[Tango-L] leading w/fingers on back

[Euroking@aol.com]

Being on the novice side of the learning curve, and totally accepting that  
there are no absolutes (except for this statement) I am finding this thread  
interesting.
 
I have been taught and I primarily dance Salon Open is that you lead with  
your chest/axis. In fact have seen it demonstrated that a good follow does need  
to be touched by a good lead to be able to dance 99% of available figures.   
Now the issue is I have to put this in practice. 
 
On this premise, I see the use of the hand or arm for two principle  
purposes: First, for safety, to protect your partner from harm, i.e. to  prevent 
him/her from being run into or you running her into someone that you  didn't see or 
who moved into your LOD unexpectedly.  The second,  purpose is to move your 
partner in a direction that she would not intuitively  expect to go. This was 
introduced to me at a workshop and sorry, I can't  remember the figure or the 
step, but I do remember being told to use, and as  Tine indicated the flat hand 
to guide your follow in the direction you wish her  to go.
 
With that said, anything that works and is acceptable to both dancers is  
probable ok. I just have been taught to be a quiet and subtle as possible while  
dance and that is the direction I am attempting to go. 
 
Just some thoughts,
 
Bill in Seattle
 
In a message dated 5/4/2006 3:29:14 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
yaletangoclub at yahoo.com writes:

Hey

Since you ask, personally I don't enjoy  a lot of hand action on the back. I 
have felt the pinch, the claw, the knead  and the piano hand and I don't know 
what it means so it doesn't make me do  things other than look puzzled. I find 
it distracting. A bit invasive, even,  depending on the situation. I prefer 
the flat hand on the back, to me it feels  the nicest. It's reassuringly there 
and yet not intrusive. I follow the axis  not the hand.
This applies when I'm dancing open. No hand issues,  mostly, when dancing 
close. Well, some beginners squeeze or fiddle when  nervous. I disregard that.

Have you leaders who use  the hand, found that using the hand is a reliable 
consistent way to make  followers do stuff?

Tine

Martin Waxman  <martin at waxman.net> wrote:
For me, the leader's right arm and  hand are live -- they move 
position and indicate leads depending on what I  am leading and the 
experience of the follower.
It is all done very  lightly -- a subtle indication/suggestion to the 
follower, using position  of the right hand on the followers back, and 
using the fingers and heel of  the hand.
And, it is done in conjunction with the leader's body  movement.

In my opinion, not tacky, but a positive lead.

Marty  Waxman
New York City's Thursday afternoon and Friday mid-morning  practicas.


At 10:08 AM 5/4/2006, Michael Figart II  wrote:
>Good morning list,
>
>This was posted a while back,  and it has stuck in my mind...I know this
>method is used frequently and  maybe it's effective, but to me it really
>looks tacky. I'd like to find  out what the followers think about a
>leader who guides with fingers of  right hand; what does it feel like? Is
>it bad? Or am I just biased  because I have no fingers to use? (I
>understand that fingers can be  used as part of hand/arm/whole body...I'm
>talking about the really  obvious stuff where leader looks like he is
>pushing buttons or  switching levers).
>
><<<<<< Then you place your  hand on her back and explain to the beginner
>tango dancers that the  right part of her back controls her Rt. leg and
>that the Lt. part of  her body controls her Lt. one. Then you proceed to
>show the correct  lead of a front ocho. You touch the lady's rt. side of
>her back with  the fingers of your right hand applying a slight pressure
>(no stubbing  here) and the lady advances her rt. leg. to your right.
>Then with the  area of your rt. hand close to the wrist (the tennar
>prominence of the  hand) you put some pressure on the lt side of the
>woman's back so that  she pivots and advances her lt. leg finishing the
>second half of her  front ocho.>>>>>>>>
>
>What do you think,  ladies (or guys too, I guess)? And thanks for  your
>input!
>
>Michael from  Texas
>
>
>
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