[Tango-L] No arms?

[Keith]

Nina,

We're not teaching people to dance without arms. We're trying to teach 
people to utilize all the components of the embrace during the lead and 
follow process. Unfortunately, many men only use their arms and hands 
when leading the woman. In an attempt to stop that, we take away the 
arms, which then forces them to use their torso, which is a major component
of the embrace. When the arms are returned, hopefully all components of 
the embrace will be used, which I think is what you want.

Dancing without arms is merely an exercise in class.

Holding the woman in an embrace is the best part of tango, why would we 
want to take that away?

Keith, HK

On Thu Sep 27  4:00 , Nina Pesochinsky  sent:

>It is an incredible mistake to teach people to dance without arms.   
>Great male dancers never lead "from the chest".  Instead, they lead  
>from the embrace, which includes everything.  Leading "from the chest"  
>results in dancers walking like chickens and stepping on the woman  
>because the arms that hold her are asleep.  Not to mention annoying  
>the women with a dead, empty embrace.
>
>If you don't like holding women in your embrace, then you are right -  
>you do not need the arms.
>
>Where did people get these ideas of "leading from the chest"?  I have  
>never heard any of the great masters (Mingo Pugliese, Carlos Gavito,  
>Pepito Avellaneda, and others) to ever teach this.  The embrace is  
>what ahs always been emphasized.
>
>Best,
>
>Nina
>