Intensive Tango

Intensive Tango Dance Program for People With Self-Referred Affective Symptoms

1. Rosa Pinniger, BPsych1⇓
2. Einar B. Thorsteinsson, PhD1
3. Rhonda F. Brown, PhD2
4. Patricia McKinley, PhD3

1. ¹School of Behavioural, Cognitive and Social Sciences, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia
2. ²Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
3. ³McGill University, Montreal, Canada

1. Rosa Pinniger, School of Behavioural, Cognitive and Social Sciences, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales 2351, Australia. Email:rosapinniger@gmail.com

Abstract

Recent research shows that tango dance may be an effective strategy for influencing symptoms that contribute to mood disorders. In this study, we examined the efficacy of a short-duration intensive tango program (ie, 2 weeks). Forty-one participants were randomized to tango dance (1½ hours, 4 times/week for 2 weeks) or to a wait-list control condition. Self-rated symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, insomnia, self-efficacy, satisfaction with life and mindfulness were assessed at pretest, posttest, and 1 month later. Tango group participants showed significant reductions in depression, anxiety, stress, and insomnia at posttest relative to the controls, whereas satisfaction with life and self-efficacy were significantly increased. At 1-month follow-up, depression, anxiety, and stress levels remained reduced relative to the wait-list controls. Thus, this brief but intensive program of tango dance was shown to be an effective strategy in alleviating mood disorders in people who self-report these symptoms.

http://mmd.sagepub.com/content/5/1/15.short

The Embrace

This video touches on the essence of Tango

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgxwn7S4TKQ&feature=relmfu

Argentine Tango

Argentine tango is danced in an embrace that can vary from very open, in which leader and follower connect at arms length, to very closed, in which the connection is chest-to-chest, or anywhere in between.

Tango dance is essentially walking with a partner and the music. Dancing appropriately to the emotion and speed of a tango is extremely important to dancing tango. A good dancer is one who transmits a feeling of the music to the partner, leading them effectively throughout the dance. Also, dancers generally keep their feet close to the floor as they walk, the ankles and knees brushing as one leg passes the other.

Argentine tango dancing relies heavily on improvisation although certain patterns of movement have been codified by instructors over the years as a device to instruct dancers, there is no "basic step." One of the few constants across all Argentine tango dance styles is that the follower will usually be led to alternate feet. Another is that the follower rarely has his or her weight on both feet at the same time. In many modern variations of Argentine Tango, particularly in Europe, teachers of Tango may establish a "basic step" in order to help students to learn and pick up the "feel" of the dance.