Mutual inspiration

When thank you is not enough

Many times when I am complimented at the end of a tanda I respond with something like “It wasn’t only me dancing… we both contributed to making this a nice tanda!”, However, what I often fail to communicate accurately is that the better a partner is, the more I feel free to unlock and unfold what I can do. Actually, there are times that I finish a tanda and I am wondering myself how the hell did I dance this way. In some way… I am inspired by the reactions I get from my partner…. from her embrace… her movement… her musicality… her dance.

It is in these times when I am truly inspired that I let myself free and unlock some kind of new level of dancing… some level that doesn’t happen easily… and I believe this unlocks the same level in my partner and it all starts feeling like flying instead of dancing. It feels like we are both drawn into a vortex created by the music… where we are both like puppets moved by the different instruments… like the rest of the universe disappears for those minutes.

Becoming inspiring

Now I need to explain something that my neuroscientist friends will get right away. In the previous post, I wrote that the more you practice tango, the easier it gets and there was a very interesting comment about it below. When we learn to dance, we focus on basic things… how to lead this or the other move… how to follow and respond… how to step… etc. In the beginning, your mind has to do all this mental work while dancing and this doesn’t leave room for other things to come in. The more we exercise… our basic technique… our musicality… our walk… the more all this becomes automated and we stop thinking about it when we dance. This is when all this room is created for all those other things… the emotional expression… the connection… the dancing discussion… the vortex I mentioned before. The more space you leave for it… by using simple (automated in your brain and body) moves… the more space you allow for this vortex to transfer you into its own universe.

Our teacher used to say it’s like learning to drive a car. In the beginning, it is all very stressful… step on the gas… the breaks… change gears… turn, etc. After a few months, some things just happen without thinking. The less you think of the basics… the more you can focus on the higher-level things and enjoy the trip.

Our brains are made to work this way… so when we dance… when I feel that my partner is not thinking of the basic stuff… I can also focus on other things too… and I can unlock myself… let me be taken by the vortex and move to this other tanda universe. I know this happens the other way around too. The more I exercise and automate things in my body in terms of movements… musicality… etc., the more you feel free and inspired to unlock yourself as well and get into this vortex with me. It’s definitely mutual and that’s another proof of why it takes two to Tango.

This is exactly when the magic happens… when you get this mutual inspiration in between the couple. The one feeds the other and it grows almost exponentially!

Tonight’s Goodnight Tango

So the more we all exercise, the better we automate basic things, the more space we allow for higher-level things to get into our dance, the more we become an inspiration for each other, and the more we start to really enjoy this dance! So… what other song could I have chosen for tonight’s Goodnight Tango?

How about you? Have ever felt inspired by your partner? Have you ever felt being unlocked just because you dance with a specific partner? Did ever feel that you inspire your partner? Does practicing play a role in that? Let me know with a comment below, an email, or a PM on Facebook… oh… and if you liked it… don’t forget to share it with your friends.