El Obelisco, December 2019
Many times, we talk about “beginner mistakes” in tango. You know: those moves we learned as a baby tango dancer, where we didn’t really know what we were doing? Somehow, as our dance matures and we learn new steps, the more advanced steps become easier because we learn them as intermediate or advanced dancers. However, for many of us, our basic steps still retain some of our beginner issues.
I think the same thing happens with our tango body map. We pay careful attention to how we do a boleo or a back sacada—anything tricky. However, we schlep through walking to the cross, or doing back ochos, or even just walking backwards. We’ve done it for so long that we don’t even notice that our body mapping is off for certain movements.
As 2020 ends, let’s take some time to reimagine our body maps, fill in the gaps, polish and refine older assumptions, so that we are ready to dance with other folks when we are able. We will bring a more enjoyable dance with us, because we will be able to feel our mapped body, and know where we are in space. Come join us this week for a body-mind meld!