[Tango-L] The Basics

[Brick Robbins]

> Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2010 00:14:19 -0300
> From: Shahrukh Merchant <shahrukh at shahrukhmerchant.com>
>
> Brick Robbins <brick at brickrobbins.com> wrote:
>
>> It has been my observation that many people who dance exclusivity in a
>> close embrace have issues with posture and balance, of which they are
>> not aware.
>
> That's an interesting twist ... which one could reformulate to the
> effect that, "Since dancing (well) in close embrace is harder than
> dancing in open embrace [no argument from me there], many people end up
> dancing with poor technique when the dance could be simplified for them
> to make it easier, and hence easier to dance correctly."

Actually your "reformulation" has nothing to do with what I said, the
words you put in my mouth don't reflect my intention. I am not placing
value judgement on the desirability or difficulty of dancing in any
particular shape of embrace.

I am proposing that each shape of embrace requires a level of
proficiency at different but complimentary skills, and improving one's
proficiency at all the skills required for tango is easier if one
practices in different shapes of embrace. For example, a lack of
balance can be masked by always dancing in closed, and may be improved
by practice in open. Another example, arm leading can be hidden (at
least to the leader doing it) by always dancing in open embrace.
Practice in close, even without using arms at all, may improve this.

It is all tango.

It is my observation that the people who dance in all shapes of
embrace, and even experiment with other movement disciplines like
Contact Improv, are by far the better dancers. The ones who spend more
time Proselytizing for their sect of tango, pointing at others and
saying "That is Not Tango!" worrying about Codes, being Authentic, and
dressing appropriately often suck.

Be Polite. Dance Well. Be Gentle with yourself and others.

Abrazos
Brick

PS. I'm in the SF Bay Area this weekend. If anyone is going to the
Beat on Saturday night, say hi. I'm probably the only guy there with a
red ponytail.