Tango and Tai Chi - 4

Tango and Tai Chi

A superficial view of tai chi is that it appears to be mostly waving arms about. In Debbie Spencer's class we emphasised that the whole body was involved in every position.

If we take "brushed left knee" as example. If it were just arms - the left hand, parallel to the ground, just above the left knee - the right hand, pushing forward, hand at right angles to the ground and about shoulder height - there would no strength in that pose. However the whole body supports the position with the muscles of the back linking the two arms in a secure semi-circle. The right leg is straight and directly supporting the right arm. It would take extreme force to distort the position.

Tai chi, like tango, is not arm lead but the whole body is involved.

I relate this tai chi experience to my tango embrace. I don't just casually offer my arms to my partner, for a loose embrace for a stroll around the dance floor. As in tai chi my back muscles link my arms so that I create a cylinder for my partner to dance within. My chest leads and my arms follow.