I believe everyone is responsible for their own axis. Unless, that is, when specifically invited to share. Typically, in that case, a leader invites a follower off their axis to join weight for a limited time and for a specific purpose. But generally speaking, we are each on our own axis.
Having said that, there’s also (ideally) a little sharing of weight for the sake of the connection. This typically happens at the level of the heart. The two lean a little into each other and are connected. Even so, if one partner were to walk away, the other would not fall; wouldn’t even be particularly disrupted. Why? Because we are each on our own axis.
What’s an axis? Picture the straight line that runs from north and south poles of our spinning planet. There is no wobble (or very little). The planet rotates as a gyroscope and is largely steady in its movement. We too are steady as we move together across the floor, strong and balanced on our axis.
It matters little what we know in our heads, the right moves and all the rest, without also having some somatic awareness and control. With this somatic practice we call DANCE, we establish neural pathways from brain to muscle, in time perfecting our capacity to remain connected and move gracefully together.
Key to this is a mental focus. In yoga it’s called a drishti (from the Sanskrit word dri, meaning “to hold”). A drishti is a non-moving spot on the floor or the wall in front of you. Picture an anchor thrown over the side of a boat. The line is held to keep the boat steady in the water. So with the mind’s eye focused on a drishti, we can more easily hold our bodies balanced and steady in space.
Tango is different from yoga though in that tango is dynamic and partnered. Together we move, so the drishti moves with us as well. Make it a practice, therefore, to hold the mind’s eye focused, the axis steady, and mostly with the heart holding fast to our partner.
“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”
The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Photo by Cedric Lim
It’s taken many years of practice to learn how to maintain my axis while dancing tango. Yes a tango drishti which is always moving is vital! As a follower I always keep my focus on the leader’s shoulders to know what direction I should move, pivot or turn. And yes it is extremely rewarding and enjoyable when my axis is successfully shared!
ReplyDeleteThank you Jennifer. Visual clues can be so helpful – a view of the shoulder particularly for the follower. And yet I've found dancing with the eyes closed, simply feeling the changing movements of the body, can also be beautifully effective and a deep pleasure.
DeleteI agree. Eyes shut with an effective lead is very pleasing!
ReplyDelete