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Argentine tango, Dance, Emboying the rules, mindfulness, motivation, online tango practice, progress in dance, tango movement lab, Tango practice, Tips on tango technique for leaders and followers

3 Tips that Have Reshaped my Practice

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When it comes to setting up a practice routine for dance or any movement regimen, let’s face it: it’s easier said than done. We all start off bursting with enthusiasm, but somehow that fire fizzles out along the way. We find ourselves struggling to stay motivated, unsure of where to direct our efforts, and feeling like we’re stuck in a never-ending loop. And, of course, life loves to throw curveballs, getting in the way of our progress.

But fear not, my Tango friends! Today, I’ve got three fantastic tips that have completely reshaped my own practice. These little nuggets of wisdom have helped me define my goals, stay on track, and most importantly, turned my practice into a delightful and enjoyable experience. So, get ready to infuse your dance or movement routine with renewed purpose and a whole lot of fun. Let’s dive in and level up your practice game!

3 Enjoyable Tips for You to Explore

1: Dance Like a Child

One practice-altering revelation for me has been incorporating a dance right at the start of my practice session. But here’s the kicker—it’s not your typical “let’s fix everything” or “let’s incorporate new moves” kind of dance. No, no. It’s a dance solely dedicated to pure enjoyment. Picture this: I pick a favorite song, turn up the volume, and let loose, simply because it’s a song that makes me want to move. Trust me, this simple act enhances the overall enjoyment of your practice, sets the perfect tone for the session, minimizes mental struggles, and serves as a gentle reminder of why you embarked on this journey—to revel in the sheer joy of dancing!

2: Finding the Embrace

The second secret weapon up my sleeve, is mixing and matching and the best examples of that are my video practices on the embrace, like the one linked above. I love to mix and match. In each video, you’ll notice I incorporate various props and movement practices, creating a rich tapestry of exploration. Here’s the scoop: I draw inspiration from different disciplines like yoga, Axis Syllabus, and Body Mind Centering, and apply their insights to Tango. It’s all about connecting the dots, you know? By doing so, my progress skyrockets, and the whole journey becomes immensely enjoyable.

Oh, and let me tell you about the magical world of props! They can be game-changers. For example, elastic bands can be used to map out movements or gain a deeper understanding of how your body functions. They can also provide invaluable insights into specific muscle groups and enhance your overall body awareness. So, get ready to open up new avenues of exploration and elevate your dance experience to the next level with these ingenious ideas from other practices. It’s time to connect the dots and expand your awareness like never before!

3: Noticing

Now, let me share with you one last tip that I absolutely adore: the power of observation! I’ve discovered that paying close attention to how others dance and move is a priceless tool for understanding my own body and its capabilities. This practice starts right in your dance classes. Instead of merely watching your teacher demonstrate a movement, strive to see beyond the surface. Look for the hidden secrets within—the underlying conditions that allow them to execute the movement effortlessly. Observe how their intentions are conveyed through their body and motion.

By embracing this approach, you take your learning to a whole new level. Sure, you might not be able to replicate the movement exactly as they demonstrate it, right then and there. But you gain a profound understanding of the intention behind the movement and the necessary conditions required for its execution. It may take a little time and patience, but trust me, the journey is both fascinating and incredibly beneficial.

So, get ready to sharpen your observation skills and unlock a world of insight. You’ll be amazed at how this simple practice enhances your dance journey and propels you toward new levels of mastery.

These were just three key tips, I have way more to share so stay tuned by subscribing to our Bautanz community and if you want tips and drills from social skills to actual practice videos, then check out our guide “It Takes You to Tango”, you won’t be disappointed.

Chrisa

Argentine tango, be yourself, body awareness, Dance, Emboying the rules, improvise, mindfulness, motivation, Musicality, online tango practice, progress in dance, social dancing, tango movement lab, Tango practice

Dance like a child..!

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I always struggled with phrases such as “just dance”, they feel a bit ambiguous. I know what they mean obviously, but they can mean a lot and nothing at the same time. And so I am afraid that creates a wall for people new to the dance community, instead of liberating them. So I thought maybe we can use a different phrase, for example “dance like a child”.

“Just dance”, what does it mean?

To me, the way I understand it and the way I have used it in the past ( with no success), it means without thinking about the rules. Allowing yourself to enjoy the moment of dancing without having to think of what you have to do. Without having any expectations or trying to meet any standards. Maybe I missing something here but I am sure that I am close.

Now the problem is, this is not obvious to someone still learning to dance.
Why? Well I think for a couple of reasons.

If this phrase is used to describe the “warm-up dance” (we will get to this one is a bit), aka if this phrase is used at the beginning of a class or practice; well it is contradicting the reason people are there. People have walked in a class or practice to learn and advance their skill. They are in a completely different mindset compared to “just dance”. Inescapably the instinctual reaction is “I can’t just dance, that is why I am here”.

Secondly, if we are using this phrase in a social setting, such as a milonga, let’s consider the following problem. The amount of time the average person, wishing to adverse their skill, spends in a class/ practise environment far overshadows their dance time. So they are better at think-and-do than just do.

Thirdly, and naturally coming from the other two points, “just dance” is a skill itself. Dancing is a skill but just-dancing is just a little bit of a different skill. Which means it also requires training.

So bottom line, the average person receiving the cue, may understand all the words in “just dance”, may guess the meaning of the phrase but has no idea of how to actually begin to do that. Not to mention that they might not understand the phrase in the same way as it is told. Because you may have a different understanding of “just dance” than me. And as such, I think, we need a better phrase and system to help people build on this skill.

Dance like a child

Dance like a child or move like child, depending on the setting and the type of dance one teaches, can get us out of this little word trap.

Ask anyone, and they will be able to tell you what dance/ move like a child means. They will probably use words like, “freely”, “without limitations”, “carefree”, “not caring about the rules”, “having fun”, “moving around”, “doing whatever they want”, “living the moment”, “expressive” etc. I am sure you can come up with some more of your own. All though easily and securely leading to … enjoying the moment without thinking about the rules or someone watching..!

Which is EXACTLY what we want!

So I would like to invite you to start every practice and if possible every class with such a dance. A dance where you actually dance like a child.
Some teachers already start their class with a dance. And here I have another wording issue… haha
That dance is usually called a “warm up dance”.

Now to some level it is a warm up; your body is getting warm which is necessary for most activities. But I don’t really like the term in this context. Warm up is so fitness oriented, it kind of creates the wrong idea. Maybe we can say a prep dance instead of a warm up dance.

Prep dance, as in preparation dance. We are preparing ourselves, body, mind and spirit, for our class or practice. Which I think, even mentally can create the possibility for us to leave what we already know behind and open a window for new knowledge.

To fun prep dances everyone! Dance like a child!

Chrisa,

P.S: For more tips that go beyond technique check out our Guide: “It Takes You to Tango”