[Tango-L] Leading

[TangoDC.com]

There are different kinds of leading, just as there are different styles 
of embrace; and I think those who have confined themselves stylistically 
have also restricted themselves to a part of the technique spectrum, 
rather than exploring the whole of it. To point out the limits of one 
person's knowledge isn't a value judgment on their dance: they might 
very well be excellent in their chosen style. But their knowledge is 
going to be partial, if deep.

When we speak of arm- and hand-leading, we're usually speaking of 
subtleties-- things that come after the chest lead, and with it, as 
shaping or timing elements. The "Look ma, no arm" exercise mentioned 
here (an excellent one, and also a wise move when the floor is very 
crowded-- it creates more space for the couple), whether in apilado or 
open style, changes things for the dancers. Doing that exercise, then 
bringing the leader's left arm back into the equation, will teach a 
dancer how to better integrate the arm-- how to harmonize it with the 
rest of the body, and how to let it "follow" the follower's movements, 
to make her more comfortable.

To clarify, let me dump some analysis into the fray. I know many of you 
hate it, but it's got its place.

There are two major kinds of lead: impulse leading, and contact leading. 
Impulse is pretty much what gets a follower walking: the leader's weight 
becomes a vector (something with force and direction), and the 
follower's reacts in kind. Many dancers use impulse predominantly.

Contact leading is different, and concerns every point at which the 
dancers touch. Feet, during a barrida. (By the way: if you're doing 
barridas as a "push," you've got sloppy technique, fellas. It's supposed 
to be an _illusion_. You lead your partner to step with your upper body, 
then "follow" her foot with yours, using the contact to keep them 
together and ensure a smooth movement.) The way Pulpo leads enganches 
involves a contact lead: his leg touches his partner's above the knee, 
they press against each other (just as the open-side hand should), and 
motion follows motion, as in the (properly led) barrida. The leg-contact 
is for guidance, shaping, and timing: the leg moves, however, as a 
consequence of the upper body's changes in motion, shape, or direction.

CCW molinetes may be led by the leader rotating his torso, using a 
contact lead in the hand to "draw" (i.e., open space for) his follower, 
and relaxing the embrace on that side so that the follower can move into 
that space. Men shape the embrace differently (by using their arms) to 
distinguish a forward cross step from a back cross step. This is 
advanced technique, or intermediate technique, depending on the teacher 
and general level of dancing in the community. Men who aren't able to 
clearly indicate which cross step they want are not advanced dancers. 
Neither are women who simply execute a formulaic pattern, and are unable 
to follow the lead that varies that pattern. We teach the 
front-side-back-side pattern first, to get dancers accustomed to it. We 
do not intend this pattern to be definitive: it is merely a foundation 
upon which we hope to build, and from which we hope to depart, as the 
dancer acquires greater skills and is able to become more expressive.

In apilado style, the same thing is going on, except that it's largely 
(though not entirely) happening in the torso. But the torso itself is a 
complex, composed of the chest and back, which rotate around the central 
spine, and also of the shoulders. The axis of your CCW turn changes 
location depending on whether your weight is completely over your right 
foot, between your feet, or over your left foot. There are also 
variations in this area.

Simply put: Once you achieve a first mastery of the fundamentals, a good 
teacher may introduce other things-- seeming contradictions-- for you to 
explore. As you learn new skills here, you'll go back and re-examine the 
fundamentals again, acquiring a second mastery of them, a further 
understanding of how to use them to create your dance. Then, ideally, 
you progress back and forth between new shit and fundamental shit, 
always teaching yourself and studying yourself, always making new little 
discoveries, never being complacent about what you seem to have under 
control.

Those who say "no, such and such is wrong" are either: (a) not supplying 
the context in which it is wrong, or (b) too self-satisfied with their 
grasp of basic technique to figure out what basic technique actually IS, 
or else (c) merely dogmatic.

I would not teach a beginning student to use their arms in the lead. 
Absolutely not. I might, however, explain that I'm forcing them to learn 
a stylized movement first, and that perhaps in a year or two I'll show 
them something else. And I would definitely introduce a student who's 
ready to the wider world of subtlety, just as some fine teachers have 
done for me, when they decided I was ready.

Or perhaps I should say: I do teach beginners to use their arms, as a 
demonstration of incorrect movements, and an illustration of Why it's 
incorrect. I'd lead my brother with exaggerated Tarzan arms if I needed 
to show him what it feels like, so that he immediately comprehends Why 
the motion must come from the torso.

In the meantime, I'll hold the line, and continue arguing that tango 
technique is layered. Contradiction is only a superficial phenomenon, 
and only those who insist on a needless consistency, or who play 
semantic games with explanation, find themselves confused by this in 
reality. The good student gets the idea immediately.

And tonight I'm checking out this big-toe thing.

Jake Spatz
Washington, DC