[Tango-L] ..where did the balance go?

[Tango For Her]

This isn't THE answer to your question, but let me add
this ... 

I have always said that the leader and the follower
both have the same job:
- The leader's job is to keep the follower balanced.
- The follower's job is to keep herself balanced.

I could elaborate on the leader's part:

The leader: 
- Should never do anything to upset the follower's
balance.
- Should not allow the follower to use his body for
balance.

So, if she ever uses your left hand to keep herself
balanced, make your left arm go, more or less, limp. 
Take that crutch away from her.

If she leans on your right shoulder or grabs at your
back with her left hand, make up an excuse, tell her
you have a bad shoulder.  Yes, the more appropriate
advise might be to not dance with her.  But, if you
are going to dance with her, take that crutch away
from her.

All in all, you job is to take her crutches away.  I
believe that without those crutches, she will find her
own balance.  She probably doesn't know why she is
having that problem.  But, now YOU do!

In quicker dances, like milonga, the is forced to keep
her body more vertical just to keep up with her feet. 
That is, if she gets off balanced, she'll never keep
up.  Soooo, obviously, she CAN keep herself balanced. 
She just has bad habits that take over when she slows
down.  Take her crutches away!

Good luck!




--- Mario <sopelote at yahoo.com> wrote:

> There is a woman that I dance with in the local
> Milonga. 
>   She is tall and about ten pounds
> overweight..(medical standard)
>   She has been taking classes for a couple of years.
>   Her balance when dancing a slow tango is fatal.
>   She almost falls over when doing a simple side
> step.
>   It's all I can do to keep her upright.
>   However, in the Milonga (song) she dances as good
> as anyone
>   and better. We dance closely and she never
>   misses a step and her balance/axis is never a
> problem.
>   I would like to talk to her about this difference
> in her dance
>   but I really don't understand it myself. 
>   Can anyone (women especially) give me some idea of
>   what could produce such a  big difference in her
> quality
>   of dance and perhaps how to get her slow tango
> more
>   towards the balance and sureness of her Milonga ??
> thanks!



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