[Tango-L] Strong Lead - resistance effect

[Nina Pesochinsky]

Exactly.  This is the difference between following and dancing.


At 09:27 AM 9/23/2007, Tom Stermitz wrote:
>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
>
>_______________________________________________
>Tango-L mailing list
>Tango-L at mit.edu
>http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l