[Tango-L] colgada

[Igor Polk]

I keep my eyes open that is how I know about it, Jake.
The best example I have liked so far:
Julio Balmaceda and Corina de La Rosa. Well, I am practicing it myself too:
the whole dance in counterweight, or as much as we are able to.

Counterweight is the thing well known to many Salon open embrace dancers,
especially with ballroom background: turns are made with that. A little
counterweight makes the movements nice, smooth, and dynamic. It is not
mostly counterweight there, it just feels similar: it centrifugal force (
but bodies lean backward a little). Counterweight is needed when there is no
rotation. So this probably is most difficult of making the whole dance in
Colgada style: smoothly replacing centrifugal force in turns with
counterweight in still positions and straight movements and vice versa.

As for Apilado, it is better just go into Apilado. Volcadas are not
necessary. Since Volcadas contain the apilado element and most people do not
know about deep apilado much, that what makes volcadas most difficult ( for
me at least - my whole body refuses an idea of getting into apilado just for
a moment! :)))  )

The advice about open-embrace apilado sounds very interesting, I will try
it.

By the way, an idea about "basic step - 8 crosses" I have got from your site
is interesting too, thank you, Jake!

Igor.



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