Tango and the Core

Over the last 3 weeks Paola and I have been attending tango classes at Tango Brujo. They offer a variety of classes from advanced to total novice. Although we’re not complete novices, it would be fair to class us as beginners (let’s say we won’t be winning competitions any time soon).

Last week we took a technique class by Adriana Duré, which we both enjoyed tremendously. She is a talented and enthusiastic teacher, who has a real joy for both teaching and tango.

One thing is noticed at the last tango class, is that the teaching prompts are very similar to those used at the gym: Lift up your chest; look ahead; don’t arch your back; keep a posture like you’re being pulled up by a piece of string.  These are all classic posture prompts. The other common piece of advice is to maintain a strong core.

Yes indeed – maintain a strong core.

This is a message that came across time and time again – maintain a strong core. It helps with the pivots and turns that are an integral part of tango, as well as the posture.

So if you want to improve your tango, start with a focus on your core strength and body awareness.  I will explain how to improve core strength in a future post.