[Tango-L] Close embrace - Open embrace

[Sergio Vandekier]

Joe says :  "I would like to ask Daniel where the term "Close Embrace Tango" came from, and who defined it, and what it originally meant."
 
It is very easy:  Traditional tango has two embraces close and open.
 
When we were teen agers and started dancing tango in Buenos Aires, we were introduced to the two embraces. Close embrace in traditional tango means that the man places his right nipple on the sternum (chest bone of the woman) and dances in that position.  
 
In those days (when I was 15 years old) it was proper to allow some slight "light" or separation of the chests when dancing in the
neighborhood club. The closenes was enhaced in the milongas downtown.
 
If and when you needed more room to execute a figure you allowed a bigger separation of the chests and then returned to the original position.  
 
Dancing with some degree of separation of the chests is called "open embrace".
 
Nuevo Tango has a fairly open embrace.
 
Milonguero style keeps the close embrace throughout the duration of the dance.
 
Traditional tango danced socially or for exhibition uses both close and open embrace.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJDowJI0-7s  Tete - Milonguero Style -  only close embrace.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJDowJI0-7s Chicho - Nuevo Tango - Open embrace -
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEGTx1M8Vyk&feature=PlayList&p=A7403507F2664631&index=9 Osvaldo y Lorena
 
Traditional Tango - Close embrace - at 1:19 - 1:34 - 1:50 - 2;12 - 2:30 Osvaldo "throws" or releses the embrace
to cause the chests to separate to be able to execute certain figures.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9mGaSPm97A&feature=PlayList&p=A7403507F2664631&index=7 Osvaldo -close embrace - Traditional Tango 
 
Best regards,  Sergio
 
  
_________________________________________________________________
Windows Live™: E-mail. Chat. Share. Get more ways to connect. 
http://windowslive.com/howitworks?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_t2_allup_howitworks_022009