[Tango-L] Back leading - Electra

[John Gleeson]

> Freedom is a good thing.
>              Fanaticim, intolerance are bad things.

Well said Sergio.

John G.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sergio Vandekier" <sergiovandekier990 at hotmail.com>
To: <tango-l at mit.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, May 31, 2006 12:49 PM
Subject: [Tango-L] Back leading - Electra


> You know that we need two to tango.
> 
> In any activity that we as a group take part in, there is one that leads and 
> others that follow.
> 
> Four people ride in a car, one drives and the other three ride *and do not 
> interfere with his driving".
> Should one of the passengers in the car attempt to take control of the 
> steering wheel the car will sway from side to side and lose its smooth ride.
> 
> In dancing the leader gives signals (marca - lleva) to communicate to the 
> follower what he has in mind, what movements he wishes her to execute.  The 
> better he leads, the smoother the dance will be.
> 
> When the follower does things on her own that are not lead by the man this 
> is called "Back leading".
> 
> This interferes with the leader's thought process who, more or less 
> awkwardly, has to change his projected figure, improvise and do something 
> else.
> 
> In traditional tango the man leads (marca - lleva) every single movement the 
> follower does.  Even he leads all the embellishments directly or by allowing 
> time for the woman to express herself.
> 
> I know there are all sort of inventions to attempt to change this : 
> interleading, changing roles, the leader leads the woman to do the man's 
> foot work while he executes the woman's, the woman puts pressure on the 
> man's arm to ask for more time to do something, etc.
> 
> All this is fine, no problem.
> 
> There are all sort of changes in traditional terminology to accommodate the 
> feelings of the "modern woman":
> 
> Such as the man does not lead, no sir! - he invites, proposes, - and what  
> are you going to do? : refuse to do whatever he is leading (excuse me 
> inviting)? no you are going to follow and do it.
> 
> Can you refuse? of course you can and then proceed to sit at your table. Big 
> deal.
> 
> So in actuality terminology changes are only that, words. The essential 
> aspects of dance do not accept too much variation.
> 
> Can a man follow, a woman lead, two women or two men dance together? of 
> course they can.
> 
> Any experimentation should be welcome. Everybody should do whatever pleases 
> him/her.
> 
> And those that do not take part in those experimentations should be tolerant 
> and accept them as equal, because they might discover something.
> 
> Remember at he end everybody should have total freedom to do what seems to 
> be attractive to them, that is one of the essential elements of tango.
> 
> Do you disagree? you have the right to refuse to dance with anybody or in 
> any way you dislike.
> You have the right to create your own milonga or to go to the milonga you 
> like.
> 
> Summary: Back leading is a bad practice and should not be encouraged . 
> Freedom is a good thing.
>              Fanaticim, intolerance are bad things.
> 
> PS. check the following page :)))   
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electra_complex
> 
> Saludos, Sergio
> 
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