More hard-won lessons from COVID.
Not that we ever want to repeat the unpleasantness of dancing with masks but there were some lessons to be taken from the experience.
Apart from keeping us from getting sick, assumedly, it taught us all to pay attention to our breathing while dancing.
Conscious Breathing (Tango Flo exercise #5)
Breathing is seldom referenced in Tango dance classes because the Tango is not a highly aerobic dance. We can breathe automatically and unconsciously as we would normally throughout the day and never get caught short of breath (unless we are wearing a mask).
However, conscious breathwork (vs. unconscious breathing) brings an incredible richness and depth to whatever our practice; consider yoga, meditation, Tai Chi, aerobic exercise or any physical activity. (In Tango Flo exercise #4 we related it to power-skating.)
What is the difference between unconscious breathing and conscious breathing or breathwork?
In breathwork as in all of our Tango Flo exercises, we bring awareness or conscious attention to something our body does instinctively, this case breathing. This enables us to build our body-mind memory, lock in our procedural memory and intensify and integrate our natural body movements into our dancing.
How does breath-work enhance our tango?
Tango is unique among dances in that it encourages us to vary the timing of the dance by pausing frequently, choosing which beat to step on and speeding up or slowing down our steps.
In these moments of decision, hesitation, and waiting for the right moment, conscious breathing can bring a rich texture, sensuality, power and definition to our dancing.
Consider the enrichment of adding conscious breathing to our first 2 dance steps (salida and forward step):
We begin rocking softly to coordinate our weight shift with our partner. We take a moment or two longer to listen to and mirror our breathing. We breathe in deeply, our chests rising together. We settle our weight on our standing leg and exhale slowly as we prepare to step out to the side. (All this connection and we haven’t even stepped yet!)
We step to the side. As we fix our sidestep in the line of dance, we pause. We renew our embrace. We breathe in again, settle, and then exhale as we step forward.
What a rich, sensual engagement!
This same dynamic can happen throughout the dance. Anytime you collect and pause for whatever reason, whether adjusting to the music, a crowded dance floor, changing up your step, or just taking the time to enjoy the pleasure of holding your partner close to you.
Let’s take a deeper look into the benefits of conscious breathing.
1) It centers us. It pulls us into our own bodies. Tango is non-verbal communication and sensual connection. But this communication has to be grounded in self-awareness. Breath work dials in that awareness.
2) It relaxes. Tension is the enemy. It deadens. It kills our creativity, fluidity, ability to learn responsiveness, receptivity, and sensitivity. Breath in bliss and relaxation. Breathe out tension.
4) It deepens connection. There is no way to feel closer to someone than just to share a breath with them. Mirroring your partner’s breath intensifies the warmth of the embrace.
5) It strengthens the lead. Raising or dropping the chest cues a lot of steps, such as fixing your partner on their axis, or changing the speed of the walk. However, rather than just raising the chest, the lead is much richer, more ergonomic and more sensual if we engage our whole body through conscious breathing.
6) It adjusts the tempo. A deep breath in is the strongest and clearest way to slow down the dance or effect a pause. Conversely, breathing out initiates a step.
7) It invites vulnerability. Not only does mirroring our breath bring our bodies closer together but it creates a very vulnerable and intimate space. This is why, I suspect we avoid doing so.
Finally …
Breath is Spirit.
In every religious tradition I know, Divine Presence or Spirit is equated or infused with the breath.
Do you want to breathe more spirit, enchantment, and richness into your dance?
Breathe.