What is TangoZen?

What is TangoZen?

Nothing to talk about, no place to go…  Just be here and dance now… connecting with oneself, one’s partner, the music, and with the other dancers on the floor.

Since the concept was announced in 2002, this question has been asked numerous times: What is TangoZen?  In fact, at the beginning many asked a question like, “What the hell is TangoZen?”  After the book Tango Zen: Walking Dance Meditation was published and the workshop was offered in many places, I notice the question is being asked in a slightly different way, such as “What really is TangoZen?”

It is interesting to note how I have tried to answer the question:

1. TangoZen combines Zen meditation principles with Tango dancing. TangoZen is meditation in motion, and, if practiced properly, may enable Tango dancers and non-dancers alike to meditate and experience Zen moments while dancing Tango.
-from Tango Zen: Walking Dance Meditation

2. TangoZen is an innovative yet natural way of meditating while dancing Tango.
-from Tango Zen: Walking Dance Medication

3. TangoZen is a new meditation concept, which combines Zen meditation principles with basic Tango movements.

4. The essence of TangoZen is that there is something beyond logic and reasoning in Tango.

5. TangoZen is Walking Dance Meditation. TangoZen is known to help establish balance, calmness, groundedness, centering, and harmony in mind and body.

6. TangoZen is for beginners as well as veteran dancers, for those who are new or seasoned at meditation, and for anyone who is searching for a literal step-by-step method that is both rhythmic and simple to pursue, in order to accomplish a peaceful way of being. The essence of TangoZen is doing rather than understanding by intelligence.

7. TangoZen is Tango Made Simple.

8. TangoZen is about learning to appreciate traditional tango through disciplines of Zen, which is synonymous to simplicity and clarity of body and mind.

9. TangoZen is to advocate and promote the traditional tango with aid of the Zen, which teaches us to devote 100% of our physical and mental attention to what we are doing Here Now.

10. TangoZen is tango milonguero.

I admit some time ago I decided to use TangoZen instead of Tango Zen but don’t know exactly when.  And I am still trying to find a perfect description of TangoZen.

I am launching this TangoZen blog, where I’d like to hear from those interested in helping me find the perfect description. From time to time, I will post new messages including workshop reports, new exercises, opinions, etc. Your comments, suggestions and experience of TangoZen will be greatly appreciated.

Chan

Comments

[Christine Dallosch]

Chan, hello!

i stumbled about your search for a 'perfect' describtion about TangoZen...

I dont't belive you can ever fix a 'perfect' definition..!

how can something, that is changing every moment, have one and only perfect describtion..? you can always only aproach whith a describtion towards it from the surface.. and every experienced moment of TangoZen in oneself is different and perfect at the same time, and changes...
but you know.. what am I telling you..
i just stumbled :-) .
so warm greeting from a sunny Lübeck,
yours, Christine

[Judith Chinea]

Since we all know there is no such thing as perfection there cannot be a perfect description. But
for me it is the moment when I lose myself and am one with the music and my partner - which are unfortunately such short moments - when my body moves without being aware that it is moving. Then the brain clicks in again and it is gone. My goal is to make it last longer each time.

[Chan Park]

Judith,
Thanks for your comment.

"I lose myself..." I have used this expression so much to explain the tango feelings relative to zen moment. However, I prefer to use "let go of myself." Still neither seems to be complete as you know.

[Judith Chinea]

Chan, or I could say "the moment when I become one (or fuse) with my partner and the music - which..". That would be more what I feel than "let myself go, or let go of myself"?!