[Tango-L] Directional notation

[Huck Kennedy]

In two postings, Jake Spatz writes:
>
> I've heard one teacher use (on occasion) the terms "open-side" and 
> "closed-side," to refer to those respective sides of the embrace. Those 
> terms, however, are already used to describe the distance between the 
> dancers, so they're not that suitable.

     To quote a famous college football ex-coach and
TV commentator, "Not so fast, my friend!"  "Open" and
"closed" are used to describe distance between dancers,
but not "open side of the embrace" and "closed side of
the embrace," which you abbreviate here to "open-side"
and "closed-side;" therefore, I see no confusion here
whatsoever, especially when context is factored in, and
would find these terms at least sometimes useful as
directional terms both partners could use to avoid the
"my left, your right" nuisance.  For instance, "We both
take a sidestep towards the open side [of the embrace]"
is both easier to remember and more elegant than "the
leader takes a sidestep to the left while the follower
takes one to the right (or was that right and left
instead of left and right?  DOH!!)".  I realize you're
probably looking for ways to describe far more complex
nuevo moves, but hey, maybe this could at least be
helpful for beginners.

     Also, as someone else mentioned, in certain
contexts the follower's perspective is always used.
For example, if you add or subtract a step independent
of your partner to go from parallel into crossed
(or opposite feet into same feet if you prefer that
terminology) and start walking forward on her left
side on three tracks, you are said to be dancing on
the left side, because you are on *her* left side.
Similarly, in West Coast Swing, there are terms like
"right-side pass with underarm turn" and "left-side
pass," referring to which of her sides you are on
when she zooms by in the slot.  Again, this may turn
out to be of little use with respect to the more
complicated moves I think you want to describe.

> As for the cross-steps in themselves... Usually the "cross" is taken to 
> mean that the dancer crosses his or her own body (or standing leg). But 
> this depends on the orientation of the partners and also on torso-hip 
> dissociation. Step #1 of the salida

     As an aside, I find terminology such as "step 1
of the salida" to be virtually useless without prior
definition, since different instructors use different
numbering notations for what they consider to be the
basic step.  You are using "salida" to mean the dreaded
so-called "8-count basic," right? (apologies if I've
misunderstood).  What people consider to be a "salida"
also seems to vary.  I, for one, consider the salida
to be just the one or two steps used to get underway.
Sallying forth, or setting off, so to speak, which is
the true meaning of "salida" in Spanish in this
context.

> can be executed without variation by the follower, but if
> I (leading) step to my left instead of straight back, she's
> open; if I dodge right, she's crossed. If I do step straight 
> back, she's NEITHER.

     There's no such thing as "neither."  A person
either takes an open step or a crossed step.  Now
I don't know what kind of bizarre nuevo pretzel
positions you wander into :)  but for normal intents
and purposes, if you are in a reasonably standard
open tango connection and take a step and want to
analyze whether the step you just took was open or
crossed, you need simply press the pause button (as
it were) for a moment, pivot on both feet to face
your partner head on (it helps if both can do this),
and see where your legs end up after the pivot.  If
you wind up standing there nonchalantly with your legs
apart like a cool Elvis standing at ease in an Army
uniform, you just took an open step.  If you wind up
standing there with your legs in a big ol' tangled
cross like some kind of dorky stork, you just took
a crossed step.

Huck