Tertulia #8 - Conversations with Makela - The Warm Up (2)
The Tango Warm Up (2)
Prepare yourself
1 of 5) Finding your self and your center
Connect to yourself by breathing, being aware of your center, quiet your mind by engaging in a meditative state (spiritual journey).
.You love tango, that is why you are here. You want to dance, you want to connect, you want to be part of a community. You want a purpose, a form of expansion. First, is the connection with yourself. Find your breathing. That is crucial because then you will try to synchronize it with your partner’s breathing (we will cover this in a different blog). Feel your feet on the ground, and if you have trouble being present, stomp your feet on the ground, bend your knees, and stay still.
Quiet your mind. You have so many things in your outside world, your work, your family, your friends, your hobbies, your pets, your passion. You also have the everyday chores: laundry, grocery shopping, balance your bank account, prepare your meals, take care of your home. And you have your exercise routine, your cardio, your weight training, whatever you do to feel good about yourself. When you arrive to the studio, we try to leave all those things out of the space of dance. You are present right here and right now. Meditation is key here, let all those thoughts that come to your mind go. Witness them, and let them go like clouds (Sherri, one of my students who is a Zen Master, taught me this). There one thought comes, there it goes, and you stay present, still, empty mind. Here.
Stay tuned for the next blog where we will cover the next 4 elements of the Warm Up where you prepare your body, mind, emotions and soul to the beautiful tango dance. After that, we will cover the other six that are the actual warm up.