I got all dressed up and went out dancing last night. My tango has started to feel good in the past two weeks. It occurred after two incidences. I was dancing with Brenda at Valentango, and she made a little comment about leading pivots - it had to do with shaping and engaging the lower abdomen. Suddenly pivots were clear and grounded. Then at a yoga class last week with a teacher named Todd, I started to feel the lengthening of the spine and the suspension of the body. (These are the same issue.)
The body must actively seek the ground, and actively seek the sky. This creates a feeling of suspension to replace the feeling of weight and falling. Now I feel how dancers such as the Nicholas Brothers or Fred Astaire moved so lightly. This also pulls the pressure off my knees, hips, and back. And best of all, it's let me start to play with footwork in tango without affecting my partner. Ahh, freedom.
