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5NEWS Fit: Tango Dancing

As we get closer to summer, many people are looking for fun and effective workouts. In our most recent 5NEWS Fit, we danced our way to a healthier lifestyle, an...
tango

As we get closer to summer, many people are looking for fun and effective workouts. In our most recent 5NEWS Fit, we danced our way to a healthier lifestyle, and it was all part of a tango class that’s offered in Northwest Arkansas.

“We've been dancing tango for five years,” Tom Dykman said. “We did some typical ballroom dancing such as waltz and foxtrot and swing. Then, our teacher encouraged us go to tango after about a year, and we've been hooked ever since.”

“I love dancing on so many levels. It's good for physical and emotional exercise,” Dana Dykman said. “Tango takes a lot of balance and concentration. So it's working your mind and your body.”

The first thing you’re taught in a typical tango dance lesson is posture. It requires your feet to be together with a slight bend in the knees. You tighten your abs, bring your shoulders back and down while bringing the elbows and arms up. It’s called the power position, and this is where the workout begins.

There are three different positions: complete open embrace, half open embrace and complete closed embrace.

Even if you struggle with the dance moves, you’ll quickly get a workout.

“You certainly get cardio,” dance instructor Elayne James said. “You also engage your core, so your abdominals and your upper body. Your chest and arms are all engaged. And, of course, your legs get a great workout.”

Needless to say, tango is not easy.

“It reminds me of learning golf, because you can work on golf forever. That's the way it is with tango. You can work on tango forever and still not be as good as you want to be,” Tom said.

For more information on tango and other dances, you can contact Elayne James by email at elayne@elaynesdance.com.

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