[Tango-L] Did you wow your partner?

[Tine Herreman]

For the follower, the music is an added lead, which is additional to
the partner's lead. The more experienced/virtuosic the partner's lead,
the more the partner lead and music lead will converge to form a
harmonious message. This is one of the things that make a good leader
easy to dance with.

It is about much more than staying on the basic beat or executing
timely adornments. In traspie milonga for example or with syncopas,
familiarity with the music helps the follower anticipate the rhythmic
structure of the lead (assuming the lead and the music are
harmonious). Traspie can be fast and busy and it would be a LOT of
work for the leader to micromanage each individual weight change, and
to stop the freight train cold when a rhythmic break intervenes.
Instead, the leader can rely on the follower's knowledge of the music
to interpret his hints, and focus more on leading the directionality,
shape and dynamics of the steps.

Also, the follower can use the embrace to alert the leader that she
wants to interject some musical interpretation of her own, for example
slowing something down to go with a wall of violins, or a freeze when
the follower knows a break is coming. I do this sometimes when I feel
things are going well but could be better. Invariably I get a
surprised grin from the leader. I suppose it might freak out a
beginner so I wouldn't spring it on a beginner.

Followers are well aware of the opposite situation where the leader
leads one thing and the music another, where the timing is off either
by being out of sync, or out of phase with the rhythmic structure of
the music, phrases pass by like they don't exist, breaks/suspensions
are ignored and walked over, and ganchos/boleos are led without the
least bit provocation from the music. In such situations the follower
has to choose to commit to one lead and tune out the other lead.
Musicality is a liability for the follower in this situation.

In all fairness, becoming a musical dancer is a process of many years.
I would say the best/cheapest way to cultivate musicality is to dance
free-style to the classics, at home without the distractions of a
partner and a crowded floor.

I should mention that I am a DJ (8+ years) so I know the music pretty
well, and I am a follower who also leads, so I am not conditioned to
passivity. Nevertheless, I am not suggesting I have achieved what I am
advocating. When I lead I use the same old steps modulated to achieve
a musical result; I would like to expand my repertoire with more small
vocabulary, this takes practice and I'm not there yet. As a follower,
I should express more voice (at least when dancing with leaders who
can take it).

Tine