Take Your Time

One step at a time. No need to rush. Let the music lead you.

Again and again, I would hear those words during tango lessons. Or even on tango nights, when my teacher would explore the limits that I could breach in terms of expanding my range of movement.

And again and again, I would mentally take that in, and rush into the boleo or the ronde again.

Take your time. The dance is not going anywhere.

But one night, the repeating admonition finally settled into that compartment in my brain that processes all the dance input, and eureka! I took my time and did that problematic ronde with ease, with more grace and yes, in time with the music.

It just all clicked, and it felt good.

What did I do right? I was in perfect position, I let the music lead me, and let my teacher's subtle prompt trigger the moves. Easy, languid, liquid moves.

That felt good. But it was not perfect all the time. Getting there.

Still have to watch my balance, still have to let the mantra take over when I dance.

Take your time. Tango is all about the music and the intensity that will drive your body and your feet to move and flow and glide, together, as one.

Little things, small details, you might think. But they do make all the difference.

When I let the mantra into the flow of my dancing, the timing was good, and I was light and liquid.

I took my time, and I moved good.

Now to do that again, and again, and again... breathe and move... again.