912 Tai Chi & Tango
Date: Thu, 2 Jan 2003 08:15:49 -0800
From: Andrew Allison <andrew@AALLISON.COM>
Subject: Tai Chi & Tango
Jay wrote: ". . . . I was hoping you would share your own observations on
those things from your wider experience." Tai Chi and Tango have been
discussed on the list in the past, and I'm reluctant to be repetitive.
Besides, Jay's got it nailed: Both are about being rooted and centered, and
having clear intention. Lead with your center (easier said than done) and
the rest of you, and your partner, will follow.
Regards, Andrew
Date: Thu, 2 Jan 2003 10:58:52 -0800
From: Tom English <tom@TANGONOW.COM>
Subject: Re: Tai Chi & Tango
Now THIS is interesting! Who is experienced in Tai Chi?
Jay? I would love to learn more. When I teach tango, I
am frequently told that I teach the same concept as Tai
Chi. I have never experienced Tai Chi and would like to
learn more about it.
When I started tango, 2 1/2 years ago, I was immediately
accepted, I think, because I had a soft lead, or, at least
the beginnings of a good connection. The patterns gave my
brain a near haemorrhage, but I had another advantage. My
previous dance, for almost a year, was west coast swing.
The ONE thing that the instructor would endlessly stress
is knowing where your center is.
When I teach, that is always my one concern for both the
leader and the follower. It is paramount because it makes
you light and responsive. I could go on forever on this as
could many of you. But, I AM interested hearing more from
those with experience in Tai Chi.
Thanks,
Tom
--
Tom English, Founder
TangoNow!
www.tangonow.com
tom@tangonow.com
617-783-5478
On Thu, 2 Jan 2003 08:15:49 -0800
Andrew Allison <andrew@AALLISON.COM> wrote:
> Jay wrote: ". . . . I was hoping you would share your own
> observations on
> those things from your wider experience." Tai Chi and
> Tango have been
> discussed on the list in the past, and I'm reluctant to
> be repetitive.
> Besides, Jay's got it nailed: Both are about being rooted
> and centered, and
> having clear intention. Lead with your center (easier
> said than done) and
> the rest of you, and your partner, will follow.
> Regards, Andrew
Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 11:23:26 +0100
From: Ki Aikido Kidojo <kiaikido@KIDOJO.IT>
Subject: Re: Tai Chi & Tango
Dear Tom and listeros,
if somebody is doing T'ai Chi Chuan also for a long time, even this one has to learn the basic tecnics of Tango. At least this happened to me =
(my name is patricia muller, i am living in florence-italy, practising T'ai chi since the 70ies and teaching it since the end of the 80ies).
My personal opinion is that manhood -in the end- discovers always the same principles (because of gravity, of the human body, of the longing =
to be one -excuse me the strong word- with the universe and with a partner, and so on).
Maybe T'ai Chi Chuan has the advantage that You have to be strong and centered, to be conscious of the surrounding and you own body, but also =
to be gentle to permit you own energy and the universal energy to exchange, to flow and expand, to return, to live. Practised alone or in =
a group (and not with a partner) there is no nessecity to fight somebody. After several years of learning and teaching also Tango =
(milonguero) I came to realise this point as the most important of the combination T'ai Chi Chuan and Tango: you come to feel your partner as a =
part of yourself (or of your own energy) - like all the older argentine dancers do - and you don't fight this part of yours (I mean the =
partner). Beeing one with your partner, you will experience a spiritual connexion (an already discussed theme here in the e-list - novembre =
2002).
So in the end -at least for me - T'ai Chi Chuan helps my Tango to be not aggressive and not to be used to show up, but just to feel energy, =
warmth and a social way to meditate (together).
patricia muller
Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 03:13:34 -0800
From: Tom English <tom@TANGONOW.COM>
Subject: Re: Tai Chi & Tango
Patricia,
That's pretty interesting and insiteful. I tell beginners
that they must learn to dance without the connection to
their parnter, first. They must find their own balance in
each move. Then, we can add the connection. I mean, they
can be touching their partner, but not relying on them.
Their reaction is always the same. After focusing on
finding their own balance, they find that their partner
connection is more pure.
My way of stating this seems so terse compared with your
writing. I will definitely have to visit your website.
I remember a teacher telling me that I was supporting a
specific bad habit of a new dancer with whom I was dancing.
Say, for example, her right hand was pressing down on my
left hand. That was a big lesson for me. I noticed, in my
teaching, that if I don't support someone's bad habit, and
I don't say that I am taking that support away from them,
then, they automatically fix their problem. I will tell
the student, later, what I did. But, the point is that
that person would correct his or her own balance and,
therefore, the partner connection would improve. I guess
that could be considered as a micro case of Tai Chi.
Thank you,
Tom
On Fri, 3 Jan 2003 11:23:26 +0100
Ki Aikido Kidojo <kiaikido@KIDOJO.IT> wrote:
> Dear Tom and listeros,
>
> if somebody is doing T'ai Chi Chuan also for a long time,
> even this one has to learn the basic tecnics of Tango. At
> least this happened to me (my name is patricia muller, i
> am living in florence-italy, practising T'ai chi since
> the 70ies and teaching it since the end of the 80ies).
> My personal opinion is that manhood -in the end-
> discovers always the same principles (because of gravity,
> of the human body, of the longing to be one -excuse me
> the strong word- with the universe and with a partner,
> and so on).
>
> Maybe T'ai Chi Chuan has the advantage that You have to
> be strong and centered, to be conscious of the
> surrounding and you own body, but also to be gentle to
> permit you own energy and the universal energy to
> exchange, to flow and expand, to return, to live.
> Practised alone or in a group (and not with a partner)
> there is no nessecity to fight somebody. After several
> years of learning and teaching also Tango (milonguero) I
> came to realise this point as the most important of the
> combination T'ai Chi Chuan and Tango: you come to feel
> your partner as a part of yourself (or of your own
> energy) - like all the older argentine dancers do - and
> you don't fight this part of yours (I mean the partner).
> Beeing one with your partner, you will experience a
> spiritual connexion (an already discussed theme here in
> the e-list - novembre 2002).
>
> So in the end -at least for me - T'ai Chi Chuan helps my
> Tango to be not aggressive and not to be used to show up,
> but just to feel energy, warmth and a social way to
> meditate (together).
>
> patricia muller
>
>
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--
Tom English, Founder
TangoNow!
Boston's very own Argentine Tango
www.tangonow.com
tom@tangonow.com
617-783-5478
