantly compare yourself to the dancers around you. I am prone to the same behaviors. However, this does not help build your dance; it limits you.
I am grateful that my broken toe has healed, and I can once again run. I can’t run as fast as I did twenty years ago. I can’t run as far as I did twenty years ago. I can still run, however, and I am once again getting faster. Every time someone blows past me, I remind myself that I can still run and that it’s not a competition.
I know I am not the best tango performer. I have intense stage fright. I don’t enjoy performing. Instead, I can celebrate that I have managed to perform and do a good job despite that debility. I celebrate that I can choreograph and can help other dancers who do enjoy performing, to prepare and dance on stage. I rejoice that my work includes helping dancers find themselves in their dance, and reap enjoyment, exercise, self-expression, and social connections from dancing.
Set your intentions
Celebrating where you are does not mean you must give up or stop trying to improve your dance. It means that you have the chance to set your intentions, learn about yourself and your body, practice diligently—and you will achieve those goals. It may take time. You may end up adjusting your goals. What matters is that you find a path for yourself, with intentions that slowly build to your goals.
Millimeter by millimeter
Set smaller goals and allow yourself the luxury of reaching your goals! Can you feel how you are using your “good” foot in every step of the dance? Great! Now, tune into how your “other” is catching on as the “good” foot gets better (remember we are trying to be positive, not mean to ourselves). Can you do ONE beautiful pivot? Yes? What about two? OK! What about three? It really is that slow a process; enjoy the journey instead of railing against it. I am not good at process myself, so I know how hard this can be.
Slow down!
The body takes time to learn movement pathways. We need to slow down and let it catch up: we understand the idea intellectually faster than we can do the movement: slow down! Take the time you need, however much time that is. When the movement pathway is carved into your body memory, you will immediately be able to do it better and faster. Trying to speed up when the body is not ready just slows the process down.
My current intention
After dancing at John Filcich’s 101st birthday party two weeks ago, I have a new intention, or a renewed intention. I need to take better care of my body if I plan to lead the dance on my 101st birthday, with great posture and style. Turning sixty kicked me into gear about exercising. Having a friend drop dead suddenly at sixty last month, sent me to the doctor’s office to get a checkup. Dancing at a 101st birthday party made me start working on how and what I eat. Remember that taking care of yourself, eating correctly, getting enough sleep, taking time to relax — all contribute to your improvements in tango. After all, don’t we all say, “Here’s a dance I can do until I die!” Well, let’s focus on that being a LOOONG time from now! I have a free hour, so I am going to go practice walking and pivoting. How about you?