Venturing Out
Getting back to Tango
Last week I venutured out - to a restaurant. I met a friend, ate a delicious plate of chilli prawn linguine and enjoyed a glass of proseco, well two in fact. It was the first time either of us had been to a restaurant since lockdown. How long had that been -maybe four months. We chatted, clinked glasses, and celebrated the moment agreeing how wonderful it was. Almost like the feeling of a cool breeze on a hot summers day, refreshing and liberating. But as you can imagine, my venturing out adventure, was quite different to a pre-COVID-19 restaurant experience. Firstly there was the hand sanitiser at door, recording my name and telephone number and the menu was accessed by scanning a barcode, which I did by sort of waving my iPhone in front of the “quick response” or “QR” symbol and the menu popped up, miraculous. We were then directed towards a table, a nice cosy spot, but it felt a little remote, isolated with other restaurant goers being seated at a distance. Necessary under the current pandemic circumstances. I thought it was interesting how quickly one can adapt, as we soon became engrossed in conversation, enjoying each other’s company and our meal. We paid with a card tap - hand sanitiser once again, and away we went, all the better off for our experience. I pondered on how we “fit” in our current environment and where we want to go from here. As we venture out and embrace our freedom, we could see it as an opportunity to begin again, almost as if the slate has been wiped clean……an interesting notion.
As I am writing this blog, I am also preparing for the return to class, hopefully within a couple of weeks. As restrictions ease and we all become more comfortable venturing out, I understand that this will be a different experience for each of us and contemplate how this will relate to a tango class situation. After all, tango is about connection and unless you are a “same household or regular couple” a physical connection is not yet available to all of us. What then? Will the classes be built around concentrating on technique and musicality? In itself, challenging enough and a good option, after all this is the basis of many a tango class, but when you think about it even after a pure technique class for either lead or follow eventually we come together, practise and dance, connected through the embrace.
“……..whilst most of these senses can relate to connection through physical contact, it is also possible to experience sensory connectedness in many other ways”.
I recently read an article relating to how the sensory connections of sound, touch, smell, taste and sight, are primarily developed in the first four years of childhood. Something we can all relate to - the smell of a freshly baked cake, the sound of a sang nursery rhyme, seeing colours, and the feel of a favourite cuddly toy. It is through these senses that we learn to explore the world and a familiar smell or sound simulation can trigger a flashback memory. Again, something we can all relate to. There are two other important senses, that are developed early in life; body awareness where we gain a sense of where our bodies are in space; and balance, related to us through the inner ear providing awareness of our body position in relation to gravity. I considered that whilst most of these senses can relate to connection through physical contact, it is also possible to experience sensory connectedness in many other ways. I also considered, that when we first experience sensory connections, we identify those connections purely with self and it is only as we develop that we relate our sensory skills to the other.
“Ultimately it is the tango dancer who will decide the direction tango may take.”
So how is this associated with tango and our current shifting uncertain landscape? Tango, the art form we know today has developed by “shapeshifting” throughout the last century or so. Changing and adapting, evolving, continuing to grow and expand as each generation adds their layer to be woven into the tango tapestry. Tango has a unique ability to safeguard it’s creative force whilst being sensitive to the changing societies embroiled in the cultures surrounding it. Perhaps we are about to experience another moment in tango history where it will once again shapeshift and adapt to allow a way forward. Ultimately it is the tango dancer who will decide the direction tango may take.
“Be Open to “What Is” ….Richhard Carlson Ph.d
I have a book I like to refer to sometimes, “Don’t sweat the small stuff…and it’s all small stuff” by Richard Carlson, Ph.d. Its not a new publication, being first published in 1997, some of you may know it. I have recently been drawn to the chapter “Be Open to “What Is” and feel that perhaps this is a good philosophy for me to adapt in post COVID-19 tango classes. Working with private classes, the individual group classes, or same household/regular partner group classes, my intention is to focus on somatic movement and self awareness, to enable students to find a deeper connect from within. To find intimacy within our own movement. Understanding the basis of restriction, whether it be physical or mental, can open up a path to greater dance freedom and fluidity. From here we can expand our connection to incorporate others and by doing so without engaging physically we can only improve and heighten our sensory skills to a greater level. When we do come together again, and that may be sooner than we think, the experience maybe electrifying.
