[Tango-L] Strong Lead - resistance effect

[Tom Stermitz]

My main point is that the follower's musicality is expressed to a  
great degree by the quality and changes she puts into the connection.  
By changing her connection and choosing her movements she decorates  
time, space and movement. I guess she is also decorating his  
thoughts.... Sometimes he notices.

This creates extraordinarily luscious dances. A "perfect" follower  
who does everything I lead but doesn't use this quality of  
connection, is boring, like she doesn't have a personality or a voice.

On Sep 23, 2007, at 12:33 AM, Krasimir Stoyanov wrote:

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Tom Stermitz" <stermitz at tango.org>
> To: "Tango-L" <tango-l at mit.edu>
> Sent: Sunday, September 23, 2007 2:14 AM
> Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Strong Lead - resistance effect
>
>
> Some comments:
>
>>  - by resisting movement or self-powering,
>
> This will effectively destroy the dance, both resisting or self- 
> powering are
> LEADING, not following.

Apparently you have never experienced this. Have you ever danced with  
a good Argentine follower. Have you ever danced with a really  good  
follower who absolutely knows the music? There is a a quality of  
leading in the followers role, just as there is a certain amount of  
follow in the lead.

>>  - by allowing stationary or moving momentum to slow the changes of
>> tempo
>
> Slow the changes of tempo? What do you mean by that?

A body at rest has stationary momentum. In order to start moving, it  
needs a force (Newtonian Physics). The question is how fast or slowly  
this occurs. Maybe there is more force applied in a short time, or  
force is resisted/delayed in order to slow the movement.

>>  - by leaning or being more vertical,
>
> In a tango danced correctly, the leader determines the lean, not the
> follower. This follows from the walking technique, the follower cannot
> manage the lean without doing incorrect things with the posture.

Both parties can determine the lean. Personallly, I don't like the  
big lean, but it is always an option.


>>  - by pushing into the floor or pushing off,
>
> This needs clarification, every body pushes into the floor,  
> otherwise they
> will fall down. What is pushing off the floor? Changes of the  
> height above
> the floor are very important instrument for the leader, so it is  
> not correct
> for the follower to modulate it.

When a follower changes weight, she presses the ball of her foot into  
the earth, settles into her hips and engages. It is nice when her  
connection also engages with the leader. At the beginning of a step  
the leader has more pushing-off ability than she has resistance, so  
her resistance is more futile (so to speak). Still, she can resist or  
go easily. On the other hand, when the follower arrives to the next  
step the leader is at the end of his stride, so if she engages  
strongly with the floor she can slow him down. Although this is an  
option, personally, I find it to be heavy.

>>  - by allowing a slower response or a more sprightly response.
>
> Correct walking while following simply reacts passively to the  
> lead, if it
> is slow, the reaction is slow, etc.
> Slowing a lead is not something good for the dance, it destroys the  
> rithm,
> and should be avoided, unless there is a serious reason.
> Sharping a slow, smooth lead is a disaster in most cases.

Absolutely untrue. Passive reaction is extraordinarily boring.

I do feel a large part of the musicality comes from the leader who is  
proposing the steps. But, the follower does need to contribute.


>>  - by slowing or speeding up the speed of the moving leg
>
> I agree with this, but must be done very carefully.
>
> In fact, this is the only instrument for a follower to use freely -  
> the
> moving leg. But still, it requires a lot of experience for it to  
> work in a
> good manner.

To arrive at intermediate, a follower needs to learn how to follow  
the steps in the basic sense. This issue of slowing or smoothing the  
free is easily learned at this point, and is one of the essential  
quality-of-movement requirements for her to ACHIEVE intermediate.

>>  - by resisting or releasing early or late in the movement
>
> This would be very bad thing unless the skill level is unbelievably  
> high.
> And as we all do not posses such skills, it is not for us.

I'm not talking about beginners. I'm talking about the transition  
from intermediate to advanced.

>>  - by resisting or releasing early or late in the music
>
> Could you elaborate?

She can speed up the first half of the stride or the second half.  
This can be with respect to the music or with respect to the leader's  
movement. She can rush her weight change, or she can hold back to the  
"T" of the BEAT. In other words she can decorate TIME OR SPACE.


>>  - by leaving a step or arriving to a step early or late with
>> respect to the music or lead.
>
> Possibly, but again - it is a high level skill. Usually this is  
> simply bad
> follow.
>
>> (2) The manner in which the woman engages with her partner IS THE
>> FIRST AND MOST INTERESTING
>> decoration in tango. It is one of the most significant ways for the
>> woman to express musicality. Decorating the connection is far more
>> interesting than the visible decorations we usually think about.
>
> Interesting, could you tell us more about this idea?

Basically, this entire post is about how the follower decorates the  
connection.



Tom Stermitz
Denver and San Diego Tango Festivals
http://www.tango.org