Tango makes you sexy

The yearly Ma-nila Tango Festival had a four-day celebration of workshops, nightly milongas (Argentine tango dance sessions), private training, a competition event, and a gala night that featured breathtaking performances by this year’s featured artists.  The tango blitz was a joint effort between the Manila Tango Club headed by one of Manila’s tango masters, Ogie Mendoza, and the Philippine Argentine Tango Association headed by another tango master, Evaristo “Jun” Borja.

As we all know, ballroom dancing has been a craze in the Philippines for several decades now. In the past, dances like the cha cha, rumba, samba, mambo, foxtrot, etc. were popular among our ballroom dance enthusiasts. But as recent as five to seven years ago, the Argentine tango entered the dance scene and is now becoming a must dance to learn.  Not to be outdone by the tango dance masters in other countries, the Philippines has come up with notable Argentine tango dance masters who have put up their own dance studios.

With quick moves, spins, throws, and dips, the Argentine tango of today is hotter than ever. It trains one on proper mind and body coordination. It involves activities such as learning and memorizing complicated steps, (thus exercising the brain), concentrating on the rhythm of the music, and dancing in close synergy with your partner. Argentine tango and dancing in general can improve one’s balance, flexibility, posture, and endurance.  Depending on the type of ballroom dance you do, you can burn up to 250-400 calories per hour.

Dance elevates your mood by raising the endorphin levels; thus, increasing your sense of well-being. 

During the gala night, I had a chance to talk to some of the dancers who performed and joined the competition. They were all in top shape, with sexy bodies to aspire for. The men had the right amount of muscles and the ladies were well-toned and fit. One of the Argentine couples who flew in, Laila and Leandro Oliver, has been dancing since their childhood. Laila claims that because she dances four to eight hours a day (teaching and practicing with husband Leandro), she has to do a lot of stretching exercises to keep her flexibility intact. Light as a feather (46 kilos) with the agility and grace of a panther, Laila also goes to the gym to do light weights and abs exercises to strengthen her core muscles. Partner Leandro says that although dancing for four to eight hours is enough to keep him fit, he takes the extra effort to lift weights and strengthen his legs and biceps so he can lift Laila effortlessly during their dance moves. They have no diet regimen to speak of because hours of dancing already keep them slim and fit. However, they make sure that they eat moderately, with lots of protein, a minimum of carbohydrates, and an ample amount of vegetables.

Ogie Mendoza, one of the country’s tango masters, gives a surprise dance exhibition.

“Argentina is the land of good steaks and I am a meat eater,” proclaims Tamara Bisceglia, who is now the principal dancer of Forever Tango, 2011, one of the longest tango shows in the world. She has the body of a fawn to prove that meat is indeed not fattening when coupled with a lot of exercise. 

Edna Ledesma, co-founder of the Philippine Argentine Tango Association and one of the country’s dance divas, is a total fitness buff. Her sexy body is living testimony of the years that she has invested in dance.  She has her own mini gym at home, complete with pulleys, weights, and lateral machines. “Most forms of dance require dancers to perform moves that require bending and stretching, so I have to exercise to increase my flexibility and improve my stamina.  It is so important to improve one’s flexibility to prevent injuries, like back aches and pulled hamstrings,” she asserts.

This fitness guru explains further, “Dancing as exercise, I realize, leads to lower blood pressure and an improved cholesterol profile. The side-to-side movements of many dances, like the tango Argentine, strengthen your weight-bearing bones like the tibia, fibula, and femur. The constant and low-impact movements of dancing allow your joints and bones to strengthen, reducing the risk of sprains, breaks, and arthritis later in life.  This also helps in the prevention of slow loss of bone mass associated with osteoporosis.”  

Let us all dance our way to keeping fit, healthy, and sexy!

Filipino tango master Evaristo “Jun” Borja says it’s all about synergy.

* * *

Ogie Mendoza’s tango studio is located at Studio Amapola, 257 Amapola St., Palm Village, Makati, with telephone number 519-9626.  Jun Borja’s dance studio is located at Studio Dollar 88, Room 204, Jovan Bldg., corner Samat and Shaw Blvd; text 09289838864. Edna Ledesma’s dance studio is located at Studio 116, ground floor, LRI Design Paza, 210 Nicanor Garcia St., Makati with telephone number 8955581 or e-mail ednaledesmaasano@yahoo.com.ph.

Tangueros Can Dance is at Charlie’s (Mondays), Malugay St., Makati and (Wednesdays) at Calle Sirocco, Jupiter St, Makati.

Visit www. mayennesworld.com.

Meet Argentinian tango masters Natalia Hills and Tamara Bisceglia.