[Tango-L] Leading with hands

[Michael]

  Sergio wrote:


  Victor is well known as a dancer and as a choreographer (I know several 
  stage dancers that took instruction from him) yet he used his fingers on the 
  back of Monica to lead some confusing moves during the show.


  I think the key words are "during the show." I don't dance show tango so I wouldn't use my fingers.
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  Leading with hands:

  Let's say I walk the lady to the cross to do a "paradita de la mujer" (a 
  stop of the woman).

  1 -She is at the cross her lt. foot locked in front of her rt. foot. I place 
  my Lt. foot by her Lt. and with my right arm and hand I lower her position 
  so that she will extend her right leg to her right side.

  2 -When I lead a boleo (back flick) I use the same move to lower her 
  position so that she does a "low boleo" or I express an intention upwards 
  with my rt. hand and arm on her back to indicate a "High boleo".

  In these cases the same as in leading a planeo of the woman there is a 
  definite lowering intention of the rt. arm and hand although they do not 
  move from where they were placed on her back. This is aided by a lowering of 
  the torso as well.

  The key words are "This is aided by a lowering of  the torso as well." The arms aren't moving independently of the frame. Leading with hands implies, IMHO, that the hands are not connected to the leader's frame.
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  Michael Ditkoff
  Washington, DC