[Tango-L] subjects that never etc.

[Tom Stermitz]

On Apr 2, 2008, at 1:13 PM, Crrtango at aol.com wrote:
> Robin wrote:
> <<<<Especially interested in two "holds" that I observe these days  
> in the
> milongas in BA.
> First the draping of the woman's left arm down across the shoulder of
> the man with elbow pointed at the ceiling and the other with the
> woman's left arm placed very low, almost around the man's waist.>>>>

Personally, I think the elbow up and arm coming back down looks really  
weird. It also raises the shoulder which can have back injury  
consequences. My understanding is that these women are copying an  
individual style or one-off they saw someone in Buenos Aires do.

It's a common enough story: A new, pretty young thing becomes "belle  
of the ball" for the year, she has a personal quirk or distinctive  
mark, which gets copied and starts a new style.

I heard the same thing with the nose pressed into the leader's cheek.  
They saw someone do it, then copied it.

Women with their butt sticking up and arched lower back is another new  
style. On that one, all I can say is, these 20-somethings are simply  
"not yet injured".


> As to women looking to the right with the man, I prefer it and teach  
> it.
> (Danel and Maria taught it that way, said it was classic tango de  
> salon style
> whereas looking over the man's shoulder evolved more from the  
> milonguero camp.)
> But I never "correct" a woman who doesn't do it, because most don't.
> It doesn't seem to be that much of an issue to me.   If I were  
> choreographing
> something I might prefer the head that way, but at the social  
> milonga it's no
> big deal.
>
> Cheers,
> Charles

In Buenos Aires I've seen the woman facing the same way as the man or  
different directions over each other's shoulders. Probably 75 or 85%  
look over each other's shoulders.

I don't have a stylistic opinion about either pose. But I am fairly  
short, so for me, the "look the same direction" is just not  
functional. It cuts of half of my vision. It also feels more  
asymmetric, which makes my back hurt.