Tai Chi and Tango

I was introduced to Tai Chi, the slow-motion Chinese martial art, and was immediately struck by how many of its qualities resonate with tango: flexibility, balance, precision, control, rhythm, and beauty. Here’s an example of Tai Chi in action.

Tai Chi is practiced in a half-squatting stance, which demands both strength and flexibility in the legs to allow for movements that are as light and agile as a cat’s. Weight is gradually shifted from one leg to the other while maintaining an upright torso. Every part of the body—arms, hands, torso, waist, hips, thighs, knees, ankles, and feet—is engaged in the motion, demanding excellent coordination, balance, and control. Each movement must meet strict aesthetic standards and be executed with precision. The demands on leg strength and flexibility are exceptionally high due to the slow-motion, half-squatting posture, which effectively enhances leg strength, flexibility, and control.

These qualities directly translate to tango. Like Tai Chi, tango is fundamentally a leg-driven art. Although the entire body must work in harmony to produce elegant movement, strong and flexible legs are the foundation for lightness, balance, control, coordination, and precision. Many tango dancers struggle with these elements without realizing that the root cause often lies in underdeveloped leg strength and flexibility. For those seeking to overcome these limitations, Tai Chi offers invaluable benefits.

Although Tai Chi is not performed to music, it has its own internal rhythm, as demonstrated in the opening video. Tai Chi is intentionally practiced in slow motion to maximize its physical benefits, a practice that can help tango dancers cultivate the ability to move gracefully in slow motion. Tai Chi can also be performed in faster sequences to build agility and quickness, as shown in the following example.

All these attributes make Tai Chi a powerful complementary practice for tango dancers. It strengthens the legs, refines coordination, enhances aesthetic quality, and cultivates the ability to dance in slow motion.

The following videos teach you some basic tai chi moves if you are interested.

Lessons from Tango

Zooming out to see the whole picture, or zooming in to see only yourself as everything — the outcomes are different.

Considering others, or thinking only of yourself — the outcomes are different.

Building bridges, or building walls — the outcomes are different.

Moderation, or extremity — the outcomes are different.

A broad mind, or pettiness — the outcomes are different.

Tolerance, or exclusion — the outcomes are different.

Flexibility, or stubbornness — the outcomes are different.

Humility, or pride — the outcomes are different.

Kindness, or arrogance — the outcomes are different.

Yielding, or dominance — the outcomes are different.

Restraint, or aggression — the outcomes are different.

Compromise, or insisting on one's own way — the outcomes are different.

Forgiveness, or holding grudges — the outcomes are different.

Balance, or imbalance — the outcomes are different.

Collaboration, or confrontation — the outcomes are different.

Win-win, or win-lose — the outcomes are different.

Coexistence, or the law of the jungle — the outcomes are different.

Striving for collective well-being, or focusing only on personal gain — the outcomes are different.

The former reflects the nobility of human nature; the latter reveals its narrowness.

The former creates a world of beauty；the latter leads to its disharmony.