[Tango-L] colgada

[TangoDC.com]

Hey Igor,

That kind of counterweight dancing is already being explored by a number 
of people-- keep your eyes open, and you'll see it around the festivals.

As for transitioning between "posture"-styles or embraces, the best 
thing you can do is make the transition gradual, smooth, and clear. I 
find that a slight firming/relaxing of the embrace signals it well. Let 
volcadas be your guide for getting in and out of apilado, and colgadas 
do the same for a counterweight embrace.

Also, as an exercise, you might try playing with an open-embrace 
"apilado." It sounds bizarre, and takes a bit of strength from both 
partners (it'll make you sweat, if you don't already), but I've found 
that it can clean up legwork and the weight-shift better than anything 
else. It also clarifies that the lean is a pressure with horizontal (and 
slightly upward) direction-- *not* down, as many people do without 
realizing it. Just don't make the lean too deep, so you don't wreck, and 
it'll explain itself pretty well.

Jake Spatz
Washington, DC


Igor Polk wrote:
> The group of elements called Colgada have a base property for defining a new
> tango style.
>
> I my view this colgada-style has the great potential to become a
> full-developed dancing style where each and every tango element including
> straight steps is done with that "hanging back". In apilado there is a
> definite lean forward ( and the more it is the more the style is
> expressed ), and in colgada-style - there is lean backward.
>
> I've seen some dances which were very inspirational in this sense. I see a
> lot of interesting opportunities here and I am trying to practice it when I
> can. I think it is not that difficult to start feeling it once you "let it
> go". But keen sense of balance should help :)
>
> Colgada-style is not necessarily more difficult than, say apilado. I think
> mastering a turn in apilado ( preserving perfect lean ) requires much more
> balancing abilities than the same in colgada. It may be so, because
> colgada-style is an open-embrace style.
>
> I do not know well how to transform nicely from vertical position, to
> apilado, and to colgada-position. This is always most difficult. But I am
> sure some masters will be able to find it out and tell us. This
> transformation by itself could be a reach source of ideas.
>
> Igor.
>
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