[Tango-L] Ladies Leading

[Nina Pesochinsky]

Chris,

I am glad that it seems to be in decline in Europe.  Women are 
terrible leads.  Even the best of them.  The problem is a lack of 
testosterone and socialization in male roles.  I stress 
"socialization", and not "male roles'.

It works for stage, and very well at times.  But as a social dance, 
it does not work.  I don't think that people can walk away from 
gender roles and feel just as well as when they are within them (if 
those gender roles work for them in life, that is).

In my experience, regrdless of the fact that I had leaned from 
fabulous Argentine male dancers, and have danced both parts from the 
beginning of my training over a decade ago. it does not work for me 
socially to walk out into the dance floor in a male role of the 
dance, dance with the women, then switch my role again and try to 
dance with the men with whom I just "competed" for space/partners/etc.

If the dance if to be danced well, some of the energy of the gender 
roles needs to be preserved.  Otherwise, we will be dancing amoeba 
tango.  I have never seen any women, whose lead deserved any 
attention, at any of the milongas, including la Marshall in BsAs.

So, can women lead as well or better as men?  My answer is no.  Can 
men follow?  Oh, yes.  Another man and better than most women that I have seen.

Those that have questions about this topic should go dance at La 
Marshall.  There is some amazing social dancing to be seen there, all 
danced by the men.

Best,

Nina





At 09:11 AM 5/4/2008, Chris, UK wrote:
> > So out of curiosity is this phenomenon, ladies leading, on the rise in
> > other areas?
>
>Where in Europe it was strongest - Berlin - it's now in decline. That's
>natural die-back post cessation of Ladies Leading workshops run locally by
>a German lady who thankfully now spends more time teaching in the US.
>
>I'm glad, because most of the lady leaders were amongst the worst ronda
>disruptors.
>
>Many of the few left still are. Sort of like children playing on tarmac
>that looks like their school playground, but is in fact a motorway...
>
>I think the problem is having no clue as to the guy-guy thing that makes
>the ronda happen. Which I guess is not their fault, having learnt in a
>studio that doesn't have a working ronda, rather than in a milonga that
>does. And not even having a guy as teacher! ;)
>
>--
>Chris
>
>PS
>
> > Have you joined the Buffalo Argentine Tango Society Yahoo! group yet?
>
>No, and asking another twenty times won't change that! ;)
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