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SHOES!

Comme il Faut.. I ordered them from this place in London.. they arrived next day…I took them to Turkey with me hoping we would get to a Milonga but it doesn’t look like that’s happening..

I haven’t blogged about Tango for a while.. Kind of went into a bit of a plateau with it recently. It is a lot to do with me I know, but feeling like once I was glad to have the leader ‘teaching ‘ me (ie telling me what to do around the dance floor) now it feels really annoying and I just want to ‘feel it’ not be ‘told it’.. (also a friend of mine said it was really bad manners for the leader to ‘teach’ the follower on the dance floor)… Apart from M and T who I have danced with in Norwich, I feel that the leaders where I go to learn are by and large bossy and opinionated (sure that Tanguera can fit them into her briliant Tango Types on her blog see here!) Actually think I am the Keen Beginner type who has just bought her first pair of Comme Il Faut Shoes. Yes, hands up! thats me!

Anyway, back to the Shoes. Even J, my non Tango friend thinks they are beautiful and wants some in Red.. She may even take up dancing..

Turkey is great, Spent the day in Istanbul being tourists, we went to Topkapi Palace, AyaSophia, The Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar and then Hamman!

Today we are cruising the Bosphorous and The Golden Horn (which sounds quite rude!)

will try to get to a Milonga, but the Tango is all the other side of town, we are in Sultananmet which is kind of like the equivilant of Victoria in London, monument town!

Travel plans

I’m off to Turkey today.. well, tomorrow actually. Staying overnight in London and off on a 9am flight via Frankfurt - Istanbul.. Spending weekend in Istanbul with my newly out of baby-zone friend J, she’s having a week off from baby (2 now!) and is coming on the retreat…  So Hamman (Turkish bath) and a chance to try my new Tango shoes out as we are going to a Milonga I think.. Bodrum is the next stop for a week at Y

Then from Bodrum-Istanbul- Istanbul-Rome…  Insabina for a week and then home..

Phew.

I am looking forward to it but also feel a bit apprehensive. Hope I can help to make everyone’s weeks a lovely and memorable time

I will miss my C as well.. but keeping in touch is so easy.. via the old Skype/MSN thingy

Change.. again

Illness in the family. I have to be prepared now for a hard time ahead.. change.. always a challenge… trying to accept the inpermenance of everything…

Cambridge again…

Teaching the Primary Series practice.. Sat 10th May at 9.30am Cambridge.. St Colombus Hall.. check out www.camyoga.co.uk to book

So.. Life is really sweet. I’m humming along seem to spend each day chatting, laughing and hanging out with my great buddies.. tango dancing, yoga-ing, making it all work.. Kids are great and it finally feels like the Sun is Shining on me (hahah)

So come along and practice those of you in the neighbourhood!

Have a great weekend!

Spooky…

Everything happens randomly, or does it? Just recently events have taken an unexpected turn for the delightful…  People appear in our lives when we are ready to learn something or ready to step into a new phase.. I think I’ve learned a lot and am now ready to move forward…

Comfort Zones

It’s hard learning something new. Being a beginner in Tango can be an uncomfortable place. I’m aware of all the things I am not getting. Like,  my tendency to pre-empt the leader, not having my weight over my axis (being fully drawn up on the supporting leg so the leader can move you around) and my ocho’s (pivot turns) being a little wild at times. Tonight was practica (practice) and it was a nice chance to dance a bit on my own, and with F and M… who were very kind about the level of progress I have (apparently) attained… I found tonight the most relaxing and free dance I had was with M, who made me laugh and having a smile on my face while dancing definitely helped with the loose relaxed quality that the ‘free’ leg requires. I even found my eyes closing and trusting the leader to take me where he wanted…

But.. it feels like a long long way, to be able to effortlessly and playfully just be led into ganchos (leg hooks), boleos (leg flicks) and other more complex ‘free leg’ moves.. Right now I’m just happy to be able to trundle around the dance floor and pick up what ever tips I can from the more experienced dancers.

For now, I’m enchanted by this dance and it’s clearing my mind in a way nothing else can…

It’s true what they say about taking up a new hobby or passion when heartbroken. A lot of people come to yoga this way, sadly yoga was the thing that was our connection, and for a long time I felt I coudn’t even practice without my eyes welling up and my whole being convulsing with sobs during a Surya Namaskar… I then tore my iliofemoral ligament as well…..So I left practice behind for a while.. and tried to find a way through without yoga or at least without Astanga, for a while… So, when tango came into my life, I felt as if I was transported, into a world that was in some ways familiar, after all I am a dancer and dancing is part of my life as much as breathing is, but the world of Tango is different and the rules of partner dancing are different and its like learning a whole new language, but with the occasional word you recognise or a turn of phrase…

So bit by bit, I’ve been able to come back to yoga, feeling stronger and more in my body, I’ve started running at the gym and between that, tango and some ashtanga practice, feel finally as if I am burning through these last remnants of the most sad and most heartbreaking time of my life..

Through this, I have found great strength and wisdom, so I will say it has not all been in vain and I know that being out of my ‘comfort zone’ ie single for some time, has allowed me to see myself, and life, more clearly.

At least I know now what I want and who I am.. Precious gifts that are not easily come by in this life. So I thank him (and I guess her) for that.

The dance continues…

Inspiration

Talking about sunshine and yoga has made me think I need to book flights etc.. Will get on it. I haven’t been terribly productive or together recently. I’m not the most organised of people. I think it is both endearing but also the undoing of many of my plans and schemes.

However, I have to cut myself some slack. I am doing far too much. A Studio, a child, a phd, a yoga practice.. the things that can’t give are - The child (although i’m getting far more support with that than ever) and I guess The Studio, but again I have the wonderful J to help and inspire me

Speaking of inspiration. I wrote in my last entry about Miss M being inspirational and I was thinking about that, about the bit of someone that ‘inspires’ others to either emulate OR reach for their own potential and goals. I think its’ when we see someone actually ‘doing’ what we are yearning for, rather than simply talking about it and when we see the positive effects of someone else’s dreams/hopes/plans come to life.

Life coaching has been really helpful to me, to identify goals and make plans to achieve them.. I just had a paper accepted at the IADMS conference in October. THis is really exciting.. From seeing the words CONFERENCE PAPER on my big mind map of things I wanted to achieve, its actually happening.

Perserverence, works

Vinyasa Flow weekend.. and thoughts..

Had Divine Miss Missingham up again for weekend of Chakra Vinyasa flow and Teacher Sadhana.. Both days well attended and gorgeous vibe everywhere… so nice to meet all the folk who had travelled from far and wide to come and to put names to faces. Day one was Chakra vinyasa and although I’ve attended this particular workshop before (see earlier entry ) it was great and glorious and I loved it again… Claire has this amazing ability to draw all to her and make the yoga really meaningful.. WHILE injecting humour and playing great tunes PURPLE RAIN!  The asana practice was great, as was the chanting and meditation…Day two was for teachers/advanced students and it rocked.. we did a strong vinyasa practice am  and then pm looked at our own sadhana (spiritual journey) and what was helping us/blocking us in achieving ‘balance’ or ‘peace’ in our lives.. Mine really centres on finding some time/love for myself and as I am constantly giving out  energy… seeking that energy back… or, being able to give it back to myself…? I am tuning more and more into the concept of looking after myself, through yoga and through dance, making each moment meaningful and heart led… My kids mean so much to me, my students and my work.. I am blessed…

I felt energised and inspired by the teachings Claire is a wonderful person and her light shines out 100%

Personally, I feel ok.. Moving toward May 1.. when things change and energy shifts. I can’t say more other than a chapter has ended and I’m confident that this is my year, and that the seeds I’ve planted will grow, blossom and bloom

A Tanguera is born…

04-buenos-aire

I’ve discovered that there is a world consisting of dancing, dancing and more dancing! I went back to Bylaugh yesterday to have lessons with Richard and Pauline who are the most amazing dancers.. I was a bit out of my depth I think, since I can just about do the basic steps of walking, turnings (ochos and the giro) and a bit of a pathetic attempt at a boleo here and there… My dance partner P was very kind and together we both bodged our way through.. Pauline made it look so effortless and graceful, in fact she is just the embodiment of grace.. All sorts of things are opening up to me through this dance.. the yoga seems to make more and more sense… Anyway, I’m totally addicted and am going a couple of times a week for lessons.. Feel less confident at the Milonga especially when guys ask me to dance who are really experienced..

Was trying to work out what exactly it is that makes me so excited to be learning this dance.. Its the music definitely.. the pulse the beat and sometimes the music is really silly (particularly the Milonga) so you can have fun too but mainly its the way there are so many pauses and the partners can each perform these little adornments or decorations as they are known (not that I have been confident enough but I found myself doing a little circle on the floor with my foot the other day!)

Maybe it’s just because I’ve found something I am having to concentrate on, which takes my mind off the other stuff.. and yoga does do it for me like that, but Tango means I move in a different way.. and to a different tune

Tango BLOGS.. I’ve discovered exist.. see here

As people make pilgramages to Mysore for yoga, so people go to Buenes Aires, in search of the perfect dance.. maybe that’s my next journey

Fran and Mitch are teaching another beginners course at the Yoga Room starting 13th April, so if you are moved to try, come along you don’t need a partner…