5519  How to NOT have to use her body... ?

Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2008 11:34:39 -0800 (PST)
From: Mario <sopelote@yahoo.com>
Subject: [Tango-L] How to NOT have to use her body... ?
To: tango-l@mit.edu



"..here with a male student, my feet would be killing me.

Quite simply, the man does not have his axis or balance and is using my body."



I took this quote from a post in the archives.

I would like to ask if there is any exercise that

a lead can perform alone that would help develop

balance and axis to avoid the above problem?

I say 'alone' because I practise alone..it's often

very difficult to find a practise partner.

thanks!



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Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2008 15:02:50 +0900
From: "Astrid" <astrid@ruby.plala.or.jp>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] How to NOT have to use her body... ?
To: "Mario" <sopelote@yahoo.com>, <tango-l@mit.edu>

walking correctly alone can keep you busy exercising for weeks and months.
The other one is doing pivots without support.

----- Original Message -----

Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 4:34 AM
Subject: [Tango-L] How to NOT have to use her body... ?

>
>
> "..here with a male student, my feet would be killing me.
>
> Quite simply, the man does not have his axis or balance and is using my
> body."
>
>
>
> I took this quote from a post in the archives.
>
> I would like to ask if there is any exercise that
>
> a lead can perform alone that would help develop
>
> balance and axis to avoid the above problem?
>
> I say 'alone' because I practise alone..it's often
>
> very difficult to find a practise partner.
>
> thanks!
>
>
>
> Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage.
>

Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 10:30:09 +0000
From: "'Mash" <mashdot@toshine.net>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] How to NOT have to use her body... ?
To: Mario <sopelote@yahoo.com>
Cc: tango-l@mit.edu

On Mon, Jan 28, 2008 at 11:34:39AM -0800, Mario wrote:

> I would like to ask if there is any exercise that
>
> a lead can perform alone that would help develop
>
> balance and axis to avoid the above problem?
>
> I say 'alone' because I practise alone..it's often
>
> very difficult to find a practise partner.
>
> thanks!

A question on something that I am passionate about.

Whenever and I mean whenever I am standing still I am standing on one leg only. Waiting for the tube, buying a sandwhich, brushing my teeth... I always try to ground myself on a single leg only and relax the heel of my other leg (collected heels/ankles with a slight v.)

Also I am starting to get into a mental habit of calling each leg in my head. Left,right,left,right this way I makes sure that my weight is never over both feet.

Walking; I do a lot of this since I don't drive.
I feel the most beautiful walking in Tango is when one extends and then transfers weight. With this in mind I actually try and do this (subtly, no extensions) as I walk down the street. It is almost impossible to do it without looking weird but if you are out on your own it is a good challenge.

Balance, I wish I had more time to practise this but I do as much as I can.

Literally extend your leg, making sure your shoulders and hips are in line (don't lean backwards) transfer your weight and then bring you other leg through your axis and extended forward but don't transfer your weight yet, pause, then transfer then extend the other leg forward, pause, then with the same leg extend backwards, pause and transfer and step backwards. Basically you get the idea. 2 steps forward, 2 steps back.

I am really trying to get myself into the habit of grounding a single leg only and really working on balance. I believe this will translate into a more stable and clear lead. Also giving my partner the ability to trust my axis at all times.

'Mash
London, UK

Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 05:57:21 -0800 (PST)
From: "Trini y Sean (PATangoS)" <patangos@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] How to NOT have to use her body... ?
To: Mario <sopelote@yahoo.com>, tango-l@mit.edu


--- Mario <sopelote@yahoo.com> wrote:

> I would like to ask if there is any exercise that
>
> a lead can perform alone that would help develop
>
> balance and axis to avoid the above problem?

Hello Mario,

I find that balance and axis are largely influenced by
grounding. Grounding can be looked at as sending all of
your weight to the floor and connecting with the floor.
It's one of the more difficult concepts to feel
kinesthetically (for me, anyway).

You can use basic torso stretching exercises to get a feel
for it. Stand with legs comfortably apart.

1.) Stretch your left arm up and over your head, reaching
for the wall to your right. (Don't collapse your right
side).

2.)Do the same for the right arm reaching over your head
toward the left wall.

3.) Now, open your arms out from your sides (as if reaching
for the left and right walls) and twist your torso from one
side and to the other while keeping your hips and legs
still.

Do these exercises for about 10-15 minutes. Then sense the
difference in how your torso and how your legs feel. Your
torso should feel stretched out and loose. Your legs,
however, should feel heavier. That's grounding, which is
going to help your balance. As your upper torso moved
around, your legs and feet began using muscles to keep you
from toppling over.

Guess what? That's the same feeling you want in tango
(lightness in torso, heaviness in the standing leg). So
pay attention to what your legs and feet naturally did to
stay balanced and grounded and do the same when you walk.
Similar stretching exercises will also work as long as your
lower body tries to stay still.

Hope this helps.

Trini de Pittsburgh




PATangoS - Pittsburgh Argentine Tango Society
Our Mission: To make Argentine Tango Pittsburgh?s most popular social dance!
https://patangos.home.comcast.net/




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