Our bodies contain sophisticated control mechanisms that allow us to stand and move on two legs. Through practice, we can develop these mechanisms for increased agility and assuredness as we tackle the demanding movements of Argentine Tango.
An Awakening
I would like to share an experience that illustrates the importance of balance and stability, and why I recommend dedicated practice time for these vital skills.
One night I went to a class presented by tango masters Claudio Villagra and Guillermina Quiroga. I had been studying tango for a few years and felt quite confident in my dancing. Claudio and Guillermina presented a sequence from one of their beautifully choreographed performances.
The sequence required the leaders to execute a back sacada after a 270-degree reverse pivot, while simultaneously leading the follower through a turn. The steps of the turn and the entrance of the sacada had to be synchronized precisely.
The leaders - and I include myself - began to gravitate toward the better followers in the room. I think that most of us realized that we wouldn't be able to execute the sequence unless we were paired with a 'good partner'.
Claudio saw what was going on and put a stop to it immediately.
"No no no no no no no!"
"Leaders, you must not rely on your partner to help you through the step," he insisted. "You must be able to lead this step with any follower."
Class participants were standing in a circle. Claudio motioned to the nearest follower. Together, they danced the entire sequence flawlessly.
Claudio took the next follower in the circle into his embrace. They, too, danced the sequence flawlessly.
With the third follower, perfection. The fourth - well, you get the idea.
Claudio performed the step flawlessly with NINE FOLLOWERS IN A ROW, including some of the ones whom the guys in the class were deliberately avoiding.
I was in awe. To this day, I am in awe of Claudio's skill as a dancer. He's superhuman.
The Lesson
Afterward, I asked Claudio and Giullermina if I could take a lesson with them while they were in New York. I secretly wanted to understand more about Claudio's 'superhuman' ability to lead any and all followers through a challenging sequence. They were very nice, and we arranged a time and place to meet.
I spent an hour working with both of them and then a second hour working with Claudio alone, who had me work on exercises for balance. My Goodness! What a revelation! Let's just say that the exercises brought certain weaknesses to light with devastating clarity.
Here I was thinking of myself as an 'advanced' tango student, and yet I was wobbling and stumbling all over the place. Claudio would demonstrate an exercise with smoothness and accuracy. I would make my attempt and stumble all over myself.
The experience was humbling and enlightening. I understood how Claudio could dance so smoothly and effectively with any follower. He had AMAZING skills that I simply did not possess.
My weakness had been exposed, and it had to change. I was determined to turn my struggles with balance into an asset.
I rented floor space and worked on my balance exercises. At practicas, I would go off to a corner by myself where I worked on balance exercises. Week after week, month after month, I devoted time and effort. It wasn't easy, and improvement came slowly. But it got better, and my dancing improved along with it.
To this day, I dedicate regular practice time toward maintaining and improving my balance.
Stability
Stability and balance are closely related. I see balance as an ability to control our own bodies and stability as the ability to maintain our balance in the presence of outside interference. Can you walk smoothly alone at a slow pace? That's balance. Can you maintain that smooth walk when your partner is falling off balance? That's stability.
I tell my students that the secret to stability is dog food. The more dog food that you eat...
Okay, that was a joke. You don't actually EAT the dog food. You catch it. Or at least you imagine yourself catching it. Imagine someone tossing a large bag of dog food toward you, and you have to catch it.
If you do this exercise in earnest, you'll feel muscles engaging in your hips, thighs, and abdomen. The muscles aren't tight, but they're ready to jump into action when the mass of the bag arrives. Your knees will be bent slightly to increase stability and mobility.
The feeling in your body when you imagine catching a heavy object is something that you should maintain throughout your tandas.
Exercises
You can work on your balance and stability in a variety of ways.
- Walk slowly forward and backward. Start with one step for every two strong beats in the music (approximately one step every two seconds), and work up to one step every four strong beats.
- Practice forward and backward ochos by yourself without hanging onto a partner or a wall. Begin with pivots of ninety degrees and work up to 180 degrees and beyond.
- Take a workshop on embellishments, which are also a good way to improve your balance.
- Review the dog food exercise. Use the image to prepare your body for dancing.
Conclusion
I'd like to leave you with three rules of thumb for balance and stability.
1 - Don't ask your arms to do work that your legs can do more effectively.
2 - Don't rely on your partner to help you keep your balance.
3 - Don't expect to execute challenging material smoothly until you have invested time and effort on the fundamentals of balance and stability.
¡Buena suerte amigos, y muchas gracias!
Daniel
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