Dancing in the Moment

[bordertangoman]

What does being in the moment mean to you..picking up from the other thread

I offer these example as a starting point

Yourself, lost in something.
You’ve been in the moment plenty of times. Can you remember a time when you lost yourself in a task? Not lost in thought, but lost in the doing of the task itself — you were concentrating fully, you thought of nothing else. The world disappeared. It might have been work — you might have achieved that state of mind known as “flow” — or it could have been a hobby, playing sports, yardwork, fixing something, anything. Try to remember a time like that.

I think there are two types of "In the Moment". There are times when everything seems to flow naturally without any thought, which is what TC is talking about I think. Then for me, there are times of hyper awareness, when everything seems crisp and sharp and clear. Sometimes I do think about what I'm doing then, and plan something intentionally neat that will make my partner smile. But my thoughts are zipping around so fast, it doesn't interrupt the flow of the dance.

Minimize activities that dull your awareness of the moment. What are you doing that tempts your mind to run away from the present? For most people, watching television puts you in a passive state of mind, and time slips right by. Daydreaming and getting lost in a good movie or book isn't bad, but it's not living in the moment because it places your concentration on something that isn't right here, right now; it's a form of escapism. Don't zone out; zone in. Do things that are active, and that encourage you to look around and engage the world in that moment. Gardening, playing a game, knitting, and playing an instrument are all activities that lend themselves to mindfulness

this is worth a read too
http://www.wildmind.org/background/moment

though perhaps its easier to describe the Nots rather than the Ises

 

[LadyLeader]

For me the Dancing in the Moment is to put all the focus on the music during a tanda.

For some reason I lost my chilhood ability to remember melodies and when dancing I never could remember what was going to happend next in the tango.(*) This forced me to be totally concentrated on music, to flow with it and take my partner with me.

(*) It was like this untill March this year. I booked all the lessons I could get when Joaquin Amenabar came to Stockholm and something happen. Those two days with intense work kicked a rosty wheel of musical memory to turn again!

 

[bordertangoman]

For me the Dancing in the Moment is to put all the focus on the music during a tanda.

For some reason I lost my chilhood ability to remember melodies and when dancing I never could remember what was going to happend next in the tango.(*) This forced me to be totally concentrated on music, to flow with it and take my partner with me.

(*) It was like this untill March this year. I booked all the lessons I could get when Joaquin Amenabar came to Stockholm and something happen. Those two days with intense work kicked a rosty wheel of musical memory to turn again!

what a wonderful story... Joaquin Amenabr is the best teacher for learning about dancing to tango music,,but sounds like he triggered something else for you

 

[LadyLeader]

Joaquin Amenabr is the best teacher for learning about dancing to tango music,,but sounds like he triggered something else for you

I think you understood my deep, glowing gratefulness! He has deffinitly helped me out, by giving a tool in my hands!

I knew that people heard music differently - as if I was living in black and white world and others had something more. For two years I was searching a way to learn about music and when a friend last year gave me his book I was on my way! After two weeks I started see coulors! I ran through all the exercises alone, then with a friend and then again with a frien who has musical education. (Now I have started a repetition again! ) But it was usually only 1-1,5 hour a day. When we had the workshops it was 5 x 1,5 hours during two days and I think that had an effect on me.

I disagree with him on one point though. He tries to create a 'musical future' so we know what is going to happend next in the song. I want to HEAR more just now instead. There is many things going on simultaneously in music. Some kind of vertical / horisontal difference in our thinking.

My relation to music is instantaneous - Followers relation to leader is instantaneous too. A follower never knows how a new leader will be, how the steps are taken - I follow the music in the same way.

 

[bordertangoman]

I think you understood my deep, glowing gratefulness! He has deffinitly helped me out, by giving a tool in my hands!

I knew that people heard music differently - as if I was living in black and white world and others had something more. For two years I was searching a way to learn about music and when a friend last year gave me his book I was on my way! After two weeks I started see coulors! I ran through all the exercises alone, then with a friend and then again with a frien who has musical education. (Now I have started a repetition again! ) But it was usually only 1-1,5 hour a day. When we had the workshops it was 5 x 1,5 hours during two days and I think that had an effect on me.

I disagree with him on one point though. He tries to create a 'musical future' so we know what is going to happend next in the song. I want to HEAR more just now instead. Some kind of vertical / horisontal difference.

My relation to music is instantaneous - Followers relation to leader is instantaneous too. A follower never knows how a new leader will be, how the steps are taken - I follow the music in the same way.

keep talking, I'm fascinated..what music do you like, would you dare to dance to. I have Blue Monday by Tanghetto ( cover of New Order from
1983)

 

[LadyLeader]

I started as a milonga-nuevo leader but have now gone over to vals-traditional section. I have difficulties to tell the names or orchestras; when I hear the music my feet deside if it is danceable or not - no names needed!

Tanghetto - I liked the chinese instrument palying in the beginning of the song!

 

[opendoor]

..disagree with him on one point though. He tries to create a 'musical future' so we know what is going to happend next in the song. I want to HEAR more just now instead. There is many things going on simultaneously in music. Some kind of vertical / horisontal difference in our thinking..

Keep on wanting. Joaquin´s univers is quite closed in the sense that the said future already is history. If you hear a piece hundred times you will know it by heart.

 

[bordertangoman]

Keep on wanting. Joaquin´s univers is quite closed in the sense that the said future already is history. If you hear a piece hundred times you will know it by heart.

tango as temporal time loop????

 

[AndaBien]

...I disagree with him on one point though. He tries to create a 'musical future' so we know what is going to happend next in the song. I want to HEAR more just now instead. There is many things going on simultaneously in music. Some kind of vertical / horisontal difference in our thinking...

I like knowing what is going to happen in the musical future, and I don't think it distracts me from hearing the music right now. Knowing what's coming next helps me with musicality and expression.

 

[opendoor]

that sounds lyrical ....lost in temporal time loop.....

 

[LadyLeader]

If you hear a piece hundred times you will know it by heart.

I did not ended up there - twelve years of dancing several times a week...

This shortcoming of mine revealed the possibility to dance in NOW without the coming notes. Today I wonder if I want to learn the music by hart because it steals my possibility to a tough improvisation situation.

This have followers done all the time, an amazing follower skill.

This is only a way to define a vertical NOW and Amenabar has a horisontal NOW.

 

[chanchan]

What does being in the moment mean to you..

It means being present: think to what you are doing now, where is your center now, what your partner and the music are telling you now.

Don't think about the past: don't mind about the errors that you have done, chances that you have lost, or how and why you arrived to this point. Maybe you wanted it, or maybe it's just an unexpected action or reaction from you partner. It should make no difference.

Don't think about the future: don't make plans. For the leaders: don't think to what will be your next step, be confident that the music will suggest it... in the "worst case" you can always do a simple walk or a pause, which are the most beautiful things. For the followers: dont' t try to understand what move your leader is leading you. Just do the movement that you feel more natural without forcing things, and if you want, enrich it with your fantasy, according to the music.

 

[Ray Sison]

It means being present: think to what you are doing now, where is your center now, what your partner and the music are telling you now.

Don't think about the past: don't mind about the errors that you have done, chances that you have lost, or how and why you arrived to this point. Maybe you wanted it, or maybe it's just an unexpected action or reaction from you partner. It should make no difference.

Don't think about the future: don't make plans. For the leaders: don't think to what will be your next step, be confident that the music will suggest it... in the "worst case" you can always do a simple walk or a pause, which are the most beautiful things. For the followers: dont' t try to understand what move your leader is leading you. Just do the movement that you feel more natural without forcing things, and if you want, enrich it with your fantasy, according to the music.

That's a lovely way to look at it--and also generally true for life in many ways... :cheers: