The Transformative Power of Tango: Physical, Mental Health, and Educational Benefits
The power of dance – articulated through the performing body, not through words – is a method of communication that unites people across geographical and cultural locations.
At the same time, it opens up endless opportunities for inclusion and has a myriad of positive physical, mental, and social health benefits. Dance is more than just performance and, as we emerge from the pandemic, it is an opportune time to highlight the role the art plays in economic growth and as an educational tool.
Dance often receives little government focus, funding, and investment. But leaders should be embracing and encouraging a range of dance forms – like Theresa May with her ABBA dance moves. Tango is at the forefront of this pioneering work and can tackle two of the health epidemics of the 21st century, obesity and stress, and subsequently generate millions in healthcare savings.
Physical Benefits
According to a study, only 20% of today's jobs require at least moderate physical activity. With a sharp increase in diseases linked to a lack of exercise, such as diabetes and obesity, government health departments are looking for new ways to get people physically active.
Tango, for one, is far from the monotony of the treadmill, making it a more sustainable form of exercise and ideal for weight management across the generations.
It provides a total body workout – enhancing cardiovascular conditioning, increasing flexibility, and building muscle strength and tone, not to mention stronger bones and reduced risk of osteoporosis.
A one-hour dance session, for an average person, can burn 200-500 calories, depending on the intensity. And Milongas, a faster-paced Tango, are bound to get you sweating, all while building endurance and working your cardiovascular system. Therefore, it’s not surprising that research revealed that dance is an effective preventative and curative health measure, and Active Citizens Worldwide stated it has the capacity to generate £107 million in healthcare savings across England.
Plus, upbeat music, such as Milonga, stimulates the autonomic nervous system (ANS) to increase the heart rate which has been linked to increased metabolism.
Put on Al Compás del Corazón by Miguel Caló and Tango becomes an effective, enjoyable way to stay active and get fit.
Educational Benefits
Dance intrinsically has many benefits, but it is even more powerful when used to educate. Political leaders must believe in arts and dance as a method of transformation, and a medium to teach Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), not only as an after-school activity or as entertainment.
Tango promotes connections between people from different backgrounds, regardless of gender, age, or whatever label society imposes.
Tango also encourages the development of interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence, which needs to be an integral part of the educational system from the early years.
Today, with the traditional method of teaching and after a year of Zoom classes, education can feel static. Dance could really spur creativity and engage young people in their school work. STEM from Dance, for example, uses dance to empower, educate, and encourage young girls as the “next generation of engineers, scientists, and techies”. Through the creative and confidence-building aspects of dance, students learn coding, animation, and skills far beyond STEM.
Tango also has a strong mathematical element to it and should have more power in the twenty-first-century school curriculum.
The Tango axis, steps, and embrace can be explained through geometry and symmetry and could be leveraged as an educational tool to explain mathematical concepts.
Mental Health Benefits
Stress costs US businesses an estimated $300 billion a year. Tango could help resolve this – it has been seen to stimulate the area of the brain involved in emotional processes and release endorphins, lowering the risk of mental health conditions including Depression and Anxiety.
The intense focus required to follow the music, steps, and your partner will exhaust and exhilarate you simultaneously, which is why Tango is often referred to as walking meditation. It allows for a person to inwardly observe and become aware of the state of their body, allowing them to clear their minds when feeling overwhelmed.
The socialization aspect of Tango classes further reduces stress – as there are strict codigos – and loneliness, particularly in elderly communities.
Studies have shown that regularly participating in Tango dance activities can help reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Dementia too.
Tango facilitates a safe environment for connection and communication while encouraging physical exercise, promoting STEM learning, and helping to manage the stress epidemic.
If dance literacy in all its forms became more central in the school curriculum, it would become an academic part of the strategy to combat the obesity epidemic and entice children to develop healthy habits and exercise, which would last a lifetime.
Furthermore, dance is a language with its own systems expressed through choreography, touch, and performance, and will therefore be a crucial tool in bringing communities back together post-pandemic, through national events, carnivals, and global political tours.
You can read more about Tango’s meditative qualities and health benefits here.
Ready to Tango?
You can look for the Argentine Tango community in your town. If you happen to live close to Boston MA - you can start with us. For those far away, or simply shy - we offer on-line experience - check it out here. If you feel you need to share your personal story - please email us - we are listening.