Finding Freedom in Your Neck: Posture Insights

Ever had that moment when something you thought you knew about your own body turns out to be completely wrong? Last Thursday, I attended an open community class led by Nina Wollny, and it completely transformed my understanding of posture. While it wasn't strictly a tango class, the insights were so relevant and I want to share them.

The Atlas Bone: Higher Than You Think

Nina focused on the atlas bone - the first cervical vertebra (C1) that connects our spine to our skull. What surprised me most was its location: it sits much higher in our head than most people realize. While I could tell you that you can actually feel it by reaching past your gag reflex... let's just say there are more comfortable ways to appreciate this important vertebra!

Rethinking "Perfect" Posture

Here's where things get really interesting for our tango practice. As kids, many of us have been taught that "perfect posture" means pulling our head back in that military-style position. We've all done it - that stance where we try to look as "straight" as possible. But here's the revelation: this actually restricts our movement!

When our head is naturally balanced (and remember, it weighs 4-6 kg!), carrying it becomes effortless. Nina used a brilliant analogy: pulling your head back is like pulling on horse reins - it stops movement rather than encouraging it.

A Simple Test for Your Tango Practice

Try this quick experiment: pull your head back into that "super straight" position you might have thought was correct. Now try to hum. Notice how difficult it is? That tension you're feeling is exactly what we want to avoid in tango.

Applying This to Close Embrace

For our tango practice, the goal is to maintain this natural head balance even when moving into close embrace. Here's a practical tip: next time you're dancing, check if both you and your partner can hum comfortably. If you can't, you might be introducing unnecessary tension into your embrace.

This simple insight from Nina's movement class has completely changed my approach to posture in tango. It's amazing how these small anatomical discoveries can have such a big impact on our dance!

Have you had similar revelations in your tango journey? We'd love to hear about your experiences, find a way to get in touch 🤪

Happy dancing!