[Tango-L] Milonga 101 -- leaving the floor at the end of a tanda

['Mash]

Now I don't know if this is just a UK thing but since I am at the moment watching more milongas then dancing them I may notice this more. It is that there is an almost audible popping sound at the end of the dance when partners seem to change polarity and repel the other away from them. It really is sometimes like watching people force themselves to be connected while the music plays and when it stops; like musical chairs they "pop" out of each others arms like it was some horrible ordeal they have been through. 

I have personally made a point to enjoy the embrace a little longer and slow the whole thing down, this is though with a regular partners and not with complete strangers yet. I am talking about pausing and enjoying the fact that we have just spent time totally immersed in music and dance and not bursting away from each other and ruining the moment. A (strange) parallel I can draw would be my own habit of when watching a DVD in the evening before I heading to bed I make sure I turn the TV off at the end of the credits and then the DVD so that the last thing I remember and hear is the moving sound score during the credits and by not switching off the DVD first avoid being hit with some unforgivable TV show and thus ruining the still introspective atmosphere. Now don't judge me too much on this madness it does make some sense.   

I was wondering if this magnetic repulsion (want of a better word, repulsion is a little too strong "repelation?") is something other people see and is actually the norm and more so am I with my alien attitude going to get a reputation as being clingy if I stay in the moment?

'Mash
London, UK

"Tango; sorry I thought it was a dance."


On Sun, Dec 30, 2007 at 03:56:36PM -0300, Janis Kenyon wrote:
> It's surprising how many men in the milongas turn around and walk the other
> way when a tanda ends, leaving women on the floor.  They either haven't
> observed proper ballroom dance etiquette or are too lazy to accompany the
> woman to the edge of the floor.  Unfortunately, this isn't usually discussed
> in classes; many teachers don't practice this themselves.
> 
> Men need to be reminded.  I was amazed when I saw a friend of mine, who has
> years of experience in the milongas, constantly leave women in the middle of
> the floor at the end of a tanda.  He seemed to be opting out for the
> shortest distance to his table, rather than escorting a woman back to where
> he met her on the floor.  Often he was seated before the woman reached her
> table.  Last night the woman seated next to me returned alone practically
> every tanda.  That says something about her choice of partners.
> 
> There are gentlemen in Buenos Aires.  It is common practice by milongueros
> to hold the woman's upper arm or place their hand on her back while
> escorting her to the edge of the floor.  There is no handholding or hand on
> her shoulder by the man unless he is seated with his partner.
> 
> As any milonguero will tell you, it isn't necessary to say "thank-you"
> because you made a mutual agreement to dance together.  If you danced to the
> end of the tanda, mutual enjoyment is understood.  Nothing needs to be said.
> 
> Janis
> www.ToTango.net/milongueros.html
> 
> 
> 
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