Tango is a good physical and mental exercise
Years ago, I watched Forever Tango in New York City and was so enthralled by it. I noticed the synergy of two bodies dancing as one, I could feel the emotional and physical bonding taking place between the couple as the man held his partner in a comfortable embrace, and she surrendered to his lead. So intense was the exchange of energies between the couple that it was impossible not to feel their passion. It was my first orientation to Argentine tango, and wished that it would one day come to Southeast Asia.
The time has come at long last. Over 100 years since its birth, the tango has had in recent years an unprecedented global following as a lifestyle and travel option among culture-seekers and dance aficionados.
Its music, at once passionately uplifting and eternally tragic, brings together a diversity of men and women from all walks of life. In the quintessential tango embrace, in three minutes of a song, with the most subtle of movements, unlike any other dance, a couple moves as one. 
From city centers in Europe, North America, across the Pacific and Down Under, and now in Southeast Asia, the Argentine tango is gripping the hearts of millions of dance pilgrims in dance studios, social halls, hotel ballrooms, local cafes, swanky bars, famous parks, and touristy riverbanks. In short, tango has become a novel trend as tango enthusiasts pursue the most sought after maestros or explore the next best milongga (tango dance party) in a new city for the magic of an unspoken connection with a complete stranger through the universal language of the tango embrace.
Tango Blitz is a blazing trail of magic and seduction, a mega tango festival, happening this year from May to June in seven cities around Asia: Singapore, Manila, Bali, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Brunei, and Ho Chi Minh. Organized by Tango Oriental, each Asian city is co-hosted by their local tango clubs. Here in Manila, the Tango Blitz just finished. Tango Oriental partnered with the Manila Tango Club, headed by Ogie Mendoza, one of Manila’s top tango maestros. This partnership has been instrumental in providing our local enthusiasts quality tango presentations featuring world-renowned Argentine tango masters. The one-week event consisted of daily workshops from four pairs of top-caliber tango maestros from Buenos Aires: Laila and Leandro Oliver, Forever Tango Star, Tamara Bisceglia and Federico Paleo, Analia Carreno with Luiggi Ramirez of Conjuro Tango fame, and Noelia Coletti and Pablo Giorgini. The event also had a competition night where various couples from Metro Manila and other cities in Southeast Asia came to compete. The week’s highlight was the gala night, which featured breathtaking performances from the four Argentinian tango couples.
I happened to talk to many ladies in the club who have been pursuing dance as their main means of exercise. They claim that dance is the best exercise as it does not only tone the body but hones the mind as well. Having to coordinate the movements of the torso with the arms and the legs takes a lot of coordination, which involves mind power. Memorizing steps constantly also exercises the memory, which prevents the onset of dementia. Furthermore, research has proven that dancing also brings about stress reduction and increased serotonin level, which results in a sense of well-being.
The New England Journal of Medicine did a research to see if any physical or cognitive recreational activities influenced mental acuity. One of the surprises of the study was that frequent dancing garnered the highest score in protection against dementia. The percentage is as follows: Reading 35% reduced risk of dementia; bicycling and swimming 0%; doing cross word puzzles four times a week 47%; playing golf 0%; dancing frequently 76%!
Healthy, fun, prevents dementia, tones the muscles, and slims you down, what more can we ask for! Let’s start dancing!
