[Tango-L] Nomenclature: Clarification of terms, Part 2

[Brian Dunn]

Dear list,

Here's another terms-clarification attempt, submitted for your approval ;):

Clarification: LEAD WITH xxx (arms/frame/chest/other part of leader's
anatomy)
In our experience, by choosing to use the phrase "lead with (xxx)" in a
teaching context, we have already made some assumptions, and reinforced a
particular perspective on tango events, which has noticeable consequences
for our connection to our partner, and for our tango experience in general.
Because of this, it can be interesting and useful to re-examine those
assumptions and consequences, and reconsider our use of the phrase.

If we consider the idea "What does the leader lead with?", we see we're
talking about the leader DOING something with part of HIS body.  By framing
the problem as "what does the leader DO to lead?", the answer would seem to
be that the leader engages in a movement or series of movements using
various leader body part(s).  Of course, thinking of it this way can "work",
and many people have trained themselves to think of the problem of leading
this way.  But like the previous clarification of "lead", I'd say this
perspective is sufficient but not necessary for many tango ideas, and in
many other cases, actually creates unnecessary obstacles in the way of the
tango experience by diminishing the follower's sensation of the connection
with her leader.

One side-effect of this perspective is that the leader's attention is
REMOVED from the follower's body and focused on the leader's body while this
movement or movements of the leader's "leading code" is being executed. Once
this attention-removal is practiced often enough, it becomes a habit of mind
to remove attention from the follower's body into the leader's body in order
to initiate ANYTHING in the lead/follow tango conversation. Followers tend
to experience this attention-removal as a lessening of the sensation of
tango connection. While this can be overcome by unlearning this habit of
mind, many leaders never get that far in their tango careers.

We found it is possible to bypass many problems in learning tango
communication by reframing many tango communication situations in terms of
the follower's body exclusively. We do this for many tango ideas by focusing
on having the leader keep his/her attention relentlessly fixed on what the
follower's body should do, rather than taking an "attention detour" back
into the leader's body at all.  The leader's body then actually follows
along without much focused attention, as long as the follower's body is
taken care of.  

As peculiar as this may sound, it works very well in practice.  Beginners
prove to each other in the first class that they are all possessed of bodies
that are exquisitely sensitive perceiving devices, able to send and receive
mysterious information flows in ways difficult to explain, but easy to
experience.  Based on our results, by training these "attention habits" into
beginning leaders early on, the lead/follow communication is greatly
improved compared to the "what does the leader do" or "what does the leader
lead with" perspective.

All the best,
Brian Dunn
Dance of the Heart
775 Pleasant Street
Boulder, CO 80302 USA
303-938-0716
www.danceoftheheart.com
"Building a Better World, One Tango at a Time"