[Tango-L] Who leads what, who follows what

[doug@swingfusion.com]

Thank you all who responded.  Comments were very helpful.
 
In related post, No Subject - stats/personal responsibility,
 
Trini de Pittsburgh wrote:
 
>> I can see where my comment might be taken negatively, but
>> it was meant to be tongue-in-cheek.  I assumed based on his
>> comments, perhaps mistakenly, that Doug has become a bona
>> fide tango junkie. 
 
I took no offense at remarks Trini, and tango junkie, yes.
 
Regular partner & I dance tango maybe 12 hours per week for 1 year now.  600
hours?  Sounds right.  Maybe 2 hours a week just walking, maybe 2 hours
practice, maybe 2 hours playing (we don't usually fall over) and 6 hours
dance.  Partner started year before me and is longtime ballet dancer, so I
still suck and she kicks butt.  It's nice she dances with me.  Anyway, I
learn mostly by leading and seeing what partner does.  If she does what I
hoped, lead was OK.  If not, lead sucked & I try to adjust to get what I
wanted.  Then I try with others not regular partner.  Adjust until lead
seems to work comfortably with others too.  Then I walk more.
 
I asked question because also I learn by partner executes step & I feel how
her body moved.  Then I try to adjust lead to move her in same way I felt.
So she moves and I listen to her body.  We sometimes dance like this too.  I
didn't know if this was ever part of real tango.
 
Oh.  And for Manuel.  As jazz drummer, I don't always dance to beat of
music.  Sometimes I comp, but I also do fills or play a line against the
music.  Maybe I dance 3 against 4, or 5 against 8 (5 equal steps in 8 beats
of music).  But _only_ with regular partner who gets it.  Other women want
to fight my timing.  They think I'm clueless and can't find the beat.  Oh
well.  Jazzers can be a real mess.
 
Thank you again for your kind replies.
 
D.