[Tango-L] Strong Lead - resistance effect

[rockies@comcast.net]

 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Igor Polk" <ipolk at virtuar.com>
> I missed that, sorry..
> 
> Carol: "the more advanced the dancer, the 
> less resistance is desired, because it allows more nuance."
> 
> Actually it is opposite: Stronger resistance in body and in hands allows way
> more nuances. 
> Incomparably more !
> 
> And there is strong scientific substantiation to that.
> 
> Your view Carol is widespread, but just wish you to experience what I am
> talking about.
> 
> Igor Polk


 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Igor Polk" <ipolk at virtuar.com>
> I missed that, sorry..
> 
> Carol: "the more advanced the dancer, the 
> less resistance is desired, because it allows more nuance."
> 
> Actually it is opposite: Stronger resistance in body and in hands allows way
> more nuances. 
> Incomparably more !
> 
> And there is strong scientific substantiation to that.
> 
> Your view Carol is widespread, but just wish you to experience what I am
> talking about.

What kind of resistance are you talking about and how much though? I don't agree with resisting, except for teaching an absolute beginner, and even then I would get them to gradually back off. Are you confusing firmness with resistance? Being firm in the frame means an instantaneous resistance at the moment of lead for a turn say, but this is mild. One master teacher said 2lbs (less than 1Kg) of pressure at the instant of turn, and then back to nothing. Constantly resisting is tedious over time. There is such a thing as core strength that allows a person to feel and sense the subtlety of their dance partner much more easily. This is not resistance though. The very best dancers I have ever danced with provided little to no resistance, yet were incredibly sensitive. I used to require back pressure as a beginning leader. Now, I really dislike that style of dancing - I'm not a beefy male, and dancing with someone who weighs the same  as I do and provides a lot of continuous resis
 tance 
in either step or frame is incredibly tiring.  There's also the possibility of injury if you're talking about constant frame pressure -muscle injuries are not uncommon.

Randy