3619 mixing styles: men and women from different schools
Date: Mon, 11 Jul 2005 14:35:39 -0700
From: Iron Logic <railogic@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: mixing styles: men and women from different schools
Sergio brought this interesting topic, i.e what happens when a man and woman froom different styles of tango dance together.
As student of the dance, my personal goal has to been to learn to be able to dance with women from every style/school of tango. May be this is a big ambition. I have a feeling that with right technique this is possible. For example teachers from all different schools seem to have different idea about even most basic elements like the walk.
So the key here is to find a technique that accommodates different styles/habits of opposite role. Any thoughts here?, for example if you are a man dancing salon, have you danced with say a women dancing neuvo ?
Coming back the often discussed milonguero style, this style is danced by old dancers dancing for many years of their lifetime. They improved their skills through repetition by dancing miles and miles around dance floor. They bring that 'juice' to the dance. On the other hand, in general, I dont think they are suited to "teach" tango in the today's world. Watch them again and again, watch the feelings they bring, it helps for sure. Over the years they have gotten rid of trash, all they carry is the "cream" of tango;)
Imagine there are a very few dancers dancing this style, most of them are old, why?. May be the young dancers could not dance this style because the milogueros could not teach them?. This should not be surprising considering the way learnt dancing. Their bodies now know how to dance, but they can not always explain. Or may be it just cannot be taught, it just happens with time, like wine, there is no short cut you just have to wait for years, like a spiritual pursuit with great masters. If you have the will and patience to keep learning for 20-30 years, go for it.
Best,
IL
Btw Sergio..., thanks for the clarification!, I thought you were referring to a different part of 'Ocho Cortado' [sometimes you have a situation where women after being lead do a front cross to right for example... have a tendency to come back and cross in front automatically].
Sergio Vandekier <sergiovandekier990@HOTMAIL.COM> wrote:I said if you go dancing to a Salon Style place and try to do milonguero:
"She may not do an Ocho cortado, and when you lead one , she will pivot her
feet
and hip and cross front (this will not disturb your dance).
Iron Logic says
I am not sure, but if she pivots back on her own it may disturb the dance
of course. This also implies she cannot be lead to perform a complete giro?.
I think if a Salon dancer cannot do a Ocho cortada, most probably she is not
experienced... not because she dances a specific style ...or may be she is
just
not led correctly."
I assume that the dancer leads properly. some women are not used to doing
the Ocho cortado, when you lead one everything goes fine up to me moment you
bring her to your right and she opens but afterwards instead of crossing in
front while moving her hip to her left, she will pivot (slightly) pointing
in the direction where she is going and cross front moving the hip in the
usual way for salon. If this disturbs your dancing this will be minimal, as
you compensate and continue .
I normally find no problems with turns (giros) of any type.
the second question was:
If you are a salon dancer and go to a milonguero club, the ladies will
follow you but they may not want to dance with you again
>>>
why?;) could you elaborate?
If the leader dances to music and she can follow , where is the problem. Is
it
because these old dancers are so "religious" about their style?.
People have a preference with respect to the place where they go dancing,
the kind of music that they play in such a place and the tango style that is
danced there.
You have to assume that they came to a milonguero style club because they
like to dance in that way.
Most of the ladies and some of the men will not dance with people that come
there to dance in a different style.
This is logical. If you wish to dance Salon or Nuevo go to a place where
those styles are danced.
If you are a Salon dancer but wish to go to a particular club where
Milonguero is done, try to go to the lessons that are usually taught before
the milonga. This will familiarize you with the style and some of the
people.
Sergio
Date: Mon, 11 Jul 2005 20:05:03 -0700
From: Trini or Sean - PATangoS <patangos@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: mixing styles: men and women from different schools
--- Iron Logic <railogic@YAHOO.COM> wrote:
> So the key here is to find a technique that
> accommodates different styles/habits of opposite
> role. Any thoughts here?, for example if you are a
> man dancing salon, have you danced with say a women
> dancing neuvo ?
Instead of technique, it may be helpful to think in
terms of becoming a better listener. We always
recommend studying Alexander Technique, which helps
one relax and release tension. By relaxing, one is
able to send and receive messages more easily. It
turns out that a lot of tango techniques that we learn
in various styles are things that come up in our
Alexander lessons. It also helps with studying
physiology and develop body kinesthetics, so that you
can isolate different movements.
By becoming a better listener and learning how to
isolate different muscles/joints, you will get a
better sense of what your partner needs, and,
hopefully, give her what she needs.
You might also want to try contact improvisation to
help release mental blocks, develop flexibility, and
learn how to move with others. It is also a heck of a
lot of fun!
Trini
PATangoS - Pittsburgh Argentine Tango Society
Our Mission: To make Argentine Tango Pittsburgh's most popular social dance.
https://www.pitt.edu/~mcph/PATangoWeb.htm
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