3240  chest moving - reply to Ed

Date: Sat, 19 Feb 2005 16:39:15 +0000
From: Jay Rabe <jayrabe@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: chest moving - reply to Ed

Hi Ed,

I too use the teaching device of showing how, when I move my chest
slightly forward, the follower should feel that as a "lead," and begin to
extend her foot back. If she does not, then the only problem is when I have
moved my chest so far forward as to be off my axis. If she has not moved her
foot back for whatever reason, and I need to catch my balance, I have to
take a step forward, but rather than the full step that I had planned, I can
only take a step of a few inches because her foot is still there. Hopefully
I can negotiate the maneuver without pushing us both off axis :-)
Better, of course, is to not push my chest so far forward as to be off
my axis. As you gain experience and sensitivity, you'll discover that it
very much requires a fraction-of-a-second response. When you start to move
your chest, she should start to move her foot. If she does not, ideally you
will be paying attention enough to know that, and you can in that moment
back off on your chest movement to avoid going off-balance yourself.

J in Portland
www.TangoMoments.com



----Original Message Follows----

Date: Sat, 19 Feb 2005 12:16:15 -0500
From: Ed Doyle <doyleed@SPRYNET.COM>
Subject: Re: chest moving - reply to Ed

On Sat, 2005-02-19 at 16:39 +0000, Jay Rabe wrote:

> Hi Ed,
>
> I too use the teaching device of showing how, when I move my chest
> slightly forward, the follower should feel that as a "lead," and begin to
> extend her foot back. If she does not, then the only problem is when I have
> moved my chest so far forward as to be off my axis. If she has not moved her
> foot back for whatever reason, and I need to catch my balance, I have to
> take a step forward, but rather than the full step that I had planned, I can
> only take a step of a few inches because her foot is still there. Hopefully
> I can negotiate the maneuver without pushing us both off axis :-)
> Better, of course, is to not push my chest so far forward as to be off
> my axis. As you gain experience and sensitivity, you'll discover that it
> very much requires a fraction-of-a-second response. When you start to move
> your chest, she should start to move her foot. If she does not, ideally you
> will be paying attention enough to know that, and you can in that moment
> back off on your chest movement to avoid going off-balance yourself.
>
> J in Portland
> www.TangoMoments.com
>

Hi Jay and Trini and Chanop and May Ellen all those who commented on my
earlier post. I now understand 'in my head' what you are all saying and
doing. I now need to transfer it from my head to my body. Right now,
my head feels overloaded with following LOD, protecting my partner,
staying with the music, keeping my balance, executing one step or
movement while planing the next step or movement, my axis, my partners
axis, ... . Hopefully, with time and practice, some of the above will
move from conscious thought to automatic muscle memory and I can get on
with truly enjoying the dance. Anyway - thanks for the feedback. I have
a long way to go, but it appears to be a beautiful trail.

Ed

Date: Sat, 19 Feb 2005 13:45:31 -0500
From: Michael <tangomaniac@CAVTEL.NET>
Subject: Re: chest moving - reply to Ed

Hello Ed:
I learned how to keep my weight (forward) on the balls of my feet by cutting off the heels of an old pair of shoes. Without the heels, I =
could feel when my weight was back because I could feel off balance as my heels weren't there to catch me, which turned out to be most of the =
time. I didn't which was worse. Dancing so badly or not knowing I was dancing so badly. I bet the women I danced with knew.

Another practice tool I used was a dining room chair with wheels. On a hard wood floor, I would try to move the chair backward without moving =
my feet or arms. If I moved a foot first, I'd kick the chair. Then I would chastise the chair for not following. (LOL). If the chair doesn't =
move, the message is the upper body isn't moving FIRST. If I moved my feet diagonally, I was trying to avoid kicking the chair. This is how =
some men walk, perpetually afraid they are going to step on the woman's foot. They don't understand that if you get the woman out of the way, =
there will be no foot to step on. The flip side is women who step back diagonally because they are afraid the man will step on their foot. They =
don't understand if they get the foot out of the way before the man moves, they can't step on it.

The chair can help women follow better. They have to get out of the way of the chair. They have to step backward first and then move their upper =
body over the support foot. As they move backward, the chair will come forward.

Part of the problem is some teachers talk about partners giving "resistance" to the other partner. There should be NO resistance at all. =
(I already wrote about this in another post so I won't repeat it here.)

Hope this helps.

Michael Ditkoff
Washington, DC
Not going to Disney World, but I am going to Denver Tango Fest


----Original Message Follows----

Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2005 17:46:32 -0800
From: Igor Polk <ipolk@VIRTUAR.COM>
Subject: Re: chest moving - reply to Ed

There is no any problem if you keep the apilado position, I mean leaning.

To indicate a lead to move forward ( back step for a lady )
you do not move your body, but push a little bit forward ( from the floor
with your legs, of course, or tilting your axis a millimeter forward )
There is no any movement!
If she is accepting your invitation, she extends her leg and let you move
her forward,
if not - she pushes back to you and you stay still.

It is that simple,
and that complex.
And very very pleasurable!

Just proven another thousand times at Absolutely Breathtaking Portland
ValenTango event.

Igor Polk from San Francisco.