[Tango-L] Basics

[Ming Mar]

Sherrie writes:
>If you are not taught ... proper foot placement, good 
>walking, a firm embrace, you will not be able to be lead 
>well.

What is the difference between proper and improper foot 
placement?  Good and bad walking?  How do I tell if my 
embrace is not firm enough?  Too firm?  Just right? 

>Something that is becoming viral in female dancers in our 
>community is the sway back posture

Do they, in fact, suffer more back pain than straight-
backed girls?  If not, it's not a problem.  Why are they 
sticking their butts out? 

Sherrie writes:
>Just getting the beginner learning the basics to walk on 
>the beat is a big, big deal.

Most people hear the beat, but some (a large minority of 
the general public) don't hear the beat.  You can't teach a 
color-blinded person to see color and you can't teach a 
beat-deaf person to hear the strong beat.

I think the beat-deaf should be taught a coping mechanism.  
For the color-blind you teach them that the light on top 
means stop and the light on bottom means go.  The beat-deaf 
should be taught to dance a lot slower than the tempo.

In my community, most people do not dance on the beat.  But 
the majority of people can hear the beat.  That means that 
some people are dancing off the beat not because they don't 
hear the beat, but because they don't realize they're 
supposed to dance on the beat.

D'Arienzo of the late 30's and 40's is great for dancing.  
It's like disco.  The beat is constant and insistant.