[Tango-L] What Does It Take to Dance Tango?

[astrid]

> I dance nearly every weekend with someone who has never had a lesson in
> tango.

Makes you wonder why, though...

By the end of the song, you would never know it - at least among the
> untrained eyes that look on.

Yes, and that is the whole point. The untrained eyes.

 Women who can do this are angels - I know how
> hard it must be.  And I am thankful that my lead is simple enough and
clear
> enough that we can enjoy ourselves.
>
> But I have tough times returning to women who 'know tango' after a
> beginners' dance.  I am not sure why.

I think, I can tell you why. Because dancing with that kind of woman screws
up your body. And the kinks are still there when you change your partner.

The other day I danced with Simon, one of the taxi dancers at our milonga.
His job is to dance with as many women as possible, as there are never
enough men, and the studio wants to give those women their money's worth. I
don't remember who he had been dancing with before, probably someone with
really bad balance. The first song was awful. He was keeping me in this
muscle hold, I could practically feel his biceps tensed, moving me around
with a lot of unnecessary force, and did not give me space to do anything on
my own. No adornos possible at all. The second song he changed. He changed
his embrace to something softer and more flexible,and tuned into me. He let
me dance. I was free to do embellishments, I was free to add accents, we had
enough contact so that I could speed him up or slow him down when I wanted.
We were dancing as equals, interacting, not as a teacher moving around an
ignorant follower in spite of herself and keeping her from falling over.
Or said in a different way, with the second song, he simply relaxed.

Now, the first way of dancing might be sensed as beneficial and helpful, and
maybe, as a "clear lead" by a beginner, the second song is the way you dance
with an advanced follower. Who may actually be a little better than
yourself.
>
Astrid