Focus

Each week we learn steps, and in order to successfully execute and retain these steps, we must repeat them. I've noticed that I get so accustomed to doing the steps repetitively that I begin to anticipate what the leader will do next. A few partners have suddenly switched up what they were doing to see if I would be responsive, and I haven't always been. This really made me realize that I wasn't in the moment, I was actually just repeating steps in their prescribed order. Because of this tendency to get in a routine, tango has been an exercise in listening, focus, and a reminder of the fact that things won't always continue the way you assume they will. Overall, I tend to struggle with focus which, as much as I hate to admit it, sometimes makes me a terrible listener. Tango has challenged me to focus and reject my tendency to daydream while simply going through the motions. Anyway, going through the motions is not conducive to capturing the passionate and unexpected essence of tango. Nor is it any way to go about life.

Tango and relationships

I think a great deal of knowledge about relationships in life can be gleaned from knowledge of tango. Lately I've been thinking about the role of leader and follower, and although there's not necessarily a prescribed leader and follower in an given relationship, I think the things I've learned about tango have really reiterated the importance of empathy within relationships, both romantic and platonic. Sometimes we forget the other person's needs in the midst of focusing our own ever changing needs, and this can be extremely detrimental, both in tango and relationships. Failure to communicate can cause a variety of missteps. Whether they are minor or significant, clear communication and recognition of how your actions affect the other are crucial. Personally, I tend to over think things in relationships and jump to conclusions are make assumptions, much the way I have a tendency to anticipate the actions of the follower when I tango. I really related to Sally in The Tango Lesson because she struggles constantly with trying to follow. Relinquishing control and trusting another person to guide you and make positive choices is terrifying to me, and I don't think I'm alone in this fear. The importance of trust and letting go is crucial, and I hope by having to be aware of this in the context of tango, I will allow myself to be led in relationships of all sorts, whether they be professional, romantic, or platonic.

Tango getting complicated

Last week marked the half way point for our course. I finally realized how much we have learned in the last month or so, as we added back ochos and a variety of other moves to our repertoire in the tango portion of our lesson. Although I felt like I struggled adding the new moves, it made me realize how much I have progressed with respect to 'the walk', intention, and other basic steps that we learned at the beginning of the course. I look forward to the point where the back ochos and other more complicated steps become second nature, and have more confidence than ever that, with practice, I will get to that point of competency soon!

Having a variety of steps!

Last week in Tango Club, we learned another new step. I don't remember what it was called but it was basically a half turn. It was like the sandwich in that we had to get to it by starting from the back ochos, but then I bring my foot on the other side of the woman's, pivot, side step, and pivot again. I really liked this turn and I thought it was a lot of fun! Now, I feel like we know a decent amount of steps. I don't have to keep doing the same thing over and over again. I still feel however, that I am not so great about staying in the line of dance, and I have to side step quite a bit to be able to keep to the right. So I'll have to definitely work on that!

Leading is hard.

I must say, I give props to the men in our class. As a follower, I've noticed IMMENSE increases in everyone's ability to lead. We have begun to understand and exhibit the firmness required for the leaders to lead. Dancing during Weeks 1 and 2 were difficult solely due to the lack of direction in the leaders, myself included. In Week 5, our most recent class, I was thrilled by the intention that has begun to emerge in our leadering. Having danced with all the men in our class periodically since the beginning, I've experienced their noticeable improvement firsthand, along with my own ability as a follower to detect changes in their intention and react accordingly. The innovation behind their moves and the readiness behind my own has begun to show more as we're all becoming more confident in our steps, or in our reaction to another's intention with their steps.

Reiteration

Only having this class once a week makes it difficult to remember some of the steps we've learned. Thus, I've found that reiteration by continual practicing throughout the week before the next class has helped ingrain them into my memory. During week 1 and 2, I had some difficulty recalling what Professor Dobyns had taught us. As the quarter has progressed and we perform the basics over and over, recall has become much easier. I understand why Professor Dobyns encourages us to participate in weekly tango activities outside of class, such as the DU Tango Club on Thursday evenings (I've yet to attend but I'm making it a mission to do so), to encourage and enhance our fundamental understanding of the steps. Practice makes perfect. The lack of practice breeds clunky and hesitant steps.

From a dancer's background.

I grew up with dance incorporated into my daily life. Having been born and raised on the Big Island of Hawaii, I had the opportunity to learn and dance hula from an early age, up through middle school, until I finally had to stop upon coming to DU. (Denver doesn't have the hula culture of Hawaii.) The composition of the dance is immensely different from tango. In class when we're practicing, I have been working hard to control my "horse feet," a self-proclaimed dance move exhibited by lifting my feet and knees during certain steps rather than keeping my toes kissed to the ground.

Hula is a dance of power and dramatics. Many of the motions we do include lifting our feet, heavy stepping, or stomping to enhance the rhythm of the dance. For example, the step we call the 'uehe utilizes feet and knee lifts, along with heel raises and knee flourishes. The video below of the kumu (teacher) demonstrates this movement.

Learning the tango has given me the challenge of keeping my hula feet controlled and solid on the floor. Tango is so different from any dances I've come in contact with in the past, which gives me something that I want to become more proficient in. Professor Dobyns really helped me by working with my form last class (April 25th, 2014). I'm excited for class next week, when I demonstrate my increased ability and mindfulness with my feet while dancing tango.