There is a new and revolutionary system. It´s called TangolatesTM. And it comes all the way from Buenos Aires , Argentina . Tangolates is a perfect combination of Tango and Pilates, it is somewhat more aerobic than traditional Pilates and it can be done both on r eformer and on mat.
It consists of some one thousand movements and plus especially designed for two clients (because it takes two to Tango…) and perfectly
choreographed to the music of Tango. In one word? It´s a lot of fun!
In a similar way to its predecessor whose origins were a military hospital during World War I, Tangolates was born in the health and rehabilitation environment. Indeed, its creator, the Argentine health and beauty specialist Tamara Di Tella , got her inspiration from patients with severe motor dysfunctions of the neurological system, after her company donated a Rehabilitation Room to the Institute of Applied Neurosciences , of the largest Public Hospital of Buenos Aires.
Music Therapy
“Experimenting with Pilates and music therapy”, says Tamara, “I realized that Pilates and Tango have a lot in common and that the two together were dynamite! As we were working with Parkinson patients, we started out by trying pilates exercises that they would find easier to do ". Di Tella noticed that they worked better in couples, because “It´s hard for them to initiate movement by themselves, but it is easier for them to copy”. Interestingly enough, Parkinson patients do not lose the ability to move, but, rather, they lose the ability to imagine movement. They cannot start moving by themselves and sometimes they have the feeling that they are “glued” to the floor, or “nailed to the ground”, as they often explained.
But soon Tamara realized that Parkinson patients can copy. So she asked an instructor to work with a patient on the same reformer. The result was amazing! When the instructor moved, the patient also moved and the exercise became a perfect mirror. This copy-cat style worked marvels with most traditional pilates movements. Pretty soon, the patients and the instructors started venturing in new variations and to the tune of Tango. “Before we knew it”, says Tamara, “our routines became alive and Tangolates was born”.
It Takes two to Tango.
The most important feature of Tango and its “Número Uno” rule is to collect at the center. Indeed, all you need to do learn Tango is to work your concentration (the concentration is so intense that people dance with their eyes closed! ), coordination , elongation , control and strengthening of the pelvic floor. And let´s not forget balance , because in Tango you must balance your center before you even start. Does it sound familiar? “The similarities between Tango and Pilates are amazing”, says Tamara, “they are like water for chocolate”.
Richard Gere and Antonio Banderas
Tangolates comes at the right time. Hollywood is now actively promoting Tango and anything that has to do with dancing with the stars. “Tangolates spells success all the way to China ”, says a confident Tamara Di Tella ”, and she does not forget Japan , where Tango is almost a national obsession for the last ten years or so.
Tangolates´s workout is not difficult. It does not discriminate by age or gender nor is it necessary to have any previous knowledge of Tango. Tangolates has become the most entertaining method of exercise ever. And the most amazing thing about it is that this fun method has its origins in academic research in rehabilitation with real patients at a real hospital. That is, Tangolates combines the scientific standards with the fun of the dancing floor.
It requires only half an hour sessions (30 min) two or three times a week. “People want to do their workouts and have fun at the same time.
Tangolates delivers the goods
“Soon I began to look like a Tango dancer”, said Sandy , “my posture improved, my abdominals strengthened, and I felt tall and sleek like a ballerina”. Even though losing weight is not its main objective, Tangolates does help you lose weight. Fans insist that they can lose somewhere between 300 and 5 00 calories during a class.
Tangolates does not leave room for improvising and this is good because you can relax and just follow the steps, without having to think or invent anything, let alone the embarrassment of tripping. And what about quitters? Tangolates resolves that problem too, for it adds a little spice to the traditional Pilates classes, adding the magic of music and romance. As a Tangolates fan puts it: “ It can be done separately, Tangolates is best done with someone else, for doing it by yourself is like dancing all alone . “Before missing a class I think twice”, says Sandy K. “I don´t want to stand my classmate up”.
Socialized gym
"The gym of the future is a socialized gym” says Tamara, and adds, “people no longer go to the gym alone and even personal trainers nowadays are not so personal for they work group classes". When asked why she thinks that is so, she explains: "Nowadays people also want to add some entertainment as well, and they want to share their workout with a friend” to make it more fun. “Of course, the big difference is the music”, says Tamara, who has become an expert on Tango, by now.
The system (of movements and counter movements) to the rhythm of Tango, was presented in 2004 at a Convention held in Palm Springs , California . From then on, and within a few months, it was adopted by different centers and instructors who travel to Buenos Aires to learn the routines. Today, Tangolates is slowly but steadily growing in Europe, Japan and the United States (where the community that practices Pilates is nearly 12 million people).
Far away from the birthplace of Tango, people move to the rhythm of songs such as "Adiós Nonino", “La Cumparsita”, “El Choclo”, and, why not, “Don´t Cry for me Argentina”. “ New York is first in our Agenda” says Tamara, “and also San Francisco , Chicago and where Tango is more popular”. But, undoubtedly, Tango is most popular in Hollywood , where Tango is now the latest fad.
Tango enthusiasts go to the movies to see their favorite stars dance Tango: Antonio Banderas, Madonna, Robert Duvall, Jennifer López, Susan Sarandon, Richard Gere, are there to be emulated. Indeed, the combination of Tango and Pilates could not have had a better timing “ Hollywood backs Tango up, and Hollywood does not make mistakes”.
Tango Saw 1. Sit facing your partner, extend your legs elongating abductors and joining your soles with your partner's. Join your hands with your partner's opposite hands so that your extended arms form a cross. Then, join your hand with your partner's opposite hand and lean towards the same side taking your hands towards the contrary feet. The torso accompanies the movement while the free arm is extended straight towards the opposite foot . 2. Return to initial position and repeat the same movement to the other side. 6 repetitions.
Leg Whip with “Bolea”
1. Lying side by side, raise your legs to form a 90º angle. Keep heels together and arms extended to your sides. Open your legs to hip width keeping heels parallel and feet pointing upwards. 2. Lower the right leg until the foot touches the right gluteus. 6 repetitions. 3. From initial position, lean the right leg until the foot touches the left gluteus. 6 repetitions. 4. Idem previous, but make the foot touch the external part of the knee. 6 repetitions. 5 & 6. Draw a circle with your right leg (keeping knee in place) simulating a perfect tango volley. 6 repetitions. Finally, repeat the whole movement with the other leg.
Gran Lapicito (Great small Pencil) 1. Stand up one facing the other, keeping back straight, legs opened to hip width and arms extended with hands on your partner's shoulders. Contract the abdomen.
2. Extend your right leg to one side with your toes pointing to the floor. Half bend your left leg.
3. Raise your right leg towards the back making an ample circular movement dragging your toes on the floor. Invert the movement until you reach position 2. Do the same with the other leg and repeat the whole movement 4 times.
Tango Star 1. Stand up straight, back to back with your partner, keep your legs, hips and shoulders aligned and your arms extended by your sides.
2. Open your arms, keeping them extended at shoulder level, forming a “T”. Go back to initial position.
3. Lean the upper part of your body to one side, always keeping your arms aligned in “T” position. Your partner will do the same to the other side. Go back to the center. Repeat the same to the other side. 6 repetitions.
Tornado 1. Sit facing each other, with straight back, extended and opened legs and soles together. Take your partner's opposite hand.
2. Start drawing a circle with the upper part of your body, leaning together to the left. As you do the movement, your partner pulls to her side and your body lets itself be carried along rounding off the dorsal spine and articulating each vertebrae.
Do the same, exchanging roles until you complete the circle. Repeat the movement to the opposite side. 4 repetitions.
It consists of some one thousand movements and plus especially designed for two clients (because it takes two to Tango…) and perfectly
It Takes two to Tango.
2. Start drawing a circle with the upper part of your body, leaning together to the left. As you do the movement, your partner pulls to her side and your body lets itself be carried along rounding off the dorsal spine and articulating each vertebrae.