[Tango-L] followers expressiveness

[Tom Stermitz]

I've always felt that the follower's role teaches technique at first,  
while the leader's role teaches musicality. One disadvantage of the  
follower's role, is the emphasis on being adaptive and doing nothing  
more that what is lead. This can make it harder to discover a voice,  
and the spaces where the follower contributes.

Learning to lead can help follower's learn how to "impose musicality"  
on the dance, find a stronger voice, as well as discover what other  
follower's feel like.

It takes an experienced follower (and leader!) to realize that the  
follower isn't just an obedient puppet.

One of the discoveries when you dance with women in Argentina is that  
they are oh-so-adaptive, yet oh-so-alive. The "just following" is a  
myth at the higher level, at least in close-embrace.



On Mar 18, 2008, at 6:52 AM, jackie ling wong wrote:

> now, i have led many followers... and there are followers who just
> follow which is nice and then there are followers who dance with
> you....  who dance melodically... and hear the notes that are
> emphasized and can translate that to their dance.  it feels like they
> are reading my mind because my expression in the dance becomes so
> easy.  her/his boleo considers not only the time of the movement but
> the energy, how the beat is used (emphasized at the beg. of the
> beat...etc)...  it feels like painting.
> ...
> my question...  how do you teach this?  is there an exercise that can
> help people understand what i am saying?