[Tango-L] What makes tango tango?

[Carol Shepherd]

If by "cross-foot dancing" you mean stopping at a cross, you're right, I 
don't know of any ballroom dance that has that.  However, quickstep has 
vocabulary that progresses down the floor using crosses (both lead and 
follow).


Jay Rabe wrote:
> The question is, what makes tango different from ballroom? 
> 
> I have often repeated the mantra that "tango is not ballroom," but I confess to believing that mostly on blind faith, since I've never done enough ballroom to understand WHY that is the case.
> 
> I think thorn-inside has hit on a couple of possible parameters, however: 
>      * ballroom doesn't allow cross-foot dancing (can someone with ballroom experience verify that?);
>       * in tango the leader is responsible for leading every weight change;
> 
> I'd like to add a third, having had experience teaching tango to people with a lot of ballroom experience:
>      * in tango the weight/intention/energy (whatever you want to call it) is forward and towards their partner, whereas in ballroom the dancers tend to lean their upper body slightly away from each other.
> 
>      Comments or additions to the list?
> 
>               J
>            TangoMoments.com
> 
> 
>> From: thorn-inside at hotmail.com
> 
>> ... ballroom versions of Tango do not admit crossed feet.  Is this so?  
>>
>> I interpret "Tango Lead" to be that the lead is responsible for leading
>> every weight change and step of the follow ...
> 
> 
> 
> 
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Carol Ruth Shepherd
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