649  Tai Chi and Tango

Date: Fri, 28 Jun 2002 09:50:08 -0700
From: Andrew Allison <Andrew@AALLISON.COM>
Subject: Tai Chi and Tango

At 12:05 AM 6/28/2002, Patricia wrote:

>I practiced 12 Years Ki Aikido and since 1976 I do T'ai Chi Chuan which I
>teach since 1988: my opinion is that taichi and aikido CAN substitute the
>tango practice with partners IF THERE IS NO tANGO AROUND, BUT also dancing
>for example Salsa, other social dancing or Capoeira. The two arts (T'ai
>Chi Chuan and Aikido) encourage to feel your body, to work with it and let
>go thinking, but they are no substitutes.

I can't speak to Aikido, but the essence of Tai Chi is: being rooted
("heavy" lower body); in control of your center (axis) -- and, in the case
of the two-person version (Push Hands) that of your partner; and using the
waist to move the chest and shoulders, not the arms. These principles
should be very familiar to tangueros/as. That said, while applying the
principles will make you a better dancer, in my opinion there's is no
substitute for practice. Andrew