April22009
4/1/09 - Eight Whole Wheat Crepes, Eight Toppings.
Ocho: Spanish for the number 8.
In tango, it refers to a move: a figure 8 drawn on the floor, in heels.
You would think that to do a perfect ocho, you need a whole lot of momentum in one motion. Think of the energy required to make
multiple twists.
The secret however, is that the ocho is not one movement, but two.
Every turn is separate, Marc explained,
Arrive, then turn. Arrive, then turn. But you always arrive first.
This concept of arriving completely, and finding balance before going into the next turn is surprisingly difficult to digest. We are so used to abusing momentum - both in dance and in life - that we cannot stand to divide our motion into individual segments. When challenged to examine each movement on its own, we stagger. One choice topples over another. Our lives, falling dominos.
***
The hurrier I go, the behinder I get.
I came across this quote in my reading some time ago. It reminded me of something my mom often told me, that rushing is not the equivalent of going fast.
***
You get into trouble if you swing from one ocho to another, Krissy said, You are always off balance, and falling because you are not prepared. If you are just using your momentum to swing your body back and forth, it really shows after a few ochos. Soon, you will start wobbling.
Arrive. Chill a bit. Clear your mind. And then go.
Every move, independent. That’s how we tango.
To achieve this independence, we have to maintain balance on one foot while allowing the other foot to be completely weightless, ready to move in whichever direction. This is true for every step.
You don’t know what’s next, so you prepare your balance and you are ready to go anywhere.
It was the lesson I needed.
I hadn’t stopped tripping from one ocho into another since sophomore year. Heartbreak after heartbreak. It’s true, as long as I kept going, the stumbling seemed only part of the dance. This turn will cover the last, and the next will cover this.
I didn’t sense how much I had been off balance till I stopped for a moment, and realized I couldn’t stand. I had thought it was an impressive feat, that I was doing ochos non-stop. But appearing to do it, and doing it, are not the same. These last two months of tango sobered me.
Carlos Gavito says,
The essence of tango isn’t in the steps, but in the pauses.
Moments of stillness mark the true test.
May I never forget to pause again.
***
This afternoon, I made some more whole wheat crepes, and prepared eight different toppings. For photography’s sake, I put a small sample of each on the plate. Starting from the left, spiral counterclockwise:
- Tofu Pad Thai
- Caramelized Banana
- Green Chili Mushroom Marinara
- Ouzo Apple Sauce
- Robiola Due Latte & Balsamic Onion Jam
- Roasted Green & Red Bell Pepper Drizzled with Yogurt
- Turmeric Lemon Chicken
- 75% Chocolate & Curry Powder
