3441 Close Embrace in regular life
Date: Mon, 16 May 2005 13:35:05 -0700
From: Igor Polk <ipolk@VIRTUAR.COM>
Subject: Close Embrace in regular life
Laurie,
This is not related very much to your topic, but I'd like to share with you
my memories.
When I was a boy at school, yes, back in Russia, in Soviet Union to be more
precise, we had dance parties at school, as in every other school or summer
camps, where all students went and teachers, and so on...
We danced only 2 dances. A Fast one, separated from each other( you can
imagine this ), and a Slow one - hugging each other as close as we can. With
both arms. Steps were very simple - a little side steps, a little
forward-backward cortes, and that is about it. Some boys kept their girls on
a little distance and with one arm extended to the side like in ballroom
dancing. It was considered stylish. Very few guys did it - it was against
the "normal way"! I did it sometimes and I thought about myself - I am
dancing better than others! How stupid I was!
Was it "sex on legs"? Hmm.. probably, but we never thought about it this
way. I want to emphasize that for us it was easy and regular activity.
Of course, Tango is much more advanced..
By the way, since I was 6, I had my own key for an apartment, and I went all
around the city and surrounding forests and lakes myself from dawn to dusk
as every other boy and girl. Nobody cared about where I am, what do I do -
nothing could happen to me. Nobody even thought otherwise.. But that is
deviation from the topic even more..
Igor Polk
I live in San Francisco now.
Date: Mon, 16 May 2005 14:24:09 -0700
From: Yale Tango Club <yaletangoclub@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: Close Embrace in regular life
Hi Igor,
Same in Belgium where I grew up. In 5-6th grade (age 11-12) we had afternoon dance parties at school where some slow dances were danced with easy side steps mostly (fast dances too, but without an embrace). The embrace was something like a practice embrace (symmetrical) and the distance between the partners could vary beween arm-length and upper-body contact. We thought the full contact was pretty bold and exciting. Nobody else seemed to think anything much of it, including parents. My uncle called those dances "stickers" (loosely translated from local dialect "plakkers") because you were glued to your partner.
Also at those parties and even more so at junior high school parties, I have fond memories of the "kissing dance" which they did at least twice per evening. When this song "La Bamba" came on (Trini Lopez did a version), half the kids would be arm in arm forming a circle around the remaining kids. Then if you were in the middle you would dance around and pick somebody to kiss, either 3 on alternating cheeks or, if you had the nerve, the third one was closer to the middle or at least aimed there. Sometimes it would linger etc, you can imagine. Some boys went on one knee and invited the girl to sit on the other knee for the kiss (a sentada!). This was considered very gallant and the girls loved it. Then the two would trade places and the kissee now got to go around the circle and pick somebody to kiss. Thinking back, it was early training for the cabeceo, as you would try to catch that special pair of eyes, or duck when somebody undesirable seemed to be on a course toward you. The Bamba
was often followed by a similar song to prolong the window of opportunity, and then always by a "tanda" of 3 slow songs which you would dance in close embrace (symmetrical), often with somebody you had contrived to kiss with just before. Many a junior high romance was born there!
Tine
www.tangomuse.com
Igor Polk <ipolk@VIRTUAR.COM> wrote:
Laurie,
This is not related very much to your topic, but I'd like to share with you
my memories.
When I was a boy at school, yes, back in Russia, in Soviet Union to be more
precise, we had dance parties at school, as in every other school or summer
camps, where all students went and teachers, and so on...
We danced only 2 dances. A Fast one, separated from each other( you can
imagine this ), and a Slow one - hugging each other as close as we can. With
both arms. Steps were very simple - a little side steps, a little
forward-backward cortes, and that is about it. Some boys kept their girls on
a little distance and with one arm extended to the side like in ballroom
dancing. It was considered stylish. Very few guys did it - it was against
the "normal way"! I did it sometimes and I thought about myself - I am
dancing better than others! How stupid I was!
Was it "sex on legs"? Hmm.. probably, but we never thought about it this
way. I want to emphasize that for us it was easy and regular activity.
Of course, Tango is much more advanced..
By the way, since I was 6, I had my own key for an apartment, and I went all
around the city and surrounding forests and lakes myself from dawn to dusk
as every other boy and girl. Nobody cared about where I am, what do I do -
nothing could happen to me. Nobody even thought otherwise.. But that is
deviation from the topic even more..
Igor Polk
I live in San Francisco now.
************************
Tango Club at Yale
YaleTangoClub@yahoo.com
www.yaletangoclub.org
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