[Tango-L] More mIlonga at milongas

[astrid]

 I led one ocho, the
> music slowed to a dreamy pause, and the machine started up doing first
> ocho, then another, then another, faster and faster till she was
> almost panicking.  I tried to stand as still as possible, not moving
any part of my body and faster and faster she went till finally she
abruptly stopped and angrily said, I don't know what you want me to do
when you don't lead me to do anything
>Related to auto ocho is the runaway molinette...

Ah, the joys of leading and following... I remember the time I was once
asked in class, if I would please be a man today since there was such a
dismal lack of them. I hardly had a clue how lead an ocho, but I tried, and
was quite appalled when, after a first hint of a lead, my girl went into
automatic pilot and performed one ocho after another without paying any
attention to me. Nor did I know how to stop her. I finally told her to stand
still so that we could go on...

I think, the reason for this, as with a few other movements, is that women
are told to practise ochos against the wall, when there are not enough men.
Not just one ocho, but 20-30 of them in a row. So beginners may get the idea
that ochos are just something of which you do at least two, if not 4 or 6 or
more. Molinetes are also often practised with two women going round and
round. Don't know about faster and faster though. Once we were told in class
to pull the men around with the help of our back muscles, since the men had
a hard time gaining enough momentum on their own. The third thing is the
cross. Women are often told that after one-two, you have to cross, so they
do, whether they are led or not, and some male beginners don't know how to
lead the cross and simply expect the woman to do it on her own. Another
thing is the boleo. Do you sometimes, like me, watch women performing
uncalled for boleos on their own, with a tensed leg, and you can see clearly
that they are doing it without being led because it looiks so out of harmony
with the dance?
I still remember Ezequiel, my first teacher, who would sometimes tell the
women in class NOT to perform the figures on their own that he was just
explaining to the men but wait until paired with the leaders. He may have
even prefered the women not to watch or listen at all while he explained to
the men what we were going to do. Not a bad way of teaching, but I have
never seen anyone else doing this.

Enjoyed your posting, Ed
Astrid