If you cook at stone hot enough, it WILL crack

My stone cracked at Stone Soup.  When people think of change or improvement, usually increments of say 5-10% are considered.  Transformation is different than an incremental change, considered on the magnitude of 100%-300% to 10,000% or more.

Transformations are wonderful, rare, and usually a lot of work leads up to a transformation.  Other words used to describe transformation are- breakthroughs, foundational changes, shifts, radical shifts.  And often what precedes transformation is a breakdown, meltdown, crisis, or some other event of fire.

Before I get to what happened to me, here is the events of Sunday at Stone Soup.  We started out with a presentation and chaotic conversation on “getting dances”.  Mila had leads and follows (about 15 in each category) fill out a multiple choice questionaire.  Mila provided the multiple choice answers so we certainly had some bias, and then conversation ensued.  I called the conversation chaotic for some people asked questions that did not get answered until much later, while others interjected.

Overall, I became confused by the contrast of perspectives shared.  I must dedicate a few entries just to this topic of cabaceo and what really goes on, as well as what Mila uncovered in her survey and what many others say about getting dances.  For now, bottom line is that I felt several huge elephants in the room during this discussion, and at the same time appreciated that at least some discussion on “getting dances” was put forth.  And individuals shared heartfelt and welcomed perspectives.  Thank you to all that shared!

During our “cell seminar” Stefan and Mitra taught a class on “persona” in Tango, which is defined by my computer’s dictionary as the aspect of someone‘s character that is presented to or perceived by others.  They taught this through having everyone peruse archetypal cards that presented a light and dark side of an archetype.  Stefan and Mitra had around 11 stations of several cards that seemed to go together.  We then were directed to stand at the card station that felt most appealing, then neutral, and lastly least appealing.  We danced the most appealing and least appealing categories while either lead or follow was neutral.

What I got from this exploration was an increased feel of how I could add more feeling, power and relaxation through feeling archetypes I most resonated with.

At 5:30 I gave a short 30 min. presentation on how to break body patterns, which was a mini-lesson on how to increase your rate of learning Tango 50-500% or more.  I am glad to have put out the information, and I got good feedback on how much of a difference this information on the psychology of learning makes in Tango.

After my presentation, Michelle worked with me for 50 minutes.  I got what I came for- a shift/ transformation that I had been working on in my dance for awhile – full grounding in my steps (crashing weight changes with roll through), compact movement from my core, and an embrace that embodied what I felt internally.  I got this through Murat & Michelle’s training and mentorship.  I finally broke a lot of body patterning that probably arose from protecting my hips for years, for it was hard to fully load my hip sockets in my walk when they had little cartilage and a lot of pain.

A little later I had my first and only meal at Stone Soup – Phoenix had made some gluten free Tiramasu – OMG!  Thank you!  I skipped the evening class to rest up for the milonga.  At the milonga, I danced VERY different than I ever have, and enjoyed the ease, pleasure and obvious difference in the feel of how I moved.

So far in this entry I have only reported.  I have added only a little of my opinion and perspective.  The juiciest stuff of the weekend that I believe would be of most interest to all of you is to address the elephants in the room that deal with “getting dances” – LATER.

Overall, I get a sense of how surreal my experience was at Stone Soup.  On one hand, I had a Tango meltdown and transformation.  And on the other hand, I am left with my great desire to teach the power of psychology of learning in Tango and the contrast of how this is not my full reality yet.  And I am left with my own burning issues that deal with getting dances.