Does anyone have experience or tips for dancing tango seated on a chair?

[opendoor]

Does anyone have experience or tips for dancing tango while seated on a chair? (for handicapped people like me)

 

[Brummbaer]

Maybe see 'Wherlchair Dancesport". I've seen it, but no personal experience.

I've also seen a YT video of someone, with one leg, dancing AT on crutches.

 

[j_alexandra]

@opendoor, do you mean a wheelchair? If a wheelchair, that presents interesting challenges. The open-armed hold I use for wheelchair ballroom dance won't necessarily work for the tango embrace. The chair itself is bulky and the arms get in the way.

I'd explore what could be done with tango in an office chair. In those, the arms swing out of the way, and the height of the chair itself can be adjusted so that partners will have a closer height match.

This is a really interesting challenge and I almost wish I did tango so I could explore it.

 

[brujo]

There is a series called tango stride which is around seated movement - TangoStride Seated Movement Sessions by Gabriela Condrea .

In regards to the tango embrace, adaptive programs like the one at Emory ( for Parkinson and mobility challenges ) use a more open one for stability.

 

[opendoor]

.. in an office chair. In those, the arms swing out of the way, and the height of the chair itself can be adjusted..

Your really have good ideas. Ideally, an office chair without arm and backrests should work well. In tango, the body is closed at sternum level, not at the pubic bone like in a standard. Unfortunately, office chairs without backrests are very expensive. Perhaps one could improvise with a simple stool on a trolley as a base. Many thanks again.

 

[Brummbaer]

Your really have good ideas. Ideally, an office chair without arm and backrests should work well. In tango, the body is closed at sternum level, not at the pubic bone like in a standard. Unfortunately, office chairs without backrests are very expensive. Perhaps one could improvise with a simple stool on a trolley as a base. Many thanks again.

View attachment 6426

Don't you have '2nd user', pre-used, office clearance near you? There's a charity shop in a town near me which specialises in pre-used office furniture.

I'd go for the 5-wheel for balance (4-wheel got removed here year's ago for safety reasons). Don't use a trolley!

 

[brujo]

Depending on mobility a wearable chair might also work if you can handle short bursts of walking. Feels much less intrusive.

 

[j_alexandra]

Your really have good ideas. Ideally, an office chair without arm and backrests should work well. In tango, the body is closed at sternum level, not at the pubic bone like in a standard. Unfortunately, office chairs without backrests are very expensive. Perhaps one could improvise with a simple stool on a trolley as a base. Many thanks again.

View attachment 6426

Many office task chairs have to be assembled. Just don't put the back on.

 

[itwillhappen]

Maybe this was your inspiration to ask?

 

[opendoor]

Depending on mobility a wea
rable chair might also work if you can handle short bursts of walking. Feels much less intrusive.

I was thinking about leading a rehabilitation group. Therefore, I was considering simple gear that already exists. I myself dance using two "Unloader" orthoses from Ossur, 700€ each.

 

[Brummbaer]

Many office task chairs have to be assembled. Just don't put the back on.

That's true - but check how they assemble first. Some have protruding bits of metal in potentially uncomfortable places (which the back-rest covers).

 

[Rabbit]

Does anyone have experience or tips for dancing tango while seated on a chair? (for handicapped people like me)

I've danced with both partners sitting down using arms + upper body to tango music many times at milongas with partners who were suffering from injury or foot pain. it is kind of an inversion in that instead of keeping the upper half mostly still and the lower half active, it's the other way round. (If anyone wants to argue that's actually contemporary improv, I don't really mind how it is labelled)

 

[Tango Distance]

Too bad you are having to restrict yourself, but kudos for making things work!
A thought is to look at Blues dancing. When I can't really move, like restricted to a concert seat, I can still enjoy doing some Blues stuff. Some of the basic movements, like pulse pulse left, pulse pulse right; figure 8; and box movements can be done with your head, shoulders, hips (small movements); knees; and feet. You can do many of the movements in a vertical or horizontal plane. Yeah, not exactly Tango, but it could parallel some Tango figures (like doing a figure 8 with your shoulders while your partner does ochos).