[Tango-L] The Cross: Much ado about nothing

[Tango Society of Central Illinois]

First, the cross, like any other tango step, should be led. Tango
wouldn't be an improvised dance if women did steps without being led.

Oh, yes, women do steps without leading. Like boleos. A woman once
told me that when I led her to do boleos, I pulled her off her axis. I
told her I wasn't leading boleos.

Then there are the 'enganches' that I never lead. Somehow some women
find a way to incoporate these leg wraps into their dance when I least
expect it.

Ok, those are not the good followers and they are rare.

Anyway, the cross. This horse has long been dead on Tango-L and yet
people continue to beat it. Some say it is still moving ... not dead
yet.

The cross is overdone. This is probably the result of all of us having
been indoctrinated into the 8-count basic in our tango formative
years. It's a hard habit to break.

FLASH - NEWS BULLETIN!!

THE CROSS IS NOT USED MUCH IN BUENOS AIRES MILONGAS!!

At least not the linear walk to the cross. The cross emanating from a
sideways movement, e.g., the ocho cortado, that is seen a lot. Or
maybe from a turn, e.g., a media vuelta can result in a cross when
after a woman's forward walk on the left foot, there's a half turn
pivot that results in a cross. One will occasionally see an exit from
back ochos in a linear walk in crossed feet resulting in a cross. But
the ad nauseum side step salida, man outside partner walk that in 3
steps results in a woman's cross (the backbone of the 8-count basic) -
rarely.

It's one way to identify a tourist.

Maybe if we stopped doing the walk to the cross we'd stop arguing about it.

Ron