2276  Experience of Tango Zen Workshop

Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2004 22:07:45 +0000
From: TANGO made SIMPLE <wbtango@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Experience of Tango Zen Workshop

On behalf of Andy Carrillo <coastguardrecruiter@yahoo.com>:
From : Andy Carrillo <coastguardrecruiter@yahoo.com>
Sent : Thursday, February 19, 2004 6:47 PM
To : Christy Cote <christy@CHRISTYCOTE.COM>
Subject : Re: [TANGO-L] Zen and Tango
Christy,

I had the pleasure of hosting Chan and Eugenia Park this past weekend, and
they taught a beginner's class and two workshops on this very topic they
call Tango Zen.

It was very profound the way their balance-focused exercises, e.g.,
super-slow walking in time with DiSarli' s music heightened each
participant's self-awareness of weight shift and placement, breathing, our
body's struggle to maintain balance when there was absolutely no momentum
upon which to depend or partner to lean upon, and how calming the mind
actually assisted in calming the body into a fluidly stable unit.

Then these exercises were performed with a partner, with eyes open, then
closed where each other's balance was taken right to the edge of disaster
(falling), then brought into balance once again and the exercise was
repeated on the other partner. As a leader, I knew in my own mind, and
hands, that my partner would never fall, that my focus was completely on her
well-being. But when the weight shifted my way, I wasn't so sure she could
sustain me, and I became afraid and tense until I released my preconcieved
notions about trusting her with my body. As we built our trust of each
other, we focused ever more on one another, and the room seemed to simply
disappear. Then we performed this exercise to music.

For the second workshop, we began to incorporate the keen awareness of our
partners into actual dance. The resulting connection was incredible,
purposeful, mindful. We truly achieved two bodies, four legs, one heart as
we moved about the dancefloor in a 'meditative walk', caring and mindful of
our partner. Each subtle shift of weight was easily felt through our finger
tips, as we danced a tango 'box step' with eyes closed. We didn't have to
see to 'see' our partner fully before us--we could sense their presence,
their foot placements, their weight shifts--all to the music.

Though it appears that Zen meditation is a discipline in 'introspecitive
meditation', Chan and Eugenia showed us how to walk the 'meditative walk'
with a partner and not be distracted by anything around us. It truly was a
great meditative and communal experience I suspect only a few people
actually achieve in dancing tango.

I'm so glad I hosted them, and was able to learn a little bit about really
connecting with a dance partner. Check out www.TangoZen.com for more info.

See you in a few hours for Beginning Vals!

Besos,
Andy

Christy Cote <christy@CHRISTYCOTE.COM> wrote:
As I am exploring the similarities between Zen and Tango I am interested
in any feedback from the Tango-L on this subject. I will be co-teaching
a workshop along with Reb Anderson Roshi at a local Zen Center this
weekend and would love to share some of your insights with the group of
60 who will be attending this workshop.



FYI, Reb Anderson Roshi is the author of Warm Smiles from Cold Mountains
and Dharma Talks on Zen Meditation along with numerous writings in
Buddhist periodicals.



Christy Coti

San Francisco

Take off on a romantic weekend or a family adventure to these great U.S.