Photo by Bryan Lowe on Flickr.
Don't worry, I didn't break my leg!
I just remembered a post I meant to write a while ago. I was thinking about all the things I don't do - to make sure I don't injure myself and put my tango at risk. In other words, what we don't do (that we used to do) - and also what we do-do (perhaps that we didn't used to do) - to not put ourselves at risk for injury and/or to "enable" our tango....am I making any sense here?
Similar to the symptoms of tango addiction, but different...or is it?
Here are things I don't do::
Snow skiing (when I used to live in Aspen)...pretty much quit this all together...
Horseback riding...I went camping/horseback riding with friends in Moab in the spring of 2007...we had six or eight horses with us and everyone was going riding...I tried to make excuses to hang in camp (and take photos around the campsite)...but they made me go...and ride this very large high performance mare (hmmm, note to self....the subject of another twisted post...riding high performance mares...grin)...she didn't respond to neck reining...let me re-phrase that...she responded negatively and erratically when I accidentally neck reined her (versus bit reining I suppose)...and she almost jumped off a 6 foot high embankment down to the sandy creek...
There was something else...rather benign as I recall...that originally prompted me to write this post...something I thought of (or did or didn't do) and then thought about the risks to my tango...I think I was at the grocery store or Lowe's or something...can't remember...
Here's another one, I am a much safer driver (thank Aspen for 10 years of top speeds at 40mph for months on end)...no speeding...no agression...no offense...all defense...a crash might jeopardize my tango after all...
And another...taking it easy at the gym...I've got an old shoulder injury...so I am always cognizant of not re-injuring....don't want to fuck up my famous embrace...
Although yesterday...I was perched on the third rung from the top of a wobbly extension ladder...16 feet in the air...arching my back and twising my torso to change a light fixture...stupid move...very stupid...I risked my tango...although...it was my tango that kept me from falling...I conjured up all of my balance and contra-body torsion to be able to stand on this ladder in an offset postion...and install the light fixture....both hands in the air working on the light...no hands holding on...now, as I write this, I am convinced I would have fallen were it not for my tango...
Here are things I do-do for my tango::
Creative visualization (of dancing)
View and study YouTube videos
View and study my own video footage (mostly Gustavo y Giselle)
Listen to tango music (almost exclusively for close to three years)
Stretch my calf muscles and achilles tendon every chance I get - street curb, curb at the gas station, edge of a built-up dance floor, any change in elevation I can back up to and drop my heel
Tango specific stretches and weight training at the gym...
For tango in general...take beginner classes....for two reasons...okay three...1] I believe experienced dancers should always go back to the beginning...2] next to check out other teachers' teaching style/content/context/technique...and finally 3] and I believe new dancers (followers) should experience an experienced lead...in their first four weeks of classes....there is a mini-epiphany from most followers on the order of "ohhhh, so this is what it's supposed to feel like...." ....if they think that tango is what they are feeling/experiencing from the beginning leaders...then we will lose them...from tango...
Demo tango technique in public... once waist deep in a hot springs pool...with another man (tanguero)...at night....although there was no embrace...I was demo'ing...he was watching...luckily, there were huge clouds of steam...then we went to a sports bar to watch football, drink beer, talk loud and deep, and beat our chests...
Which brings me to another post/topic...men who dance tango must be gay...
What else? Leave your comments...I would love to hear others...
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