[Tango-L] Weight changes

[Floyd Baker]

On Sun, 27 Apr 2008 17:50:59 +0000, you wrote:
>
>"But of course if the follower understands Tango, she would not takethe leaders weight changes as a lead for her to do so too.. Andthat's what I said of course. Tango on... Floyd"
>
>I understand that there are many ways to dance tango, many ways to lead as well.
>What Floyd describes seems to work for him and that is fine.



>My experience is that most leaders change weight and at the same time communicate to the follower
>to change her weight as well.  

Sergio...  It seems we're saying the same thing but in different
words.

It's a walking dance and every step is a weight change.   Except  that
I don't bother to tell the follower to change weight on every step.
They do it themselves.   

But of course what we're really talking about are the weight changes
that are done when the ankles are together.., as opposed to when the
feet are separated.?    

>Or he changes weight and prevents her from changing her own weight.

All that's necessary is to start the follower moving first.  Then the
leader can do whatever he wants to do.    It would be too late for the
follower to change weight on her own.  

>For instance ( in a salida cruzada) the leader opens to the left with left, she follows opening to 
>her right with right,  he keeps her on her right foot (using his torso or his right arm to do so), 
>while he changes his weight from his left to his right foot. 

>Now he steps forward with left and she steps back with her usual left.

Except the leader should tell the follower where to move her foot
first.    Before he moves his at all.  Because this is an improv dance
and she doesn't know that he wants to put his foot where hers is.  

When you tell her this, she quickly gets her's out of the way.    Now
the leader can quickly change his weight and step as you describe it
with no problem...   It's all in the timing.   No need for extra
stops, blocks, thinking about it, or in fact having the follower
outsmart all of it and change her weight anyway...  :-)

>We may do a salida walking straight foprward. In this case I may step forward with my left or my right foot.
>I lead her to walk backwards with the proper foot by changing her weight from one foot to the other.
>
>I may do so just by changing my weight in place without moving either forward or backwards,
>she senses my chnges and changes as well, as I lead her to do so.

I agree...  That's a normally led weight-change...  She's doing it
because your center is moveing to the side, maybe even back and
forth..,  ever so slightly, and she tries to stay centered.   The
hollow spot under your adams apple..,  or whatever she uses as her
center point as the lead.  She is to keep herself directly in front of
it even if it means changing her weight...  ;-)  

>She never "ignores" my weight changes. I lead her to change or not to change.
>
>I think that most people dance this way, but then... dance any way you wish.
>
>Have a good Sunday,
>Sergio

She may not ignore proper weight changes, but I make sure they can't
do bad ones.   Cause, imho, leads come from above the waist, and the
lady is to do nothing without a lead.  

Except perhaps to cross?  <g> 

But as you say.., to each his own...  

As long as the followers ignore the weight changes they're not
supposed to duplicate.

Cheers....

Floyd


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